Kafir-kala (Uzbekistan)
Kafir-kala is an ancient fortress beside the Dargom river, 12 kilometers south of the city center of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, protecting the southern border of the Samarkand oasis. It consists of a central citadel built of mudbrick and measuring 75 × 75 meters at its base. It incorporates six towers and is surrounded by a moat, which is still visible today. Living quarters were located outside the citadel.
Ruins
The citadel was first occupied, in the 4th-5th century CE, by the Kidarites, whose coinage and bullae have been found there. A large number of seals were discovered in Kafir Kala, including seals associated with the Kidarites, a notable example being the one mentioning "the king of the Oghlar Huns, the great Kushanshah, the ǝfšyan of Samarkand".Many examples of coinage were excavated in Kafir-kala, which also show the transition from Sogdian to Islamic rule in the area of Samarkand with good precision.
Wooden gate
A charred wooden gate with elaborate decorations was discovered in 2017 in the throne room of the ruins of Kafir-kala, and was probably the gate to the throne room itself. The sculptures on the door represent adoration scenes honouring the goddess Nana, who is depicted centrally, seated in majesty on a lion throne.The worshippers are dressed in knee-length tunics and long boots worn over trousers - a clothing style reminiscent of that depicted in the Penjikent murals - and wear shoulder ribbons of the type associated with Hephthalite nobility. The gate is dated to the first half of the 6th century CE, and the destruction of the palace is attributed to the Islamic conquest of Samarkand in 712 CE.
By a happy chance, the partial carbonising of the low-relief carvings has served to help in their preservation, when the aim of those who attempted to burn them was undoubtedly their destruction.