Archaeologists preserve Silk Road relics through joint work
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Archaeologists from China and Central Asian countries are collaborating to preserve the remains of the ancient Great Silk Road.
Teams are assessing and addressing deterioration at key archaeological sites like Ak-Beshim in Kyrgyzstan, known as Suwab in Chinese texts. Chinese experts from the Dunhuang Academy are evaluating wall erosion, cracks, and material decay at Ak-Beshim and building an experimental wall nearby to test preservation techniques.
This work builds on previous successful preservation efforts at the ancient city of Beiting in Xinjiang, China, allowing experts to apply proven methods to similar challenges in Central Asia. In Uzbekistan’s Bukhara region, researchers from Peking University are studying burial sites and creating three-dimensional models of Gamkhurd I, a site dating from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD, a period of significant cultural exchange.
The joint expeditions, involving archaeologists and natural scientists, aim to understand the history of nomadic and agricultural communities along the Silk Road. Aisin Duyshanalieva of Kyrgyzstan’s Republican Inspection for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments and Jamal Mirzaakhmedov of the Samarkand Archaeological Institute both emphasized the importance of this collaboration for both research and cultural understanding, and plan to continue the partnership.
