Ahmet Bayram
29 July 2026•Update: 29 July 2026
- Archaeologist says discovery could push back evidence of planned agriculture among early Turkic societies by about a century
Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Togu Balik in central Mongolia have uncovered a 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) irrigation canal, a palace complex, and evidence of wheat cultivation, noting that the findings show the settlement was an organized agricultural and manufacturing center, as well as a mining hub.
Researchers say the discoveries could push back evidence of planned agriculture among early Turkic societies by roughly 100 years, from the Uyghur Khaganate to its predecessors, the Dokuz Oghuz, a confederation of nine Turkic tribes that later formed the foundation of the Uyghur state.
The excavations are being carried out in Mongolia's Tuul Valley, where Togu Balik -- an ancient city mentioned in the 8th-century inscriptions of Turkic rulers Bilge Khagan and Kul Tigin -- is believed to have stood.
The project is being conducted by the Turkish Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Institute, Izmir Katip Celebi University, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, with support from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
During the third excavation season, a multidisciplinary team of 30 researchers investigated structures surrounding the city's fortified walls, burial mounds, ritual sites, and rock inscriptions.
Geoarchaeological studies included 45 test drillings.
Excavations uncovered the foundations of a palace complex, remains of a kiln used to produce ceramics, bricks, and roof tiles, and hydraulic structures linked to the nearby Tuul River.
Botanical research documented 124 plant species at the site and identified four wheat varieties that indicate farming was practiced there.
Identifying the 'lost city'
Saban Dogan, president of the Turkish Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Institute and director of the excavation, said Togu Balik had long been known from Turkic inscriptions and Chinese historical sources, but its location had remained uncertain.
He said the identification followed nearly eight years of research. Archaeologists initially focused on a site previously identified as a Khitan settlement after finding ceramics linked to the Turkic period. Excavations beneath later occupation layers uncovered remains dating to the Turkic era, and Dogan said scholars specializing in the Khitan civilization accepted the team's conclusion that the site was Togu Balik.
Dogan said excavations this year revealed important architectural features of a palace complex in the southeastern part of the city, including its entrance gate and column bases.
He said researchers also found evidence that ornamental plants had been brought to the palace from elsewhere, suggesting an emphasis on landscaping, while excavations uncovered a production kiln containing large quantities of misfired ceramics and construction materials, indicating local manufacturing.
Evidence of large-scale farming
Dogan said research conducted last year showed the city's economy relied heavily on gold and metal mining, while this year's discoveries demonstrated that agriculture also played an important role.
"Our work this year showed that the city's economy was not based solely on mining but that extensive agriculture was also practiced," he said.
"Our colleagues found ancient wheat seeds capable of demonstrating that farming was carried out in that region. Drone surveys then identified the remains of canals stretching about 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) along the Tuul River, where water appears to have been diverted to irrigate agricultural land."
"We are talking about a 14-kilometer water canal. It is believed to have been used to irrigate farmland. We have therefore shown that the settlement was engaged not only in mining but also in agriculture. What we had considered the beginning of this period of advanced agriculture under the Uyghurs can now be traced back another 100 years to their predecessors, the Dokuz Oghuz."
Tribal symbols help confirm identity
Dogan said surveys in the mountains surrounding the city documented a rock inscription, numerous petroglyphs, and tribal tamgas, or clan symbols. The presence of tamgas associated with the Dokuz Oghuz tribes provided key evidence supporting the identification of the site.
Zooarchaeological analysis also showed that the settlement's inhabitants primarily consumed domesticated sheep and goats, while wild animals such as deer and wild boar were also part of their diet.
Researchers are continuing to investigate burial customs at the site after burned human bone fragments were discovered in ritual areas. Laboratory analyses are underway to determine whether they are linked to cremation or other funerary practices.
