Ancient temple discovered in Tashkent region

An ancient temple and military artifacts dating back to the 5th–8th centuries have been discovered at the Qanqa archaeological site in the Tashkent region, according to the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan.

The Academy reported that during the ongoing expedition at the Qanqa site, researchers uncovered a temple and military equipment dating back between the 5th and 8th centuries. The Institute of History, in cooperation with the Tashkent regional administration, is working to prepare the Qanqa monument to be turned into an open-air museum. The archaeological site is considered one of the major ancient urban centers that played a significant role in the history of Turan. Some scholars equate it with Kangdizh, mentioned in the “Avesta,” and Kangdez, the city of the Turanian king Alp Er Tonga, described in the “Shahnameh.”

This year’s research, conducted by a team from the Institute’s “Center for Military History” and “Department of Ancient World History,” revealed fragments of metal armor in the lower courtyard of the site’s citadel dating back to the 5th–8th centuries.

“In ancient times, temples held a special place in the cultural life of society. It was a tradition for people to offer their finest goods or belongings as gifts to the temple. A warrior’s armor might also have been presented by a weapons craftsman for this purpose. Such customs were common in ancient Turan. For example, the temple of Boykend yielded similar military artifacts during excavations,” the statement noted.

The preservation of such military artifacts at the Qanqa temple is particularly significant. The temple’s history is closely connected with the militarized lifestyle of the Turkic peoples. Excavations that began in 2021 uncovered horse equipment near the temple entrance, while the discovery of armor this year once again confirms the strong military traditions of the Turkic peoples.

Earlier, it was reported that archaeologists in Egypt discovered a sunken port dating back to the era of Cleopatra. The finding could help researchers in their search for the tomb of the famous queen. The Dominican archaeological expedition also uncovered stone and metal anchors, numerous ancient amphorae, and remains of the inner port.

                                            Mohichehra Qadamova