Our next stop was the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand. We visited a number of mosques whose beautiful tiles and mosaics honor the religion of Islam. At one time Samarkand was the capital of Uzbekistan as well as a center of learning. The last two photos show the building where the pendulum was developed by Persian scholars.
As with other cities, we visited the local markets. For many Uzbeki people, donkeys and carts are a common way of transporting goods. Many people come to the market to buy dried fruits, rice, and other foods.I loved seeing the women selling their spices and wares!
We also visited a silk rug factory. The first photos show the vats where the silk thread is dyed using natural vegetable dyes. The rugs are made by women who tie the threads into the warp. The largest rug has taken two years to complete.
