This submerged site has roots in the past and rewrites historical trade routes. Where is it located? Archaeologists from the Academy of Sciences have announced the discovery of “traces of a submerged city” under Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan. The discovery at the Toru-Aigyr complex, at the north-western end of the lake, shows structures and objects that paint a picture of the lost metropolis, buried after an earthquake. The team carried out excavations in four shallow water areas, at a depth of 1 to 4 metres, and discovered mills, wooden beams and brick walls. The remains indicate the existence of a large settlement linked to the Silk Road, where merchants traded silk, spices and precious metals, as well as cultural ideas.
Incredible discovery of submerged city in Russian lake
Among the discoveries is a possible public building that could have served as a mosque, bathhouse or madrasa; in other areas, a 13th-century Muslim necropolis and round and rectangular mud buildings were found. The preserved tombs attest to traditional Islamic customs, as the skeletons are oriented towards the qibla. A representative of the geographical society stated: ‘All this confirms that an ancient city existed here,’ a phrase that sums up the archaeological certainty after the preliminary excavations. The available data attest to an intense urban life until the beginning of the 15th century.
Why did this city sink?
The head of the expedition explains the disappearance of the complex by a ‘terrible earthquake’ that occurred in the early 15th century, although researchers indicate that the area was already abandoned before the catastrophe, which possibly saved human lives. Subsequently, nomadic peoples colonised this area and today small villages surround the lake shore. The artefacts have already been sent to laboratories for analysis and radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass spectrometry, which will allow a precise chronology to be established and the cultural sequence of this site to be understood.
Significance and next steps after the discovery
If the dating confirms the hypotheses, Issyk-Kul will be added to the list of key points of exchange between East and West, providing new data on trade, religion and daily life in Central Asia. The research will expand the historical map of the Silk Road. The work continues: further research and chemical analysis will determine the scale of the excavations and allow experts to reconstruct the history of the city that, albeit briefly, emerged from the bottom of the lake.