(ECNS) — Chinese and Uzbek archaeologists have discovered early city walls dating from the Parthian to Samanid periods at the Kuva ancient city site in Uzbekistan, with evidence indicating the walls were in use from the third century BC to the 10th century AD.
The findings were released on Thursday at an archaeological achievements exchange conference held in Luohe, central China's Henan Province.
Located in the Fergana Valley in eastern Uzbekistan, the Kuva ancient city site was a key hub on the ancient Silk Road. The region has historical links with China dating back more than 2,000 years and corresponds to the Dayuan State recorded by Zhang Qian during his mission to the Western Regions in the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD).
In 2023, the Luoyang Archaeological Research Institute of Henan Province and Fergana State University formed a joint archaeological team to carry out cooperative exploration at the site.
According to Liu Bin, head of the Sino-Uzbek joint archaeological team, systematic surveys and investigations were conducted in the eastern part of the main city's palace area. The team confirmed that the area had once formed the northeastern section of the palace complex, although surface remains such as outer city walls were destroyed in later periods.
Archaeologists uncovered foundation trenches of the city walls and remains of an outer moat, providing key evidence for reconstructing the layout of the ancient city.
Covering an area of about 110,000 square meters, the Kuva site has palaces, city gates, walls, residential structures, streets and handicraft workshops. Uzbek scholars previously believed the city was founded between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC and was destroyed in the 13th century.
(By Evelyn)
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