Great Silk Road. The collection contains by unique items imported from China, Iran, India, Khwarizm. This is a piece of copper Iranian dishes, two cups of Chinese porcelain bowls, pieces of Chinese silk, and mirrors.
XIV-XV century develops a new architectural style. The progress of construction machinery in the XIV and XV century, especially found its expression in the improvement of arched-dome system, and the emergence of new coating materials, which is reflected in the architecture of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi in Turkestan. The material culture of this period are presented by glazed ceramics, tiles of the Khoja Ahmed Yassawi mausoleum in Turkestan.
Moreover, along the routes of the Silk Road spread different religions and beliefs: Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Manichaeism, Islam and Christianity (Nestorian). In the collection there are the gravestones of stones with inscriptions in Arabic, ancient Indian (Sanskrit) languages, Kairak with a cross and the Turko-Syrian epitaphs. The existence of Zoroastrianism indicates clay ossuaries from the city of Taraz.
Essential Vocabulary
Tasks:
1. Read the text «Archaeological collection». Write and memorize unknown words and word combinations.
2. Translate the text into Russian.
Answer the following questions:
1. What artifacts represent the Copper Age?
2. How many artifacts of Bronze Age were collected?
3. What was the iconic symbol of the ideology of Saka?
4. What played the great role for the development of urban culture?
5. What kind of religions and beliefs were spread along the routes of the Silk Road?
SAIRAM’S TREASURE
In the city Sairam archaeologists found a sensational find 2 treasures of the medieval period.
During excavations in the residential area were made unique finds. Jug with silver coins in the amount of 2600 pieces was hidden at the bottom of the old tandoor. Pre-dating the coins XIII-XVI centuries.
This discovery of the treasure is the first major discovery of silver coins in the history of archeology of Kazakhstan and covers the period of monetary relations in Kazakhstan – by Amir Timur to Kasymkhan inclusive.
Previously, archaeologists made only sporadic discoveries of this kind. Undoubtedly, gold items (bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants, plaques, small bars, and others.) are unique and have great artistic value.
Urjar «Princess»
The startling discovery was found by archaeologists in Kazakhstan Urjar district of East Kazakhstan region in one of the mounds.
Research work carried out by the Institute of Archaeology O.H. Margulan. Under the bulk of the mound in a stone sarcophagus under the massive granite slabs, at a depth of 1.70 m were the remains of a young woman of noble birth. If found buried ceramic and wooden vessels and the bones of the sacrificial animal – sheep. On the bones of a human skeleton remains of woven garments of blue and green. At the head of the buried are found gold earrings and stone altar – an indispensable attribute of female burials of the time.
The most valuable is a pointed gold headdress, ornate floral patterns and zoomorphic ornament. Headdress also has arrow-shaped pommel, decorated with spirals of gold wire. The lower part of the product has been decorated with ancient fluted zergers pendants. In form and ornamentation embodiment, a finding reminiscent of folk Kazakh women's hats and saukele Borik. These hats are supposed to be the ceremonial costume accessory Saks Kazakhstan. A similar discovery in Kazakhstan is known only in the famous Issyk barrow, belonging to the same time as the burial Urjar area. Urjar «princess» pre-dated to 4-3 centuries BC
Essential Vocabulary
Tasks:
1. Read the texts «Sairam’s Treasure» and «Urjar Princess». Write and memorize unknown words and word combinations.
2. Translate the text into Russian.
Answer the following questions:
1. Where did archaeologists find sensational treasures of the medieval period?
2. What period does the first major discovery of silver coins cover?
3. Where was the Saks «princess» found?
4. What was an indispensable attribute of female burials?
5. What hat is supposed to be the ceremonial costume accessory of Saks people?
SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF KAZAKHSTAN ARCHAEOLOGY
The development of archaeology in Kazakhstan began with a number of exceptional orientalists and historians. These outstanding scholars were representatives of the progressive Russian intelligentsia and included V.V. Bartold, V.V. Radlov, P.I. Lerkh, Ch. Valikhanov.
Together they made a valuable contribution to the history and culture of the Kazakh people. A well-known cultural worker, V.V. Stasov stated that the archaeological old relics and monuments of Kazakhstan are of no less interest than the classical old relics of Rome. «The old city near Dzhankent (ruins on the Syr-Darya riversides near Kazalinsk) is our Pompey», – he wrote in one of his works.
The role of scientists from Moscow and Leningrad were great in the formation of the archaeological science during the Soviet period (S.P. Tolstov, A.N. Bernshtam, M.P. Griaznov, S.S. Chernicov, S.S. Sorokin, O.O. Krivtsova-Gracova, L.R. Kyzlasov) but independent study was also carried out in Kazakhstan.
A department of archaeology was first established in 1946 as an independent scientific branch of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh Soviet Republic. This branch was a department of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography named after Ch. Valikhanov. A. Kh. Margulan was the founder of this department. He led the first archaeological expedition in Central Kazakhstan. From 1955 till 1989 the department of archaeology was directed by K.A. Akishev who made a valuable contribution to the formation and development of the Kazakhstan archaeology.
Between the end of the Word War II and the late 60 a number of big scale expeditions and studies were conducted in the area of the Virgin Land, in the Paleolithic sites of the Karatau mountain, in the Sary-Arka sepulchral sites, in the ancient settlements of the Irtish river areas, Semirerchye and Aral sea region and in the southern towns of Kazakhstan in Taraz, Baba-Ata and other medieval towns. K.A. Akishev, A.G. Maksimova, E.I. Ageeva, G.E. Patsevich, T. N. Senigova, G.A. Kushaev, M.K. Kadirbaev, H.A. Alpisbaev, A.M. Orazbaev, V.E. Sadomskov took an active part in this expeditions and studies.
The next period of archaeological work was marked by the appearance of new departments, laboratories of archaeological technology, branches of medieval archaeology, the museum of archaeology, branches of emergency excavations in site under construction (Novostroechnykh) and the department of encyclopedic records of monuments. In 1989 all of them were united into the Institute of Archaeology within the structure of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography headed today by K.M. Baipakov.
Some chronology about the main excavation:
In 1969 the Issik kurgan (burial mound) was excavated. The findings from this excavation helped to resolve many questions regarding the social and cultural life of the Sakae.
In 1971 important archaeological expedition were led in South Kazakhstan. This started long term large scale excavations in Otrar, Kuyruk-Tobe, Kok-Mardan along with other works at the hills and at the slope of the Karatau mountain (K.A. Akishev, L.B. Erzakovich, K.M. Baipakov, S.M. Akhinzhanov, B.N. Nurmuhanbetov, V.A. Groshev, E.A. Smagulov, S. Zholdasbaev, E.F. Kuznetsova, A.K. Akishev, T.M. Teplovodskaya, R.Z. Buranasheva, U.A. Motov).
In the 70-90 years Saka memorials were investigated as well as memorials of