Gur-Emir (Mausoleum of Timur， in Samarkand)
Gur-Emir was built by the order of Muhammad Sultan at the beginning of the 15th century. Under the dome lined with blue mosaics lies the Timur， the founder of Timurid Dynasty，he went on military campaigns everywhere and established a great empire that extended from northern India in the east， Asia Minor in the west, with the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf in the south border, and reached as far as the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea in the north. Regarding his character and deeds, scholars have carried out extensive discussions. Some compare him with Attila, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon, claiming that he created a "glorious era unprecedented in the history of Central Asia". Uzbekistan honors him as a national hero.
During World War II， Joseph Stalin ordered an archaeologist to excavate the tombs of Timur and his family，the carving on Timur's tomb said“Whomsoever opens my tomb shall unleash an invader more terrible than I.” Just three days after the excavation, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, leading to the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War. Although archaeologist claim that this story is fabricated, it remains widely circulated. But the excavation did bring benefits. Experts reconstructed his portrait based on the skull. Standing at 173 centimeters, Timur was tall for his time. Additionally, the examination of his remains confirmed historical accounts of his lameness and withered right arm from injury. The shape of his knee joint indicates he habitually bent his legs and had a noticeable limp.
Regarding the "Curse of Timur," the Soviet Union was not the first "victim." In the 18th century, Nader Shah, the ruler of Persia, attempted to transport Tamerlane's coffin back to Persia. However, during the transportation process, the coffin lid accidentally broke into two halves. An earthquake occurred in Persia, and Nader Shah's sons also fell ill one after another. In the end, Nader Shah was forced to return the stone coffin to Samarkand, and his sons recovered. Despite this, a few years later, Nader Shah was still assassinated by his subordinates.
