On September 18, U.S. Ambassador Matthew Klimow visited the historic site of the Dayahatyn Caravanserai in Lebap region to mark the completion of the second phase of the Dayahatyn Caravanserai preservation project, a partnership between the United States Embassy in Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Turkmenistan.
Dr. Muhammet Mamedov, Chief of National Department of Protection, Research and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Sites, Mr. Jumanazar Hojaberdiyev, Head of the Kerki Historical Park, Mr. Maksatmyrat Annayev, Project Manager of the Dayahatyn Phase II project, Shirin Batyrova, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and media representatives took part in the ceremony.
Ambassador Klimow remarked, "Silk Road historical sites such as the Dayahatyn Caravanserai are not only a part of Turkmenistan’s rich cultural heritage, but part of the shared cultural heritage of all of humanity. We hope that through our strong and ongoing partnership, we can preserve these precious treasures for future generations and open them up to an even wider audience through study, scholarly research, and international tourism."
The Dayahatyn Caravanserai project is funded through the U.S. Department of State Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), in the spirit of bilateral cultural cooperation. Phase II of this three-phase project supported the conservation and partial restoration of the northern and eastern walls of the caravanserai and continued work conserving ornamentation of the columns. It included the partial restoration of the external cladding and archaeological cleanup and fortification of the main structures of the walls and domed arches.
A strategic stop along the legendary Silk Road, the 12th-century Dayahatyn Caravanserai is one of the best-preserved caravanserais in Central Asia, dating back to a period of intensive trade between East and West. The caravansarai’s unique architecture appears in Where the Caravans Roamed: The Silk Road in Central Asia, a book of Silk Road landscapes by American photographer Tom Till, published by the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan.
Since 2001, Turkmenistan has received 26 AFCP grants, tying with Peru for the highest number of AFCP projects in the world. These grants, totaling $1.6 million, have supported research, documentation, and preservation efforts of historically significant sites, objects, and cultural traditions, including at two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The AFCP program showcases the tremendous respect of the United States for Turkmenistan’s rich cultural heritage and supports bilateral cooperation between the United States and Turkmenistan.
