The oasis of Merv, in south-eastern Turkmenistan, was for centuries one of the great cities of Central Asia, a stop on the Silk Road and at one point, under the Seljuks in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, possibly one of the largest cities in the world. Today its ruins are spread over a vast area of desert and farmland near the town of Bayramaly, and they form the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Merv. Scattered among them are small mausolea, tombs of holy men and companions of the Prophet, and the Mausoleum of Huday Nazar is one of these, a modest brick structure that has long been a place of local pilgrimage.
Merv's history spans more than two thousand years, with successive cities built side by side as the river shifted and rulers changed. Erk Kala, the oldest, dates back to the Achaemenid period; Gyaur Kala was the Sasanian and early Islamic city; and Sultan Kala was the Seljuk capital, dominated by the mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, a massive domed building that still stands. The Mongols destroyed the city in 1221, and it never fully recovered.
Travelling in Turkmenistan is complicated. The country requires visas that are difficult to obtain, and independent travel is restricted; most visitors travel with an approved guide. Riding a motorcycle here requires careful planning and permits. The roads are a mixture of good highways and rough tracks, and the desert heat in summer is extreme, often above forty degrees. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild temperatures and clear skies. Sandstorms can occur.
Bayramaly, about twenty kilometres away, and Mary, the regional capital, have fuel and services. Fuel in Turkmenistan has historically been very cheap. Local food includes plov, rice with meat and carrots, and shashlik, grilled meat skewers, served with flat bread baked in clay ovens. Visiting the mausolea of Merv, with pilgrims tying cloth strips to nearby trees and the silence of the desert all around, is a strange and moving experience, a reminder of how great cities can return to dust.