Turkmenistan launches high-tech workshop to preserve ancient mosque
Project at Ancient Merv combines 3D mapping, laser scanning and conservation training to safeguard one of Central Asia's oldest surviving cathedral mosques
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (MNTV) — Turkmenistan has launched a field workshop using advanced digital technologies to help preserve the ruins of the ancient Dandanakan mosque, one of Central Asia’s oldest surviving cathedral mosques, as part of the country’s 2022-2028 state program for protecting historical and cultural heritage.
The workshop, titled “Dandanakan: Future Technologies for Preserving the Past,” is being held at the Ancient Merv State Reserve. It is organized by the National Department for the Protection, Study and Restoration of Historical and Cultural Monuments and the Ancient Merv Reserve in partnership with the Union of Architects of Turkmenistan and the public association Achievements of Young People of Turkmenistan.
The initiative is supported by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage (ALIPH) and the European Union.
The project focuses on the remains of a cathedral mosque dating from the ninth to 12th centuries at the medieval settlement of Dandanakan. The monument, located about 60 kilometers southwest of Ancient Merv and 33 kilometers from the modern city of Mary, once served as a fortified outpost on the caravan route linking Merv and Serakhs. Today, the site faces growing threats from climate change and desertification.
Young specialists from state nature reserves and architecture students from the Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan are participating in the workshop under the guidance of conservation experts.
They are being trained in digital documentation techniques, including terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry to produce highly detailed 3D models, field data verification for a comprehensive digital archive, and engineering measures designed to protect the ancient brickwork from further deterioration.
Organizers said the initiative aims to strengthen Turkmenistan’s conservation expertise by developing an innovative training program for future restoration specialists.
The digital model of the Dandanakan mosque will provide the basis for a scientifically informed restoration plan and could eventually support the site’s inclusion in international tourism initiatives.
The project reflects Turkmenistan’s broader efforts to safeguard its historical heritage by combining national expertise with international support and applying modern conservation standards to address the growing impact of climate change on archaeological sites.
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