[1] Marw al-Rūd — literally "Merv-on-the-River" — was an ancient Khorasani settlement located near the Murghab River, distinct from the larger and more renowned city of Merv (Marw al-Shāhijān). Known also as "Little Merv" or "Lesser Merv," it played a notable role in the cultural and scholarly life of the region during the Islamic Golden Age. While overshadowed by its grander namesake, Marw al-Rūd maintained its own local significance as a hub of agricultural productivity and learning, nestled along fertile riverbanks in present-day Afghanistan.