Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- This is a Karakhanid coin. Thin and flat, in the era of the Karakhanids, an economic crisis raged, the metal was expensive and in short supply. But despite this, the masters managed to mint up to 30 words on one coin. As a rule, these were surahs from the Koran. So that people never forget the precepts of the Prophet Muhammad.

A treasure of 180 such coins was discovered while digging a ditch in the Khodjaabad region. This find became part of the unique collection of the Andijan Museum.

The World Society for the Study, Preservation and Promotion of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan (WOSCU) is working on the creation of a unique illustrated book of the series "Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan in the Collections of the World", which will include the museum’s rarest exhibits.

The book will consist of 6 sections, and will tell in detail about the archaeological, numismatic, arts and crafts collections, manuscript heritage and masterpieces of fine art stored in the museum. Readers of the book will have a unique chance to learn the history of these ancient artifacts and see their images.

Just imagine - the territory of Uzbekistan already 1 million years ago was inhabited by people. Archaeological research allows us to make a bold assumption that our region is one of the centers of anthropogenesis, that is, the origin of man. A number of studies point to Central Asia as the region from which humans most likely later settled Europe, Siberia, and North America. How did our distant ancestors live? What did they do, were fond of, how did their culture and traditions develop? Touching the secrets of antiquity and learning more about the life, traditions, beliefs of people of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Eneolithic eras will soon become possible.

In addition, the book will include the history of the development of pottery in the Andijan region, the history of iron production and metalworking, the development of needlework and carpet weaving, wood carving and ornamental painting, national embroidery, calligraphy and national clothes.

Shahlo Abdullayeva, curator of the book-album, Candidate of Art Criticism, spoke in more detail about the content of the publication and the unique exhibits of the museum. According to her, the rarest exhibits of the numismatic, handwritten funds, as well as collections of arts and crafts of the museum are planned for publication.

Among the ancient rarities of the manuscript fund is the second volume of "Tafsiri Kashshof" by Imam Zamakhshari, written in 809 AH / 1407, the work "Kuvtul Kulub", consisting of 908 pages, written by Sheikh Abu Talib al-Makki, dated 1098. x./1687, manuscript of Mir Sayyid Sharif Jurjani (1340-1413), one of the famous scientists of the Temurids era, teacher of the Arabic language, speech and logic.

Among the unique manuscripts of the fund, we can mention the 54-page Devoni Adam, the 20-page Devoni Mahmud, the 160-page Devoni Afghan, which were rewritten by the famous calligrapher and artist Mirza Ibrahim Subkhi in 1937.

“These books attract attention with their elegant decor. At the same time, they are a vivid example of the fact that the traditions of calligraphy and illumination of a handwritten book, as a reflection of the immortal traditions of the art of Oriental literature, were not lost in the 20th century, having received a worthy continuation,” notes Shakhlo Abdullayeva.

A unique and rare exhibit of the museum is a bedspread created at the beginning of the 20th century by an Andijan craftswoman. Lines of medieval love lyrics of the peoples of the East are applied to it.

These and many other exhibits will decorate the book-album dedicated to the national museum collections. The authors of the texts about the museum collections are the museum staff themselves: Deputy Director for Research Rokhat Mukhamedova, researchers Avazbek Poziljonov and Iskandar Madgoziev.