Archaeologists discover renaissance-era findings in Khorezm

Archaeologists of the Khorezm Ma’mun Academy have uncovered Renaissance-era artifacts, the Press Service of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan reported.

At present, the team led by Bahrom Sadullaev is conducting archaeological field research at the Kat-Qal’a site in Shovot district.

In 2025, excavations began in the northern part of the monument. At the new 10th excavation area, researchers obtained information about the ancient and medieval topography of the city. Excavations revealed remains of structures from the late antiquity period along with adjoining rooms. The walls of these structures were built from mud bricks measuring 42x42x10, 41x41x10, and 40x40x10 cm. Later, during the early Middle Ages, repairs were carried out, reusing the ancient walls as a base, with additional walls constructed from mud bricks sized 38x38x10 and 39x39x10 cm. While uncovering these walls, floors from both the late antiquity and early medieval periods were identified, with pottery samples collected from these layers serving as key material for dating the remains.

During the uncovering of these ancient structures, more than 20 refuse pits were discovered in the upper layers, three of which date to the 9th–11th centuries, while the rest belong to the 18th–19th centuries. The pits from the 9th–11th centuries contained a unique collection of glazed and unglazed ceramic artifacts.

Among the most interesting finds are fragments of bowls and dishes decorated with ornate plant-like carvings, colorful pseudo-epigraphic inscriptions, and various ornamental patterns. Most of the unglazed vessels belong to pitchers, crafted with remarkable finesse and decorated with different designs. One particularly rare find is a preserved ring attached to the handle of a pitcher.

The discoveries also include glassware and carved bone ornaments, showing that craftsmanship in Khorezm extended far beyond ceramics. The production of glass items, decorated ceramics, and carved bone pieces demonstrates that medieval Khorezm artisans possessed highly advanced skills.

Excavations at the site are ongoing.