THE REFLECTION OF SOCIO-POLITICAL AND ETHNOCULTURAL PROCESSES IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS OF THE KHOREZM OASIS DURING THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES

Abstract

This article analyzes the reflection of socio-political and ethnocultural processes that took place in the Khorezm oasis during the Early Middle Ages, particularly in the 5th–8th centuries, based on archaeological materials. The study examines cultural transformations, political interactions, and their representation in the material culture of Khorezm during the periods of the Hephthalites and the Turkic Khaganate. In particular, the interaction between Turkic and local traditions is elucidated through the analysis of numismatic evidence, weapons, works of visual art, religious and mythological imagery, as well as findings related to funerary and commemorative practices. Furthermore, processes of cultural synthesis in the region are explored through examples such as the Tok-kala ossuary, the wall paintings of Panjikent, the Anikovo vessel, and the coins of the Turkic Khaganate and Khorezm. The results of the study demonstrate that, despite the influence of various political forces in the Early Middle Ages, the Khorezm oasis developed a complex cultural environment in which local traditions were preserved while harmoniously integrating with Turkic ethnocultural elements.