Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 8, 2026

Varkhuman

Varkhuman, also Vargoman was an Ikhshid (King) of Sogdia, residing in the city of Samarkand in the 7th century CE. He succeeded King Shishpin. He is known from the Afrasiab murals of Afrasiyab in Samarkand, where he is seen being visited by embassies from numerous countries, including China. There is also an inscription in the murals directly mentioning him. His name is also known from Chinese histories.

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Varkhuman
Varkhūmān Ūnash1
Ikhshid of Samarkand
Coinage of Varkhuman. Circa CE 650-675.1
ReignCirca 650-670 CE
PredecessorShishpin
SuccessorUrk Wartramuk
BornSamarkand, Sogdia
DynastyIkhshids
ReligionZoroastrianism
Crenellated wall portion of the ruins of Afrasiyab, Samarkand. source ↗

Varkhuman, also Vargoman (Chinese: 拂呼縵; pinyin: Fúhūmàn, c. 640-670 CE)23 was an Ikhshid (King) of Sogdia, residing in the city of Samarkand in the 7th century CE. He succeeded King Shishpin.4 He is known from the Afrasiab murals of Afrasiyab in Samarkand, where he is seen being visited by embassies from numerous countries, including China.5 There is also an inscription in the murals directly mentioning him.5 His name is also known from Chinese histories.5

One of the murals show a Chinese Embassy carrying silk and a string of silkworm cocoons to the local Sogdian ruler.5 The scene depicted in the Afrasiyab murals probably occurred soon after 658 CE, when the Tang dynasty had conquered the Western Turkic Khaganate.2

Varkhuman was a nominal vassal to the Chinese.4 He is mentioned in the Chinese annals:

During the Yonghui (永徽) era (650-655 CE), emperor Gaozong made this territory the Government of Kangju, and gave the title of Governor to the King of the country, Varkhuman (拂呼缦, Fúhūmàn).

— Chinese annals on Varkhuman.67

Varkhuman's legacy was short-lived, as his palace was destroyed by the Arab general Sa'id ibn Uthman between 675 and 677 CE. At that time, according to Narshakhi there was no king of Samarkand anymore.4

Inscription mentioning Varhuman

In the murals of Afrasiab, an inscription mentioning Varhuman has been found. It is written in Sogdian:

Afrasiab Sogdian inscription source ↗

When King Varkhuman Unash came to him [the ambassador] opened his mouth [and said thus]: "I am Pukarzate, the dapirpat (chancellor) of Chaganian. I arrived here from Turantash, the lord of Chaganian, to Samarkand, to the king, and with respect [to] the king [now] I am [here]. And with regard to me do not have any misgivings: About the gods of Samarkand, as well as about the writing of Samarkand I am keenly aware, and I also have not done any harm to the king. Let you be quite fortunate!" And King Varkhuman Unash took leave [of him]. And [then] the dapirpat (chancellor) of Chach opened his mouth.

— Inscription on an ambassador's robe.891011

Afrasiab murals

  • King Varkhuman on horse, Afrasiab remaining parts and reconstitution.[12]
    King Varkhuman on horse, Afrasiab remaining parts and reconstitution.12
  • Ambassadors from Chaganian (central figure, inscription of the neck), and Chach (modern Tashkent) to king Varkhuman of Samarkand. 648-651 CE, Afrasiyab murals, Samarkand.[4][5]
    Ambassadors from Chaganian (central figure, inscription of the neck), and Chach (modern Tashkent) to king Varkhuman of Samarkand. 648-651 CE, Afrasiyab murals, Samarkand.45
  • Goguryeo ambassadors[13] during an audience with king Varkhuman of Samarkand. They are identified by the two feathers on top of their head.[14] 648-651 CE, Afrasiyab, Samarkand.[4][15]
    Goguryeo ambassadors13 during an audience with king Varkhuman of Samarkand. They are identified by the two feathers on top of their head.14 648-651 CE, Afrasiyab, Samarkand.415
  • Tang dynasty emissaries at the court of Varkhuman in Samarkand carrying silk and a string of silkworm cocoons, 648-651 CE, Afrasiyab murals, Samarkand
    Tang dynasty emissaries at the court of Varkhuman in Samarkand carrying silk and a string of silkworm cocoons, 648-651 CE, Afrasiyab murals, Samarkand
References

References

  1. Fedorov, Michael (2007). "ON THE PORTRAITS OF THE SOGDIAN KINGS (IKHSHĪDS) OF SAMARQAND". Iran. 45: 156–157. doi:10.1080/05786967.2007.11864723. ISSN 0578-6967. JSTOR 25651416. S2CID 194538468.
  2. Whitfield, Susan (2004). The Silk Road: Trade, Travel, War and Faith. British Library. Serindia Publications, Inc. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-932476-13-2.
  3. Azarpay, Guitty; Belenickij, Aleksandr M.; Maršak, Boris Il'ič; Dresden, Mark J. (January 1981). Sogdian Painting: The Pictorial Epic in Oriental Art. University of California Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-520-03765-6.
  4. Baumer, Christoph (18 April 2018). History of Central Asia, The: 4-volume set. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 243. ISBN 978-1-83860-868-2.
  5. Whitfield, Susan (2004). The Silk Road: Trade, Travel, War and Faith. British Library. Serindia Publications, Inc. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-932476-13-2.
  6. Mode, Markus (2006). "Reading the Afrasiab Murals: Some Comments on Reconstructions and Details" (PDF). Rivista degli studi orientali. 78: 108. ISSN 0392-4866. JSTOR 41913392.
  7. New Book of Tang, Book 221. 新唐书/卷221下: "高宗永徽时，以其地为康居都督府，即授其王拂呼缦为都督。" in "新唐书/卷221下 - 维基文库，自由的图书馆". zh.wikisource.org (in Simplified Chinese).
  8. "Afrosiab Wall Painting". contents.nahf.or.kr. NORTHEAST ASIAN HISTORY FOUNDATION.
  9. Bulatova, Vera; Shishkina, Galina V. (1986). Самарканд: музей под открытым небом "Samarkand, Open-air Museum" (in Uzbek). Publishing house of literature and art Изд-во лит-ры и искусства им. Гафура Гуляма. p. 47. ..."When king Varkhuman of the Unash dynasty approached the ambassador, the ambassador opened his mouth and said : 'I am Pukarzate..."
  10. de la Vaissière, Étienne (2006). "LES TURCS, ROIS DU MONDE À SAMARCANDE" (PDF). Rivista degli studi orientali. 78: 159–160. ISSN 0392-4866. JSTOR 41913394.
  11. Hansen, Valerie (2015). The Silk Road: A New History. Oxford University Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-19-021842-3.
  12. Grenet, Frantz (2006). "What Was the Afrasiab Painting About?". Rivista degli studi orientali. 78: 43–44. ISSN 0392-4866. JSTOR 41913388.
  13. Service (KOCIS), Korean Culture and Information. "Restored mural suggests 1,300 years of ties between Goguryeo, Samarkand : Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea". www.korea.net. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
  14. Library, British (2004). The Silk Road: Trade, Travel, War and Faith. Serindia Publications, Inc. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-932476-13-2.
  15. Grenet, Frantz (2004). "Maracanda/Samarkand, une métropole pré-mongole". Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales. 5/6: Fig. C.