Ancient Merv is known to have been the largest city in Central Asia. In the 3rd-4th centuries AD, the city was not only the centre of the official religion of the Sasanian state – Zoroastrianism, but also remarkable for a variety of cults and religious trends.

In particular, this can be applied to Buddhism, which from the 3rd century BC began to spread in Central Asia along the trade routes from India. This religion, one of the most widespread in the world, originated in India in the 6th century BC.