Archaeologists have discovered Semiyarka, a massive Bronze Age settlement in northeastern Kazakhstan, dating back about 3,600 years and covering 346 acres—over four times larger than nearby villages.

The city featured well-organized households, central structures possibly used for rituals or governance, and dedicated areas for large-scale copper and tin-bronze metallurgy.

Its location atop a bluff overlooking the Irtysh River and near Altai Mountain ore deposits suggests it controlled trade and metal distribution in the region.

Semiyarka challenges previous ideas about steppe societies, showing that mobile communities could build permanent, planned settlements with industrial-scale production, Live Science has reported.

Researchers believe ongoing and future excavations will clarify the city’s role within broader Bronze Age trade and social networks.