A page from the oldest surviving Qur’an and a painting called the ‘Mona Lisa’ from Uzbekistan are among the historical treasures on display in a new exhibition at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
‘Uzbekistan’s Oasis Wonders’ showcases more than 170 works that provide a glimpse into the country’s past, including famous wall paintings, Buddhist sculptures and everyday objects belonging to ancient civilizations.
The exhibition is co-curated by archaeologist Rocco Lante, who has been excavating at the Bukhara Oasis in Uzbekistan since 2009. The region was once an important stop on the Silk Road trade route that passed through what is now Uzbekistan hundreds of years ago, linking the Mediterranean to the Far East.
The star attraction is two pages of the Katta Langar Quran, one of the world’s oldest surviving Quranic manuscripts, and dates back to the early days of Islam. It was preserved for centuries in a small village mausoleum at the top of the mountain.
“With the help and support of our colleagues in Uzbekistan, we have uncovered and restored one of the oldest Qur’an from the 8th century. This is a great discovery,” said Rante.
The Katta Langar Quran is considered one of the earliest extant examples of the text. credit: Liu Lilan/CNN
Created in partnership with the Louvre Museum and the Foundation for the Development of Arts and Culture of Uzbekistan, the exhibition takes visitors on a political and historical journey through 1,600 years of Uzbek life, beginning in the 1st century BC.
According to Yannick Linz, co-curator and former director of Islamic art at the Louvre, The Silk Road is at the center of the exhibition, spotlighting artifacts found along the caravan route.
“We all know these roads were for economic exchange between East and West, but they were also intellectual, artistic and technical roads,” Linz said.
Linz is about to take you back in time with treasures from the times of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Amir Timur (also known as Tamerlane), who built a vast Central Asian empire in the 14th century.
“Uzbekistan is somewhere in between, so it was important to me to show visitors that between China, India and Iran we can have a cultural, religious and artistic dialogue in this part of the world. ‘ added Lindt.
treasure that came to light
Together with Uzbek specialists, the Louvre has carried out extensive restoration work on many of its exhibits. Among the objects to be restored was his 14th-century Gūr-i Amīr door, originating from Tamerlane’s mausoleum in Samarkand, a city in southeastern Uzbekistan.
“On the door we found a large iconography representing the society of Samarkand. In the center of the door we found a carved detail of a divinity. I can see it,” said Rante.
Uzbek paintings are also preserved, including a monumental wall painting from the royal residence of Varaksha, which dates back to the 4th century. Northwest of the Bukhara Oasis, the town of Varaksha was once occupied by the ancient Sogdians of the Silk Road.
The 8th-century “Painting of the Ambassadors” was rediscovered by chance in 1965. credit: Liu Lilan/CNN
Also on display are the famous 8th-century Sogdian fresco known as the “Ambassador’s Painting” and a series of murals depicting the ancient city of Afrasiab. Parts of the “Ambassador’s Painting” are missing, and its meaning is only partially understood, but it is still considered a masterpiece.
“The ambassador painting is a national treasure for the Uzbek people,” Linz said. “What I call the Mona of Uzbekistan.”
The exhibition “The Wonders of Uzbekistan’s Oasis” is on view at the Louvre Museum in Paris until March 6, 2023.