The 2026 archaeological field season was a busy and highly productive period for the archaeologists of the Khorezm Mamun Academy. Throughout the field season, Academy researchers conducted archaeological surveys and investigations in various districts of Khorezm Region, identifying new archaeological sites and continuing the study of previously known monuments.

During fieldwork in Tuproqqal’a District of Khorezm Region, the archaeological expedition of the Khorezm Mamun Academy, led by B.P. Sadullaev, made an important discovery: a previously unknown burial site was identified, preliminarily dated to the Bronze Age.

The structure of the burial facilities is of particular interest. Stone cist graves (19 burials) were recorded at the site, containing flexed burials. Various grave goods were found alongside the burials, including bronze artefacts and beads.

The newly identified complex is of considerable importance for the study of the ancient history of Khorezm. Burial sites provide valuable information about the culture, funerary practices, social perceptions, and contacts of the ancient population of the region.

A preliminary analysis of the funerary practices and certain categories of finds reveals some parallels with archaeological sites identified in southern Kazakhstan, in the Syr Darya basin. These parallels are of particular scientific interest and may indicate the existence of cultural connections and shared traditions among populations living in different regions of Central Asia during the Bronze Age. At the same time, definitive conclusions regarding the chronology and cultural affiliation of the site will be made after a comprehensive study of the archaeological materials.

It should be noted that ancient burial sites in Khorezm began to be actively identified and studied as early as the Soviet period, approximately 60–70 years ago. However, this new discovery demonstrates that the archaeological potential of the Khorezm oasis remains far from fully explored. Research in peripheral and previously insufficiently studied areas of the region is particularly important.

At present, specialists of the Academy are carrying out the preliminary processing and documentation of the materials obtained during the expedition. Further research will include a detailed study of the burial structures, anthropological materials, and associated grave goods, as well as the necessary laboratory analyses. The results will help refine the chronology of the site and determine its place within the archaeological cultures of the Bronze Age of Khorezm and neighbouring regions.

The 2026 field season has once again demonstrated that systematic archaeological surveys remain one of the most important directions in the study of the ancient history of Khorezm. New discoveries not only expand the archaeological map of the region but also provide new perspectives on the processes of cultural interaction among the ancient populations of Central Asia.