A Kyrgyz–Japanese archaeological expedition has uncovered the remains of a Buddhist temple complex at the medieval settlement of Ak-Beshim, also known as Suyab, in Kyrgyzstan’s Chui Region.
Researchers made the discovery during excavations at the Shakhristan-2 site, where they identified stairs, a ramp and a fired-brick platform - architectural features characteristic of temples from China’s Tang dynasty period.
According to Kyrgyz authorities, the findings confirm a hypothesis first proposed in the late 1940s by prominent archaeologist Alexei Bernshtam, who suggested that a Buddhist temple once stood in the area.
Researchers say the excavations carried out in 2025 and 2026 have provided important new information about the spread of Buddhist culture across Central Asia during the height of the Silk Road.
From the 6th to the 11th centuries, Suyab served as one of the key political and cultural centres of the region and was the capital of the Western Turkic Khaganate.
The joint expedition has been operating since 2012 and is led by Professor Bakyt Amanbaeva of the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan and Professor Kazuya Yamauchi of Japan’s Teikyō University.
The project is being carried out with support from Kyrgyz cultural institutions and Japanese researchers specialising in Silk Road archaeology and Buddhist heritage.
Authorities are now considering restoring the site’s historical and cultural status, with plans to potentially establish an open-air museum in the future.
Ak-Beshim was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014 as part of the transnational Silk Roads nomination titled “The Silk Roads: the Route Network of the Chang’an–Tian Shan Corridor.”
Researchers said the latest findings could further strengthen the site’s historical significance and attract additional international scientific and tourism interest.
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture....
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, m...
German police have detained a suspect after a major fire broke out at the historic Kehlsteinhaus, known as the “Eagle’s Nest&rdqu...
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Saudi Aramco has ordered staff to evacuate its headquarters amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Two people were killed in an attack on Dammam airport, while Iran's IRGC Navy claimed strikes on seven vessels and warned the U.S. of a wider response.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed at least two people and injured 15 others, including two children, Ukrainian authorities said. Meanwhile, Russia said it had intercepted the vast majority of 630 Ukrainian drones launched towards Moscow.
A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake has struck Tibet in southwestern China, killing 16 people and injuring 65, while forcing more than 12,000 residents to relocate as rescue teams respond to widespread aftershocks.
Missile and drone attacks have put Saudi Arabia on high alert, disrupting life in Riyadh and testing a new defence pact with Türkiye and Pakistan as regional tensions escalate.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
Foreign ministers meeting in Istanbul on Friday warned that renewed military strikes on Iran could deepen the regional conflict, urging diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Georgia’s Constitutional Court has extended hearings in a case seeking to ban five opposition parties, with proceedings now set to continue until 30 October. The court in Batumi will resume hearings on Monday, 26 October, after missing its original 23 October deadline.
Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to step up counterterrorism cooperation as security concerns over Afghanistan grow and tensions between Islamabad and Kabul persist.
The head of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) says Armenia has effectively withdrawn from the military alliance, despite not formally ending its membership.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment