Burials of the Ulus of Jochi period in the steppes of Northern and Central Kazakhstan
Bilyalova G.
2025Margulan Institute of Archaeology
Kazakhstan Archeology
2025#2025Issue 340 - 64 pp.
The article is devoted to burials of the Golden Horde period investigated in the territory of Saryarka. It examines the transformation of funerary practices in Northern and Central Kazakhstan during the 13th–14th centuries, encompassing both the pre-Islamic and Islamic stages. Based on the analysis of more than 100 archaeological sites, including kurgans and ground burials, both persistent and changing elements in the funerary practices of the medieval population of Saryarka were identified. The study demonstrates that the process of Islamization of the Steppe population of Kazakhstan was localized, socially differentiated, and extended over time. In the burials of the elite, Islamic traditions appear earlier and more distinctly. This is evident in the orientation of bodies toward the Qibla, the absence of grave goods, and the use of architectural forms characteristic of Muslim culture. At the same time, among ordinary nomads, elements of the earlier, pre-Islamic ritual persisted longer, including the presence of accompanying inventory. Archaeological evidence indicates the parallel existence of Muslim and traditional rites, allowing two key stages in the development of funerary practices to be distinguished. Typological analysis of burial constructions, body orientations, grave inventory, architectural and ritual elements made it possible to identify regional features, signs of social hierarchy, and to clarify the chronological framework of the Golden Horde’s influence. The findings supplement existing knowledge about the cultural genesis and spiritual transformation of the medieval nomads of Northern and Central Kazakhstan.
burial mound , burials , Desht-i Kipchak , Golden Horde , Islam , Saryarka , Ulus of Jochi
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Margulan Institute of Archaeology, Atsana, Kazakhstan
Margulan Institute of Archaeology
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