RHYTHMS OF THE ARAL SEA: HISTORY, MAPS AND RESEARCH

The recent interest in historical maps is due not only to the popularity of certain trends, but also to the insufficiency of written and other sources on the history of the steppe expanses of Eurasia. The purpose of the article is to study the history of the Aral region and the Aral Sea as a geographical and cultural center based on archival documents and maps. The opening of foreign archives and long-term archaeological expeditions made it possible to begin research on previously unknown maps and other materials. In turn, maps containing important information on Russian history have become an important tool for the study of complex and little-known historical periods, and in some cases they become of paramount importance due to the shortcomings of written information. Studying maps can help not only clarify the names of topographical or ethnic objects or peoples, but also locate cities and other important points, which is especially relevant for the history of the Central Asian region and its geographical and cultural centre, the Aral region.

The history of the Aral region has long been a reference point for the existence of powerful and diverse states. Starting from antiquity, the peoples of the Aral region became the initiators of global geopolitical changes. In the Middle Ages, the Aral Sea was the eastern border of the Khazar Kaganate, and the northern Aral was the capital district of the Oguz Kaganate. The change of eras, peoples and states directly depended on the natural rhythms of the Aral Sea, which was reflected in maps and other sources. Its study has become a kind of pinnacle of knowledge of European science in the Central Asian region in modern times. The diaries of travelers of that time have not yet lost their scientific value and need further study.

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