Edition 14: Treasures of the Silk Road

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From Luke Daly

The Latest: How new technology can help unlock the past

Using drone-based lidar technology, archaeologists have uncovered two significant medieval cities—Tashbulak and Tugunbulak—in Uzbekistan’s mountainous terrain, reshaping our understanding of the Silk Road’s high-altitude urban landscape. This discovery, led by Michael Frachetti of Washington University in St. Louis and Farhod Maksudov from Uzbekistan’s National Center of Archaeology, demonstrates how these mountainous regions were active trade hubs, despite their challenging elevations of 2,000–2,200 meters.

“These would have been important urban hubs in central Asia, especially as you moved out of lowland oases and into more challenging high-altitude settings,” Frachetti explained. “While typically seen as barriers to Silk Road trade and movement, the mountains actually were host to major centers for interaction. Animals, ores, and other precious resources likely drove their prosperity.”

Published in Nature, the study reveals the cities’ impressive sizes: Tashbulak spans 12 hectares, while Tugunbulak covers 120 hectares, making it one of the largest cities of its era. Dating from the sixth to the 11th century, these cities were crucial in Silk Road commerce, connecting highland economies to lowland trade networks. Tugunbulak’s unique culture was maintained by nomadic pastoralists who leveraged the area’s resources, such as animals and ores, to build a sustainable political economy.

Supported by the National Geographic Society, the project used drone lidar to generate high-resolution scans, revealing detailed layouts of plazas, fortifications, and roads. These lidar scans allowed for centimetre-level accuracy, showcasing Tugunbulak’s architectural complexity in unprecedented detail. Jack Berner and Edward Henry, collaborators from WashU and Colorado State University, joined the team in documenting these features, revealing insights into the site’s role as a thriving urban centre.

Frachetti’s lab utilized advanced computer models to turn lidar data into 3D architectural maps, significantly accelerating the mapping process. These findings underscore Central Asia’s importance as a Silk Road nexus and hint at the potential for further high-altitude urban discoveries across medieval Asia.

The Silk Road: When Arab Met Rus: Decoding the 10th Century Rus Vikings Through a Muslim Lens

"They are the filthiest of all God’s creatures. They have no modesty when it comes to defecating or urinating and do not wash themselves when intercourse puts them in a state of ritual impurity. They do not even wash their hands after eating. Indeed, they are like roaming asses. They arrive, moor their boats by the Itil, and build large wooden houses on its banks. They share a house, in groups of ten and twenty, sometimes more, sometimes fewer. Each reclines on a couch. They are accompanied by beautiful female slaves for trade with the merchants. They have intercourse with their female slaves in full view of their companions. Sometimes they gather in a group and do this in front of each other."

Written in the 920s by Muslim-Abbasid traveller Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, the above passage is taken from his Risala. It is a first-hand account of his experiences along the Silk Road as a member of the Abbasid Caliph embassy of Baghdad travelling to the King of the Volga Bolgars. Whilst by Itil, Fadlan encounters the Rus Vikings, an ethnic group originating in modern-day Ukraine in the upper Volga region. In the ninth and tenth centuries, the Volga River was key to Rus traders exchanging furs and slaves for silk, silver, and other commodities available to the east and south. Thus, what can be identified from the passage is an insight into eastern Viking trade, society, and culture through a Muslim scope which is unique in comparison to the typical Christian contemporary sources of western Vikings.

Ibn Fadlan’s encounter account provides a distinctive understanding of Eastern Rus Vikings.

Ibn Fadlan’s account of his encounter provides a distinctive understanding of eastern Rus Vikings and represents the prominence of trade in their culture. Archaeological evidence of Arabic silver hoards in Scandinavia demonstrates the extent of long-distance foreign trade in the East. Over 93,000 Arabic coins from the tenth century, for example, have been discovered in Scandinavia. Moreover, this evidence supports the acclaimed size of the trading parties Ibn Fadlan describes when he states there were several ‘groups of ten and twenty’. Large cemeteries surrounding trading settlements demonstrate the degree of mercantile populations.

A prominent example of this is Birka which had a population in the tenth century of 500-1000 based on grave finds, meaning that Fadlan’s claim that there could have been up to 100 traders is highly plausible. Ibn Fadlan also writes that the Rus live together in a microcosm which does not seem to contain a social hierarchy: he does not specify any distinction between the houses erected by the Rus. In a later passage, he writes about a chieftain who is there with the merchants. If all the Rus sleep together, this suggests a degree of social equality within mercantile groups.

Further cultural differences are expressed by Faldan when he notes the Rus Vikings as ‘the filthiest of all Allah’s creatures’ regarding their lack of modesty when urinating, defecating, or having intercourse. Archaeological evidence in Anglo-Scandinavian York has demonstrated that Viking communities did live in unhygienic conditions which was the norm of Viking culture. This contrasts with Fadlan’s Abbasid culture of being a devout Muslim as he would have to wash before each of his five daily prayers, marry before having intercourse, and have modesty when urinating and defecating.

It is noteworthy that unlike Christian sources, Ibn Fadlan does not use the term ‘pagan’ or ‘heathen’ to describe the Rus. Historically the Rus shared the same Norse faith as Scandinavia and would later adopt Christianity in 988 from Constantinople, therefore they do not share religious affinity with Fadlan. The difference between Christianity in the west and Islam in the east is distinguished by the importance of trade. Christianity primarily experienced pirates and raiding parties, whilst in the east, there was an economic and political advantage in trading along the Silk Road with the Rus. This meant there was a degree of mitigation regarding opposing religions, which is why ‘pagan’ and ‘heathen’ have not been used. This passage prompts the question whether Ibn Fadlan’s account is the most accurate source in understanding Rus culture, because of its lack of emotive bias, and due to the cultural differences expressed?

In contrast to comparative Christian sources, Fadlan’s discussion of the cultural traditions, trading processes, and religious practices of the Rus is far more insightful in understanding Viking society than the ‘pillaging pirates’ the Danes are represented as in the west.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to unravelling more historical wonders with you in the coming months. Until next time!

Warmest regards,

Luke