 Situated at the confluence of two rivers, Varzob and Kofarnihon, Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan.Although archaeological remnants dating to the 5th century BC have been discovered in the area, there is little to suggest that Dushanbe was more than a small village until the early 20th century.It was at the crossroads, where a large bazaar occurred on Mondays, hence the name "Dushanbe-Bazar" (, "Dushanbe Bozor") from "Dushanbe", which means "Monday" in the Persian language, literally – the second day (du) after Saturday (shambe).