Ak-Beshim

Ak-Beshim 

site of an ancient town 8 km south of Tok-mak in Kirghiz SSR, in the Chuisk valley. Excavations, made chiefly in the 1950’s, have uncovered remains of a city surrounded by a double wall (fifth to tenth or 12th centuries); inside the first wall are two Buddhist temples (sixth to seventh century and late seventh to early eighth century) made of pounded clay and unbaked brick, with fragments of murals and sculpture. Also discovered were a castle (sixth to seventh century) and a Christian temple (eighth century).

REFERENCES

Kyzlasov, L. R. “Arkheologicheskie issledovaniia na gorodishche Ak-Beshim v 1953–54 gg.” In Trudy Kirgizskoi arkheologo-etnograficheskoi ekspeditsii, vol. 2. Moscow, 1959.
Ziablin, L. P. Vtoroi buddiiskii khram Ak-Beshimskogo gorodishcha. Frunze, 1961.