Abstract
The study aims to identify patterns in the distribution of water resources in the
Talas-Asa region as a key factor in the emergence of settlements and outposts along caravan
routes from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD. Particular attention is given to natural
factors that shaped the regional water balance and, consequently, influenced the direction of
medieval trade routes. The most important factors include climatic conditions, the orography
of the upper reaches of the Talas, Asa, and smaller rivers, the geological and hydrogeological
structure of the middle reaches, and tectonic processes affecting the lower reaches of the basin.
Ancient caravan routes were reconstructed through the identification of chains of tortkuls,
which functioned as territorial outposts and connecting points between major settlements. The
analysis was conducted using the Google Earth platform. The largest urban center of the Talas-
Asa basin was Taraz, where the northern, eastern, and southern caravan routes converged.
Trade caravans from the Ispidjab historical and cultural region reached Taraz either along the
Teris River valley or through the Kuyuk Pass. From Taraz, the routes diverged: one extended
eastward along the northern foothills of the Kyrgyz Alatau, while another followed the Talas
River valley northward toward Betpakdala.
01 Introduction
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