Archaeologists have discovered the large medieval city of Tugunbulak in the mountains of southeastern Uzbekistan, which remained hidden underground for over a thousand years. The settlement was located at an altitude of over 2130 meters and, judging by the findings, was an important center for iron production.
Modern technologies helped discover the city. Researchers conducted at least 22 drone flights and were able to identify a massive urban structure beneath the layer of earth. It covered about 121 hectares and included powerful fortifications, terraces, and grid-patterned quarters.
Excavations show that Tugunbulak flourished from approximately the 6th to the 11th century. Furnaces, metal smelting equipment, juniper charcoal, and slag remnants were found in the buildings. Such production required constant supplies of raw materials and developed trade links with lowland areas.
Additional information was provided by burials on nearby slopes. Some of the graves date back to approximately 720 AD and indicate the diversity of local burial traditions.
The discovery is important not only for archaeology. It challenges the notion that Silk Road trade was primarily concentrated in lowland oases. Tugunbulak shows that mountain cities could also be major economic and production centers in medieval Eurasia.