of the Kazakh SSR who rendered great support.
One of the objects of the Southern-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition was the Otrar oasis. The result of the works made by the Southern-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition was the research, cartographic works and the chronology of the great group of the ancient town sites and settlements in the Otrar oasis, upon the Northern slopes of Karatau, in the valley of Syrdaria. The systematic planning and detailed study of the oasis and its hydrotechnical erections was undertaken by the Otrar archeological expedition under the leadership of K.A.Akishev. During the 40 years there were studied the sites of the former cities Otyrar, Kuiryktobe, Kokmardan, Altyntobe and others (headed by academician Baipakov K.M.).
Of high importance not only for the archeology of the early nomads of Kazakhstan and the whole Great belt of the steppes of Eurasia but for the whole studies of the culture of the nomads was the discovery by K.A.Akishev and B.Nurmukhanbetov of the burial ground not plundered by the black illegal archeologists at the kurgan Issyk, the finds from which subsequently were used for the creation of the state symbols of Independent Kazakhstan. The unique artifacts of jewelry art being a testimony of the high level of development of the ancient nomads were discovered accidentally in 1988 in the Kegen district of the Almaty region – Zhalauly.
In the first years of Independent Kazakhstan there on the territory of the new state the archaeologists could continue the works: from 1992 there operated the Kazakh-Russian expedition, which carried out the joint works on the territory of Russia and Kazaqkhstan within the framework of the programme «The Paleo-ecology of ancient man and the initial mastering of the Eurasian continent». From 1995 up to 2000 there by the expedition together with the International Kazakh-Turkish university after Kh.A.Yassaui and the Kazakh state national university after al-Farabi was implemented the project named «The Paleolithic period of the arid zone of Kazakhstan: the periodicity and chronology», the result of which was the discovery of new sites pertaining to the early, middle and late stages of the Paleolithic peiod, the new data obtained which characterize the processes of peopling by ancient man of the territory of Central Asia in Pleistocene. There in 1993 worked the Kazakh-French expedition for the studying of the rock paintings of Kazakhstan with the participation of specialists from the Institute of archaeology, the Institute «Kazproektrestavratsiya», the National center of scientific researches of France. The main task of the expedition was the preparation of materials of the Corps of petroglyphs of Kazakhstan.
There in 1997-1999 in Eastern Kazakhstan worked the international expedition with the participation of the workers from the archaeological mission of France in Central Asia and the scientific-research centre of Italy named Ligabue. The main task of the expedition was the studying of the monuments of ancient nomads of Kazakhstani Altai, the result of which was the opening of the kurgan of the representative of the nomadic elite with the lens of permafrost (Berel), the studying of the kurgans of the early-Scythian epoch (Meiemer) (headed by the doctor of science (history) Samashev Z.S.).
Good results were achieved by the Kazakh-American expedition, the main purpose of which was the elucidation of the processes of evolution from settlement to urbanization in the Talgar region which embraced the period from the Scythians to the middle ages.
The largest expeditions that worked in the last years, embraced the territory of the whole of Kazakhstan: the Semirechye complex archaeological expedition (K.A. Akishev), the Southern-Kazakhstani complex archaeological expedition (K.M. Baipakov), the Central-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition (Zh.K. Kurmankulov), the Kazakhstani newly-built archaeological expedition (L.B. Erzakovich), the Western-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition (Z. Samashev), the Northern-Kazakhstani (M.K. Khabdulina), the Eastern-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition (Z. Samashev), the Turkestani archaeological expedition (E.A. Smagulov), the Saryarka archaeological expedition (A.Z. Beisenov), the Register of archaeological monuments of Kazakhstan (V.A.Groshev), the Merke archaeological expedition (A.M. Dosymbayeva), the Almaty newly-built archaeological expedition (B. Nurmukhanbetov). In the 1990-s there by the endeavors of these expeditions were embraced 115 archeological monuments.
Essential Vocabulary
Tasks:
1. Read the text «The expeditions of the Institute of archaeology after A.Kh.Margulan». Write and memorize unknown words and word combinations.
2. Translate the text into Russian.
Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of places did the first Kazakhstani expedition led by scientist A.Kh.Margulan detect and investigate?
2. Who played the greatest role in the research of Zhezhazgan?
3. What was one of the objects of the Southern-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition?
4. When were the unique artifacts of jewelry art in Kegen district of the Almaty region discovered?
5. How many archeological monuments were embraced by the endeavors of expeditions in the 1990 in Kazakhstan?
TAMGALY-TAS
Tamgaly-Tas is located near the river Ili in 120 km. to the North from Almaty on the way to Bakanas.
Tamgaly-Tas is translated from Kazakh «stones with signs» or «images (petroglyphs) on the stones», and in public they are more known as «written rocks». On the right shore of the river Ili there about 1000 of different rock paintings that date from the late Middle Ages. They are petroglyphs , images of idols, Buddhist notes, among which the most interesting paintings are three Buddhist idols. Under the drawings the sacred text in Sanskrit, dating from the XII century is carved: «Om mane padmehum» («snow jewel in the lotus» or «Blessed be the born from a lotus»). The inscriptions on the rocks are on the Tibetan and Kalmyk languages.
There is a legend that in X century, when one of the Buddhist missions stopped on the river bank Ili during the march to Semirechye, there was an earthquake and a large rock piece fell on the earth. This incident was considered as a sign of necessary return to India. They cut three images of Buddha on the rock piece. One can see other pictures of Buddha on the adjoining rocks.
According to another legend the inscriptions were written by the Kalmyks in «todorkhoy nomyn bichig» («clear literary script»), that was created by Zaya Pandita Ogtorguyna in 1648 and was used more than three centuries by the Mongols, who carved the images of Buddha.
The Issyk kurgan, in south-eastern Kazakhstan, less than 20 km east from the Talgar alluvial fan, near Issyk, is a burial mound discovered in 1969. It has a height of six meters and a circumference of sixty meters. It is dated to the 4th or 3rd century BC. A notable item is a silver cup bearing an inscription. The finds are on display in Astana.
Essential Vocabulary
Tasks:
1. Read the text «Tamgaly-Tas». Write and memorize unknown words and word combinations.
2. Translate the text into Russian.
Answer the following questions:
1. Where is Tamgaly-Tas located?
2. What does Tamgaly-tas mean?
3. What languages are used on the rocks?
4. When was the Issyk Kurgan discovered?
5. What finding has become a symbol of modern Kazakhstan?
GOLDEN
