This article analyzes the historical development of rural and urban settlements in the Middle Syr Darya basin during antiquity and the early Middle Ages on the basis of written and archaeological sources. The study applies a comparative and critical approach to data derived from ancient Greek and Roman authors, Chinese chronicles, and Arabic and Persian geographical works. Particular attention is paid to the hydronym Syr Darya, its various historical names recorded in different sources, their etymology, and related toponymic features. The article also examines the formation of settlements in historical regions such as Chach, Ustrushana, Otrar, Isfijab, and the Mirzachul area, emphasizing the interactions between sedentary agricultural communities and nomadic pastoral populations. The research findings contribute to a more precise understanding of the historical geography of the Middle Syr Darya basin and are significant for interpreting the ethno-cultural processes of the region.

Middle Syr Darya basin, Syr Darya, settlements, rural and urban sites

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