 Sarianidi participated in excavations of monuments of Tahirbey, Yaz Depe (1955-1956), Togolok (1970s).From 1974, he supervised excavations that led to the uncovering of the culture of Margiana (or Margush), and the discovery in 1990 of over 200 settlements dating to the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.Chief amongst these was the capital city Gonur Tepe, which was founded at the end of the third millennium BCE, lasting till around 1600 BCE.