Archaeological Survey in the Zarabag Micro Oasis (South Uzbekistan), Preliminary Report on the Season 2015

Abstract

The present article summarizes the methods and results of archaeological research initiated in the autumn 2015 in the Zarabag Oasis (Sherabad District, South Uzbekistan). The main goal of the research was to obtain basic data on the settlement dynamics in the given area. The fieldwork methods comprised both extensive and intensive surface survey. The extensive part of the survey focused on detecting visible structures and morphological features in the landscape, detecting pottery scatters and other finds and mapping water sources. As an intensive part of the project we carried out a systematic surface survey at a selected field in the oasis. These works resulted in the detection of 20 sites, six water springs, and 16 pits belonging to karez systems. According to our surveys, the Zarabag Oasis has been continuously settled by a mixed agricultural and nomadic population since at least the High Medieval Period, sporadic earlier occupation comprises not only the Early Medieval and the Late Antique Periods, but also the Late Bronze and the Early Iron Ages.

Keywords

• Bactria
• Tokharistan
• surface survey
• settlement dynamics
• oasis
• water sources
• karez
• Sapalli
• Yaz
• Middle Ages
• Central Asia