Heck, Tamerlane and Ulugh Beg certainly never used the term—in their minds, they dwelt in the center of the world, not along some glorified highway route transporting goods between more “important” places. But good marketing is a currency more valuable than silk these days, and the government of President Shavkat Mirzoyoyev knows an opportunity when they see it. You can find the term “Silk Road” slapped onto everything in Uzbekistan these days. And as a brand it works wonders—millions of people a year now visit these monuments, eat the food, sleep in hotels, and spend their cash. High speed rail, the Afrosiyob trains, now crisscross the desert, radiating out from Samarkand, carrying these tourists from stop to stop. But there is more to Uzbekistan than just tourist tchotchkes and upbeat branding. So for the next few months, let’s take a genuine deep dive into the politics, culture, history, and so much more of this wonderful country and region.
