Archaeological Sites in Kazakhstan
Araltobe Kurgan
The Araltobe kurgan is a Sarmatian burial mound near Araltobe in the Atyrau region of northwestern Kazakhstan, dated to the 3rd-2nd century BC. Excavated in 1999 by archaeologist Zainulla Samashev,…
Begash
Begash is a Bronze Age archaeological site (c. 3000–1500 BC) in the Koksu River valley of historic Zhetysu, southeastern Kazakhstan. Located in piedmont steppes above the Zhalgyzagash River, it was…
Berel Kurgan
The Berel kurgan site is an elite Saka burial complex in the Bukhtarma River Valley of the Altai Mountains in eastern Kazakhstan, dating to the 5th-3rd centuries BC. Over 20 burial mounds have been…
Besshatyr Burial Ground
A sacred necropolis of the Saka tribes dating to the 6th-4th centuries BC, located in the Ili River valley within Altyn-Emel National Park, Almaty region. The complex spans about 2 sq km and contains…
Boralday Archaeological Site
Boralday is a kurgan necropolis in Almaty, Kazakhstan, dating to the early Iron Age (5th–3rd c. BC) and associated with the Saka people [1]. Located on the southeastern outskirts of the village of…
Eleke Sazy
Eleke Sazy is an archaeological site in eastern Kazakhstan featuring numerous 6th-4th century BCE Early Saka kurgans (burial mounds). In 2020, excavations in the Eleke Sazy Valley uncovered multiple…
Issyk Kurgan
The Issyk kurgan is a burial mound in south-eastern Kazakhstan, discovered in 1969 near the village of Issyk, less than 20 km east of the Talgar alluvial fan[1]. The mound stands 6 meters tall with a…
Krasnyi Yar, Kazakhstan
Krasnyi Yar is an Eneolithic settlement of the Botai culture (3700-3100 BC) in north-central Kazakhstan, with 54 pit houses. The site provides key evidence for early horse management: corrals…
Otrar
Otrar (also called Farab) was a historic Silk Road city in southern Kazakhstan. Located at a crucial crossroads connecting China, Europe, the Middle East, Siberia and the Urals, it served as a vital…
Petroglyphs of Arpa-Uzen
The Petroglyphs of Arpa-Uzen are located in the Karatau mountain range of southern Kazakhstan, on ancient migration routes at a piedmont winter pasture at 800 metres elevation. The site contains over…
Petrovka Settlement
The Petrovka fortified settlement is the namesake of the Sintashta-Petrovka culture, located on the Ishim River in Zhambyl District, North Kazakhstan Region. Dating to approximately 2000-1700 BC, the…
Shilikty
An Early Saka burial complex in the Shilikty Valley of eastern Kazakhstan's Altai Mountains, featuring numerous 8th-6th century BC kurgans. Carbon-14 dating refines the chronology to 730-690 BC,…
Steppe Geoglyphs
The Steppe Geoglyphs are over 260 massive earth constructions in the Turgai Trough of northern Kazakhstan, discovered in 2007 by Dmitriy Dey using Google Earth satellite imagery. The figures include…
Taksai Kurgans
The Taksai Kurgans are a series of Saka or Sauromatian burial mounds in the Terekti District of northwestern Kazakhstan, dated to c. 500 BC. The undisturbed Taksai-1 kurgan, discovered in 2012,…
Talapty Settlement
The Talapty Settlement lies on the right bank of the Koksu River in the Zhetysu (Dzungar) Alatau range of Kazakhstan, spanning between canyons 8 and 10. Discovered in 1982 and excavated under…
Turkistan - City
Turkistan (formerly Yasi) is an ancient city in southern Kazakhstan on the Silk Road, near the Syr Darya river. Its most prominent monument is the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World…