Desert castles of ancient Khorezm

They are included on UNESCO’s Tentative List for World Heritage Site status as the Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm.

[1] The Khorezm Oasis is an area of the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia.

Today, the region is divided between Uzbekistan (including the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan) and Turkmenistan.

[4] Power struggles in the wake of Alexander’s death destabilised much of Central Asia, and displaced tribes, including the Kushans, moved west.

[3] The Afrighids (305-995) brought some stability, but they continued to fortify Khorezm to protect their territory and overland trade.