Uzbekistan Archaeology - The Times Of Central Asia

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Archaeology

Possible 2,200-Year-Old Greek Military Camp Found in Uzbekistan

Archaeologists in southern Uzbekistan may have identified an exceptionally rare Hellenistic military camp at a site previously thought to be a small rural settlement. Dating back around 2,200 years, Iskandar Tepa may have functioned as a temporary base for Greco-Bactrian troops and could be the first such camp identified in Central Asia. Alexander the Great conquered Bactria and Sogdiana in the late fourth century B.C., bringing Greek armies deep into Central Asia. After his empire fragmented, Greek-ruled states continued to control parts of the region for centuries. Iskandar Tepa is located in the Sherabad District of Surkhandarya Region, within the ancient borderlands between Bactria and Sogdiana. A Czech-Uzbek archaeological expedition identified the site in 2017. At first, it was interpreted as a Greco-Bactrian settlement, with later research suggesting it may have been a watch post. The mound had no known local name when archaeologists discovered it, so they gave it the working name Iskandar Tepa. Iskandar is the local form of Alexander, making the name equivalent to “Alexander’s Hill.” The latest research suggests the site had a different function altogether. Geophysical surveys and excavations indicate that Iskandar Tepa was probably occupied only briefly, perhaps as a temporary military camp. The findings were published in June 2026 in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. The authors place the site in the Hellenistic period, while Archaeology Magazine dates the proposed military camp to the second century B.C. Iskandar Tepa’s layout supports the military interpretation. The site occupies a naturally protected hilltop. A perimeter ditch about 400 meters long enclosed an area of roughly 1.2 hectares and measured between 4 and 7 meters wide. However, researchers found little evidence of permanent buildings inside the enclosure. That combination is more consistent with a temporary fortified camp than with a permanent settlement. Coins associated with Hellenistic rulers help date the site. Considered alongside the site’s layout and other finds, the coins also support the interpretation that a military unit may once have occupied it. Supplying water to the people stationed there would have been a separate challenge. Archaeologists found large ceramic storage vessels, known as khums, buried in the ground. They also identified what appears to have been a canal, up to 1.1 meters wide, that carried water from several kilometers away. Researchers suggest that the vessels may have been used to store water for a temporary garrison. Geophysical surveys also revealed around 90 elongated pits. Many are interpreted as graves in a burial ground that developed after the main period of occupation at Iskandar Tepa or partly overlapped with it. Temporary military camps from the Hellenistic period are extremely difficult to identify archaeologically because, unlike cities and fortresses, they left relatively few permanent structures. Iskandar Tepa could therefore reveal another side of the Hellenistic presence in Central Asia by showing how relatively small military units stationed far from major urban centers secured water and monitored the surrounding territory. Southern Uzbekistan has also yielded evidence from a much earlier period. In 2025, researchers reported that...

Archaeology

Bronze Age Trepanation in Uzbekistan May Be Central Asia’s Oldest Evidence of Surgery

Archaeologists working in southern Uzbekistan have uncovered what may be the earliest known evidence of surgery in Central Asia. The discovery involves the remains of a Bronze Age child whose skull bears signs of trepanation, a procedure involving the deliberate opening of the skull. The discovery was reported by the Turkish archaeology magazine Arkeofili, citing research conducted by a joint Italian-Uzbek archaeological team in the historic region of Northern Bactria, near the present-day border with Afghanistan. Researchers found the skeleton of a child who died at about age five in a shared grave with another child believed to have been about three years old. The burial dates to the late third millennium BCE, approximately 4,000 years ago. According to the researchers, the older child’s skull shows clear traces of cranial trepanation, likely performed using stone or bone tools. The marks indicate that the skull was intentionally opened, making it one of the oldest known examples of surgical intervention in Asia and potentially the earliest documented evidence of surgery in Central Asia. Trepanation was practiced in various ancient societies around the world. Scholars believe it may have been used to treat conditions such as head injuries, epilepsy, severe headaches, or behavioral disorders. However, researchers note that in prehistoric societies, the boundary between medicine and ritual practice was often unclear. The remains were discovered during excavations at Djarkutan, one of the major urban centers of the Oxus Civilization, also known as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex. The civilization flourished across parts of modern-day Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan between roughly 2500 BCE and 1500 BCE. It was known for its advanced agricultural systems, urban settlements, and rich material culture. The discovery adds to growing evidence that ancient Central Asia played a significant role in the development of early human societies. Last year, an international team of archaeologists reported finding evidence that hunter-gatherer communities in Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya Valley harvested wild barley about 9,200 years ago. Researchers said the finding challenged the long-held view that the origins of agriculture were limited primarily to the Fertile Crescent.

Archaeology

Medieval Wall Paintings Discovered at Ancient Kanka Site in Uzbekistan

Archaeologists in Uzbekistan have uncovered rare wall paintings dating back to the 10th-11th centuries at the ancient site of Kanka in the Tashkent region, according to a report by UzA. The excavation is being led by researchers from the Institute of History at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, with support from the Tashkent regional administration. Dilnoza Jamolova, the institute’s deputy director, stated that the mural fragments were discovered within the remains of a large caravanserai located in the shahristan (inner city) of ancient Kanka. The structure, situated approximately 60 meters south of the city’s southern gate, measures around 100 by 70 meters and is noted for its significant architectural features. Inside one of the caravanserai’s rooms, archaeologists found fragments of wall paintings that had fallen from the walls. The pieces, ranging from 15×20 to 30×35 centimeters, confirm that the building’s interior was once adorned with mural artwork. Experts say the discovery is notable evidence that wall painting, a tradition believed to have declined following the Arab conquest, experienced a revival in the Tashkent region during the 10th and 11th centuries. Similar wall paintings have been identified at other prominent Central Asian archaeological sites, including Samarkand and Ahsikent. The ongoing study, which involves restorers from the Samarkand Archaeological Institute under the Cultural Heritage Agency, also suggests the existence of a distinct mural art tradition in medieval Tashkent. In earlier excavations at Kanka in 2023, researchers discovered murals dating back to the 5th-7th centuries. The latest findings are expected to offer new insights into the cultural and artistic life of the region and to deepen scholarly understanding of Tashkent’s medieval heritage. Previously, The Times of Central Asia reported on another major archaeological discovery in southern Uzbekistan, where scientists found evidence that hunter-gatherer communities were harvesting wild barley as early as 9,200 years ago, challenging long-standing theories about the origins of agriculture in the ancient world.