GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING AND SETTLEMENT PATTERNS OF THE LOWER AMU DARYA BASIN IN THE 10TH-13TH CENTURIES

This article analyzes the geographical setting and settlement patterns of the Lower Amu Darya region during the 10th -13th centuries. The study examines the development of irrigation systems in the Khorezm oasis, river channel shifts, climatic factors, and their impact on settlement formation. The processes of irrigation network expansion and urban flourishing (Koneurgench, Kath, Jurjaniya) during the Khwarezmshah period (10th-12th centuries), as well as the destruction of irrigation infrastructure and population displacement following the Mongol invasion in the early 13th century, are analyzed in detail. The research is based on archaeological materials, written sources, and paleoclimatic reconstructions.