| Por-Bazhyn Пор-Бажын |
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| Culture | Uyghur Khaganate |
| Period | 8th century CE |
| Country | Russia |
| Region | Tuva |
| Area | 33,338 m2 (358,850 sq ft) |
Por-Bazhyn (Пор-Бажын) is the name of a ruined structure attributed to the Uyghur Khaganate. It is located on an island in the middle of Tere-Khol, a lake in Tuva.[2] The name Por-Bazhyn translates from the Tuvan language as "earthenware house".
The structure is believed to have been built sometime in the 8th century CE based upon the dating of several objects found in the ruin. According to Istvan Fodor of the National Museum in Hungary, identification of the structure's purpose is obscured because of the scant amount of evidence of daily human activity at the site.[3] The theories include a fortress, a palace, a monastery, and an astronomical observatory. It is possible, according to Dmitriy Subetto, from the Department of Physical Geography RGPU, that the structure was abandoned prior to completion due to the builders' lack of familiarity with permafrost.[3]
Excavation of the site continues, and supervisor Tigran Mkrtich states that the structure was built around 757 AD.[1] Among objects found are clay tablets bearing imprints of human feet, and coloured drawings on the plaster of the palace.[1]