I thought it was time I turned my attention to 2022 stamps Uzbekistan. In typical fashion, I started exploring 2021 stamps and was sidetracked with the 2022 program. More specifically, Uzbekistan’s Culture of the Ancient States stamps from March. Yup, it doesn’t take much to distract me. Throw a bit of history and culture my way and I’ll happily spend hours researching and sipping espresso. 

I’ve included a lot of links below that explores various aspects of Uzbekistan. It’s hard not to get excited about a country sitting smack dab in the middle of the Silk Road. I have maps of the silk route and have spent hours plotting trips along the ancient roads and one of the highlights, in my imaginary plans, is a long stop at Samarkand!  To prep yourself for stamps from Uzbekistan, start with this article Samarkand’s silk road treasures | Euronews. Ok, ok, I’ll settle down now and get back to stamps. 

My hunt for information on designers and artists has not been fruitful. The culture and language gap has been a bit difficult to get around. I’m feeling a doubtful about my chances of finding details. But never say die.  

 I’ll be returning to the 2021 season soon and will try to post it before long. There were two stamps by artist Zakirova Kh, from last year that rank as my personal favourite.

Be honest. You knew they would be food related, didn’t you? The two dishes are manty and lagman. I haven’t had the chance to taste lagman, but there used to be a restaurant in my neighbourhood that served a decent plate of manty. I almost went into withdrawal when the placed closed down. Food, history, art, culture … no better way to explore them than through the stories stamps tell.  So, time to explore Uzbekistan’s 2022 stamps, it’s going to be a fascinating year.

Enjoy

February

Beekeeping
Series: Agriculture of Uzbekistan

1 stamp in sheets of 8
offset printing

Beekeeping in Uzbekistan dates back to the close of the 19th century.  However, collecting of honey can be traced back to ancient times. According to the Beekeepers’ Association in Uzbekistan, honey was mentioned by the great scholar & physician Abu Ali ibn Sina in his book on “Ordinary Medicines and Means”. He wrote:

Honey is hidden from the eye of the dew that falls on flowers and other plants that collect bees, it affects the behavior of bees, and bees collect it for food and storage, there is an acute and poisonous type of honey. The best honey is spring and summer.

You can learn more about beekeeping in Uzbekistan on the ASSOCIATION OF BEEKEEPERS OF THE FERGANA REGION website. There is an English translation available, courtesy the Beekeepers Association.

Designer: Mulla-Akhunov D.  

Release date: February 10, 2022

Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo
Series: sports

6 stamps
offset

• Bakhodir Jalalov (boxing) – gold medal New Faces – Bakhodir Jalolov – The Ring (ringtv.com)
• Akbar Juraev (weightlifting) – gold medal Akbar Djuraev – Wikipedia
• Ulugbek Rashitov (taekwondo) – gold medal Ulugbek Rashitov (@ulugbekrashitov) • Instagram photos and videos
• Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (freestyle wrestling) – bronze medal Bekzod Abdurakhmonov – Fanatic Wrestling
• Davlat Bobonov (judo) – bronze medal Davlat BOBONOV / IJF.org

Designer: Kanevets  E.

Release date: February 10, 2022

March

Culture of the Ancient States 
Series: History of Culture of Uzbekistan

4 stamps on sheet of 4
offset

Featuring the regions of Bactria, Sogd and Khorezm

• The Chalice with the Sogdian Inscription. V century. Sogd
• The Ring. V-VI centuries. Karatepa settlement. Surkhandarya region 
• Coin. The middle of the VIII century. King Savshafan. Khorezm 

You can learn more about the region here:

Who Were the Sogdians, | The Sogdians (si.edu) This is a fascinating page about “an ancient Silk Road people whose major influence on world art, culture, and trade has only in the last fifty years begun to be fully understood”. (In English) 
SOGDIAN TRADE – Encyclopaedia Iranica (iranicaonline.org)
Seal and Its Impression | The Sogdians 
Karatepa, Termez, Uzbekistan (uzbek-travel.com)  
Notes on the numismatics of ancient Khwarezm – Persée (persee.fr) This is a substantial article on coins from the region. It’s lengthy nd detailed. (In English)

Designer: Mulla-Akhunov D.

Release date: March 4, 2022

Miniature souvenirs – Folk crafts 
Series: Applied Art of Uzbekistan

4 stamps
offset

Miniature figurines are always dressed in bright handmade national costumes, and look very different. In these smiling figurines, the love of the Uzbek people for bright colors and decorations is felt. PRESS RELEASE on the issue of postage stamps “Miniature souvenirs” of the series “Applied Art of Uzbekistan” (pochta.uz)

Designer: Kanevets E.

Release date: March 4, 2022

85th Anniversary the People’s Artist of Uzbekistan Batyr Zakirov’s Birth 1936-1985

1 stamp
offset

Zakirov is considered the founder of Uzbek pop music. 

Having studied first at the Conservatory, then at the Tashkent State Institute of Theatrical Art, B. Zakirov mastered not only the art of singing, but also directing. At the same time, being a versatile and hardworking personality, he achieved great success in poetry, fine and acting arts, translated a number of works of Russian writers into Uzbek. PRESS RELEASE on the issue of a special postage stamp dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the birth of the People’s Artist of Uzbekistan Batyr Zakirov (pochta.uz)

Here’s an audio recording of Zakirov singing Arabic Tango:

Designer: Yusupaliyev U.

Release date: March 4, 2022

Defender of the Fatherland Day – January 14

1 stamp
offset

Homeland Defenders` Day in Uzbekistan (advantour.com)

The figure on horseback is Amir Temur, a great military leader credited with founding the Timurid Empire (1370). 

Amir Temur was born on April 9, 1336 in the village of Khodja Ilgar (Yakkabag) near Kesh (Shakhrisabz). According to the legend he was born with a bloodstain in his hand and hair white like that of an old man, the same was said of Genghis Khan. His father, Emir Muhammad Taragai, came from a noble family of the Turkish tribe Barlass. He was an influential man and enjoyed great authority in Mawarounnahr. His ancestors took a worthy place in the ranks of the palace elite of the Chagatai Ulus and derived their ancestry from the legendary leader of the Turks Alan-kuva, and their possessions were around Kesh and Nesef. Amir Temur | Famous People of Central Asia | Turkestan Travel

Designer:  Yusupaliyev  U.

Release date: March 4, 2022

May

Islom Ota Mosque (Tashkent)

1 stamp
offset

Oldest mosques in Uzbekistan Islam Ota Mosque | Uzbekistan Travel

Designer: Mulla-Akhunov D.

Release date: May 7, 2022

Historical Monuments and Sights of Uzbekistan

5 stamps
offset

• Kharat Khizr Mosque (Samarkand) – one of the oldest mosques in Samarkand. Built in the 8th century and destroyed in the 1220CE during an attack on Samarkand by Genghis Khan. Fully restored in 1854. 
• Sheikh Muhammad Mosque Sadyk Muhammad Yusuf (Tashkent) – 
• Complex Shakhi Zinda (Samarkand) – Shakhi-Zinda – The Complex of mausoleums in Samarkand – Adras Travel
• Madrasah Chor Minor (Bukhara) – The 4 towers of Chor Minor were built in the 19th c. Chor Minor Madrasa, Bukhara, Uzbekistan (orientalarchitecture.com)
• Madrasah Sherdor (Samarkand) – built in the 17th c. “The madrasah was built by order of Ashtarkhanid Yalantgush Bahadur on the site of the dismantled khanaka of Ulughbek in 1619-1636. The Samarkand architect Abdulzhabbor was involved in the construction, and the decoration was made by the master Muhammad Abbas.” Sherdor Madrasah | Uzbekistan Travel

Samarkand is part of the UNESCO Silk Road Project.  Original settlements can be traced to 1500 BCE.  With merchants travelling the silk road, Samarkand was transformed into a major commercial hub for traders from across Asia and Europe, Samarkand | Silk Roads Programme (unesco.org)

Designer: Mulla-Akhunov D.

Release date: May 20, 2022

June

Flora of Uzbekistan – Medicinal plants

Offset printing

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – Achillea millefolium L. | Yarrow | Plant Encyclopaedia | A.Vogel (avogel.com)
• Dandelion (araxacum officinale F.H. Wigg.) – Taraxacum officinale – Wikipedia
• Sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.) – Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) – Origanum vulgare (Oregano) (gardenia.net)

Designer: Zakirov Kh

Release date: June 29, 2022

Museums of Uzbekistan

2 stamps, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet

Stamps dedicated to the State Uzbek Museum of the History of the Timurids located in the capita city Tashkent. It officially opened October 18, 1996, on the 660th anniversary of the birth of Amir Temur.

The Museum of the History of the Timurids contains about 5 thousand exhibits, all of which relate to the reign of Amir Timur and the Timurid dynasty. Approximately 2 thousand of them are exhibited in the exhibition halls of the museum. The museum presents the genealogy of Amir Timur, his coming to rule, military campaigns, diplomatic and trade relations, milestones in the development of the city, education and science. There are also exhibits related to members of the Timurid dynasty: weapons, maps, coins, miniatures, manuscripts, pottery and jewelry. PRESS RELEASE on the issue of postage stamps dedicated to the series “Museums of Uzbekistan” (pochta.uz)

• Ottoman Koran (facsimile) St. Petersburg. 1905
• The saddle is made of wood. XV-XVII centuries
• State Museum of the History of the Timurids

Museum of Amir Timur (Tamerlane), Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Attractions on Aba Travel (abasayyoh.com)

Designer: Mulla-Akhunov D.

Release date: June 29, 2022

September

Golden Heritage of Uzbekistan – Ceramics

4 stamps
offset

Lyagans are large dishes, decorated in unique styles for the various regions of Uzbekistan.  

• Lyagan by Bakhtiyar Nazirov (Fergana, Rishtan) –  “Bakhitor Nazirovand his son Diyorbek are well-known for their intricate designs in blue and turquoise which, according to ancient beliefs, are the colors of pure water and cloudless sky, symbolizing happiness. ” Bakhtiyor Nazirov & Diyorbek Nazirov – International Folk Art Market
  This style of lyagan (Rishtan ceramics) dates back nearly 1000 years and virtually unchanged in design and materials for 800 years.
• Lyagan by Vakhobjon Buvaev (Namangan, Gurumsaray) – “Vakhobjon Buvaev continues the traditions of the Gurumsarai school. Buvaev is not a hereditary master, he learned the secrets of the skill of Gurumsarai ceramics from the famous ceramist Maksudali Turapov. Master Buvaev works in traditional technology, using ishkor glaze, manual molding on a potter’s wheel and the execution of ornamental and artistic painting on products. ” Exhibition “Secrets of Gurumsarai Ceramics” by Vakhobjon Buvaev (uzdaily.uz) 
  For more information on the Gurumsarai school and Buvaev’s role in preserving it, check out this article The well-forgotten old: the new life of traditional Uzbek crafts | AD Magazine (use google translate)
• Lyagan by Abdulla Narzullayev (Bukhara, Gijduvan) – “Ibodulo Narzullayev was one of the most famous ceramists of Uzbekistan and the founder of the Gijduvan school of ceramics. He took part in more than 50 international exhibitions. Usta (translated from Uzbek as “master”) Ibadullo created not only his individual style, but also passed on his skills to his sons Alisher and Abdullo and daughter Nodira. This is the sixth generation, continuing the tradition of creating ceramic products of their family. To date, Gijduvan artisans are known not only in Uzbekistan, but also around the world.” Traditional Gizduvan Ceramics: Abdullo Narzullayev Ceramic Workshop in Gijduvan (orexca.com)
  Abdulla Narzullaev – IFAM Artist Stories (ifamstories.org)
• Lyagan by Allazar Sa’dullaev (Khorezm, Khiva)  – still researching this one. 

In Uzbekistan, the craft centers for making lyagans are widely known: Samarkand, Gijduvan, Rishtan, Shakhrisabz, Tashkent, Khorezm. Each center of ceramics has its own unique ornamental style. ПРЕСС-РЕЛИЗ о выпуске почтовых марок серии «Золотое наследие Узбекистана. Керамика» (pochta.uz)

Designer: Kanevets E.

Release date: September 7, 2022

Frogs
Series: Fauna of Uzbekistan

4 stamps
offset

• Bufotes viridis (Green toad)
• Bufotes turanensis (Turan toad)
• Bufotes pewzowi (Toad Pevtsova)
• Pelophylax ridibundus (Lake frog)

Artist: Kim A
Designer: Zakirov Kh.

Release date: September 7, 2022

National Cuisine of Uzbekistan

2 stamps
offset

Chickpeas with meat (Нут с мясом) &  Khasyp (Хасип)

Check this video out! It shows chickpeas with meat being made from scratch. There are many variations on this dish throughout the region, but this one is from Uzbekistan. It’s subtitled in English.

Uzbek homemade liverwurst sausage Khasyp. Uzbek homemade liver sausage. (centralasia-travel.com)

Designer/artist: Zakirov Kh

Release date: September 7, 2022

Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, cancel

Released to coincide with the annual meeting. This year, it was held in Samarkand September 15-16. The stamp shows the flags of participating members India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Designer: Yusupaliev U.

Release date: September 12, 2022

October

Archaeological Research of the Great Silk Road
Joint issue with China

4 stamps, 2 stamps on souvenir sheet, souvenir sheet
offset

This set of stamps highlights important discoveries made in joint excavations of the eastern and western foothills of Tengritag. This article highlights some of the work Chinese archeologists and scientists have done in the last 2 years that have brought new information to light. 

Stamps:

• Bronze gryphon plaque (V-II centuries BCE)
• Golden object in the shape of a ram’s head, Golden object in the shape of a tiger (V-II centuries BCE) 
• Sphinx jewelry made of faience (II-I centuries BCE)
• Gold head ornament with heart gallery (II-I centuries BCE)

Souvenir sheets:

• High relief of the tomb of An Jia (VI century) 
• High relief tomb of An Jia (VI century)
• Frescoes on the ruins of Afrasiab (VI century) 

This set of stamps and souvenir sheets was released for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with China. They explore the archaeological treasures found on the Silk Route, specifically in Uzbekistan.   Uzbekistan’s history is rich and deep, with archeological evidence of human habitation dating to the Palaeolithic Age (500,000-1,000,000 years ago). 

The Silk Road Program has an extensive page on Uzbekistan’s role Uzbekistan | Silk Roads Programme (unesco.org).  Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (Uzbekistan) – UNESCO World Heritage Centre discusses the proposed World Heritage Centre site, nominated in 2021 and sheds a bit of light on how crucial Uzbekistan was to the ancient road. 

The different Silk Road routes.

The Silk Road began some time in the 2nd century BCE during the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.). It was the first major link between the west and the east for trade and diplomacy. The Silk Road was more than one route; it spanned Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe and cut across dozens of countries and kingdoms. UNESCO has classified it a World Heritage Treasure and has worked hard to protect the route. It is impossible to overstate the importance of the Silk Road for its impact on human development:

The vast trade networks of the Silk Roads carried more than just merchandise and precious commodities. In fact, the constant movement and mixing of populations brought about the widespread transmission of knowledge, ideas, cultures and beliefs, which had a profound impact on the history and civilizations of the Eurasian peoples. Travellers along the Silk Roads were attracted not only by trade but also by the intellectual and cultural exchange taking place in cities along the Silk Roads, many of which developed into hubs of culture and learning. Science, arts and literature, as well as crafts and technologies were thus shared and disseminated into societies along the lengths of these routes, and in this way, languages, religions, and cultures developed and influenced one another.  About the Silk Roads | Silk Roads Programme (unesco.org)

This link Exploration by land; Silk and spice routes series; 1993 (unesco.org) opens up an 8-page pdf explaining what the road was/is and how it developed. A good easy introduction to the history of the Silk Road. 

If you’d like to learn more about the Silk Road, I recommend the UNESCO Silk Road Program site. The initiative began in 1988 as an effort to “better understand the rich history and shared legacy of the historic Silk Roads”.  The site includes links to museums, major cities on the route and more.  Uzbekistan’s Bukhara Museum is on the list and would be a must see for anyone lucky enough to visit the country. 

One day this is the trip I’ll take:  Silk Road Travel Tours | National Geographic Expeditions It’s a 16-day tour along Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, including Samarkand, the jewel of the Silk Road.  If I ever created a bucket list, this would be near the top. If I go, I’ll send you postcards from every stop! 

Designer: Mulla-Akhunov D.

Release date: October 7, 2022

30th Anniversary of the Republic of Uzbekistan Constitution 

1 stamp
offset

Designer: Yusupaliyev U.

Release date: December 6, 2022