Erk Kala

Thirty kilometers east of Mary, in the fertile Murgab River Valley, lies a vast expanse of land rich with archaeological treasures, collectively known as Ancient Merv.

Each of the ancient cities within this historic site thrived during different eras: Erk-Kala in the 6th century BCE, Gyaur-Kala in the 3rd century CE, Kyz-Kala in the 6th century CE, Sultan-Kala in the 11th century, and Abdullah-Kala in the 15th century.

Renowned archaeologist Vadim Mikhailovich Masson once wrote about Erk-Kala: «The Erk-Kala settlement, which later became the citadel of Parthian Merv, covered an area of about 16 hectares. It was surrounded by a wall up to 60 meters thick, constructed from mudbrick, with monumental buildings in the center, perched on high platforms. Recent excavations have shown that the earliest cultural layers of this site date back to at least the 6th century BCE.» Masson’s ability to date the site was greatly aided by the discovery of numerous coins.