Starting off the workshop!
A brilliant conference awaited us in Uzbekistan at the end of May, organised by Dr Bruno De Nicola of the Austrian Academy of Sciences with his project “Nomads’ Manuscripts Landscape” and the Austrian Science in cooperation with the Institute of Iranian Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Abu Rayhan Biruni Institute of Oriental Studies in Tashkent and Samarkand State University.
At the Abu Rayhan Biruni Institute of Oriental Studies in Tashkent and drinking tea at the office of the WOSCU
The conference was entitled “Central Asian Manuscripts in the Mongol and Timurid Empire (13th to 15th centuries)” and began with a roundtable entitled “Manuscripts and international collaboration”, where both local and international researchers took to the podium. We were also given a guided tour of the institute, where we were able to view exciting manuscripts up close (but behind glass). Some of them with decorated paper like stencils – we will be back to do more research! Afterwards, we had the unique opportunity to visit the office of the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Popularisation of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan (WOSCU) and hold a scientific briefing there.
At the Bukhari Research Centre, Ilse delivering her talk
The following day we travelled on the Afrasiob high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand, where the conference began with a historical keynote speech. The next day we were taken to the Bukhari Research Centre, where exciting lectures on Sufism, historical texts, law and education, and materialist of manuscripts were held. In the latter, Ilse presented her latest research from the project on Central Asian manuscripts with decorated paper. The second day focused on libraries and collections, poetry, manuscript production and documentation of Central Asian manuscripts.
Ilse demonstrating the equipment; visiting the Bibi Khanum Mosque and the Siah Bazaar
On the very last day, we were able to demonstrate our equipment to researchers from Tashkent and Samarkand and also prepare co-operations with the University of Samarkand. In the afternoon we were able to visit important monuments such as Registan Square, the Gur-e Amir, the Bibi Khanum Mosque, and the Siah Bazaar. This was a great end to a fantastic week, with many connections made and potential further research to be conducted with other colleagues.
We had a great time and would like to thank the organisers very much for the invitation to the workshop!
Lights at the Registan Square at night