BARS KHAN
An analysis of the legend provided by Gardizi to explain the etymology of the toponym "Barskhan" suggests the presence of an Iranian-speaking, possibly Sogdian population there. The Iranian historian directly states: "The inhabitants of Barskhan are descended from the Persians, namely the residents of Fars." The narrative then recounts an elaborate tale of how Alexander the Great, having conquered Iran, took hostages from noble Persian families to prevent potential rebellions. While setting out on a campaign to India, Alexander took the hostages with him; however, finding himself in constrained circumstances, he was forced to abandon the now burdensome noble Persians on the shores of Issyk-Kul. The sons of the Persian nobles, losing hope of returning home, built cities here in the manner of the cities of Fars, and "named the area Barskhan, i.e., the lord of Fars."
It is unlikely that the historical reality was as ancient and romantic as this. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the legend is based on a quite real historical foundation. The influx of Iranian and Sogdian populations in the second half of the 7th-8th centuries into Turkestan is a well-known fact. The emigration of part of the population, primarily the nobility, from Iran and Sogd was caused by the Arab conquests. It is quite indicative that the cities around Issyk-Kul arose, as noted above, no earlier than the second half of the 7th-8th centuries. Another telling detail of the legend presented by Gardizi points to the 7th-8th centuries as the time of the city's founding: for the construction of the city, in addition to brickmakers and carpenters, the noble hostages hired painters who were to decorate their homes. Archaeological work in Sogd, Usrushana, and Tokharistan has shown that in pre-Arab Central Asia, not only the interiors of temples and palaces but also the walls of citizens' houses were entirely adorned with polychrome multi-tiered panels.
The legend of the foundation of Barskhan seems to have arisen on Issyk-Kul among Iranian-speaking settlers who, by the time of Gardizi, after more than 300 years, still remembered their ethnic roots but had completely lost memory of the real historical events that caused their migration.
Legends