Sunken Silk Road city reveals Central Asia's lost history

In the early hours of a dive, volunteer Elizaveta Bodrova was eager to explore the submerged ruins of a city nestled in Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. This ancient settlement, part of the historic Silk Road trade route between China and Europe, has remained hidden beneath the lake's surface for centuries, its exact history and origins shrouded in mystery.

A team of around 20 scientists, funded by the Russian Academy of Sciences, is now working to uncover the city's past, with findings that could significantly alter our understanding of Central Asia's history. Despite challenging visibility, Bodrova expressed optimism about finding the city's boundary, highlighting the significance of this discovery in the region's history.

The Silk Road, which connected China to the Mediterranean from the second century BCE to the mid-15th century, has long been associated with nomadic peoples, but this site reveals a complex history of multiple civilizations, including Turkic dynasties that thrived in the area. The expedition director, Maxim Menshikov, emphasized the importance of this period in human history, describing it as a crucial link between East and West during the Middle Ages.

The city's extent is estimated to have covered up to five square kilometers, and early Islamic influences are suggested by the discovery of two cemeteries and a decorated public building, possibly a mosque, bath, or religious school. Despite the challenges of underwater archaeology, the team has recovered animal bones and pottery, which will help determine the city's diet, population, and the period in which it existed.

The city's submersion remains a mystery, with theories ranging from a landslide to tectonic activity. This underwater archaeological site, discovered in the 19th century but only recently explored, offers a unique window into the history of Central Asia, akin to the preservation of Pompeii's Roman ruins.