Lost Golden Horde Cities Unearthed in Kazakhstan's Ancient Silk Road Hub

Archaeologists have uncovered 20 previously unknown Golden Horde-era sites in Sarai Jük, Kazakhstan. The discoveries follow extensive excavations across 13 locations, revealing new details about the medieval city’s importance. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has highlighted the site’s historical role as a major administrative, commercial, and cultural centre along the Great Silk Road. Sarai Jük was once a thriving capital of the Golden Horde and later became the political heart of the Nogai Horde and the Kazakh Khanate. Its position at the crossroads of trade routes made it a vital hub for goods, ideas, and traditions. Recent research confirms the city was a rapidly growing urban centre with strong ties in kinship, craftsmanship, and religion.

Excavations have exposed residential buildings, a large structure believed to be a ceremonial palace or grand mosque, and elaborate burial vaults. Among the finds are ceramic fragments, metal, glass, and bone artifacts, along with nearly 400 coins. These discoveries provide fresh insights into the city’s medieval life.

The Sarai Jük State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve has led three major research projects to explore the city’s past. Specialists also visited over 40 Golden Horde sites in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan, conducting comparative studies to deepen understanding of the region’s history. The new findings reinforce Sarai Jük’s status as a key historical site in Kazakhstan. The uncovered monuments and artifacts offer concrete evidence of its significance as a trade, political, and cultural centre. Further research will continue to expand knowledge of the Golden Horde’s legacy in the region.