These facts testify to the development of industry in the Batken region over the centuries.
Artifacts found in the Kan-i-Gut cave mine and its surroundings illustrate key stages of metallurgy and mining in ancient times.
According to scientists, the Kan-i-Gut mine was used for about 1500 years, with mining activities taking place here from the 1st to the 5th centuries. These silver mines remain a mystery — their extent is still unknown, and no one has been able to study them thoroughly. Some studies suggest that the total length of the caves may reach around 300 kilometers, with 8 exits. The caves represent complex systems consisting of passages, halls, and labyrinths.
Silver ore is still found inside the caves. In the past, the labor of slaves was used to extract raw materials from the mountain deposits.
Archive photos
As noted by historian Kubanych Tairov, the name "Kan-i-Gut" translates as "mine of death." In the works of the Persian scholar Abu Ali ibn Sina, it is mentioned that "the wise men hid all the gold and jewels of the world in various places, and it is impossible to possess them. In the land of Maverenahr, there is a city called Isfara, where there is a place called Gut. The wise men left treasures there and placed a curse upon them. The descriptions and tales about this are endless...". Silver and other minerals were extracted in these lands. According to Tairov, the composition of the soil in the nature park [geopark] "Madygen" may be related to this. Many minerals are hidden underground. Mining activities and industrial production developed in the Batken region. This area is mentioned in historical documents as rich in minerals.
In 2019, in an interview with Turmush, candidate of historical sciences Abdinabi Kadyrov stated that this name was given to the area due to the discovery of mineral deposits. "The history of the first mentions of this place goes back to the Middle Ages. In the southeastern part of the region, starting from the 2nd century AD, the development of the Kan-i-Gut deposit began. For over 500 years, work was carried out here, and the deposit functioned both during the Kokand Khanate and in the Soviet period.
In addition, there are more than 1000 small mineral deposits in the territories of the modern cities of Aydarken and Kadamjay. Perhaps this is why, during the Soviet period, these cities and the Leilek district actively developed deposits that supplied raw materials to all of Central Asia. Thus, the Batken region became known as resource-rich, which predetermined its name," noted Kadyrov.
In Persian, "Batken" translates as "deposit of wind" (bat – wind, ken - deposit). However, according to Kadyrov, a more accurate explanation is the association of the area with mineral resources.
Excerpts from the article by Yslamidin Tashpolotov
Kan-i-Gut (translated from Persian can mean "Mine of Destruction" or "Mine of Disappearance")
In the Sokh district of the Republic of Uzbekistan, near the city of Aydarken, there are toponyms "Simob," "Simodon," "Simkag," "Safedkon," and others related to the extraction of mercury and silver. Archaeological data indicate that minerals have been mined in Southern Fergana since ancient times. In this regard, studying ancient mines can provide important information in this field.
Today, Kan-i-Gut is a unique site that serves as a key to unraveling many historical and archaeological mysteries, technologies for extracting and processing mineral raw materials, as well as an important element of the natural-technogenic complex of the region.
The historical value of the mine also lies in the fact that at that time, the main trade route passed through this territory, and the "silver mine" is often mentioned in ancient Arab travel guides, which allows for the determination of the location of many ancient cities, about which little is now known, including the capital of the Ilak rulers — the city of Tunket.
The Kan-i-Gut mine has been discovered, and its developments are astonishing in scale. According to available data, this legendary and mysterious cave of Central Asia is located 17 kilometers west of the village of Samarkandek, on the southern slope of the Sary-Tuu ridge, in the Zaunkur gorge of the Shadymir area.
The history of the Kan-i-Tut cave is closely linked to the history of Central Asia. In the 10th-12th centuries, it reached its peak as a center for the extraction of silver, zinc, and other minerals.
More detailed information can be found in the article: The History of Batken: Traces of Former Industry and Metallurgy in Kan-i-Gut – the Mine of Destruction and Oblivion
Archive photos (some photos by Kanat Sharipbekov)
