Architecture and planigraphy of burial ensembles of East Kazakhstan in the context of the origin of the early Saka Culture
Omarov G. Konstantinov N. Besetayev B.
30 June 2025Margulan Institute of Archaeology
Kazakhstan Archeology
2025#28Issue 239 - 55 pp.
The article examines early Saka period funerary and commemorative complexes in Eastern Kazakhstan. The architecture of burial mounds is compared with Late Bronze Age sites from both western and eastern regions of Central Asia. The aim of the study is to identify potential components that formed the foundation for the development of the Scythian–Saka cultural circle during the early Saka period. Data from reconnaissance surveys in the Zaisan Basin and adjacent areas are correlated with materials from burial mound excavations. The research highlights the potential of non-invasive methods in the study of funerary-commemorative ensembles. Architectural features of early Saka sites are identified, allowing the recognition of continuity with Late Bronze Age traditions – specifically, those of the Begazy-Dandybai culture in the west and the Mongun-Taiga and Kereksur cultures in the east of Central Asia. The study area lies within the overlapping distribution zone of both Kereksur and Begazy-Dandybai burial traditions, situating it in a contact zone between populations with differing cultural traditions. This context underscores the important role of Eastern Kazakhstan in reconstructing the cultural processes of the Final Bronze Age in the mountain-steppe belt of Eurasia, as well as in understanding the emergence of Scythian–Saka-type cultures.
burial and memorial complex , burial architecture , early Saka period , East Kazakhstan , kereksur , Tarbagatai , Zaisan basin
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Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
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