The Archaeological Excavation and Conservation Work of Yerkurgan Central Temple (Uzbekistan/Kashkadarya)

Abstract

This article is about archaeological excavation in Central Temple of Yerkurgan City Ruin in South Sogdiana (Uzbekistan/Kashkadarya) in 2017. Archaeological works started in 2013 and continued in 2017 in Central Temple, which functions as a fire temple in connection with Zoroastrianism. As a result of the archaeological excavation conducted in 2017, a later period floor and a fire altar were identified on the upper layer. The fire altar was unearthed in the northern section of the square-plan structure, which was positioned in four main directions. This fire altar is on the same axis as the gate in the middle of the south wall. In this excavation, the upper part of a wall belonging to the earlier period was unearthed under the upper floor. This wall starts from the altar in the north and extends to the center of the building. Besides these architectural finds, daily and ritual ceramics were unearthed. Among these ritual ceramics, a serpent figure ceramic is noteworthy.