Mapping the Flow: A Preliminary Survey of the Pashkurt Valley Water System, Uzbekistan
Introduction
The Pashkurt Valley is situated in the southwestern corner of modern-day Uzbekistan. It is bounded by Turkmenistan to the west and by the Amu Darya River (ancient Oxus) to the south, which now forms a natural border with Afghanistan. The region is defined by the Kugitang Mountains, the height of which ranges between approximately 700 and 1,200 meters. Over the past decade, this area has been the focus of several archaeological surveys and excavations (Lhuillier et al. 2024; Stančo et al. 2017). Following the first Russian, German, and Czech-Uzbek Archaeological Missions undertaking survey and excavation in the region (Dvurechenskaja et al. 2014; Kaniuth 2016; Stančo et al. 2014; Stančo 2016; Stančo et al. 2017_ Augustinová et al. 2024), from 2017 the MAFBAP (Mission archéologique française de Bactriane Protohistorique) directed by Johanna Lhuillier (Lab. Archéorient) and Alisher Shaydullaev (Termez State University) has conducted extensive multidisciplinary investigations focused on Iron Age contexts dating to approximately 1400–1000 BCE, mentioned in a previous post. The survey and excavations have brought to light a distinctive and previously little known settlement organization in this region of Central Asia. The preliminary data point to the emergence, during the early Iron Age, of settlements that appear to have been founded ex novo, carefully planned and constructed rather than having continuously developed from earlier Bronze Age occupations. MAFBAP’s investigations have focused primarily on Burgut Kurgan, Boykushtepa, Kayrit Tepa, Kamishtepa, Gaza Kutan and Kuduk Bulak (Fig. 1), the latter recently featured in a article.
Building upon the archaeological investigation of the sites themselves, the Uzbek-French mission also prioritized an in-depth study of the region’s water systems and broader hydrological landscape.
The Pashkurt region
The broader region under investigation experiences a distinctly continental climate, typified by scorching, arid summers and harsh, cold winters, with abrupt transitions between seasons. Precipitation is generally scarce, with an annual national average of about 206 mm, increasing to approximately 425 mm in southwestern Uzbekistan (Rakhmatova et al. 2024). While surface water remains seasonal and unpredictable, the area benefits from groundwater stored in extensive aquifers that give rise to numerous springs – locally known as bulak. The foothill zone of Pashkurt is particularly notable for its deeply incised terrain, formed through tectonic uplift and ancient geological folding, as well as its gentler slopes built up through the accumulation of wind-blown dust, glacial debris, and alluvial infill.
The landscape of the study area is shaped by a network of natural river systems that originate upstream of Maydan and flow across a broad, eroded anticline structure. Today, these rivers are non-perennial, relying heavily on seasonal hydrological inputs. Over time, these episodic flows have played a defining role in sculpting the terrain, producing marked erosional features across the plains, including regressive erosion. Although detailed geomorphological studies are still underway, initial observations suggest that many of these channels follow a braided fluvial pattern, indicative of highly dynamic sedimentation and variable discharge conditions.
Methodological approach
The methodology adopted for this study followed a three-step approach combining remote sensing analysis and field validation. In the first stage, paleochannels and associated hydrological features were reconstructed through the interpretation of high-resolution satellite imagery and geomorphological mapping of the region. This remote analysis enabled the identification of potential irrigation structures, drainage lines, and traditional karez structures. Karez (also known as qanat in Persian) are traditional underground irrigation systems designed to transport groundwater from aquifers or foothill zones.
The second stage consisted of a field-based verification aimed at confirming and refining the remotely identified features. Using a walking survey approach, the team systematically investigated selected areas to document, photograph, and georeference the channels and related structures, thereby establishing an accurate spatial and morphological record (Fig. 2). Likewise, during the survey, archaeological evidence was also collected, recorded, and analyzed.

In the final stage of the research, targeted excavations and hand augers were carried out on selected channel segments to investigate their structural composition and formation processes. Given the limited success of relative dating through archaeological association (see next paragraph), sediment samples were collected during test trenching for Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) analysis (Fig. 3). OSL dating measures the time elapsed from when mineral grains, typically quartz or feldspar, within the channel sediments were last exposed to sunlight prior to burial (Preusser et al. 2014). In addition, sediment analysis of the exposed canal profiles was carried out and samples for further analysis (i.e. grain size analysis) were also collected, offering crucial insights into the hydrological behavior and environmental evolution of the region over time.

Preliminary results
The preliminary results of the remote sensing and ground truthing survey suggest that the geomorphological character of the study area reflects the cumulative action of diverse environmental processes operating over long timescales. The majority of the study area is underlain by alluvial deposits, which dominate the gently sloping plains. These sediments are generally fine-grained and reflect the dynamic processes of past fluvial activity. Variations in texture and composition across these deposits indicate shifts in water flow and seasonal discharge, as well as longer-term changes in hydrological conditions over time. In addition to these alluvial formations, the landscape preserves evidence of past glacial activity. Moraines and scattered erratic boulders are concentrated within deeply incised valleys, pointing to the erosive and depositional influence of ancient ice movement (Crèpy 2019).
The preliminary survey of the region clearly demonstrates that the current canal system has been significantly modified during the Soviet period. During this period, centrally planned agricultural schemes – first sovkhozes and then kolkhozes – promoted intensive cultivation—most notably cotton monoculture—supported by the collectivization of farmland (Teichmann 2007).The development and intensification of this canal infrastructure have had a transformative impact on the landscape, with particularly significant alterations.
Currently, the region’s agriculture and water systems rely on two main resources: groundwater from subsurface aquifers, which gives rise to numerous natural springs, and a series of channels, both naturally formed and human-constructed. While artificial canals provide a more controlled water supply, natural channels are typically irregular and their flow is highly seasonal. In addition, several functioning karez systems continue to operate today in the villages of Pashkurt and Zarabag, though surface evidence indicates that their distribution once extended far beyond the present-day settlements (Pont-Campos 2022b) (Fig. 4). While most of these systems likely date to historical periods, their true temporal span remains poorly understood. Notably, the preliminary study on satellite images revealed the presence of more than 284 traces of karez throughout the study region underscoring the importance of this irrigation system in sustaining the various villages in the past.

The preliminary surveys were also essential for examining the natural springs in the region. Although it is currently difficult to distinguish between ancient and modern springs, they nevertheless provide crucial information regarding the hydrogeological characteristics of the area. As analyzed by Pont-Campos (2021), the springs in the region can be classified into three main groups based on their location and hydrogeological context. The first group is situated at the highest elevations and represents typical mountain impluvium springs. The second group occurs along the lower slopes of scree cones, while the third group is associated with the two parallel faults located to the west of the anticline (Fig. 5)

Despite the presence of natural springs, it is likely that several Bronze and Iron Age settlements were additionally supplied by canal systems designed to convey water towards the sites or the nearest agricultural fields. During the 2022 and 2025 field seasons attempts to date these irrigation features through the “dating by association system” with archaeological evidence were proved largely inconclusive in this region. Dating by association is an indirect archaeological method used to estimate the age of a canal based on its relationship with nearby datable materials or contexts (Wilkinson 2003:83; Wilkinson and Rayne 2010). However, the archaeological evidence collected linked to canal systems (mainly pottery fragments) spans a wide chronological range—from the Bronze Age to more recent historical periods—making it difficult to attribute specific channels to precise cultural phases. Nevertheless, the preliminary survey yielded valuable new data. Field investigations in 2019 and 2022 (Crépy 2019; Pont-Campos 2022a) identified a diverse array of irrigation channels across the region, reflecting adaptations to local topography and water-management needs over time. These include narrow, braided channels on upper slopes, larger transport canals descending from glacis or alluvial fans with carefully built embankments, smaller meandering distributaries across gentle slopes, dense networks of secondary canals in lower valleys such as northern Kuduk Bulak, and opportunistic channels designed to capture episodic runoff, consistent with comparable Central Asian examples (Rouse et al. 2022).
In 2019, a preliminary test trench done by Crépy (2019) was opened on a canal located south of the Burgut Kurgan site (Trench BKC4). The excavation exposed a clearly defined canal structure (Fig. 6). The sediment composition consists primarily of very fine to fine silts interbedded with layers of fine to coarse sand, suggesting a depositional environment characterized by limited transport energy and the gradual accumulation of locally derived sediments (Pont-Campos 2022b).

Preliminary OSL dating of this canal phase indicates a chronology within the medieval to early modern period. Field campaigns in 2022 and 2025 expanded investigations to Burgut Kurgan, Kamyshtepa, and Kuduk Bulak, incorporating additional test trenches and OSL sampling to refine the chronology and development of the regional irrigation system. Preliminary results from trench BKC11, along the same canal as BKC4 south of Burgut Kurgan, revealed three superimposed canal phases, with OSL analyses currently underway to establish their chronology. A third trench (BKC12) targeting construction and repair sequences along the same canal supports the suggestion that this principal canal may have a much earlier origin than previously assumed and could be associated with the Iron Age site of Burgut Kurgan.
Conclusion
Excavations undertaken at Burgut Kurgan and Kamishtepa areas revealed stratified sequences of canal deposits, suggesting repeated phases of use, maintenance, and reconstruction over extended periods. This pattern of reuse complicates efforts to establish a precise chronology but matches regional trends documented across Central Asia (Arciero 2025). The emerging data also point to broader hydrological transformations within the region, reflecting an evolving interplay between natural watercourses, engineered canal systems, and, at certain stages, subterranean karez networks—an aspect that remains an open question.
At present, the preliminary data suggest that past agriculture in the region may have relied on two strategies: an organized system of channels and canals using perennial water, and a more flexible, low-investment regime potentially focused on drought-tolerant crops such as millet already introduce to Central Asia by the 2nd millennium BCE (Miller 2016). Whether these approaches were contemporaneous or sequential remains unclear. OSL analyses from 2025 canal samples are expected to refine both horizontal and vertical reconstructions of the irrigation landscape. Overall, the data collected during the 2025 field season are essential for establishing the construction phases of these canals and robust horizontal stratigraphy across the study area, which includes multiple Iron Age sites. These findings will, in turn, enhance our understanding of long-term settlement patterns and the organization of the irrigation systems.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to the principal investigators of the MAFBAP project, J. Lhuillier and Sh. Shaydullaev, as well as to the team members who previously conducted research in this area, particularly M. Crépy and E. Pont-Campos, for their valuable contributions to the preliminary investigations of the region. Deep appreciation is also extended to all team members, students, and workers who participated in the 2025 field season. This research has been developed as part of the ANR TransOxus project.
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Les auteurs
Roberto Arciero est chercheur associé à l’UMR 5133-Archéorient – Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée, Lyon
Ulugbek Shapulatov, est professeur assistant à l’université d’Etat deTermez, Ouzbekistan
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Roberto Arciero et Ulugbek Shapulatov (28 novembre 2025). Mapping the Flow: A Preliminary Survey of the Pashkurt Valley Water System, Uzbekistan. ArchéOrient - Le Blog. Consulté le 14 décembre 2025 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/158ml


