First revealed in spy photos, a Bronze Age city emerges from the steppe
The ancient city of Semiyarka, once a vibrant hub of activity and craftsmanship, now lies largely forgotten beneath the grasses of the Kazakh Steppe. Recent archaeological efforts led by Miljana Radivojevic and her team from University College of London have unveiled the impressive remnants of this Bronze Age city, which thrived approximately 3,500 years ago. Utilizing advanced technologies such as drones and ground-penetrating radar, the researchers mapped out a sprawling 140-hectare settlement that featured residential areas, workshops, and a significant central building. This strategic location near the Irtysh River valley not only provided a commanding view of the surrounding area but also likely facilitated trade and movement between nomadic herders and settled metalworkers.
The findings at Semiyarka provide a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of life during the Bronze Age in Central Asia. The city was characterized by its organized layout, with distinct neighborhoods dedicated to various activities, particularly metalworking. Artisans in Semiyarka were skilled in smelting and casting bronze, indicating a sophisticated level of technological advancement for the time. The presence of such a thriving industry suggests that Semiyarka was not just a local settlement but a significant player in regional trade networks, where goods, ideas, and cultures exchanged hands. The name “City of Seven Ravines” reflects both the geographical features of the area and the historical significance of the site as a crossroads of commerce and interaction among diverse groups. As excavations continue, Semiyarka promises to shed light on the rich tapestry of human history in this part of the world, revealing how ancient societies adapted to and thrived in their environments.
Today all that’s left of the ancient city of Semiyarka are a few low earthen mounds and some scattered artifacts, nearly hidden beneath the waving grasses of the Kazakh Steppe, a vast swath of grassland that stretches across northern Kazakhstan and into Russia. But recent surveys and excavations reveal that 3,500 years ago, this empty plain was a bustling city with a thriving metalworking industry, where nomadic herders and traders might have mingled with settled metalworkers and merchants.
Radivojevic and Lawrence stand on the site of Semiyarka.
Credit:
Peter J. Brown
Welcome to the City of Seven Ravines
University College of London archaeologist Miljana Radivojevic and her colleagues recently mapped the site with drones and geophysical surveys (like ground-penetrating radar, for example), tracing the layout of a 140-hectare city on the steppe in what’s now Kazakhstan.
The Bronze Age city once boasted rows of houses built on earthworks, a large central building, and a neighborhood of workshops where artisans smelted and cast bronze. From its windswept promontory, it held a commanding view of a narrow point in the Irtysh River valley, a strategic location that may have offered the city “control over movement along the river and valley bottom,” according to Radivojevic and her colleagues. That view inspired archaeologists’ name for the city: Semiyarka, or City of Seven Ravines.
Read full article
Comments
