Raw data
"The stone fortress Tash-Rabat is located at the altitude of 3530 m, 80 km far from Torugart (China-Kyrgyz border post) and 90 km from Naryn town. Recent investigations have shown that this monument dates back to the 10th century. It is supposed to be the monastery of Nestorian-Christians (or Buddhist) who came here before the Mongolian invasion and before the spreading of Islam in Tian Shan. […] The whole structure consists of a big hall (a few fragments of the original interior are visible) and 31 rooms around it, enclosed by 20 domes with 11 vaults. There are numerous underground passages, secret exits and underground prison (zindan) in the fortress. It is the only construction in Central Asia made of stone, used like a fort by the refugees or hermits, and the place of studying the religion and the shelter for the trade caravans for many centuries."
http://sitara.com/kyrgyz/tour.html
Akbeit, Kyrgyzstan Page
World:Kyrgyzstan
Lat 40.9000 Long 75.1333
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/KG/00/Akbeit.html
Input by: tmciolek, Jul 2, 2010
Final data (and their sources)
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 2 km from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Tash Rabat caravanserai & monastery?, KG.
Lat 40.82315 Long 75.288766
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Tash Rabat caravanserai and [monastery?]
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- Kyrgyzstan: Naryn Oblasty
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
final data ….
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx Lat 40.82315 Long 75.288766 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tash_Rabat & http://toolserver.org/
- Approx. Lat 40.8885 Long 75.2631 - Ciolek (2006).
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
final data ….
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
final data ….
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Exactly, Lat 40.9000 Long 75.1333 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/KG/00/Akbeit.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Likely, a Nestorian (Christian) monastery. However, it is also possible that, instead, the place has served as a Buddhist monastery - http://sitara.com/kyrgyz/tour.html
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
final data ….
11. Date-early
- 10th c. AD - Ciolek (2006).
12. Date-intermediate
final data ….
13. Date-late
final data ….
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
final data ….
15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
- archaeological
16. Additional notes
- A structure with a big hall and 31 rooms around it. Assuming that 2/3rd of the building was used as a caravanserai, the putative monastery consisted of some 10 cells. Assuming that each room had 3-5 residents, then the place might have had some 30-50 resident monks.
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
final data ….
end of page
