The beginning of September brought one of the most important developments of the year for CARS. In Osh, we signed a cooperation agreement with the Sulaiman-Too National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex. This marks the beginning of a new stage of joint work in southern Kyrgyzstan and opens the way for long-term cooperation in the research, documentation and protection of one of the most significant cultural landscapes in Central Asia.

Sulaiman-Too cannot easily be separated from the city of Osh. Rising directly above the urban landscape, the mountain is visible from almost every part of the city and for centuries has served as a prominent landmark for local communities and travellers crossing the Fergana Valley. Its slopes preserve archaeological sites, rock carvings, caves, ancient paths, pilgrimage places and later religious monuments. Yet alongside its archaeological and historical significance, Sulaiman-Too remains a living part of local society, a place associated with spiritual traditions, stories and the everyday experiences of generations of people.

It is precisely this combination of archaeological heritage, landscape and living cultural tradition that makes Sulaiman-Too such an exceptional place. Its importance cannot be understood solely through individual archaeological finds. It is equally important to study the landscape itself, changes in the ways it has been used, historic routes, rock art, archival documentation and the ways in which the mountain has been perceived by its visitors and the inhabitants of Osh, both in the past and today.

Cooperation That Goes Beyond a Signature

The agreement was not created simply as a formal confirmation of good relations between CARS and the museum. Its purpose is to provide a framework for the preparation of specific research and documentation projects and, at the same time, to strengthen cooperation between specialists in Kyrgyzstan and members and partners of CARS.

The agreement provides for joint archaeological, historical and environmental research, the documentation and protection of cultural heritage, field expeditions, and the exchange of professional knowledge and expertise. Cooperation will also include the preparation of joint research projects and grant applications, academic and popular-science publications, conferences, workshops and other activities aimed at presenting research results to both specialist and wider audiences.

For members of CARS, the new partnership offers above all the opportunity to work closely with colleagues who are directly involved in the research and protection of the cultural heritage of southern Kyrgyzstan. Bringing together local knowledge of the landscape and its monuments with the interdisciplinary methods represented within our team has the potential to open up a wide range of new research questions and themes.

All joint work will, of course, be carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, and individual field projects will be prepared in cooperation with the museum and the relevant local institutions. The agreement also establishes principles for the joint use of research data, the publication of results and the proper acknowledgement of the contribution of both partners.

From Research to Visitors

An important part of our cooperation will also be to make Sulaiman-Too more accessible to those who visit the mountain without specialist knowledge. Every year it attracts local residents, pilgrims and travellers from abroad, yet many of its places, stories and historical connections remain hidden from the ordinary visitor.

For this reason, we have already begun preparing a new guide to the sacred mountain of Sulaiman-Too. Our aim is not simply to produce a catalogue of monuments or a short tourist leaflet. We want to present the mountain as a whole: its history, archaeology, rock art, spiritual traditions, landscape and the individual places that together create its unique character.

The guide will be prepared in cooperation with our Kyrgyz colleagues and will draw not only on existing research, but also on direct knowledge of the monument and its surroundings. If everything proceeds according to plan, it should be ready by summer 2027. We hope that it will become a useful companion for visitors to Osh and, at the same time, a way of presenting the results of academic research in an accessible and engaging form.

The Beginning of a New Chapter

For CARS, the signing of the agreement is above all a beginning rather than an end point. We hope that cooperation with Sulaiman-Too will gradually lead to new research projects, academic meetings, joint publications and new opportunities for students and early-career researchers.

Sulaiman-Too is a place where archaeology meets living tradition and where the past remains an active part of the present-day landscape. Places like this remind us why cultural heritage deserves not only to be studied, but also documented, protected and communicated in a way that makes its stories understandable and meaningful to others.

We therefore look forward to everything this new partnership will bring and hope that, in the years ahead, we will be able to share with CARS readers new research, stories and discoveries from the foot of the sacred mountain of Sulaiman-Too.