Iron Gate (Central Asia)

The Iron Gate (Uzbek: Buzgalaxona; Old Turkic: 𐱅𐰢𐰼:𐰴𐰯𐰍, romanized: Temir qapïɣ in Orkhon and Tonyukuk inscriptions; Persian: دربند Darband, Chinese: 鐵門關; pinyin: Tiěménguān), is a defile between Balkh and Samarkand.

In ancient times it was used as the passage between Bactria and Sogdia and was likely of great importance to any power in the region.

[1] Although its exact location is debatable, it is usually considered to be the 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) pass on the road from Samarkand (Uzbekistan) to Balkh (Afghanistan) and close to Qarshi city.

Orkhon inscriptions (also known as Khöshöö Tsaidam monuments) which were erected in 730s, are about Bilge Khagan, a Turkic emperor and his brother Kul Tigin.

Bain Tsokto inscriptions which were erected shortly before the Khöshöö Tsaidam monuments are about Tonyukuk, the counselor of Bilge.