1185090 Uzbekistan: Detail from the mural called \'The Ambassadors\' Painting\', from the hall of the ruin of an aristocratic house in Afrasiab, commissioned by Varkhuman, King of Samarkand, c. 650 CE; (add.info.: The Afrasiab painting is a rare example of Sogdian art. It was discovered in 1965 when the local authorities decided on the construction of a road through the middle of Afr?si?b mound, the old site of pre-Mongol Samarkand. It is now preserved in a special museum on the Afr?si?b mound. Ancient site of northern Samarkand, occupied from c. 500 BC to 1220 AD. Mythical king Afrasiab. Centre of Sogdian culture. Oldest part and the ruined site of the ancient and medieval city of Samarkand. ); Pictures from History; out of copyright.