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Panjakent ПанҷакентПенджикент
From the top to bottom-right, View over Panjakent, Entrance Sign to the City, Panjakent Bazaar, Monument in the City Centre
PanjakentLocation of PanjakentShow map of TajikistanPanjakentPanjakent (Central Asia)Show map of Central Asia
Coordinates: 39°29′12″N 67°37′11″E / 39.486769°N 67.619734°E / 39.486769; 67.619734
Country	Tajikistan
Region	Sughd Region
Elevation	996 m (3,268 ft)
Population
• City	303,000
• Urban	52,500
Time zone	UTC+5
Official languages	Russian (Interethnic) Tajik (State)

Panjakent (Tajik: Панҷакент) or Penjikent (Russian: Пенджикент) is a city in the Sughd province of Tajikistan on the river Zeravshan, with a population of 52,500 (2020 estimate). It was once an ancient town in Sogdiana. The ruins of the old town are on the outskirts of the modern city. The Sarazm Important Bird Area lies downstream of the city on the tugay-vegetated floodplain of the river.

History

Ancient Panjakent was a small but flourishing town of the Sogdians in pre-Islamic Central Asia. It was known as Panchekanth. It means five towns (villages) in Persian. The ethnic and territorial name "Soghd/Soghdian" or Sughd/Sughdian was mentioned in history as early as the Iranian Achaemenid dynasty (6th century BC). The Achaemenids founded several city-states, as well as cities along the ancient Silk Road and in the Zarafshan valley.

The town grew in the 5th century AD and many professionals such as established businessmen and landowners made their livelihoods in Panjakent. In AD 722, Arab Muslims forces besieged and took the town. The last ruler of the town Divashtich fled into upper Zarafshan but he was captured and sentenced to death. For around 50 years, ancient Panjakent was ruled by new administrators but towards the end of the 8th century the town on the upper terraces was depopulated and relocated. Many ancient ruins of the old city, particularly the city architecture and works of art remain today.

Numerous records of a Penjikent rulership, written in Sogdian, were located not far of Penjikent on Mount Mug. Through their reading of these texts, the public of Central Asia in the 8th century will judge on social, economic and political life.

According to Arab geographers, Panjakent in the 10th century had a formal Friday mosque that distinguished the place as a town from a village. It was the easternmost city of Soghd, and became well known for its walnuts.

Russian archaeologist Boris Marshak spent more than fifty years excavating the ruins at Panjakent. He remained there even after Tajik independence as director of the excavation of the Panjakent ruins, during the years of Civil War in Tajikistan from 1992 to 1997. Through close cooperation with the government of Tajikistan, Marshak ensured the protection and continued excavation of the Panjakent ruins.

Ancient murals and artifacts

Numerous murals were recovered from the site of Panjikent, and many of them are now on display in the Hermitage Museum and in the National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan in Dushanbe. A great variety influences are visible in the paintings, which show details of dress and daily life: Greek decorative styles encounter the Iranian narratives of the Shahnameh and the epic cycle of Rostam, scenes of festivities alternate with depictions of combats, local cults mix with Iranian and Hindu deities. Shaivism was popular in Sogdiana and Eastern Turkestan as found from the wall painting from Penjikent on the river Zervashan. In this depiction, Shiva is portrayed with a sacred halo and a sacred thread ("Yajnopavita"). He is clad in a tigerskin while his attendants are wearing Sogdian dress. There is a depiction of him four-legged seated cross-legged on a cushioned seat supported by two bulls.

The production of paintings started in the 5th century AD and stopped in 722 AD with the invasion of the Abbasid Caliphate, and many works of art were damaged or destroyed at that time.

• Chinese-style coinage of the rulers of Penjikent, Tajikistan, 7-8th century CE
• She-wolf suckling two infants ("Romulus and Remus"), Penjikent, 5th century CE, National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan (KP 208–243).
• Uma-Maheshvara: ithyphallic Shiva with spouse Uma riding the bull Nandi, Penjikent Temple II, 690-722 CE, National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan (60).
• Penjikent, figures with halos, Hermitage Museum
• Men banquet, pigment on plaster. Pendjikent, Tajikistan
• Panjikent mural (6th-7th century AD). Hermitage Museum
• Panjakent (Panjīkant) mural, 6th-8th centuries AD. Hermitage Museum
• Panjakent (Panjīkant) mural, 6th-8th centuries AD. National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan
• Panjakent (Panjīkant) mural, 6th-8th centuries AD
• Shiva with Trisula. Penjikent 7th–8th century AD. Hermitage Museum
• Lion and Goddess Nana, Penjikent, 6th-8th c AD
• Multi-armed deity in armour

Geography

Climate

Panjakent has a hot summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dsa). The average annual temperature is 10.7 °C (51.3 °F). The warmest month is July with an average temperature of 22.8 °C (73.0 °F) and the coolest month is January with an average temperature of −1.6 °C (29.1 °F). The average annual precipitation is 468.5 mm (18.44 in) and has an average of 87.9 days with precipitation. The wettest month is April with an average of 94 mm (3.7 in) of precipitation and the driest month is August with an average of 2.6 mm (0.10 in) of precipitation.

Subdivisions

Before ca. 2018, Panjakent was the seat of Panjakent District, which covered the rural part of the present city of Panjakent. The city of Panjakent covers Panjakent proper and fourteen jamoats. These are as follows:

Notable people

• Nigina Amonkulova, folk singer
• Khayrinisso Yusufi, vice-premier of Tajikistan, member of the Assembly of Representatives.
• Otakhon Latifi (Tajik: Отахон Латифи) (1936–1998), was a noted journalist and politician
• Yaqub Beg, leader of Uighur state of Yettishar during the Dungan Revolt against the Qing dynasty in years 1865–1877
• Rustem Umierov (b. 1982), Ukrainian Crimean Tatar politician

See also

• List of cities in Tajikistan
• Rudaki Republican Museum of Regional History, Panjakent

Notes

1. Also spelled or romanized as Pendzhikent, Penjikent, Panjekent, Panjikent, etc.

References

1. ^ "Climate of Panjakent". Weatherbase.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
2. ^ "Population of the Republic of Tajikistan as of 1 January 2020" (PDF) (in Russian). Statistics office of Tajikistan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
3. "КОНСТИТУЦИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАДЖИКИСТАН". prokuratura.tj. Parliament of Tajikistan. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
4. Gorgâni, Tirdâd. "Welcome to Penjakent". GEOCITIES. Archived from the original on 2009-07-28. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
5. "Panjikent". Retrieved March 30, 2021.
6. Marshak, B.I. "Panjikant". Encyclopædia Iranica. Archived from the original on 2015-11-16. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
7. Shkoda, V. (October 2003). "Marshak's Bibliography and CV". Transoxiana Webfestschrift Series I. Transoxiana: Journal Libre de Estudios Orientales. Archived from the original on 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2006-10-14.
8. "PANJIKANT – Encyclopaedia Iranica". iranicaonline.org.
9. Compareti, Matteo (2012). "Classical elements in Sogdian art: Aesop's fables represented in the mural paintings at Penjikent". Iranica Antiqua. XLVII: 303–316.
10. . Paris, Gand: Musée Guimet, Snoek. 2021. p. 133. ISBN 978-94-6161-627-2. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)
11. . Paris, Gand: Musée Guimet, Snoek. 2021. p. 164. ISBN 978-94-6161-627-2. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help)
12. "Population of the Republic of Tajikistan as of 1 January 2015" (PDF) (in Russian). Statistics office of Tajikistan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
13. ^ Jamoat-level basic indicators, United Nations Development Programme in Tajikistan, accessed 3 October 2020
14. "Nigina Amonkulova (Amonqulova)". life.ansor.info. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
15. Kamoludin Abdullaev; Shahram Akbarzaheh (27 April 2010). Historical Dictionary of Tajikistan. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7379-7. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
16. "Opposition-Chief-Dies". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
17. "Yaqub Beg".

External links

• Panjakent travel guide from Wikivoyage

39°30′N 67°37′E / 39.500°N 67.617°E / 39.500; 67.617

v t e Largest cities or towns in Tajikistan Tajikistan Statistics Agency
Rank Name Region Pop. Dushanbe Khujand 1 Dushanbe Dushanbe 1,201,800 Bokhtar Kulob 2 Khujand Sughd 198,700 3 Bokhtar Khatlon 126,700 4 Kulob Khatlon 105,800 5 Istaravshan Sughd 64,300 6 Tursunzoda Districts of Republican Subordination 57,800 7 Isfara Sughd 54,900 8 Vahdat Districts of Republican Subordination 54,400 9 Konibodom Sughd 54,400 10 Panjakent Sughd 43,800

v t e Sughd Region
Capital: Khujand
Cities Buston Guliston Isfara Istaravshan Istiqlol Khujand Konibodom Panjakent
City subdivisions Buston City: Buston Town: Palos Guliston City: Guliston Towns: Adrasmon Choruqdayrron Konsoy Navgarzan Sirdaryo Zarnisor Isfara City: Isfara Towns: Naftobod Nurafshon Shurab Jamoats: Chilgazi Chorku Khonabad Kulkand Lakkon Navgilem Shahrak Surkh Vorukh Istaravshan City: Istaravshan Jamoats: Chorbogh Guli Surkh Javkandak Nijoni Nofaroj Poshkent Qal'achai Kalon Qalaibaland Sabriston Zarhalol Istiqlol City: Istiqlol Khujand City: Khujand Konibodom City: Konibodom Jamoats: Hamrabaev Lohuti Ortikov Patar Pulatan Sharipov Panjakent City: Panjakent Jamoats: Amondara Chinor Farob Khalifa Hassan Khurmi Kosatarosh Loiq Sherali Moghiyon Rudaki Sarazm Shing Sujina Voru Yori
Districts Asht Ayni Devashtich Ghafurov Jabbor Rasulov Kuhistoni Mastchoh Mastchoh Shahriston Spitamen Zafarobod
District subdivisions Asht Town: Shaydon Jamoats: Asht Iftikhor Mehrobod Oriyon Oshoba Ponghoz Punuk Shodoba Ayni Town: Zarafshan Jamoats: Anzob Ayni Dardar Fondaryo Rarz Shamtuch Urmetan Devashtich Town: Ghonchi Jamoats: Dalyoni Bolo Gazantarak Ismoili Somoni Mujum Rosrovut Vahdat Yakhtan Ghafurov Town: Ghafurov Jamoats: Chashmasor Dadoboy Kholmatov Goziyon Haidar Usmonov Isfisor Ismoil Khistevarz Ovchi Kalacha Unji Yova Zarzamin Jabbor Rasulov Town: Mehrobod Jamoats: Dehmoy Ghulakandoz Gulkhona Hayoti Nav Somoniyon Kuhistoni Mastchoh Jamoats: Ivan-Tojik Langar Mastchoh Towns: Buston Obshoron Sughdiyon Jamoats: Mastchoh Navbahor Obburdon Paldorak Shahriston Jamoats: Bunjikat Shahriston Spitamen Town: Navkat Jamoats: Istiqlol Khurramzamin Kurush Sarband Tagoyak Tursun Uljaboev Zafarobod Towns: Homid Aliev Mehnatobod Zafarobod Jamoats: Jomi Ravshan

• Populated places in Sughd Region
• Achaemenid cities
• Former populated places in Tajikistan
• Samarkand Oblast
• Sogdian cities