Otrar
Otrartobe
Kazakhstan · Turkistan
In brief
Otrar was one of the important cities in the agricultural and trade networks around the Syr Darya. Excavations are investigating neighborhoods, production buildings and water systems in the city, which spans approximately the 4th–5th centuries AD to the 18th century.
What was found?
- 1Pottery kiln
This is a large kiln that produced unglazed pottery around the 14th century. The dense pottery waste surrounding it demonstrates the role of production in the city's economy.
- 2Drainage pipe made from vessels
A drainage line constructed from reused vessels was found among settlement remains dating approximately to the 10th–12th centuries. It shows that available materials were used for draining water.
- 3Water channels
Channels carrying water to the city and its outer districts were examined during excavations. They allow direct investigation of the settlement's water management.
- 4Defensive wall
A section opened through the city wall was used to examine its construction and date. It helps explain the relationship between the defensive system and the settlement.
- 5Tandoor ovens and grain stores
Tandoor ovens, grain storage jars and storage compartments were uncovered in 16th–17th-century houses. Together, they demonstrate the dwellings' functions in food preparation, heating and storing produce.
What does it point to?
Life in Otrar was closely connected with bringing water into the city and sustaining agricultural production. Kilns and household installations show that specialized crafts and regular household life existed within this economy.
What did it teach us?
- Showed that pottery production continued in the city around the 14th century.
- Provided concrete documentation of water supply and wastewater disposal systems.
- Revealed that 16th–17th-century neighborhoods consisted of groups of dwellings separated by streets.
Images
Latest news / selected archive
The 2023 excavations uncovered a large kiln producing unglazed pottery around the 14th century and a drainage pipe made from vessels in the 10th–12th-century settlement.
Record
- Culture
- Medieval Turkic-Islamic, Timurid and Kazakh Khanate
- Team / historical
- Katie Campbell, Serik Akylbek and Ali Seraliyev; University of Cambridge and Otrar State Archaeological Museum
- Coordinates
- 42.8524°, 68.3026°
Sources
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- Akyrtas 285 km
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- Toprak-Kala 623 km
- Fayaz Tepe 626 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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