Archaeological work in Tatarstan, Russia, ahead of highway construction, has revealed significant finds dating from the pre-Bolghar-Mongol period to the era of the Golden Horde. Excavations uncovered two burial grounds, "Sokonsky I Cemetery" and "Sokonsky II Cemetery," and a settlement, "Sokonsky IV Settlement," dating from the 10th to 14th centuries AD. The complex also includes elements linked to the Chiyalik culture.
Archaeologists discovered various artifacts, including fragments of wheel-molded ceramics, bone remains, grinding stones, and pit burials containing human remains. Ivan Gushchin, chairman of the Tatarstan committee responsible for cultural heritage protection, stated that the discovered archaeological sites would be placed under state protection. The southern part of the complex also yielded finds from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, indicating later settlement activity. The Volga Bulgaria was founded in the 7th century and became a major trade center between Europe and Asia, before being conquered by the Mongols in the 13th century.