Peshaghar cave

According to Chinese sources, including the historical chronicles of the Tang Dynasty, the territory of present-day Jizzakh region, formerly known as Ustrushana, was referred to as "Sao", "Sutulusen", "Sudu" or "Su-duy-sha-na". It is said that in the city of "Yecha", which was located at an equal distance between the cities of Shi (Tashkent) and Kan (Samarkand), there was a tightly sealed cave. Sacrificial rituals were held in this cave twice a year. People would stand at the cave’s entrance and expose their faces to the smoke coming out of it. There was a belief that the smoke protected the relatives of the sacrificer from various misfortunes.

Between 618–626 years, a young ruler of Suduyshana sent an envoy to China along with the ruler of Kan. At that time, the city of Su-du also belonged to Suduyshana. According to Z. Mamadaliyeva, “The Chinese historian Xuanzang referred to this land as ‘Sutulisen’ and described its territory as being 1400–1500 long (1.5 times longer than the land of Chach). Its customs, traditions, and food resembled those of the Chach region. Since a king ruled Sutulisen, the land had come under Turkic control. To the northwest, there was a vast, barren desert (Mirzachul) with no vegetation or water.

B. Gafurov noted that the residence of the rulers of Ustrushana — the ‘Afshins’ — should be searched for in the ruins of Qal’ai Qahqaha on the right bank of the Shahriston River. However, if the capital of the Afshins was Yecha, it must have included that tightly sealed cave used for sacrifices, right? We believe that the remains of the city of Yecha should be searched in the vast open areas near the village of Bosh Peshaghar, where there are ruins of fortresses and ancient settlements — and where a tightly sealed cave also exists.

The ruins around Bosh Peshaghar are extensive. Even today, elders in Peshaghar talk about five ancient cemeteries linked to the Sogdians, Arabs, and Mongols — claiming that the remains of ancestors from thousands of years ago lie there. It seems appropriate to search for the Suduyshana capital mentioned in Chinese sources in this area.

There is no mention in modern sources about the cave located 20 kilometers south of the crossroads where the Zomin–Jizzakh road passes through lower Peshaghar, on the left bank of the Dolanaquduqsay stream. Why is it that only the elders of Upper Peshaghar know of its existence? This is yet another mystery.

Even a keen observer like Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur never mentioned this cave. Although in the Baburnama, names such as "Peshaghar", "Zomin", and "Raboti Khoja" are mentioned several times in connection with the geography of the region, there is no mention of such a massive cave.

A few words on the etymology of the name Peshaghar: leading toponymists suggest that "Peshaghar" may mean "besh oqar" (five streams), but it may also be derived from "Peshaghor", meaning "village at the mouth of the cave." The village of Bosh Peshaghar is located 5–6 kilometers from the cave, at its base. The stream flowing through the village is not from five sources, but one — originating from the place known as "Khojai Sarob" (master of the water spring). Its water comes not from five streams, but from hundreds of seasonal flows during winter and spring. Therefore, it is likely that the original form of the name was "Peshaghor", which over time evolved into "Peshaghar".

A thorough scientific and archaeological investigation of this enormous cave will surely provide new, intriguing insights. It is possible that traces of legendary Sogdian heroes may be found beneath the soil of this land.