When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. These newly discovered cities have upended the relevance of the highlands to the story of the ...

Dandan-Oilik was once a thriving complex packed with Buddhist temples in the Taklimakan desert. What do we know now about this abandoned ancient enclave? A Buddhist temple at Dandan-Oilik was first ...

The history of the Silk Road, a vast network of ancient and medieval trade routes connecting Beijing and Hangzhou with Constantinople and Cairo, has mostly been focused on its endpoints: China and the ...

In the mountains of Uzbekistan, researchers using new remote sensing technology have discovered a series of cities including a major medieval metropolis “hidden in plain site” above the ancient Silk ...

Kyrgyzstan's second largest city, Osh, is celebrating its 3,000th anniversary. The ancient Silk Route city continues to occupy a unique place among Central Asia's ancient towns, and RFE/RL ...

Discover ancient trade routes like the Silk Road and Spice Route that are still in use today as modern highways, shipping lanes, and heritage trails.

Scientists have gained new insight into the Silk Road through the discovery of two abandoned cities. Located in southeastern Uzbekistan, the cities were likely large urban centers that now point to ...