Anau, Turkmenistan
Anau is a city in Turkmenistan. Until 20 December 2022 it was the capital of Ahal Province. The area has been inhabited since around 5500 BC. Prehistoric sites in Anau were discovered in excavations were conducted by Raphael Pumpelly and William Morris Davis in 1904.
Etymology
Anau is the Persian word for "new water".Geography
Anau is located in the foothills of the Kopet Dag mountain range. It is to the south of Ashgabat.History
The Chalcolithic Anau culture inhabited the area. Inhabitation in Anau started in its northern area around 5500 BC. This settlement continued until 3000 BC when it moved to the south. This southern location was inhabited from 3000 to 1000 BC.Anau was given city status on 3 February 2008. The city was designated "Cultural Capital of the Turkic World" for 2024 at the 39th session of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of TURKSOY.
Archaeology
A Russian general explored mounds in the area in 1866, as he believed there was treasure within them. Raphael Pumpelly and William Morris Davis conducted an excavation at Anau in 1904. Hubert Schmidt and Wilhelm Dörpfeld supervised the digging for Pumpelly's excavation. This excavation discovered a prehistoric settlement in Anau. Pumpelly conducted another excavation in 1908. Frank T. Hiebert conducted an excavation of the site in 1993.Charcoal was abundant in the area between 4500 and 1000 BC. 85-90% of the cereal remains identified in ancient Anau were barley.