Sunken Silk Road city reveals Central Asia's lost history

In the early hours of the morning, diver Elizaveta Bodrova eagerly descended into the icy waters of Lake Issyk-Kul, eager to explore the submerged ruins of a lost city. Nestled on an ancient Silk Road trading route between China and Europe, the exact history and fate of the settlement, located in Kyrgyzstan's largest lake, remain shrouded in mystery.

A team of around 20 scientists, including Bodrova, is working to uncover the city's past, a project funded by the Russian Academy of Sciences. This is the first major exploration of the site since it was rediscovered in the 19th century.

Located at the crossroads of the Silk Road, the region has been inhabited by various civilizations throughout history, including Turkic dynasties that facilitated trade between Europe and China. The expedition's director, Maxim Menshikov, emphasized the importance of this "blind spot" in Central Asian history, describing it as a crucial chapter in human civilization due to its role in linking East and West during the Middle Ages.

The city, which may have covered up to five square kilometres, was likely under the control of the Karakhanids, a Turkic dynasty that ruled Central Asia from the 9th to early 13th centuries. Traces of two cemeteries and a possible mosque, public bath, or religious school were discovered at the site, suggesting the city's existence during the early Islamisation of the region.

Among the artefacts recovered are animal bones and pottery shards, which will help archaeologists determine the city's diet, age of the remains, and the production methods of the pottery. A child's chamber pot, or "tuvaq," found at the site provides insight into daily life in the city. The precise cause of the city's submersion remains unknown, with theories suggesting a landslide, a natural dam built by tectonic forces, or a past seismic disaster as possible explanations.