Samarkand is a city in south-eastern Uzbekistan and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. Evidence suggests that the city may have been founded between the 8th and 7th centuries B.C. The city flourished due to its strategic location on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean. The Registan -- or 'sandy place' in Farsi -- lies at the heart of Samarkand. It is a public square that is flanked on three sides by ornately decorated madrasahs, Arabic for 'school.' Each madrasah's facade is covered with intricate mosaics, many of which are comprised of abstract geometric patterns. 