Dayahatyn: Silk Road’s Golden Age

Located in the northern reaches of Lebap, approximately 170 kilometers from Turkmenabat, stands the enduring architectural marvel of Dayahatyn. This ancient caravanserai, constructed nearly a millennium ago along the northern stretch of the Great Silk Road, serves as a poignant reminder of the flourishing trade and cultural exchanges that once connected the East and West.

The walls of Dayahatyn are adorned with meticulously crafted fired bricks, showcasing intricate arches, domes, and vaults that have withstood the test of time. Despite the durability of these materials, the relentless forces of nature and the passage of centuries have taken their toll on this historic structure. To preserve its legacy, extensive conservation efforts have been undertaken, reinforcing the most vulnerable sections of the walls, ceilings, and decorative elements. Restoration work has revitalized parts of the northeastern courtyard façade and reconstructed the previously lost upper portion of the main entrance portal, utilizing both original medieval bricks and newly crafted ones modeled after the originals.

Before the caravanserai graced the landscape, a square fortress, known in Arabic as a «ribat,» was erected on this site in the early 9th century. These fortifications were strategically established to safeguard the borders of the Muslim world in the remote regions of Central Asia. At the time, Tahir ibn Husayn, a prominent figure in early Islamic history and the governor of the Arab Caliphate in Khorasan, oversaw the construction of this stronghold, which came to be known as Ribat Tahiriya.

Remarkably, the general contours of Ribat Tahiriya have endured through the ages. During the Seljuk era, the fortress was transformed into the Dayahatyn Caravanserai, dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, and strategically positioned along the trade route from Amul (modern-day Turkmenabat) to Khorezm. The use of fired brick as a decorative material is emblematic of the pre-Mongol period, with master craftsmen of the Middle Ages employing this medium to artfully embellish walls and even erect minarets.

Renowned historian Galina Pugachenkova, who participated in the study of this monument, noted, «The expansion of international economic relations with various countries of the East and West necessitated the intensive construction of caravanserais and market structures. These buildings are expansive and majestic, with architecture that is often exceedingly ornate. The Dayahatyn Caravanserai astonishes with the richness of its brick decor adorning both its exterior and courtyard facades.»