Early Medieval Memorial Enclosures in Semirechye: new data

Abstract

This article for the first time reproduces and comprehensively interprets the data of excavated memorial enclosures of the early Middle Ages on the territory of Semirechye – southeastern part of Kazakhstan. Two memorial complexes of Karakystak 18 and Ulken Kakpak essentially complement the corpus of similar excavated monuments of Semirechye. The analysis of both constructive features of the memorial monuments and accompanying inventory is undertaken. Finds of ceramic fragments from three different vessels near the enclosure No. 2 of Ulken Kakpak may indicate intentional damage of vessels after the memorial ritual in honor of the deceased. Using the comparative study with similar archaeological objects from the territory of Sayan-Altai and Mongolia we assume the dating of these memorial enclosures in Semirechye in 8th–10th centuries. The authors concluded that the memorial enclosures on the territory of Semirechye have a much smaller variety of constructive features than similar objects in South Siberia and Central Asia. The memorial complexes in Karakystak and Ulken Kakpak could have been created both by the Turks of the "ten arrow’s" Western Turkic Qaghanate and more probably by the Turgesh or Karluks.

Keywords

• archaeology
• memorial enclosure
• early middle ages
• semirechye
• fragments of pottery
• turkic-speaking nomads
• tribal identity