Innovative Approaches in the Preservation Practices of Ancient Fortresses From the Classical Period in the Territory of Ancient Khorezm

In his seminal work “Monuments of Ancient Peoples,” the great scholar Abu Rayhan al-Biruni noted over a millennium ago that “the Khorezmians built more than 300 villages and cities along both banks of the river, the ruins of which have survived to this day” [4]. The territory of ancient Khorezm today encompasses northeastern Turkmenistan, the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. Currently, the 288 architectural monuments scattered across the districts of southern Aral Sea region—particularly in Karakalpakstan—serve as living witnesses to the high level of advancement in architecture and construction in ancient Khorezm. Many of the cities in this oasis predate the Common Era and were built by master builders highly skilled in astronomy, medicine, mathematics, geodesy, urban planning, architecture, and the visual arts. According to the renowned scholar S.P. Tolstov [35], as early as the first millennium BCE, Khorezm was one of the most advanced and powerful states in the East, where architectural development was firmly rooted in scientific knowledge. The evidence suggests that Khorezm possesses a cultural legacy comparable to that of ancient Greece, Rome, and Mesopotamia. More than 400 historical architectural monuments, crafted by ancient Khorezmian master builders, once existed in Karakalpakstan. Unfortunately, over 60% of these have been lost, with the drying of the Aral Sea significantly accelerating the destruction—twice as fast as in other regions [19]. Today, many of these rare architectural sites are in urgent need of restoration, as centuries of weathering and environmental changes have led to decay and structural degradation. The importance of preserving and restoring these sites for future generations is immense, with particular emphasis on the implementation of systematic monitoring of their technical conditions. This article presents the results of monitoring and observational studies conducted on three key architectural monuments in Karakalpakstan— Koykirilgan Qala (3rd–4th centuries BCE), Qizil Qala (4th–3rd centuries BCE), and Chilpyk Qala (1st–4th centuries CE)—and explores innovative approaches to their preservation and restoration.