Hephthalite Empire
The slopes of the range have been populated since antiquity. Prehistoric Siypantosh Rock Paintings are preserved in the Uzbek portion of the range. In about 400 BC, they belonged to the Iranian civilization of Sogdiana. In 330 BC, during the Asian Campaign, troops of Alexander the Great reached the Zarafshan Valley. The name of Lake Iskanderkul clearly originates from the name of Alexander - Iskander; however, attempts to place a connection between the lake and the campaign only exist at the level of legend. Together with the rest of Western Tajikistan, the Zarafshan Range has changed hands several times, being part of the Hephthalite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate, and the Samanid Empire. In the 13th century, it was taken over by the Mongols, and in the 16th century, became part of the Khanate of Bukhara. The Zarafshan, Yaghnob, and Fan Darya valleys were essentially controlled by local authorities (beks). The fortress of Sarvoda was built to protect the gorge of the Fan Darya.