Saryarka

The author analyzes the history of the recent period of studying the medieval stone statues of Saryarka (the Kazakh Uplands) from the early 1990s until now. Field surveys were mainly conducted by a research team led by Zh.K. Kurmankulov. During this period, a number of summarizing and special papers have been published (L.N. Ermolenko, Zh.K. Kurmankulov). L.N. Ermolenko developed an iconographic classification of medieval statues, systematized their attributes, and identified types of the Kipchak “sanctuaries”. The researcher suggested the reconstruction of the semantics of the Turkic complex “statue – fence – balbals” and the Kipchak “sanctuaries” with statues. In her works, she proves the originality of Western Turkic statues, raises questions about the landscape context of medieval sites including statues, the impact of natural factors on the preservation of statue’s original position, discusses the issue of the original appearance of statues, etc. Based on the analysis of the current state of knowledge about Saryarka stone statues, the author of the paper formulates the main objectives of further research: the study of structures with statues using the excavation method, redocumentation of statues using the state of modern methods, equipment and computer technologies, conducting petrographic studies, creating an electronic database, etc."

In the monograph, on the basis of the study of two geographical areas of the northern Saryarka, the Ishim valley of the Akmola Region and the Tengiz-Korgalzhyn lake district, characteristics, features, and mechanism of landscape sacralization are described and investigated. Moreover, the role of cult memorials in the historical, cultural, and ethnic processes of ancient and medieval periods is shown. The excavation of the large burial mound of Kuigenzhar, dated to the early Saka time, and the Kazakh seasonal settlement of Sarkyram are here presented. The monograph redraws the route of the 1816 expedition of I.P. Shangin along the northern Saryarka, as well as the Muslim graveyard of Karaotkel, an important historical site in the center of Nur-sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, is presented. One chapter of the monograph is devoted to the large-scale exploration work of the Kazakh-Italian expedition: new sites and monuments along the Silyt, Ishim, and Nura rivers are described and provided with photos and maps.
The publication is addressed to historians, archaeologists, ethnographers, university students, and everyone who is interested in Kazakhstan's historical and cultural heritage.