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Ancient monuments of Turkmenistan are a real magnet for archaeologists from all over the world. The unique architecture and historical significance of these places make them the object of close study by scientists.

A group of researchers from the South Turkmenistan Archaeological Complex Expedition of the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences has completed work in the south of Turkmenistan. The main objective of this season was to study the horizon related to the early Paleolithic, as well as to study new architectural complexes of the Ilgynly-Depe monument. The project is being implemented with the support of the Russian Geographical Society.

The studied layers during the excavations date back to the end of the 5th - beginning of the 4th millennium BC. Thanks to the use of microstratigraphic methods, the team led by Natalia Solovyova, director of the Center for Rescue Archaeology, managed to reconstruct the stages of construction, repair and use of ancient buildings, according to the RGS website.

Ilgynly-Depe is an early agricultural settlement in southeastern Turkmenistan. It is located along the eastern foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains, about 240 km southeast of Ashgabat. The settlement was founded in the early to mid-5th millennium BC and existed for about 1,500 years.

The work of the South Turkmenistan Archaeological Complex Expedition has begun to explore the northern outskirts of the Fertile Crescent, the region where, according to researchers, humanity first mastered agriculture. Here, communities of early herders and farmers emerged, which marked the beginning of complex transformations that led to the emergence of modern civilization and various cultures.

The attention of archaeologists was drawn to living quarters with massive two-chamber stoves, which were used for cooking and, probably, for craft needs. One of them is perfectly preserved: walls with black plaster and a complex multi-level floor indicate a high level of construction skills of ancient craftsmen. Decorative elements resembling anthropomorphic figures were found on the facade of the stove.

The courtyards adjacent to the living quarters contained traces of economic activity. Among the finds were fragments of ceramics, animal bones, traces of industrial and ritual activities of ancient man. Stone tools, fragments of clay furniture, as well as traces of rituals, including cattle bones, indicate the complexity of the rituals performed by the inhabitants of the settlement. The discovered remains indicate a developed spiritual life of the community. The work of the 2024 field season has shown that Ilgynly-Depe will continue to be a source of new discoveries for a long time and will allow us to better understand the early history of Central Asia.

Read also:

Ulug-Depe: a new exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts reveals the secrets of an ancient civilization

Anniversaries of outstanding archaeologists Vadim Masson and Viktor Sarianidi celebrated in Turkmenistan

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Photo: rgo.ru