Probable 8th-century ruler's palace discovered in Samarkand

Architectural remains believed to belong to a ruler's palace dating back to the eighth century AD have been uncovered during excavations at the Mingtepa archaeological site in Jomboy district of Samarkand region, according to Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage Agency.

According to the agency, the excavations are being conducted by researchers Amriddin Berdimurov, Husniddin Rahmonov, and Nigora Mahkamova from the Yahyo G'ulomov Samarkand Institute of Archaeology.

The excavations revealed the architectural layout of a palace complex located within the site's Ark (citadel) section, which dates to the first half of the eighth century AD.

Experts say the building's construction techniques could provide valuable insights into early medieval urban planning, architecture, and systems of governance.

In addition, eighth-century sculptural artifacts were discovered in the palace's main hall during the excavations. Scientific analysis of the findings is currently underway.

According to archaeologists, the newly discovered remains will contribute to a deeper understanding of the political and cultural life of the Mingtepa settlement, as well as the region's historical development during the early medieval period, and may lead to new academic findings.

Earlier, researchers identified traces of a Hellenistic-era Greek military camp during excavations at one of the ancient mounds in southern Uzbekistan.

Dilnura Urinova