Semiyarka: A 3,600‑Year‑Old Planned Bronze Age City Unearthed in Kazakhstan

Excavations at Semiyarka, a lost Bronze Age site in modern Kazakhstan, reveal a surprisingly large, permanently occupied, and deliberately planned urban centre dating to around 1600 B.C.E. Recent fieldwork and analysis published in Antiquity's Project Gallery show that the settlement covered roughly 346 acres and was organized around large‑scale tin‑bronze metallurgy.

What the excavations found

Archaeologists documented rows of rectangular earthen mounds—each about three feet high—interpreted as foundations for multi‑room domestic compounds. At the core of the site they identified a larger, central building roughly twice the footprint of the surrounding residences; this may have been a communal hall, a ritual structure, or the dwelling of an elite household.

"This is one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries in this region for decades," said Miljana Radivojevic (University College London), the study's lead author. "Semiyarka changes the way we think about steppe societies. It shows that mobile communities could build and sustain permanent, organized settlements centered on a likely large‑scale industry—a true 'urban hub' of the steppe."

The team mapped a dedicated "industrial zone" focused on tin‑bronze production. Excavations recovered crucibles, slag, and tin‑bronze artifacts across a distinct area, indicating production at a scale beyond household workshops. Although bronze is relatively uncommon across much of the Eurasian steppe, raw materials for tin and copper were likely obtained from nearby mountain sources such as the Altai region.

Regional role and connections

Material finds—metal objects and pottery shards—show links with neighbouring cultural groups, including styles associated with the Alekseevka‑Sargary and Cherkaskul communities. These connections suggest trade and interaction and support the interpretation of Semiyarka (sometimes called the "City of Seven Ravines") as a regional centre for craft production and exchange around 3,600 years ago.

The project was a collaboration between researchers from University College London, Toraighyrov University, and Durham University. Co‑author Dan Lawrence (Durham University) emphasized that Semiyarka's rectilinear compounds and monumental central building demonstrate that Bronze Age communities on the steppe could plan and sustain complex settlements comparable in organization to contemporaneous urban developments elsewhere.

Why it matters

Semiyarka challenges long‑standing views that the Eurasian steppe was dominated solely by semi‑nomadic groups. Instead, it provides clear evidence that industrial specialization—here, organized tin‑bronze metallurgy—could underpin permanent settlement and regional influence on the steppe during the Bronze Age.