A severe drought in Turkmenistan has led to the discovery of a massive Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC) site, commonly known as the Oxus Civilization. As the shifting sands of the Karakum Desert retreated, ground-penetrating radar identified a series of sophisticated irrigation canals and mud-brick dwellings dating back to approximately 1000 BCE.
The site, spanning nearly 40 hectares, includes evidence of early iron-smelting workshops and specialized pottery kilns. Researchers from the Turkmen Academy of Sciences believe this hub was a critical agricultural center that utilized seasonal floodwaters to sustain a dense urban population in what is now a hostile desert environment.