The Khwarism expedition discovered dozens of archeological monuments in the Lower Amudarya (Oxus) and Syrdarya (Jaxartes), preserved in the sands of the Central Asiatic deserts. The labours of the expedition's founder, S. P. Tolstoy, and his students are well known to the specialists. This book sums up the studies, which have lasted for six decades. It tells us about the history and the culture of the Khwarism — the country, already mentioned in Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrizm. The northern outpost of the civilization of the ancient east, «Central Asiatic Egypt»17, was irrigated by the waters of Amudarya. At the beginning of the 13th century a.d. the centre of the great Khwarism empire was located here. The monuments of the Lower Amudarya are left by Saka (Scythians), Huns, Turks and other people who had a great influence upon the history of the world.

This edition was planned as an original combination of the popular scientific monography and the album of arts. Photos, plans and reconstructions introduce us to the most important and picturesque monuments - barrows, fortresses, palaces and temples. Excellent examples of monumental sculptures and art, burial statues, terracottas, gems, ancient documents and other unique discoveries are reproduced. This book will also be interesting to specialists of Eastern archeology and the wide circle of those interested in history and art.