A recent paper published in the internationally acclaimed journal Nature has revealed intriguing findings from an archaeological study in Uzbekistan. The research indicates that two archaeological sites, located at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters within the Uzbek mountains, once served as significant urban centers.
The authors of the paper emphasize that these remote sites were constructed along the Silk Road during the medieval period in Asia, prompting a reevaluation of the role that peripheral communities played in trade and political exchanges along this historic route.
According to the paper, it is quite unusual for urban centers to be situated at elevations above 2,000 meters, considering that only 3% of the global population lives at such altitudes. The archaeological sites at this height are particularly remarkable due to the technical challenges associated with establishing settlements and cultivating agriculture in mountainous regions.
The two sites, Tashbulak and Tugunbulak, are located just 5 kilometers apart and were discovered in 2011 and 2015, respectively. The Silk Road was notably active during the medieval era, spanning the 6th to the 11th centuries. Despite their location along this historical trade route, evidence of large, permanent communities at high elevations has been scarce in previous research.
In this study, the first author and corresponding author, Michael D. Frachetti from Washington University in St. Louis, along with his colleagues, analyzed data from 22 LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) flights conducted over Tashbulak and Tugunbulak in July 2022. Their findings reveal that Tugunbulak spans approximately 120 hectares (1.2 square kilometers) and shows evidence of over 300 distinct structures, varying in size from 30 to 4,300 square meters. Specifically, the research team identified watchtowers connected to ridgelines, terraces, and a central fortress surrounded by walls made of stone and mud bricks.
Tashbulak is somewhat smaller, covering 12-15 hectares (0.12-0.15 square kilometers). The authors observed that even this smaller urban area features a layout akin to other medieval Central Asian cities, including a central fortress built on a raised hill, surrounded by dense buildings and defensive structures. They noted at least 98 visible residential units that resemble those at Tugunbulak in both shape and size, hypothesizing that both cities were developed to exploit resources from the surrounding mountain areas for defense and mining of the rich ores and grasslands.
Accompanying the research, a “News and Views” article from peer experts in Nature indicates that the LiDAR flights have provided a more comprehensive view of these ancient cities. Further studies of mountain cities like Tashbulak and Tugunbulak are expected to shed light on their impact on the social and political structures of their time.
