Ancient Kyrgyz land

Although humans have roamed through the mountains of modern day Kyrgyzstan for centuries, even millennia, very little evidence remains to illustrate the events and life of the people.  We can, however, learn a lot from the archaeological excavations which have taken place. 

The first evidence of man's presence in Kyrgyzstan is probably the (Paleological) settlement at Tosor, on the Southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul, which is said to date from 50,000 BC, although a recent book says anywhere between 100,000 and 40,000 years.  Some stone-age implements said to date back more than 100,000 years were found on the slopes of a small hill, called Boz Barmak, at the extreme western end of lake Issyk Kul, south of Balykchi.

The remains of other ancient settlements have been also discovered.  For example: in the Ak Sai valley, (Neolithic - stone age), near to the Chinese border; Kara Suu, (to the west of the Naryn river near to Djani Djol and Lake Sary Chelek) and Kulbes Kan in the Chatkal valley

There are many ancient burial mounds (called kurgans) to be found along the foothills of the Chui valley, through Boom Gorge and around Issyk Kul.  Some of them stand in isolation, but in places there are collections of upto a hundred or more.  The largest, measuring 100m in diameter and 12 m high and thought to be royal burial site, is known locally as Kara Dube and dates from somewhere between the 6th and 4th centuries BC.    

During the construction of Alamedin Hydroelectric power station (near Bishkek), in the 1950's, stone tools dating from 6000 years ago were discovered. 

It is claimed that Osh, (Kyrgyzstan’s second city, also known as the “Southern Capital” of the country), has been the site of human settlement for over 3000 years and there is evidence of early settlement elsewhere in the Ferghana valley as well.  For example: Kirkidan, to the West of Osh, is thought to have thrived between the fourth century BC and the fourth century AD and Shoro Bashat, near the city of Uzgen, for a similar period. 

It seems that agriculture, mining and trade all thrived in ancient Kyrgyzstan.  Even the journey that is thought to have started the Great Silk Road, that of Chang Ch'ien, took place over 100 years before the start of what is now called the Common Era - or AD.  

The Kyrgyz themselves, however, had not yet arrived to their present homeland.  Although they were mentioned in early Chinese chronicles - and hence lay claim to being one of the world's oldest nationalities - they were still resident in the Yenesei region of Siberia.