Kostobe, Kazakhstan: the Silk Road city of Jamukat near Taraz

Kostobe is the site of a medieval city on the right bank of the Talas river, near Sarykemer village, about 15 km from Taraz. Researchers identify it with Jamukat, founded in the 6th century by migrants from Bukhara. It is listed under the Silk Roads World Heritage site, but what remains are earth ramparts and mounds, so read up before you go.

A city built by runaways from Bukhara

The historian Narshakhi says nobles and merchants left Bukhara to escape a harsh ruler and built a town near Taraz, named after their leader Hamuk. In the 10th century the Arab geographer al-Muqaddasi described a large walled city with a cathedral mosque and markets in its suburb. Scholars debated the location for decades, and the identification with Kostobe came from later fieldwork, including Karl Baipakov’s excavations of 1985–1987.

What you can actually see

Excavated buildings are heavily eroded, and the citadel was used as a cemetery from the 13th century.

Two burial grounds lie by the outer rampart, where excavators found brick funerary structures called naus. Be respectful around the burial areas. We could not confirm signs, a caretaker or a fee.

See the finds first

The most striking material is in town. According to Kazinform, the regional history museum in Taraz holds carved terracotta panels from the 9th–10th century, including a rare grapevine design. Excavations also produced a silver cross, a figure of the Buddha and bronze rings, a reminder of how many faiths passed along this road. Visit the museum first and the mounds will make far more sense.

Getting there and pairing it

No bus route turned up in our search, so hire a car in Taraz and use the map point 42.9891, 71.5214. Check that you are heading for Jambyl Region: other sites named Kostobe sit about 250 km away in Otyrar District.

Combine it with Akyrtas, about 23 km away in a straight line, and with Ancient Taraz or the Karakhan mausoleum. Our UNESCO access research explains how little is published about visiting these sites.

When to go

April, May, September and October are the comfortable months. These are computed normals for the site at 555 m.

July days average 34 °C and the ramparts offer almost no shade. April is the wettest month, at 63.2 mm. September, at 26 °C and 7 mm, is the driest of the comfortable months.