A lost ‘Silk Road’ city found beneath Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan stuns archaeologists

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a large medieval settlement on the lakebed of Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, that rewrites our understanding of trading routes in Central Asia.

The settlement was discovered near the village of Toru Aygir, and was once part of an important urban centre along the Silk Road and contains well-preserved structures (fired-brick buildings and workshops) as well as a very large (13th-14th Century) Muslim cemetery, as reported by the Russian Geographical Society. Researchers believe an earthquake destroyed this city, causing it to become submerged beneath the lake’s silt and therefore burying its history.

However, through modern underwater archaeological techniques, this lost site provides a unique view of the daily lives, religious practices, and economic activity occurring along a historically significant trade corridor until it was destroyed by natural forces.

Kyrgyzstan unveils a lost underwater city linked to the Silk Road

According to the Russian Geographical Society, the discovery of an underwater archaeological expedition has resulted in an understanding of the submerged settlement.

The expedition found four different areas of the settlement at approximately 1 - 4 meters below the surface. Among the industrial artefacts that were found were millstones used to grind grain; remnants of the exterior decorative architectural features of the buildings (indicating possible communal civic structures such as a mosque or madrasa); and mudbrick structures that reflect the urban development and architectural evolution.

The wide variety of structural types reflects a highly developed economy before the city's abandonment.

Islamic funerary traditions and community insights were found with this discovery

The discovery of a large necropolis from the 13th - 14th centuries provided a detailed view of the community and the religious practices of its members. Excavations were conducted to locate burial sites with the remains of those buried with their bodies positioned toward the Qibla (the direction of Mecca). This confirms that during the period of the Golden Horde, Islamic customs were widely practised in this region.

Anthropological studies of these skeletons are currently being conducted to gain insight into the people who comprised this community, as well as what they ate.

How seismic activity reshaped Silk Road infrastructure

According to archaeologist Valery Kolchenko and other experts, the city acted as a large commercial hub and intermediary point from East Asia to the Mediterranean. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in the 15th century. The earthquake caused a significant portion of the shoreline and lakebed to subside, resulting in the rapid submergence of the settlement. This event is crucial in understanding the earthquake history of the Silk Road as well as how geological and hydrological shifts impacted the infrastructure of the Silk Road in this area.