As the Caspian Sea’s water level recedes, new landforms have already emerged along the coast of Kazakhstan. This raises an interesting question: if the sea continues to shrink, could similar islands appear along the Azerbaijani coast? Considering that the Caspian Sea’s water level has risen and fallen at various points throughout history, could these newly exposed islands contain traces of ancient settlements?

Speaking to Plat.az, Said Safarov, Doctor of Geographical Sciences and head of the Caspian Sea Geography Laboratory at the Institute of Geography of the Ministry of Science and Education, said that as the sea level falls, new islands—or rather, shallow areas—will emerge:

“If the water level continues to decline, such events will become more frequent, and the area of the islands will gradually expand.”

The expert also addressed the possibility of discovering traces of ancient human habitation on newly exposed areas of land:

“As the water level in the sea decreases, we will most likely encounter remains of past human habitation. For example, there is Bayil Castle. As you can see, it is already becoming visible, and its elements are clearly emerging. The water could recede so much that remains of past settlements, residential areas, or defensive fortifications located deeper underwater could also emerge. According to some reports, there may even have once been a city beneath the sea. If the water level falls sufficiently, we may be able to observe the remains of that city as well.”