Iron Gate (Central Asia)

For other uses, see Iron Gate (disambiguation).

File:Iron Gate, engraving after Karazin.PNG

Wood engraving, p. 503. From 'Nouvelle Géographie Universelle, La terre et les hommes', Part VI, 'L'Asie Russe', Édition Élisée reclus, Paris, 1881

The Iron Gate is a defile between Balkh and Samarkand. It breaks up the mountains which extend from the Hisar range south towards the Amu Darya. In ancient times it was used as the passage between Bactria and Sogdia and was likely of great importance to any power in the region. Its name comes from the belief that an actual gate, reinforced with Iron, stood in the defile. It is located to west from Boysun, Surxondaryo Province.