Afrosiab is a vast lifeless settlement, abandoned by residents after the Mongol defeat in the beginning of the XIII century. The ancient city formed in the middle of I millennium BC. This fort was known as the " Khisor Kuhna" -"the old fortress." But since the XVII century fort was named" Afrasiab " in the name of a mythical king of Turan , a hero of the epic poem by Ferdowsi's "Shah - Nameh" . Perhaps , however, it has the Tajik definition of the word " afroz - Siah -ab ", literally "above the black water."

The entire area of the town occupied nearly 219 acres . During archaeological excavations there were found the inner and outer walls, large public hauz, mosque and a bathhouse. In the western part of the site has been opened complex of buildings. In one of the buildings was discovered a wonderful carved alabaster panel and the remains of wall paintings , which could be considered three human figures. This is the first finding of pre-Arab monumental painting in Central Asia.
A large apartment building, the walls decorated with artistic painting made glue paints on clay plaster and Sogdian inscription are especially valuable findings . Open painting, preserved in the form of remnants of the images on the wall, gave a wealth material for study the culture of Central Asia.

Afrasiab has huge amount of material , which gives a vivid picture of life of the population of Samarkand during the centuries of its existence.