Archaeologists working along the coast of the Caspian Sea, near Lankaran — a city on the southern coast of Azerbaijan — have uncovered evidence of what appears to be a medieval settlement, including pottery dating back nearly 1,000 years.
The discovery was made during a coastal survey near Lankaran railway station, where researchers found dozens of fragments of glazed and unglazed pottery dating from the 11th to 13th centuries.
According to the team of archaeologists, the finds indicate that a settlement once occupied the site before parts of it were submerged by rising waters of the Caspian Sea. The project brought together specialists from Azerbaijan and Germany.
The study’s collaborators included archaeologist Samir Kerimov of the Lankaran Regional Scientific Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Anar Agalarzade of the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, underwater archaeology expert Winfried Held from Philipps University of Marburg, and classical archaeologist Latife Summerer from the University of Munich.
Researchers surveyed around two kilometres of coastline, focusing on areas where erosion had exposed ancient material beneath the sand and soil. Among the discoveries were fragments of everyday pottery and glazed ceramics associated with the medieval Islamic world. Archaeologists believe the material points to a community that was likely connected to extensive trade networks linking the Caspian region with the Caucasus, Iran and Central Asia.
The Caspian Sea has a long history of fluctuating water levels, and many settlements have disappeared beneath its waters over the centuries. Archaeologists now believe the Lankaran site may represent another example of gradual coastal flooding. “Part of the settlement appears to have gone underwater as the sea level rose,” researchers noted following the survey.
This possibility is one reason why specialists in underwater archaeology were included in the project. The team is also considering broader investigations, including sonar surveys and modern mapping analysis of underwater data, to determine whether parts of the settlement survive offshore. At present, only surface material has been recovered, but archaeologists suspect the site could provide valuable insights into life along the medieval Caspian coast.
Lankaran has long held strategic importance on regional trade routes because of its position near the Iranian border and the Caspian Sea. Historians note that coastal settlements in the region played a vital role in trade, fishing and communication with neighbouring areas.
The ceramic fragments recovered during the survey will now undergo detailed analysis to determine where they were produced and how the settlement may have been connected to wider commercial networks.
Researchers hope that future excavations may uncover building remains, workshops or even submerged structures preserved beneath the Caspian shoreline. Such discoveries are becoming increasingly significant as archaeologists turn their attention to coastal and underwater sites that have remained largely unexplored for decades.
Sources : AZERTAC
