Kafir Kala - Zagorodnaya rezidentsiya samarkandskikh praviteley (Kafir Kala - The rural residence of the Samarkand rulers)

This article presents the latest results of the Italo-Uzbek archaeological investigations at the citadel of Kafir Kala site. Here excavations led to the discovery of nearly 500 bullas used for administrative purposes and the majority of which were burned in a fire. The bullas can be divided into three main groups; the first type are anthropomorphic, the second — zoomorphic, and the third — with some kind of symbol. They are all dated to the first half of the 8th century when the site was burned, probably as a result of a military clash. According to the authors, Kafir Kala may be identified with the Early Medieval Rivdad, known to be the residence of the Ikhshids of Samarkand.