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=== Ancient times === In the [[Stone Age]], [[Mousterian]] tool-users inhabited the [[Hisar Valley]] near modern-day Dushanbe.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=15|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> The Gissar culture, whose stone tools were discovered within modern-day Dushanbe at the confluence of the [[Varzob River|Varzob]] and Luchob,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=100|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> [[Bishkent culture]], and [[Vakhsh culture]] all were thought to have inhabited the valley in the second millennium BC, during the [[Neolithic]] period, and were primarily involved in cattle breeding, agriculture, and weaving.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hissar Culture|url=https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Hissar+Culture|access-date=2020-08-02|website=TheFreeDictionary.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=21, 25|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref><ref name="Ceroi-2008" /> Near [[Dushanbe International Airport]], [[Bronze Age]] burials were discovered dating from the end of the second to the beginning of the first millennium BC.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=107–108|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] dishes and ceramics were found {{Convert|6|km|mi}} east of Dushanbe in Qiblai,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=27|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> as the city was controlled by the Achaemenids from the sixth century BC.<ref name="Ceroi-2008" /> Archaeological remnants of a small [[citadel]] dating to the fifth century BC have been discovered {{Convert|40|km|mi}} south<ref>{{Cite book|title=Yavan, Oxford Art Online|date=2002|publisher=Macmillan|others=Macy, Laura Williams.|isbn=1-884446-05-1|location=[Basingstoke, England]|oclc=50959350}}</ref> and wedge-shaped copper axes have been discovered from the second century BC.<ref name="Dushanbe twinning">{{cite web|title=Regions: Dushanbe & Surroundings|url=http://www.visittajikistan.tj/en/regions/dushanbe.php|access-date=10 May 2013|work=Official Website of the Tourism Authority of Tajikistan|publisher=Committee of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism|archive-date=22 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122092635/http://www.visittajikistan.tj/en/regions/dushanbe.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucids]] conquered the region in 312 BC.<ref name="Davidzon-1983a">{{Cite book|last=M.|first=Davidzon|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/11399951|title=Dushanbe, a guide|date=1983|publisher=Raduga|pages=10–11|oclc=11399951}}</ref> A small [[Greco-Bactrian Kingdom|Greco-Bactrian]] settlement of about {{convert|40|ha}} was dated to the end of the third century BC.<ref name="Dushanbe twinning" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=110|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref><ref name="Sedov-2020">{{Cite web|title=Southern Tajikistan in Kushana period|url=http://www.afc.ryukoku.ac.jp/tj/tajikistanEnglish/C-ancienttime/C-6top.html|access-date=2020-08-02|publisher=[[National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan]]}}</ref> The oldest coin found in the city is a Greco-Bactrian coin depicting [[Eucratides I|Eucratides]] (r. 171–145 BC) and another was found depicting [[Dionysus]].<ref name="Davidzon-1983a" /><ref name="Dushanbe Encyc-2004c">{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/65068362|title=Dushanbe : ėnt︠s︡iklopedii︠a︡|publisher=Glavnai︠a︡ nauchnai︠a︡ redakt︠s︡ii︠a︡ Tadzhikskoĭ nat︠s︡ionalʹnoĭ ėnt︠s︡iklopedii|others=Dinorshoev, Muso.|year=2004|isbn=5-89870-071-4|location=Dushanbe|language=ru|chapter=Historical Sketch|oclc=65068362|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028115236/http://dushanbe.tj/img/ENS.doc|archive-date=28 October 2010}}</ref> There was also a [[Kushan Empire|Kushan]] city on the left bank of the [[Varzob River|Varzob river]] from the [[2nd century BC]] to [[3rd century|3rd century AD]] containing burial sites from the time period.<ref name="Dushanbe twinning" /><ref name="Sedov-2020" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=125–126|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> The Kushans created other settlements such as Garavkala, Tepai Shah, Shakhrinau, and Uzbekontepa.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Hiebert|first1=F. T.|last2=Kohl|first2=P. L.|date=2012-10-20|others=R. Talbert, T. Elliott, S. Gillies|title=Garav kala: a Pleiades place resource|url=https://pleiades.stoa.org/places/971757|access-date=2020-08-02|website=Pleiades: a gazetteer of past places}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=38–39|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> The [[Sasanian Empire]] invaded [[Sogdia]]na in the fifth century, possibly giving coins as tribute to the [[Kidarites]] which ended up on the site of today's city.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gariboldi|first1=Andrea|last2=Saripov|first2=Abduvali|date=2012|title=A Sasanian Hoard from Dushanbe|url=http://www.socnumit.org/estratti/G/GariboldiA2012.Dushambe.pdf|journal=[[Studia Iranica]]|volume=41|pages=169–186|access-date=6 March 2021|archive-date=4 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304174526/http://www.socnumit.org/estratti/G/GariboldiA2012.Dushambe.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Довуди|first=Давлатходжа|title=Древние и средневековые монеты, найденные на территории города Душанбе|url=https://www.academia.edu/41712153|journal=Древние и средневековые монеты, найденные на территории города Душанбе|date=January 2004}}</ref> The ruins of a Buddhist monastery of the [[Hephthalites|Hephthalite]] period of the late fifth to sixth century, now referred to as [[Ajina Tepe]], lie in the [[Vakhsh District|Vaksh valley]] near Dushanbe.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Litvinskiĭ|first=B. A.|title=Ajina Tepe|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/ajina-tepe-the-present-day-name-of-the-mound-covering-the-ruins-of-an-early-medieval-buddhist-monastery-sarigharama|access-date=2020-08-02|website=Encyclopaedia Iranica}}</ref> Other settlements from the [[Tokharistan]] period have also been discovered, like the town of Shishikona that was destroyed during the [[Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet era]] and depopulated during the [[Mongol invasion of Central Asia|Mongol invasion]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=54–55, 85, 90|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Illustrations|url=https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/8366/02_Illustrations.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y|page=3}}</ref> [[International trade#History|International trade]] picked up during this period in the region.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=133|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> A castle was also discovered dating from the time period.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=136|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> In 582, the [[Western Turkic Khaganate]] gained control over the region.<ref name="Davidzon-1983a" /> In the seventh century, a Chinese pilgrim visited the region and mentioned the city of Shuman, possibly on the site of modern Dushanbe.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=170|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Turekulova|first1=Natalia|last2=Turekulov|first2=Timur|year=2004–2005|title=Tajikistan: A view from outside|url=https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/heritage/article/download/21047/14817|journal=Heritage at Risk|publisher=[[ICOMOS]]|issn=2365-5615}}</ref> After the [[Muslim conquest of Persia|Arab conquest]], the [[Samanids]] controlled the region, which was involved in crafts and trade,<ref name="Ceroi-2008" /> and in the 10th-12th centuries the medieval city of [[Hulbuk]] developed near Dushanbe, which notably contained the [[palace of the governor of Khulbuk]], "an artistic treasure of the Tajik people", among other smaller medieval settlements like Shishikhona.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=61, 144|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> The [[Kara-Khanid Khanate|Kharakhanids]] minted coins from 1018 to 1019 found in the city.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|page=163|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref> The city came under the influence of the [[Ghurids]] from the 12th to 13th centuries.<ref name="Ceroi-2008" /> Other smaller settlements were founded during the Late Middle Ages after the [[Mongol conquest of Central Asia|Mongol invasion]], such as Abdullaevsky and Shainak. [[Timur]] conquered the region during this time period and various other empires controlled the city. The city's economy started to rely more heavily on crafts and trade.<ref name="Ceroi-2008" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Ranov, V. A. (Vadim Aleksandrovich)|url=https://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/43419/1/isawdca_000960.pdf|title=Dushanbe : gorod drevniĭ|date=1993|publisher=Izd-vo "Donish"|others=Solovʹev, V. S. (Viktor Stepanovich), Masov, R. M. (Rakhim Masovich)|isbn=5-8366-0427-4|location=Dushanbe|pages=149–151|language=ru|oclc=32311792}}</ref><ref name="Davidzon-1983a" /> <gallery mode="nolines" widths="260" heights="180" class="center"> File:Bishkent culture.jpg|[[Bishkent culture]] File:Vakhsh culture.jpg|[[Vakhsh culture]] File:Kara-Khanid Khanate.png|[[Kara-Khanid Khanate]] File:Greco-BactrianKingdomMap.jpg|[[Greco-Bactrian Kingdom|Greco-Bactria]] </gallery>
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