Samarkand’s age officially revised to 3,000 years following UNESCO-backed study

The conference, titled “Samarkand: Three millennia of heritage”, was aimed at providing a scholarly evaluation of the city’s ancient past and highlighting its enduring role in human civilization.

The event gathered representatives of scientific institutions from Uzbekistan and abroad, as well as historians and archaeologists. The opening ceremony featured speeches by Acting Governor of Samarkand region Adiz Boboyev, Deputy Director of the Department for Creative Economy and Tourism under the Presidential Administration Elmurod Najimov, and Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo.

During the discussions, Uzbek and foreign researchers presented reports on Samarkand’s rich historical, spiritual, and cultural legacy, underscoring its contribution to global civilization. The results of recent archaeological and historical studies were also shared.

Experts noted that excavations at Afrosiyob, Koktepa, and other archaeological sites indicate that the earliest settlements in the Samarkand area date back to the second millennium BCE.

“These findings show that an urban civilization in Samarkand and its oasis has developed continuously over millennia,” the scholars emphasized.

Based on international research cooperation, the participants concluded that Samarkand’s history spans at least 3,000 years. As a result, the earlier estimate of 2,750 years has been revised, and the city’s age has now been officially recognized as 3,000 years.