In the epoch of the Samanids a great potential was laid in regard to urbanization, architecture, artistic handicrafts and, upon the whole, to all the branches of material and spiritual culture. According to the calculations of O. G. Bolshakov there were over 280 cities and towns only in the boundaries of Maverannahr territory in the period of X-th century. Approximately the same number of them were located in Khorasan part belonging to the Samanids' possessions. In comparison with their quantum in ancient Russia of the same period it is almost as twice more.
The biggest number of cities and towns were concentrated in the Ferghana Valley (40), Chach (39), Bukhara oasis (29), Seven Rivers Land (24), Samarkand Sughd (16), Ustrushana (13), Ilak (17), the areas of the Syr-Darya middle reaches (20).
According to the classification of the X-th century geographers urban populated units were divided into two types: cities (big) - shahr and towns (small) - shahrak. There existed certain criteria for qualification status. Here can be referred, for example, an availability of a citadel (Shahristan) surrounded by a defense wall as a bulwark of a local administration, Friday mosque, public bath-house, market and a number of other tokens. It is quite obvious that a mediaeval city was formed on the base of large feudal homesteads with domineering castles.
As for complete urban conveniences in reference to the considered epoch one may speak about them only rather cautiously. At the same time separate elements of urban amenities and cosiness were already available. Thus, a part of cities and big settlements were supplied with pure brook water delivered to the center of the urban quarter through pottery tubes - Quburs. Central heating functioned in castles and palaces. The supreme urban and rural estates had home bath premises in their possessions of "kaduh" type. In-patient hospitals (bemoriston) functioned favorably in cities. Public graveyards were averaged no otherwise as beyond the boundaries of rabad walls - suburban terrains.
In their domestic life citizens followed household traditions worked out by many centuries experience, here one can mention about food reserves for winter, snow and ice were utilized for these purposes in summer.
The researchers of the urban settlements pertaining to the X-th century mark high sanitary clearness featuring the populated units of Maverannahr and Khorasan in distinction to the western European cities of the same period. There was a man whose post was called muhtasib, he was in charge of streets, markets, public bath-houses being maintained clean. In the cities of the IX-X-th centuries application of deep wells was widely spread for rubbish storing.
The system of pure drinking water supply was an inseparable item of such cities. The main sources were public reservoirs periodically filled with river running water. After sedimentation of earth and sand particles water became pure being fit for drinking. Such sources were called havzai sangin (let us memorize Havzi Sangin mosque in Istaravshan with a stone reservoir). According to the assertions of Istakhri, Ibn Klaukalyu and Muqaddasi there were a multitude of such reservoirs in Bukhara, Balkh, Samarkand and Ahsiket, Ferghana capital. For example, in Khujand over hundred reservoirs functioned at the end of the XIX-th century. As a rule they constituted a unified complex with a parishioners' mosque. The banks of reservoirs were lined with willows, bringing shadow and coolness. In cities there was no deficiency of them. Apart from their direct domestic assignment reservoirs together with numerous canals maintained especial microclimate in the period of sultry summer. Water delivery through irrigative canals as ceased in deep autumn and winter. At that time citizens used water from wells unearthed almost in each homestead. As Chinese authors inform, in summer population kept foodstuffs in wells. Thus, they performed the role of refrigerators. In yards through which trunkline canals passed there were cylinder wells serving for water reserves.
In the cities of Maverannahr and Khorasan in the IX-X-th centuries alongside with traditional sources of drinking water there existed also trunkline circuits of running water or self-running water canals laid out of burned brink with an arched vault and traced back to spring-wells. Ramification of running water tubes was terminated with sardobhona. In Samarkand there functioned "Jui Arzis" plumb running water tube passing along the roof of the urban market and upheld by an arched viaduct.
As self-sufficient centers of stationary medical aid alongside with chemist's (dorukhona) bemoriston (hospitals) were very important components of cities in the IX-X-th centuries. Concurrently they served as shelters for homeless people.
Domestic bath-premises of kaduh type were an inseparable part of any well-to-do citizen. Kaduh was prior to an urban public bath-house of the IX-X-th centuries. As Sughdian kad (home) itself - these were one - or two-chamber buildings called kaduh.
With the inclusion of Maverannahr and Khorasan to the sphere of political, economic and cultural life of the Arab khalifat in the IX-X-th centuries such big cities as Bukhara, Balkh, Merv, Nishapur, Samarkand, Taraz, Ispijab and others begin teeming with multitudes of pilgrims, gaziys, merchants, scholars, ayars, representatives of other ethnically different and linguistically motley population.
Inns were a shelter for non-residents. Transients usually put up at town houses called ispanch, later on ispanj. The notion ispanch united the functions of temporary longing, hostel and object of trade. Ispanch in the meaning of "inn" is registered in Sughd-Mug documents. Soon after the establishment of Arabs' dominion the term ispanch was substituted for the Syrian word ribat and also for Persian-Arabic saroy. In the period of sweeping trade development on the Great silk Road the inns of rabat type were available in every city and big settlement. Concurrently rabbats served as post-stations. Samanide emirs displayed great care of equipping rabats with facilities and they provided visitors' safety as well. Rabats were supplied with pure water and in summer ice was available.
In the X-th century each rabat offered a complex of services. Here one could get hot meals, easily commit a religious rite. In rabats there was a bath-building, ice repository, well with pure drinking water. Here visitors had information about the movement of trading caravans, hired beasts of burden for cargo transportation.
In cities they conducted also seasonal fairs. This tradition is traced back into the depth of centuries. For mediaeval cities fairs served as an effective form of enrichment of local markets with the goods of daily needs. They afforded to form a regional market, led to optimal labor division between town and village. According to the data left by Narshakhi, Biruni and other sources the fairs in Tavovis, Paikent, Zandan, Marsmand worked in the period vacillating from one to twenty days. Thus, the fair in Tovovis, not far from Bukhara, was held in autumn lasting for 10 days. It attracted up to 10 thousand traders from Ferghana, Chach and other areas. According to the testimony of geographer Ibn-Haukal in Mirsmanda settlement (now Ganchi district) there were annual fairs where you could buy weapons, iron wares.
Fairs developed into local economic centers. Makdisi and Termez purveyed soap, Bukhara - soft fabrics of zandanechi type, small carpets for prayers, big carpets, clothes, copper lamps, Samarkand - various sorts of fabrics, big bronze kettles, jugs, tents, horse gear. Chach was famous for fine shagreen saddles, quivers, leather and other wares of handicrafts. The tradition of seasonal fairs continued later as well.