Evaluating the human impact on the archaeological landscape of Samarkand (Uzbekistan): A diachronic assessment of the Taylak district by remote sensing, field survey, and local knowledge

The territory of Samarkand (Uzbekistan) represents an excellent case study for understanding the damage inflicted on the archaeological heritage of the region. The hinterland of Samarkand became one of the largest urban areas of Central Asia through a number of transformations to its landscape since the 1950s, changes that continue today and have seriously compromised the integrity of the remaining archaeological record. Here we infer the temporal sequence of this destruction through a multi-proxy approach based on the collection of spatial datasets from different periods, field surveys, and interviews with local farmers in the Taylak district. The present research also made it possible to ascertain whether the loss of archaeological information was more likely to be a consequence of either agricultural expansion or urban development.