Anau
A village east of Ashgabat with a Neolithic tell and the ruins of a mosque known for its dragons.
Updated 20 October 2026
Anau holds two things: a tell excavated in 1904 by an American expedition that produced some of the earliest evidence of farming in Central Asia and gave its name to the Chalcolithic Anau culture, and the ruins of the mosque of Seyit Jemaleddin of 1456, which carried a pair of dragons in tilework above its portal. The 1948 earthquake brought the building down and what stands is fragments.
Highlights
- The mosque ruins - fragments of the 1456 building brought down in 1948.
- The dragon tilework - the pair of dragons that once flanked the portal.
- The tell - the mound excavated in 1904 with early farming evidence.
- The Anau culture - the Chalcolithic culture named after the site.
When to go
April to May and September to October are the comfortable months. Summer heat is severe with no shade. The site is open at all times.
Good to know
Very little of the mosque survives and the dragons are known mainly from photographs and fragments. There is no interpretation on site. The tell is unimpressive to look at.
Nearby
Ashgabat is west, and Abiverd is east.
What to pack for Anau
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- Shelter suited to the place - Tent, tarp or hut booking - match it to the terrain and rules. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
