Kanka

On the outskirts of Eltamgali village, 80 km southeast of Tashkent, are the archaeological ruins of Kanka, the earliest incarnation of Tashkent area civilization. Kanka was the first capital of Chach state, a small estate of Kanguy. The state featured more than 50 urban settlements. The medieval authors wrote with a charm that neither Movarounnahr, nor Khorasan had such a wealth of well-planned towns and blooming gardens as the Chach area, and many travelers called it “the country of a thousand castles”. Today, Kanka site looks like a huge hill of sand and clay with few building like ruins visible here and there. While walking at the top of the site, it is possible to see the square shaped remains of towers, houses, fortifications and temples. Archaeologists working on the site are more than happy to show you ceramics, coins and even bones they have unearthed in the most recent phases of digs.

Kanka Ruins

Consisting of three defensive series, the fortress Kanka was build in very unique principle for those times. Reaching the foot of the citadel there nestles the urban territory – Shakhristan, surrounded by fortified outer city wall and suburbs called rabat lying beyond. However, unlike many well-known sites, Kanka highlights three fortified walls with moats, thus having three Shakhristans. Originally, the total area of Kanka, including the suburbs, was small but already at the beginning of the last century BC, the residential area, gardens and fields of nearby Korik village occupied the whole territory of rabat and practically approached the fortified wall of so-called Shakhristan III which in its layout about a perfect square with the length of its side exceeding 5 km.

Through the gate on the southern side of the outer wall, you can enter the territory of this former town. Walking along the hollows formed by the hills, under which the outlines of streets and once densely built-up urban areas become visible, the path reaches the second row of the massive fortified wall with traces of huge watchtowers. Forming a clear rectangle the wall encloses an area of about 50 hectares. Inside this second Shakhristan (Shakhristan II) there rises the third, even heavier line of giant fortified walls. Being surrounded by a deep 40 meters wide canal. The central part of the wall features an entrance overlooked by a double row of towers. On the side of the inner town – the third Shakhristan- there is a ramp spiraling down towards the moat. Most likely the ramp led to a lifting bridge. The northern part of this most fortified part of the town accommodated a citadel occupying 6,5 hectares. At its highest point, there was a castle with four towers. From this spot, there is a panorama view of the whole urban settlement with its complex system of fortified walls, residential areas, streets and squares.

The archaeological excavations of the area near to citadel north-western wall, which was conducted in the second half of the last century, revealed cultural layers about 20 meters deep. This pit can be observed to the present day. The walls were made of thick pakhsa (rammed earth) blocks alternating with adobe and baked brick settings, here and there one can see the traces of fire and earthquakes – the evidence of urban decay periods, as well as remedial fillings which mark the periods of the town’s prosperity. The lowest cultural layer revealed a solid platform made of square bricks and projecting beyond the fortified wall, and numerous artifacts dating to the 4th-2nd centuries BCE. The research of these findings showed that the first constructions on the Kanka site appeared not later than in the 3rd century BC and the most intensive periods in the life of the settlement date back to the beginning of our era, later the urban life recovered in the 6th-8th centuries and after some lull, from the 10th century through late 12th century it was one the biggest centers of crafts and trade along the silk road.

Kanka Findings

During the latest excavations in the Kanka site, a team of archaeologists has discovered a complete armor dated between the 5th and 7th centuries AD. This finding sheds new light on the interaction between sedentary and nomadic cultures on the border of the ancient kingdom of Chach, a strategic territory where routes, villages and beliefs converged. The discovery stands out by the rarity of the military equipment, since it is one of the few intact armors found in Central Asia of this period. In addition, its appearance in the urban context of a fortified city highlights its historical importance. According to the archaeological team, during the excavation campaign of 2024 was found an underground chamber that contained the iron armor of whole body. This piece suggests that belonged to a high rank warrior, possibly from the military elite. The pieces of the armor are composed by the articulated metals and remnants of a leather belt was identified as an Antioch of the Yaxartes.

Kanka was a point of contact between the Hellenistic, Iranian, Turkic and Islamic world. This religious overlap illustrates a long process of sociocultural adaptation that reflects the coexistence of old traditions with new beliefs. The armor was found in an area of the great temple of Kanka, which was transformed into an Islamic building in the eighth century. This discovery coincides with the period of transition between the Heftalite domain and the expansion of the Turkic khanates. The stratigraphic study of the site has allowed the reconstruction of four main constructive phases. The superposition of sacred buildings demonstrates that the sacredness of the place transcended religions over the centuries.

Visit Kanka

There is no any public transportation going to Kanka. The best option is to get a taxi from Tashkent. Make sure to agree also for the way back as there might not be any taxis nearby.