Teshik-Tash near Baysun

Not far from Baysun in the pass of Sari-Shoto there is a holy place worshipped by all Uzbek people: Teshik-Tash.

A large Holed Stone (Teshik-Tash in Turkic) is surrounded by small white stones. For millennia, the nature has ground the stone, creating a marvel of nature.

According to the stories of the old men, the stone has a healing effect. Mothers bring their children and take them through the hole of the stone. They say that the next day children are cured of their illnesses. Teshik Tash is not only the name of the holy place, but the name of the grotto, well-known for the archaeological excavation of the remains of a Neanderthal child. In 1938, the famous Central Asian archaeologist Michael E. Masson found the burial place in the Teshik-Tash Cave.

During the excavations archaeologists found the skeleton of a Neanderthal boy of 9-10 years. Also they found animal bones around the boy, suggesting that it was a ritual burial. Famous Russian anthropologist Mikhail M. Gerasimov restored the live appearance of the boy from his skull. Today, you can see a sculptural portrait of the boy in Termez museum.