Archaeologists excavating the ancient site of Kurgantepa have discovered the head of a plaster sculpture among the remains of an early medieval temple, providing new evidence of the artistic and religious traditions of ancient Sogdiana.
The discovery was made during excavations by researchers from the Samarkand Archaeological Institute at Kurgantepa, in the Urgut district of Uzbekistan’s Samarkand Region.
The archaeological team, including Alisher Sandiboev, Amriddin Berdimurodov, Navruz Alimov and Sanat Khuzhamov, uncovered the sculpted head while investigating the remains of a temple dating to the early medieval period.
Experts say the artefact could provide important insights into both the artistic decoration of the temple and the religious culture of the period. The sculpture’s facial features, hairstyle and other iconographic details are expected to help researchers better understand the distinctive characteristics and development of ancient Sogdian art.
The discovery adds to a growing body of archaeological evidence from the temple complex. Remains of rooms and other artefacts uncovered during excavations are providing researchers with new information about the building’s internal layout, its function and the religious ceremonies that may have taken place there.
The site has already yielded significant finds. In 2024, archaeologists working among the temple remains discovered a wall painting depicting a four-armed deity, along with fragments of the arms and legs of a clay sculpture.
Elmurod Najimov, First Deputy Director of Uzbekistan’s Agency for Cultural Heritage, said discoveries such as those at Kurgantepa demonstrated the country’s considerable archaeological potential and highlighted the importance of supporting a new generation of researchers.
He announced that, beginning in 2027, 25 billion Uzbek soums will be allocated annually in grants for archaeological research, with priority given to projects involving young archaeologists. The funding is intended to enable researchers to undertake large-scale excavations and employ modern scientific methods.
The latest find is particularly significant because Kurgantepa lies within the historical cultural sphere of Sogdiana, one of ancient Central Asia’s most influential civilisations. Sculptural and painted remains from the temple could help researchers reconstruct aspects of Sogdian religious imagery that have otherwise survived only fragmentarily.
Continued excavation of Kurgantepa is expected to provide further evidence about the temple’s architecture, artistic programme and ritual use, while contributing to a broader understanding of the cultural and religious life of early medieval Uzbekistan.
Sources : Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan