Tours on sights of ancient Merv.

«On the photos of the late XIX century it is clearly seen that their original height was about 12 meters and they were decorated by blue and turquoise tiles. In the middle of the back wall of the mausoleum the word "ALLAH" in Kufi is written, and on the sides there are several squares positioned diagonally»

Excursions on archaeological sights of Merv.

Askhabs associates of prophet Mohammed were called - Bureid ibn Al-Khuseib al-Aslami and Al-Khakim ibn Amr Al-Gifari. After death, places of their burial places were local sanctuaries around of which in XV century representatives of dynasty Timurids have constructed a religious complex.
Their tombs from a black marble are decorated by a relief groove with vegetative ornaments and inscriptions. Behind tombs two cost restored aivans. On photos of the end of XIX century it is possible to see, that their height was 12 meters, they have been decorated by the decorated blue and turquoise tiles.
In the middle of a back wall of the mausoleum the word "Allah" on Kufi  language is written. Tombs and now serve as a place of worship of moslems. Therefore recently nearby айванов have opened places for reception of pilgrims, places for cooking open-air and the covered tank for supply of a complex by the water, constructed at the same time, as Aivans.
Still in use today, this shrine complex was built for two companions of the prophet, al-Hakam ibn Amr and Buraydah ibn al-Husayn al-Islami. Two small domed kiosks are framed by two large 'portals' that lead nowhere; placed side by side these shallow iwans serve only as a backdrop 'screen' to the tombs.
The back walls and soffits of the iwans are decorated in hazarbaf glazed brick. Prior to reconstruction in 1916 the kiosks were also clad in revetment. This poetical name was given to the mausolean complex of the so-called Askhabs - the "associates" of Prophet Mohammed: Buraydah ibn al-Husayn al-Islami and Al-Khakim ibn Amr Al-Gifari.
Two small domed kiosks are framed by two large 'portals' that lead nowhere; placed side by side these shallow iwans serve only as a backdrop 'screen' to the tombs. fter death of Askhabs their tombs became local sanctuaries. In the XV century Timurids constructed a religious complex around them.
The tombs from black marble are decorated with exquisite relief carving with vegetation ornaments and inscriptions. They are in the center of the mausoleum. Behind the tombs two restored aivans are located. They stand side by side and are oriented exactly to the south.
The back walls and soffits of the iwans are decorated in hazarbaf glazed brick. Prior to reconstruction in 1916 the kiosks were also clad in revetment. The tombs are still the place of worshipping. This is why near the aivans the sites for reception of pilgrims with open-air cooking facilities and a covered water storage constructed at the same time were provided.

Authority:
 Bernshtam A.N. «History-archeologic sketches Central Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alay». «Religious and spiritual monuments of the Central Asia ». The author of M. Khashimov. Publishing house " Saga ", 2001 Tolstov S.P. «Ancient Khoresm», 1848. Tolstov S.P. «On traces Ancient Khorezm civilizations», М.-L., 1948. 

Color photos
Alexander Petrov.

Black-and-white photos:
Gaspard-Félix Tournachon is the French photographer, the caricaturist, the novelist, the journalist and the aeronaut. The largest master of a photographic portrait. The photos created by Nadar are stored in many large state photo collections. An album Paul Nadar "A travel from Turkey to Turkestan". 1890