In the territory of the Ellikqala District of Karakalpakstan lies one of the most remarkable ancient monuments of Central Asia – the settlement with the fortress of Janbas Kala. This majestic structure rises on a hill that completes a chain of hills stretching southeast from the Sultan-Uizdag mountain range. The foundation of Janbas Kala dates back to the 4th century BC and was in use until the 1st century AD.
The area of the Janbas Kala fortress measures 200 by 170 meters, it has a rectangular shape aligned with the cardinal directions.
One of the unique features of the architecture of the Janbas Kala fortress, distinguishing it from many Central Asian fortresses of this period, is the complete absence of towers. Double walls protected this grand structure, reaching an impressive thickness of five meters and a height of ten meters, which emphasizes the scale and grandeur of this construction. The inner wall, mirroring the outer one, was built to enhance the fortification capabilities of the fortress.
In the outer wall of the Janbas Kala fortress, high and narrow arrow slits are cut along the entire perimeter, arranged in two staggered rows, which confirms the military purpose of this fortified structure.
Between the outer and inner walls, there is a corridor approximately three meters wide, providing the defenders of the fortress with freedom of movement and reliable protection during an assault.
The fortification skills of the builders of the Janbas Kala fortress are fully demonstrated in the ingenious structure that protected the only gate leading into the settlement.
The rectangular projection of the wall at the gate formed a narrow corridor connecting the gatehouse with the gates, in which attackers were deprived of the opportunity to maneuver. This passage could be fired upon from arrow slits on all sides, significantly enhancing the defensive capabilities of the fortress. Such an original approach to designing fortifications showcases the high level of craftsmanship of ancient architects and their deep understanding of military strategy, as well as the strategic significance of the fortress as a defensive object capable of withstanding enemy assaults.
From the fortress gates located in the northwest, the main street of the city, approximately thirty meters wide, stretched southeast. On both sides of this street, there were residential quarter buildings, each containing up to two hundred living spaces.
Beyond the fortress, there was a small settlement with around 2,000 inhabitants. The residents engaged in agriculture and livestock farming.
The inhabitants of the Janbas Kala fortress were adherents of Zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest religions, which thrived for over a thousand years across vast territories extending from Khorezm to India, and from Xinjiang to the Near and Middle East. Opposite the gates, on the opposite side of the settlement, the ruins of a fire temple adjoin the fortress wall. This sanctuary for fire worshippers, known as the "House of Fire", is situated on a raised platform, at a height of 4.5 meters, and served as the center of the spiritual life of the fortress's residents.
Inside the sanctuary, an oval platform remains, on which a sacred fire burned day and night on a metal altar. Along the walls of the sanctuary, remnants of a stone bench can be found, where priests would sit to tend to the eternal flame.
The Janbas Kala fortress fell in the 1st century AD as a result of an invasion by nomadic tribes. The attackers used a battering ram to breach the wall to the west of the gates and broke into the fortress. 
The vast number of metal arrowheads discovered by archaeologists indicates that a fierce battle unfolded within the city. It is likely that a significant portion of the inhabitants perished in the fighting, while the survivors were taken into slavery. The fire temple and residential houses were destroyed and burned down.
Over the course of two thousand years, rains and winds have eroded the structures and buried them in sand, leaving only the massive walls that remind us of the former grandeur of the Janbas Kala fortress. 
These walls, like guardians of time, keep stories of great battles and victories, preserving the memory of the courage and resilience of the people who fearlessly defended their land.
In the ruins of the fortress's residential buildings, a vast number of fragments of pottery, terracotta figurines, and various metal objects were discovered. Among the found artifacts were elegant bracelets, exquisite rings, and beads made of jet, crystalline pyrite, and glass. Such beads were widely distributed in the northern Black Sea region during the 3rd–2nd centuries BC, indicating stable trade relations of ancient Khorezm with other countries.