Treasure or ghost town? A look at the secrets buried in one of the deepest lakes in the world

Archaeologists in Kyrgyzstan’s Issykkol Lake have recently discovered the secrets buried in the world’s deepest lake. These underwater finds point to the existence of a mysterious ancient city.

Issykkol Lake, located in the heart of Kyrgyzstan, is not only the largest lake in the country, but also known as the second highest mountain lake in the world. For years, legends of the sunken cities in its depths have been spread by word of mouth.

Now, new archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of an important trading center along the ancient Silk Road route. These discoveries provide valuable insights into the history and forgotten civilizations of the region.

The lost city of Isikkol; A disaster on the Silk Road

Volry Kolchenko, a researcher at the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, described the discovered site as “a city or an important trading complex on the Silk Road route.” In the beginning of the 15th century, this city went under water due to a terrible earthquake. This event, which has been likened to the Pompeii disaster, transformed the population of the region and the nomads replaced the former inhabitants.

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discovery of ancient remains; A look at the secrets buried in Isikkul

Archaeologists excavated in four areas. In the first part, brick buildings, millstones and decorated masonry, possibly religious, were found. The second area included a Muslim cemetery (necropolis) from the 13th and 14th centuries AD, whose skeletons were facing Mecca.

Maxim Menshikov, a Russian researcher, associated this cemetery with the spread of Islam in Central Asia in the 13th century. At the third site, three older cemeteries, medieval pottery and a large vessel were discovered. In the fourth site, the remains of structures were further investigated and underwater sampling was done.