Historical Museum of Sughd

About

Sughd, or Sogdiana, is the northernmost provence of Tajikistan and today is comprised mostly of ethnic Tajiks. It borders Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, but the terrain is mountainous and Sughd is often cut off from the rest of the world during heavy snowfall. Despite this isolation, Sogdians developed a nomadic trading culture and were heavily involved with the Silk Road to trade fabrics, pottery, and metalwork. The Historical Museum of Sughd is an ethnographic museum dedicated to the preservation of local lore, handicrafts, and customs. It is modestly-sized, but fits perfectly in Khujand, a city of almost one million people. The museum follows the steps of the Sogdians from prehistoric archological artifacts, through the Soviet Era, and into the modern day.