Field seminar “Medieval Cities on Transcontinental Trade Routes of Eurasia”

From August 6 to 8, 2023, Bishkek hosted a field seminar organized by the Institute of Archaeology named after A.H. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology named after B. Jamgerchinov of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University. The seminar was attended by scientists from the Republic of Tatarstan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

As part of the program of event, the Director of the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences A.G. Sitdikov and the Director of the Institute of International Relations of KFU R.R. Khayrutdinov held a field scientific seminar to discuss the issues of preservation and study of petroglyphic heritage at the Issyk-Kul petroglyphic complex (Cholpon-Ata), the architectural monument “Burana Tower” and the Burana settlement (Balasagun city). The 2023 excavations were examined on the Ken-Bulun settlement and together with Kyrgyz colleagues the tasks of further scientific study of the site were determined.

On August 8, a round table was held in the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. It was attended by employees of the IHAE of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Central Asian detachment of the IA of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, specialists from other scientific institutions of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as the archaeological detachment of the Institute of Archaeology of Shanxi Province (China) headed by Tian Yutsian, currently continuing archaeological studies on the Krasnaya Rechka settlement, located nearby the vicinity of the Ken-Bulun settlement.

The Director of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic A.A. Asankanov opened the round table with a speech of welcome. During the event, reports were made on such topics as the development of historical education in Russia, modern studies of cities of steppe Eurasia and their perspectives, the results of excavations in 2022-2023.

The Director of the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences A.G. Sitdikov emphasized in his speech the importance of the work carried out by the Institute over the last decade. He also outlined the need to consolidate the efforts of research collectives from various countries to study the historical development of medieval urban centers of steppe Eurasia.

The reports by V.A. Kolchenko, A.G. Sitdikov and D.K. Tulush, dedicated to the archaeological study of the Ken-Bulun and Sokuluk settlements, presented preliminary results of the 2022-2023 works, conducted as a part of the state program of the Republic of Tatarstan “Preservation of the national identity of the Tatar people (2020-2025)” and supported by the grant of the International Institute for Central Asian Studies for 2022-2023 on the topic “Medieval cities on transcontinental trade routes of Eurasia: urban centers of the Chuy Valley and the Middle Volga region”.

In all, in 2022-2023 investigations were conducted on a total area of 255 m². On the Sokuluk settlement, the remains of a residential building, built close to the outer wall of Shakhristan-1 were examined, the remains of a tandoor with a sufa were revealed, as well as traces of rubbish and household pits of two construction horizons. On the Ken-Bulun site, during the study of two excavations with an area of 120 and 115 m² residential and handicraft rooms, as well as the remains of metallurgical furnaces, preliminarily, on firing of ceramics, were investigated.

Individual finds of 2023 – well-preserved khums, including one with Sogdian inscription on the vessel rim, shards of celadon, kashin and porcelain ware, a fragment of a cross necklace, coins and a stone stamp with engraved Sogdian text, the translation of which can give valuable historical information, were presented to the audience at the round table.

Thanks to the analysis of numismatic material from the Ken-Bulun settlement, made by Kyrgyz numismatist A.M. Kamyshev, it became possible to date preliminarily the monument under study to the VIII-XII centuries AD. The final dating of the time of foundation and the duration of the city existence will be made on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the materials obtained, as well as the results of laboratory studies, including radiocarbon dating, palynological and other natural scientific methods.

During the seminar, it was emphasized that the study of medieval urban centers, revealed in the Chuy Valley, is closely linked with the study of synchronous monuments of the Middle Volga region and should become part of a global project to study the historical and cultural processes, that took place in the steppe belt of Eurasia in the Middle Ages.

Field seminar program

August 6 – visiting session of the seminar with a visit to the petroglyphs of Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyz Republic, Cholpon-Ata);

August 7 – visiting session of the seminar with a visit to the settlements of Ken-Bulun and Burana (Kyrgyz Republic, Chuy region);

August 8 – final round table (Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, B. Jamgerchinov IHAE NAS KR)

10.00 – Opening of the round table. Speech of welcome by A.A. Asankanov, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Professor, Director of B. Jamgerchinov IIAE of NAS KR

Presentations:

10.15 – “Historical education in Russia at the present stage”

Khayrutdinov R.R., Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Director of the Institute of International Relations of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University

10.30 – “Archaeology of medieval cities of steppe Eurasia: modern research and prespectives to study”

Sitdikov A.G., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Director of the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Dean of the Higher School of Historical Sciences and World Cultural Heritage of the Institute of International Relations of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University.

11.00 – “Preliminary results of the study of the Ken-Bulun and Sokuluk settlements of (Kyrgyzstan, Chuy Valley) in 2022-2023”

V.A. Kolchenko, Research Fellow of the Department of Archaeology of B. Jamgerchinov IHAE NAS KR;

D.K. Tulush, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Head of the Department of Medieval Archaeology of the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences.

11.45 – “Numismatic material from the Ken-Bulun settlement”

A.M. Kamyshev, Candidate of Historical Sciences, numismatist.