We got a short overview from Petr Kočár, the main author of recently published paper in Archaeological and Antrhopological Sciences

Researchers from several Czech academic institutions investigated a unique archaeological feature on the southeastern edge of the Fergana Valley in Kyrgyzstan, at the site of AkDzhar. The focus of their research was the fill of a water cistern exposed by erosion. The study of features that once served as water reservoirs or sources is generally crucial for natural scientists working at archaeological sites. Their fills, formed through gradual sediment accumulation, function as natural archives preserving a wide range of ecofacts and artifacts that inform us about the history and character of human settlement and the environment of the studied locations.

At the AkDzhar site, the examined cistern was part of a settlement mound, a so-called tepe, dating to approximately the 3rd–4th century CE, likely inhabited by guards of the Silk Road. The site is situated in a strategically advantageous location where the route enters the mountains, making it relatively easy to control this communication corridor.

The researchers employed several scientific analyses, including the study of pollen and plant seeds, animal bones, mollusk shells, chemical analysis of sediments, and micromorphological analysis (examining thin sections of sediment). The dating of the feature was based on radiocarbon analysis, optically stimulated luminescence, and the study of ceramic finds. The results demonstrated that the cistern was in continuous use for approximately 200 years.

The analytical results depict a vivid picture of a society based on a combination of pastoralism (sheep/goats, cattle) and plough agriculture (wheat, rye, and millet were cultivated), along with the use of available natural resources such as wild plants and animals. Based on chemical analyses and sediment micromorphology, the feature itself was interpreted as a seasonal watering place for livestock. Particularly noteworthy are the discovery of a steppe tortoise bone (likely consumed at the site) and the earliest evidence of grapevine in Kyrgyzstan. Pollen and mollusk shell analyses confirmed the existence of a secondary deforested steppe landscape with patches of shrub vegetation.

The southeastern edge of the Fergana Valley appears to be well suited for detailed study of how local human communities adapted to climate change and deforestation, as well as for tracking changes in the provisioning of Silk Road sites, including the globalization of agricultural production and the spread of new crops.

More info about research is published at A water reservoir from the 3rd to 5th century AD as a possible key for understanding the subsistence strategies and environment at the margin of the Fergana basin in Southern Kyrgyzstan | Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences | Springer Nature Link