STAGES OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PILGRIMAGE TOURISM IN THE SOUTH OF UZBEKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24919/2519-058X.36.339333Abstract
The purpose of the research is to identify and analyse the key historical stages in the development of pilgrimage tourism in the southern regions of Uzbekistan, in order to understand the evolving role of the sacred sites in the spiritual and cultural life of the region. The research is based on a comprehensive methodological framework combining historical, comparative, and content analysis as well as diverse sources, including primary historical texts, archival documents, travel diaries of renowned historical figures such as Ibn Battuta and Seydi Ali Reis, UNESCO materials and official governmental decrees. The methodology of the research is also based on the elements of historiographical analysis, enabling the identification and verification of long-term trends and turning points in the evolution of pilgrimage practices. There have been used the chronological descriptive method, which allowed the author to systematise data from various epochs, from the proto-Zoroastrian practices of the Bronze Age to the Islamic period, through the Soviet era and into the post-independence decades in order to deal with the periodisation of the pilgrimage tourism. This periodisation was further supported by discourse analysis of historical narratives and state policies, such as the Resolution of the Council of People’s Commissars (1945) and the presidential decrees on tourism development in the 21st century. In addition, policy analysis and digital ethnography have been used to study contemporary tools for promoting pilgrimage, including the Tabarruk Ziyorat digital portal. The scientific novelty of the study consists in its systematic reconstruction of the pilgrimage tourism’s historical trajectory in southern Uzbekistan, highlighting both continuity and transformation of the sacred geographies under different political regimes. The results have confirmed that the pilgrimage tourism in this region has deep historical roots, which were formed by diverse shifts in religious policy and cultural identity. Despite suppression during the Soviet era, the revival and institutionalisation of the pilgrimage tourism in independent Uzbekistan signal a broader recognition of its cultural, spiritual, and economic value. It has been concluded that pilgrimage tourism today is not only a vital part of Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage but also a promising vector for the international cooperation and regional development.
Keywords: Zoroastrianism, Islam, travellers, anti-religious policy, digitalisation of pilgrimage.
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