Saka kurgans in the Eleke Sazy valley on Tarbagatai: funeral rite, isotope analysis results and new data on radiocarbon dating
Zhumatayev R. Zharylgassynova B. Yergabylov A. Shakenov S.
30 June 2025Margulan Institute of Archaeology
Kazakhstan Archeology
2025#2025Issue 2272 - 303 pp.
The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of 16 ordinary burial mounds from the Eleke Sazy-2 and Eleke Sazy-4 cemeteries in the Tarbagatai region, dated to the Early Iron Age. Reconnaissance and survey work recorded 170 burial mounds at Eleke Sazy-2 and 56 at Eleke Sazy-4. Each site also contains several elite kurgans. Two types of funerary structures were identified during the investigation. The majority of the graves are simple earth-cut burials, while in two cases, the deceased were interred in stone cists. All burials are aligned along an east–west axis, with the individuals laid to rest with their heads facing west. The burials were accompanied by a wide range of grave goods, including ritual objects, horse harness elements, ornaments, and other items. Both the surface structures and internal features of the mounds, as well as the associated material assemblages, find numerous parallels among the archaeological remains of the Early Nomads of Eastern Kazakhstan. Analysis of burial practices and material culture, supplemented by radiocarbon dating, indicates that the examined sites belong to both the early Saka period (7th–5th centuries BC) and the late Saka period (4th–2nd centuries BC). To reconstruct dietary patterns, stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen was conducted. The results demonstrate a significant contribution of C4 plants to the diet, indicating regular consumption of millet-based food.
East Kazakhstan , Eleke sazy , food system , funeral rite , kurgan , Saka Era , Tarbagatai
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Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
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