Lost cities of the Silk Road? Hidden medieval metropolises unearthed in Uzbekistan's highlands
In a groundbreaking find, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of Tugunbulak and Tashbulak, two ancient cities buried in the mountains of southeastern Uzbekistan. These highland settlements reveal the depth of urban and industrial life that thrived along the Silk Road between the VI and XI centuries. With the help of advanced drone-based technology the scope and complexity of medieval Central Asian societies have been discovered by researchers, Kazinfrom News Agency correspondent reports.
Published in Nature and under direction by National Geographic Explorer Michael Frachetti and Farhod Maksudov, head of Uzbekistan's National Center of Archaeology, the study shows that these cities flourished between the VI and the XI centuries. Located along the Silk Road, a large system of trade routes connecting Europe and Asia from the II century BCE until the mid XV century CE, these settlements were Like Machu Picchu in Peru. The bigger of the two cities, Tugunbulak has around 300 acres and is located at an elevation of approximately 2,200 meters.
Major urban hub in its time, Tugunbulak had sophisticated design with homes, plazas, defenses, and highways exposing a very orderly society. Five watchtowers linked by walls along ridgelines and a central castle guarded by strong stone and mud-brick walls define the defensive elements of the city.
Researchers believe that Tugunbulak's economy was driven by blacksmithing and metalworking, utilizing the area's rich iron deposits and harnessing strong mountain winds to fuel high-temperature furnaces for smelting metal. Early excavations uncovered kilns and furnaces, indicating mass metal production, and ongoing analysis of slag, a byproduct of iron and steel manufacturing, will help verify whether steel was produced there. Known for its steel output in the IX and X centuries, the region supports the idea that Tugunbulak was a key industrial hub during the early medieval period.
Located not that far away, Tashbulak is smaller but not less important. Its dense urban design and sizable cemetery give early proof of the spread of Islam in Central Asia. Comprising some of the first Muslim funerals in the area, from the VIII and IX centuries, the cemetery boasts around 400 graves. This finding implies that throughout the early Islamic era Tashbulak was a significant cultural and religious player.
Stretching from China's ancient city of Xi'an to the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and Baghdad, the Silk Road connected some of the most cosmopolitan and influential cities of its time. Along its vast network, the Silk Road helped shape global history by enabling the movement of products, people, and innovations across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.