TURKMENISTAN ~Izmukshir Fortress - Dashogus Region ~

...Fantastic start of the week...great postcard coming from an unexplored part of Central Asia... a country  still hard to get in and mostly cut off from the rest of the world....Thank you very much Matthew!!¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Turkmenistan (formerly Turkmenia) is bounded by the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan,Uzbekistan, Iran and Afghanistan. About nine-tenths of Turkmenistan is desert, chiefly the Kara-Kum, it is  one of the world's largest sand deserts.

Not far from Dashoguz city in a desert there are ruins of ancient fortress city Izmukshir (Zamakshar), surfaced with sands. The fortress ruins are located in the territory of the historical and cultural reserve museum Kunya-Urgench, the ancient capital of Khorezmshah's State.  The fortress is dated from III century B.C- III century A.D.

In front of Izmukshir kala there is a fortification moat (Turkmens call it "Gara Garymy" or "Gala Khendegi"). The moat of Turkmen fortresses amount to 1-16 meters in the depth, and in its width -2-15 meters.

Stamp:

Gasmain Turkmenistan-China
(Issued 01-07-2010)

Postcard mailed at Turkmenbashy city (on the Caspian Sea).