Dating the Irrigation System of the Samarkand Oasis: A Geoarchaeological Study

A groundbreaking geoarchaeological study provides definitive evidence that the irrigation system of Samarkand's oasis, a pivotal center in ancient Central Asia, was primarily developed in the 2nd century AD. By combining radiocarbon dating of sediments and charcoals from archaeological sites with numerical modeling of flood events, researchers established the existence and timeline of two key canals, Dargom and Yanghiaryk, on the southern flank of the Middle Zeravshan Valley. The study also ruled out natural floods as the cause for damage observed at a 2nd-century AD site (SAM-174), reinforcing the artificial origin of these canals. This challenges earlier hypotheses and offers precise dating, advancing our understanding of Samarkand's historical development.

Malatesta, L. C., Castelltort, S., Mantellini, S., Picotti, V., Hajdas, I., Simpson, G., Berdimuradov, A. E., Tosi, M., & Willett, S. D. (2012). Dating the Irrigation System of the Samarkand Oasis: A Geoarchaeological Study. Radiocarbon, 54(1), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_js_rc.v54i1.15839