▁the ▁ru ins ▁of ▁A til , ▁the ▁old ▁Kh azar ▁capital , ▁but ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁indic ation ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁any ▁latter - day ▁Kh azar ▁polity . ▁It ▁was ▁situated ▁in ▁K ip ch ak ▁territory ▁and ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁center ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁principal ities . ▁Some ▁sources ▁claim ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁the ▁Vol ga ▁Bulg ars . ▁ ▁Ex c av ations ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁D mit ry ▁Vas ily ev ▁of ▁A stra k han ▁State ▁University ▁led ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁exc av ations ▁at ▁the ▁Sam os del sko ye ▁site ▁near ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Sam os del ka ▁() ▁in ▁the ▁Vol ga ▁D elta . ▁Vas ily ev ▁connected ▁artifact s ▁from ▁the ▁middle ▁str ata ▁with ▁Kh azar , ▁O gh uz ▁and ▁Bulgar ▁culture , ▁leading ▁him ▁to ▁believe ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁discovered ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Sa q sin . ▁The ▁matter ▁is ▁still ▁un resol ved . ▁Sar ai ▁B atu ▁was ▁exc av ated ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁exped itions ▁expl oring ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁was ▁probably ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁peri ph ery ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Sa q sin . ▁The ▁ru ins ▁of ▁A til ▁appear ▁to ▁be ▁under ne ath ▁the ▁layers ▁pres umed ▁to ▁represent ▁Sa q sin . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁D . V as ily ev ▁( Д . ▁Василь ев ), ▁" The ▁It il ▁Dream ▁(