The archaeological exploration of Bukhara lags, compared to other important metropoleis in the wider region (such as Merv or Samarkand), considerably behind. Unfortunately, the lack of data is often compensated by clichés about the 'Silk Road', imagining Bukhara as a flourishing hub of transcontinental trade routes since the dawn of history.

Since 2011, archaeological investigations carried out by the Uzbek-American Expedition in Bukhara (UzAmEB) have considerably advanced our understanding of the archaeology and history of the city and its hinterland – from the Late Bronze age, over antiquity, to the time when Bukhara housed the fabled court of the Samanid dynasty. Our results show how problematic many supposedly ‘timeless’ notions of the conventional ‘Silk Road’ narrative are, as our new data reveal a much more dynamic and complex picture of connectivity between the "micro-regional" and the "global."