Explorations of the Russian-Karakalpak Expedition at the Burlykala in 2025

On May 3–28, 2025, the Russian-Karakalpak archaeological expedition worked at the Burlykala ancient settlement (Sultanuizdag). During works at excavation 1 (10×6 m), a significant portion of room I was explored. Judging by the ceramics discovered there, life in this room continued from the Ancient Chorasmian period (4th–2nd/1st centuries BC) up to the Afrighid period (4th–6th centuries AD). Enlarging excavation 1 by adding a 10×10 m extension on the eastern side allowed for the uncovering of the upper layers in room II over a significant area. In the northwestern corner of the excavation, a distinct fire layer (Layer 2) was registered at a depth of 0.15 m below the surface. In this layer, a tetradrachm of the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides I (171–145 BC) was discovered. At excavation 2, research inside the Tower-shaped structure (TSS), due to the discovery of a 2nd–3rd century AD khoum in situ in the southeastern corner, allowed us to date the construction of the TSS to the 3rd century AD. The expansion of excavation 2 by adding extensions to the south and west of the TSS allowed for the unification of both excavations, complete uncovering of the Southern Khoumkhona, discovery and exploration of the Northern Khoumkhona, and the identification of the eastern wall of room II. It was also established that the wall that forms the northern wall of the Southern Khoumkhona also serves as an extension of the southern wall of rooms I and II of excavation 1.