THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF THE FERGANA VALLEY: CHRONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS AND SCHOLARLY RESEARCH

Abstract

This article reviews the history of archaeological research in the Fergana Valley, highlighting its key stages and major scholarly findings over the past sixty years. Special emphasis is placed on Paleolithic sites such as Selungur, Kapchigay, Chongara, and Sarykurgan, and their significance in understanding early human settlement in the region. The paper also discusses the origin of the Chust and Kayrakkum cultures and their possible connection to the Zarafshan Valley and Sarazm. Contributions of prominent researchers such as B.A. Latinin, A.N. Bernshtam, and B.Kh. Matboboev to the study of early medieval archaeology in the valley are analyzed. Recent discoveries from the Kutirbulak and Kushtapa sites are presented as evidence of long-term human habitation. The author underscores the importance of continued interdisciplinary research and suggests this topic as a foundation for a large-scale scholarly project