The Historical Alphabet/Qalam
Discovering something new about the world in which our ancestors lived—and our own today—is a truly exciting experience! To share this joy with our readers, the Qalam editorial staff, together with the technology company Citix @citix.me, has created a fascinating project of important and interesting historical facts collected in an alphabet. You can now see them on Citix city smartboards and read more on our website.
Otrar (Otyrar)
One of the Largest Cities in Ancient Central Asia
From the first century CE to the thirteenth century CE, the city of Otrar served as a vital link between the East and the West. From a small settlement in an oasis, it grew into a city with an incredible population of 200,000 people at the height of its prosperity, becoming an important cultural, scientific, and trade center. After the campaigns of Chinggis Khan and his successors, Otrar was destroyed and almost abandoned, and the remnants of the population lived on its ruins until the nineteenth century. Today, Otrar is an archaeological research zone, a settlement studied by scientists and protected by law.
The gate of Shakhristan at the ruins of Otrar, Kazakhstan/Getty Images