Archaeologists Discover Ancient City Beneath Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk Kul

Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan — Archaeologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences have uncovered a submerged city believed to be the legendary Toru-Aygyr complex beneath Lake Issyk Kul, the eighth deepest lake in the world. The team made the discovery after surveying underwater zones at shallow depths between 3 and 13 feet.

Artifacts retrieved from the excavation include everyday items from the city’s past, which suggest it was once a bustling metropolis or a large commercial center. Among the findings were fired brick structures, including a millstone used for grinding grain, as well as caved-in stone buildings and wooden beams.

In one area, researchers believe they have located a public building that may have served as a mosque, bathhouse, or school, known as a madressa. Additionally, excavations revealed remnants of a cemetery, a 13th-century Muslim necropolis, and various mudbrick structures.

The burial sites indicated traditional Islamic practices, with skeletons positioned to face north toward the qibla, the direction Muslims face during prayers. “All this confirms that an ancient city really once stood here,” stated a representative from the Russian Geographical Society, which funded the expedition.

The Toru-Aygyr settlement was strategically located along the Silk Road, a historic trade route connecting China to the Mediterranean from the second century BC to the mid-15th century. Experts believe the city thrived until it was submerged due to a devastating earthquake around the early 15th century. Valery Kolchenko, the lead researcher, mentioned that the area may have been abandoned prior to the disaster.

In subsequent years, nomadic groups settled in the vicinity of the lake, which is now lined with small villages. The artifacts found during the excavation are being sent for analysis and will undergo accelerator mass spectrometry dating to determine their age.

The myth of Atlantis, often associated with the tale of a lost city, continues to captivate many, some of whom believe that it may have been based on real places like Toru-Aygyr. Whether the submerged city truly bears similarities to Plato’s Atlantis remains to be seen.