Ayaz-Kala

Among the numerous unfortified farmhouses, three fortresses stand out due to their significant size and strategic importance. Ayaz-3 is a massive fortress featuring a large courtyard surrounded by strong walls with towers and a maze near the gate. At its north-eastern and north-western corners are 40-room houses intersected by hallways, indicating a complex and well-organized structure.

Ayaz-2, built on a rock, dates back to the Kushan period but was later reconstructed by the Afrigids in the 5th-7th centuries. This fortress stands on a cliff plateau adjacent to a settlement, highlighting its strategic importance. Ayaz-1, also perched on a rock, features semicircular towers, a maze near the gate, an arched gallery at the base of the wall, and a well cut into the center of the rock, serving as a gathering place for livestock. Remains of a watchtower can still be seen to the north-east of Ayaz-1, emphasizing the fortress’s role in surveillance and defense.

Ayaz-Kala was not a city or a settlement in the traditional sense but a complex of fortresses that housed Kushan border detachments nearly 19 centuries ago. For millennia, its ruins lay buried under the sands, hidden from the world. Thanks to numerous archaeological excavations, we can now explore its ancient history and marvel at its architectural ingenuity. The discoveries at Ayaz-Kala have unearthed a wealth of historical and cultural insights, including intricate designs, artifacts, and structural remnants that paint a vivid picture of life during the Kushan Empire and subsequent periods. These findings are invaluable for historians and archaeologists, as well as anyone interested in the rich tapestry of Central Asian history.