Yahya Gulyamov Famous archaeologist, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Date of Birth: 01.05.1908 Country: Uzbekistan

1. Early Life and Education
2. Early Academic and Professional Career
3. Archaeological Explorations and Scientific Contributions
4. Recognition and Membership in Scientific Societies

Early Life and Education

Yahya Gulamovich Gulamov was born on May 1, 1908, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. He came from a family of educators; his father was a teacher at a madrasah, while his mother taught at a girls' school. In 1919, his father passed away, leaving Gulamov to be raised by his mother. Later, he attended an orphanage from 1921 onwards.

From 1923 to 1926, Gulamov attended the Uzbek Institute of Education in Tashkent. He then pursued higher education at the Uzbek State Pedagogical Academy in Samarkand, graduating from its socio-economic department in 1930.

Early Academic and Professional Career

After completing his education, Gulamov taught at a primary school in Tashkent and later at a Central Soviet school in Samarkand. From 1929 to 1931, he worked as an assistant at the Department of History of Central Asia and as a postgraduate student at the Uzbek Scientific Research Institute under the Council of People's Commissars of the Uzbek SSR. In 1931, he became a teacher at the Pedagogical College in Tashkent.

Archaeological Explorations and Scientific Contributions

Gulamov's scientific career took off in 1933 when he joined the Uzbekistan Committee for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and Arts (Uzkomstaris) as a research associate and scientific secretary. This marked his entry into the field of archaeology, and he began participating in expeditions and investigations. In 1940, he was awarded the Grand Fergana Canal (BFC) badge for his contributions to archaeological surveys during the construction of the canal.

From 1940 onwards, Gulamov held various positions at the Uzbek Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He initially headed the Department of Archaeology at the Institute of History, Language, and Literature. In 1943, he became the head of the Department of Ancient and Medieval History at the Institute of History and Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. From November 20, 1956, to October 25, 1959, he also served as the director of the institute.

Throughout his career, Gulamov combined scientific research with teaching, lecturing at the Tashkent State Pedagogical Institute on Uzbek history and archaeology. He was the first Uzbek archaeologist to specialize in the field, and his involvement in archaeological expeditions dates back to the early 1930s.

Gulamov's archaeological discoveries in ancient Khorezm, particularly those made during the Khorezm expedition led by S.P. Tolstov, are of great scientific importance. He played a crucial role in studying the history of irrigation in Khorezm, earning recognition for his outstanding contributions to this area of research.

Gulamov successfully defended his dissertation on the history of Khiva and its monuments in 1943 and his doctoral thesis on the history of irrigation in Khorezm from ancient times to the present in 1950. In March 1955, he was awarded the title of Professor.

Recognition and Membership in Scientific Societies

In October 1956, Gulamov was elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, and in February 1966, he became a full member of the academy.

Gulamov's work has been widely recognized both within Uzbekistan and internationally. Professor B.B. Piotrovsky, director of the State Hermitage Museum, praised his research on the irrigation and farming history of Central Asia, particularly his studies on the Neolithic, Eneolithic, and Bronze Age in the lower reaches of the Zarafshan River. Academician A.P. Okladnikov of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR also highlighted Gulamov's pioneering work in this field, describing it as "fundamental research unmatched in literature."

Gulamov's legacy continues to inspire and inform archaeological and historical research in Central Asia and beyond.