DERBENT, June 19 – RIA "Dagestan". The Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences has initiated the third and final fieldwork phase at Derbent's historic Naryn-Kala citadel. Vladimir Koval, who heads the Department of Medieval Archaeology leads the research team. The current excavations are concentrated near the fortress's cross-shaped building. Specialists examine the archaeological site identified as the "Cultural Layer of the 5th – Early 20th Century" uncovering artifacts and evidence from this extensive historical period.
Running from May 27 to September 30, 2026, the fieldwork aims to answer a question that has generated intrigue over two years of preparatory work: when was the mysterious underground cross-shaped structure built, and what was its true function? In the coming three weeks, scientists hope to find these answers. At present, the eastern excavation has been backfilled following the completion of studies, artifact documentation and conservation efforts, while soil removal continues in the western sector. After moving through the "more recent" 18th and 19th-century soil layers, the archaeologists have finally reached the oldest cultural horizon, yielding immediate and promising results.
Among the centuries-old finds is an exceptionally well-preserved 17th-century jug. Close by, archaeologists found an ancient domestic cooking area containing multiple tandoors, or traditional clay ovens. The excavation revealed that a large tandoor had been built by cutting into a smaller, pre-existing one, leaving only its bottom and a fragment of its wall. Furthermore, the team discovered a ceramic pipe used to boost combustion. Serving as a highly advanced feature for a 17th-century household hearth, the pipe helped maintain a hotter, more even fire.
Excavators have revealed a bricked-up aperture in the wall that looks remarkably like an arrowslit. Scientists characterize this find as a rare "architectural palimpsest"—a physical layering of history akin to text overwritten on ancient parchment. The colossal wall dates back to the Sasanian era of the 6th century but eventually fell into disrepair, prompting a major reconstruction at the turn of the 19th century.
Rather than demolishing the original Sasanian masonry, the 18th- and 19th-century builders ingeniously integrated it into their new design, leaving an intricate engineering riddle for today's archaeologists to unravel. All fresh discoveries will bypass the laboratory and go straight into a special exhibition case in Derbent Museum-Reserve's Museum of Archaeology, enabling visitors to witness the fortress's ancient history coming to life in real time.