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Munchoqtepa and Balandtepa

Town ruins and an early medieval necropolis in Pop district on the Syr Darya, known for rare finds of ancient silk.

Archaeologyc. 5th century

About the place

On the banks of the Syr Darya in Pop district, Namangan region, lie the ruins of an ancient town, Balandtepa, and the necropolis of Munchoqtepa. Archaeologists began working here in the 1980s. Early results date the burials roughly to between 400 and 750 AD, the centuries when Fergana was a busy part of the Silk Road.

The site became famous for its silk: fragments of fabric were found in 1987, and more came to light during excavations in 2024 and 2025. Ancient Pop has been on the UNESCO tentative list since 2008, which is not the same as World Heritage status. Allow about 45 minutes; there is little shade or signage.

Why go

  • Early medieval necropolis
  • Rare finds of ancient silk
  • On the UNESCO tentative list

Nearby

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