Current work site: Krasnaya Rechka (Chuya Valley, Kyrgyzstan)
Head of expedition: Asan Torgoev
The Expedition, initiated in 2007, studies the origin and development of fortified urban settlements in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The primary focus of the Expedition is the Krasnaya Rechka site located 38 km east of Bishkek. At present, the fortification structures and a number of residential communities in the ancient town have been explored; the stratigraphy and chronology of the settlement have been clarified. It has been established that the Krasnaya Rechka settlement originated at the beginning of the 8th c. at the earliest, much later than previously suggested. An important achievement made by the archaeological team is the exploration of the Buddhist monastery on the western fringe of the site. One of the monastery’s temples has been almost completely unearthed from which numerous painted clay sculptures have been retrieved, including the figure of seated Buddha in the central altar niche.
Apart from the Krasnaya Rechka project, the Expedition team is conducting a study on the Kultobe site, the ancient core of Turkestan City. The earliest settlement was found to date from the end of the 1st millennium BC – beginning of the 1st millennium AD at the earliest. The complex initially consisted of a castle (cross-shaped on the plan) with an unfortified settlement around.
Contact details:
Email: torgoevasan@mail.ru
