The Talas region is one of the corners of Kyrgyzstan where history is felt not in museum showcases or academic works, but in the wind, in the scent of dry wormwood, in the lines of mountains frozen around the valley like an ancient choir. Here, the past is not an abstraction; it literally emerges from the earth, from clay, from sand. And sometimes—from water. The southern part of the Kirov reservoir hides beneath it the ruins of one of the largest medieval cities in the region—Shel'dzhi, a center of metallurgy, trade, and crafts of the early Middle Ages, which a thousand years ago served as the silver capital of the region and an important point on the Great Silk Road.

Shel'dzhi emerged around the 7th century and existed until the 12th century. Archaeologists suggest that in the 14th century, it served as a base for the Timurids—evidenced by the coins found there. However, the city's fate turned tragic: after the dam was built and the reservoir filled, it sank underwater and seemed to disappear forever.

Yet every summer and autumn, when the water level drops, the ancient streets rise to the surface once more. For a few weeks, travelers are given a remarkable opportunity to walk through a genuine medieval city, to see the remnants of its four defensive walls, mounds, and furnaces—as if time momentarily rewinds.

In its architecture, Shel'dzhi combined all the features of a classical medieval city in Central Asia. At its center stood the citadel, the residence of the ruler, surrounded by a powerful earthen rampart. To the right, on the hill, fragments of the second defensive ring and parts of fortifications are still visible today. Between the first and second ramparts lay the shahristan—the administrative and cultural center of the city. Noble families, warriors, and craftsmen lived here; there were cult objects and rows of shops. At the excavation site, fragments of pottery, pieces of clay hearths resembling modern tandoors can be found. The outer rampart enclosed the rabat—a residential and industrial area where daily work thrived. It was here that the metallurgical workshops were located.

Shel'dzhi was renowned for its ability to smelt lead, silver, copper, bronze, and possibly iron. This was made possible by the city’s favorable location: nearby runs the Chon-Kapka gorge, where constant winds blow—ideal for ancient smelting furnaces. It is no surprise that Shel'dzhi became one of the two silver capitals of Central Asia. Local silver was sold both east and west—along the branches of the Great Silk Road. The city flourished, expanded, and at one time was the largest among the settlements of Upper Talas.

Serious studies of the settlement were conducted during the Soviet era under the guidance of archaeologist P. N. Kozhemyako. The scholar managed to carry out a significant portion of the work, but the results were never published and were largely lost after his death.

The situation changed a few years ago when the residents of the village of Cholponbay noticed that the river had eroded the bank and exposed a wall made of fired brick. The report reached one of the founders of the Nomad.kg website, local historian and regional director of the Union of Photojournalists Gamal Soronkulov. He surveyed the site, published photographs, and researchers responded to the discovery. Thus began a new archaeological movement around Shel'dzhi. The research group included employees from the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, the State Hermitage, and specialists in digital archaeology from Bashkortostan. After receiving official permission for excavations, they began studying the territory. According to Gamal Soronkulov, this needs to be done quickly: "Black diggers" have already taken many artifacts to Kazakhstan. Nevertheless, scientists are confident that Shel'dzhi still holds world-class finds.

The best months to visit are August, September, and early October. The water recedes, and the shoreline expands, providing access to ancient structures. Travelers and tourists can see: the lines of ramparts and fortifications; foundations of buildings; remnants of clay hearths; fragments of pottery; metallurgical traces—pieces of lead, copper, bronze. However, it is important to remember that removing any finds is prohibited: the settlement is an archaeological heritage site.

Shel'dzhi is not just an archaeological monument. It is a rare case where history literally lies beneath the water and only briefly returns to people. The city, which for centuries was a center of crafts, trade, and metallurgy, today lives a second life—as a scientific object, a tourist mystery, and an unexpected reminder of the rich past of Talas. Every year it disappears again beneath the water, taking with it some of its secrets. And every year it returns—to tell its story to those who know how to listen.

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