The first season of archeological research in Uzbekistan has revealed a mysterious 












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            * The first season of archeological research in Uzbekistan has revealed a mysterious chamb
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            The first season of archaeological research in the site Burgut Kurgan in South Uzbekistan 

            ended. The expedition was led by staff and students from the Faculty of Arts. The research
            of Czech, Uzbek, and French participants, was exploring the settlement of the Yaz I cultur
            generally considered a bridge between Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages in the southern part

            The site was discovered last year thanks to the prospecting activities of the Czech expedi
            month of field work has now proved that Burgut Kurgan is a fundamental settlement of this 
            uniqueness resides, apart from other features, also in the fact that it was inhabited sole

            period, and therefore offers clean material in undisturbed contexts.
            Due to the amount of surface finds and the presumed existence of a stone rampart, the Burg

            seemed to be very promising even after the last year’s fieldwork. At that point, however, 
            activities were only a side project carried out during the works at the nearby site Kajrit
            exploration was not systematic. This year, a carefully selected research team set out for 

            The expedition leader, Ladislav Stančo from the Institute of Classical Archaeology at the 
            Arts, introduced the research expedition in the following manner: „Apart from me and Jan K
            students from our Institute took part - Jakub Havlík and Johana Tlustá. Their participatio

            thanks to the crowdfunding campaign. Two students from the Department of Archaeology joine
            Anna Augustinová and Michal Mrva.“ Ladislav Stančo was in charge of further prospecting ac
            also carried out the processing of research outcomes in the GIS environment. Jan Kysela le

            excavations and was responsible for photographing, including photogrammetry. The students 
            the total station, they led some of the excavations, and were also responsible for documen
            finds.

            The rich collection of handmade painted ceramics includes completely new and so-far unknow
            is truly groundbreaking about Burgut Kurgan though are the architectonic features of the s
            discovered in three parts of the site. The assumption about the existence of a stone rampa

            confirmed. It seems that it used to be approximately 1.5 m wide, and currently the remains
            meter height, with adjoining buildings made of mubricks on the inner face of the stone wal
            point, two development phases of this settlement have been discovered.

            In sector nr. 3, the archaeologists discovered a room (2×2 m) with floor paved with cerami
            fragile Yaz ceramics is not a suitable material for a solid floor, and the good condition 
            suggests that the surface was not burdened too heavily. „First interpretations,“ according

            Shaydullaev, Uzbek co-director of the expedition, „suggest that we could be dealing with a
            as described in Avesta, but so far not attested by archaeological research in such an earl
            context.“

            Other important discoveries of this expedition include a great number of rock carvings dep
            animals (especially ibexes) and humans in the immediate neighbourhood of Burgut Kurgan. Pr
            activities have also revealed several other settlements of the Yaz I culture. The overall 

            that we are dealing with a whole oasis settled by the Yaz people, which was abandoned and 
            periods.
            Ladislav Stančo is now preparing the next expedition which should carry on with fieldwork 

            and around, but also attempt to find out more about the rock engravings.
            Find out more about the activities of the Czech archaeologists in Uzbekistan [ URL "http:/
            www.facebook.com/cesi.kopou.v.uzbekistanu/?fref=ts"] on Facebook.