Community practice and religion at an Early Islamic cemetery in highland Central Asia

• DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2021.106
• Publication Date: 2022-04-19T08:21:31Z
• Authors: Elissa Bullion; Farhod Maksudov; Edward R. Henry; Ann Merkle; Michael Frachetti
• Keywords: Central Asia; Muslim community

Archaeological studies of Early Islamic communities in Central Asia have focused on lowland urban communities. Here, the authors report recent geophysical survey and excavation an cemetery at Tashbulak south-eastern Uzbekistan. AMS dating places establishment mid-eighth century AD, making it one earliest burial grounds documented Asia. Burials conform to prescriptions for grave form body deposition. The consistency ritual suggests existence a funerary community practice, challenging narratives conversion peripheral areas as process slow diffusion emphasising importance archaeological approaches documenting diversity