Golden Horde Burials on the Territory of the City and the Necropolis of Bytygai

Abstract

The paper presents the results of field archaeological research on the territory of the Bytygai settlement, where burials of the period of the Ulus of Jochi were identified. Two burials were revealed by indirect evidence on the surface of the ground, two more burials were found by the method of full uncover of the soil. The absolute age was obtained by radiocarbon dating. The authors used field materials obtained during archaeological studies on the territory of the monument in the 2021–2023 field seasons. The basis for the interpretation was grave structures, descriptions of burial chambers, anthropological material, as well as burial rites. For the first time, materials from the Bytygai settlement and are introduced into scientific discourse. In addition to the traditional methods used in archaeological studies, such as stratigraphy, analogy, interdisciplinary study has been carried out. The results are preliminary, since a comprehensive study of such a complicated archaeological site has not been carried out previously. Bytygai settlement and necropolis have specific features related to the steppe landscape. The structural and architectural objects that form the settlement differ from other cities and settlements of the Golden Horde period in the Volga region, western and southern Kazakhstan.

Keywords

• archaeology
• middle ages
• ulus of jochi
• ancient settlements
• caravanserai
• necropolis
• mausoleum
• burial
• terracotta bricks
• radiocarbon dating