Researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences have discovered the 'city' in Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan
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Archaeologists have announced a remarkable find after uncovering traces of what they describe as a submerged, Atlantis-like city hidden beneath the waters of Asia.
The discovery was made by researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences, who located the remains of the settlement in Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan, which ranks as the eighth deepest lake in the world.
The lake sits in the western Tianshan Mountains and once served as an important stopping point along the ancient Silk Road, a major trade route used by travelers moving between Europe and the East.
During their exploration of the vast salt lake, researchers uncovered a medieval burial ground and the remnants of several buildings. They believe the long-lost settlement may have once included a Muslim prayer house, bathhouses, and various schools.
Valery Kolchenko, the expedition leader and researcher at the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, explained that their early findings suggest the settlement functioned as a city or possibly a “major trading hub.”
A spokesperson for the Russian Geographical Society added: "All this confirms an ancient city really once stood here."
The lake is the eighth deepest in the world
Getty Stock Image
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As part of the investigation, the research team examined four distinct underwater zones. In the first area, they uncovered brick structures and what appears to have been a mill used for grinding flour.
According to Heritage Daily, the second zone revealed stone structures, wooden beams, and a Muslim necropolis, giving researchers deeper insight into the area’s cultural past.
The third zone pointed to signs of expansion, including another burial ground, while the fourth contained round and rectangular mudbrick structures, hinting at a larger and more organized settlement than previously believed.
"The site we are studying was a city or a major trading hub on a key section of the Silk Road," explained Kolchenko.
Lake Issyk Kul has no natural outflow, although some researchers believe it may be connected underground to a nearby river. Its rising water levels over centuries could help explain why so much of the city now lies submerged.
The dramatic changes in water height since medieval times might also point toward environmental shifts that contributed to the site’s disappearance.
The team found evidence of a 'lost city'
Russian Academy of Sciences
Experts believe the city vanished in the 15th century after a catastrophic event similar to the tragedy of Pompeii, where an eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed an entire community and its thousands of residents.
In this case, they suspect a powerful earthquake may have been responsible for swallowing the settlement now found beneath Lake Issyk Kul.
"According to our assessment, at the time of the disaster, the residents had already left the settlement," said Kolchenko.
The lake is located in the western Tianshan Mountains
Russian Academy of Sciences
"After the earthquake disaster, the region's population changed drastically, and the rich medieval settlement civilization ceased to exist."
It appears that after the earthquake, surviving residents gradually shifted their homes toward the lakeshore, where several small villages still exist today. These communities likely formed as people sought safer ground after the destruction.