Vast Bronze Age city discovered in the plains of Kazakhstan

A groundbreaking discovery has been made in the plains of north-eastern Kazakhstan, where a vast 140-hectare settlement dating back 3600 years has been unearthed. This finding is reshaping our knowledge of prehistoric Eurasia, suggesting that the Central Asian steppes were once home to a Bronze Age community as advanced and interconnected as other ancient civilisations.

According to experts, this newly discovered settlement named Semiyarka, or the “City of Seven Ravines,” challenges the conventional belief that the region was inhabited solely by nomadic tribes living in tents or yurts. The site’s strategic location overlooking the Irtysh river indicates its potential role in facilitating the exchange of bronze items among different civilisations.

Leading the research is Miljana Radivojević from University College London, who, along with her team, has been conducting extensive surveys and mapping of Semiyarka since 2016. Their findings reveal a complex urban landscape with defensive earthworks, residential compounds made of mud bricks, and a central monumental structure that may have served religious or administrative purposes. The pottery unearthed at the site suggests an approximate age of 1600 BC.

One of the most significant discoveries at Semiyarka is the presence of crucibles, slag, and bronze artifacts, indicating a large-scale production of copper and tin bronze. Analysis of the tin deposits in the crucible slag points to their origin in the Altai mountains of east Kazakhstan, located around 300 kilometers away. This suggests that Semiyarka was a crucial hub for bronze production and distribution in the region.

Unlike the typical scattered camps and small settlements associated with nomadic societies of the steppes, Semiyarka’s well-planned layout and size suggest a more permanent and organized community. While further excavations are planned to determine the chronological sequence of the structures, the researchers believe that Semiyarka played a vital role in the Bronze Age metal networks connecting Central Asia with other parts of Eurasia.

Describing the significance of Semiyarka, Dan Lawrence from Durham University notes, “The site’s proximity to major sources of copper and tin indicates that it was not just a production center but also a key hub for trade and regional influence.” The researchers speculate that Semiyarka could have been a bustling center of commerce and cultural exchange, foreshadowing the global trade routes that would later emerge as the Silk Roads.

This newfound evidence challenges previous assumptions about the sophistication and capabilities of Bronze Age societies in the steppe regions. Radivojević emphasizes that the discovery of Semiyarka underscores the advanced social organization and technological prowess of these ancient communities, highlighting their integral role in the interconnected networks of the Eurasian Bronze Age.

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