On Ancient Agriculture in Arid Regions of Central Asia: The Case of the Uvs Nuur Basin

A groundbreaking discovery reveals that the Uvs Nuur Basin, a vast arid region in southern Siberia and Central Asia, once supported extensive agriculture during the High Middle Ages. Satellite imagery uncovered dense irrigation networks and previously unknown ancient settlements, including what appears to be an ancient city surrounded by canals on the west coast of Lake Uvs Nuur. Field studies confirmed these findings, documenting remnants of irrigation systems, ruins, and settlements. Paleobotanical analysis of buried soils and peatlands identified Triticum sp. seeds, suggesting that the basin's current arid landscape was once a milder forest-steppe environment conducive to agriculture. Radiocarbon dating tentatively places the city's existence in this period, indicating a significant historical shift from pastoralism to agriculture.

Prudnikova, T. N. (2018). ON ANCIENT AGRICULTURE IN ARID REGIONS OF CENTRAL ASIA: THE CASE OF THE UVS NUUR BASIN. Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia, 46(1), 66–75. https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2018.46.1.066-075