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.
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