Some Aspects of the Study of Turkic Period Archaeological Sites (Mongolia and Altai)

Authors

  • Nurbolat Bogenbayev International Turkic Academy. Astana, Kazakhstan
  • Salavat K. Kentbek Karaganda University named after academician E.A. Buketov. Karaganda, Kazakhstan
  • Talgat Moldabay L.N.Gumilev Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan)
  • Nurtas B. Smagulov Karaganda University named after academician E.A. Buketov. Karaganda, Kazakhstan
  • Aidyn Zhalmyrza L.N.Gumilev Eurasian National University. Astana, Kazakhstan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2025.4.187.198

Keywords:

archaeology, ancient Turks, culture, ethnology, barrows, fences, ritual complex, stone statue

Abstract

The article examines the material and spiritual culture of the ancient Turks, based on archaeological monuments such as stone statues, ritual fences, barrows, petroglyphs, and ethnographic data dating back to the era of the Turkic Khaganate. The authors conducted a scientific analysis of ritual complexes and structural components erected for the ruling khagans of the Ashina dynasty in the Mongolian steppes, at the centre of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. They provide explanations regarding archaeological artifacts found in Turkic barrows, including pottery, weapons, coins, and clothing. Additionally, the article characterizes the iconographic and stylistic features of stone statues and explores their social and cultural aspects. The research also covers the Nomgon-2 and Shiveet Ulaan ritual complexes, which were excavated by one of the authors.

Author Biographies

Nurbolat Bogenbayev , International Turkic Academy. Astana, Kazakhstan

PhD

Salavat K. Kentbek , Karaganda University named after academician E.A. Buketov. Karaganda, Kazakhstan

Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor 

Talgat Moldabay , L.N.Gumilev Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan)

PhD., Associate Professor

References

Albaum, L. I. 1975. Zhivopis' Afrasiaba (Afrasiab Painting). Tashkent: “Fan” Publ. (in Russian).

Bayar, D., Amartyvshin, Ch., Enkhtor, A., Gerelbadrakh, Z. 2003. In Studia Archaeologica. T. (1) XXI, Fasc. 8, 75–83 (in Mongolian).

Bichurin, N. Ya. 1950. Sobranie svedeniy o narodakh, obitavshikh v Sredney Azii v drevnie vremena (The collection of information about the peoples who lived in Central Asia in ancient times). Moscow-Leningrad: Academy of Sciences of the USSR (in Russian).

Voitov, V. E. 1996. Drevnetiurkskii panteon i model' mirozdaniia v kul'tovopominal'nykh pamiatnikakh Mongolii VI–VIII vv. (Antient Turkic Panteon and Model of the Universe in Cult and Memorial Monuments of Mongolia of the 6th – 8th Centuries). Moscow: The State Museum of Oriental Art (in Russian).

Grach, V. A. 1892. In Konopatskii, A. K., Khudyakov, Yu. S. (eds.). Arkheologiia Severnoi Azii (Archaeology of Northern Asia). Novosibirsk: “Nauka” Publ., 156–168 (in Russian).

Grichan, Yu. V., Plotnikov, Yu.A. 1999. In Mit'ko, O. A. (ed.). Evraziia: kul'turnoe nasledie drevnikh tsivilizatsii (Eurasia: Cultural Heritage of Ancient Civilizations) 2. Novosibirsk: Novosibirsk State University, 76–77 (in Russian).

Gumilev, L. N. 1994. Kөne tүrіkter (Ancient Turks). Almaty: “Bilim” Publ. (in Kazakh).

Dosymbaeva, A. M. 2007. Batys Tүrіk қaғanaty. Қazaқ dalasynyң mәdeni mұrasy (Western Turkish kaganate. Cultural heritage of the Kazakh steppe). Almaty: “Turki murasy” Publ. (in Kazakh).

Evtyukhova, L. A. 1952. In Kiselev, S. V. (ed.). Materialy i issledovaniya po arkheologii Sibiri (Materials and research on the archaeology of Siberia). Series: Materialy i issledovaniia po arkheologii SSSR (Materials and Research in the USSR Archaeology) 24. Moscow: USSR Academy of Sciences, 72–120 (in Russian).

Iderkhangai, T.-O. 2017. Tyurkskie ogradki Mongol'skogo Altaya: sistematizatsiya, khronologiya i interpretatsiya (Turkic fences of the Mongolian Altai: systematization, chronology and interpretation). Diss. of Candidate of Historical Sciences. Barnaul (in Russian).

Okladnikov, A. P. (ed.). 1968. Istoriya Sibiri s drevneyshikh vremen do nashikh dney (History of Siberia from ancient times to the present day) vol. 1. Leningrad: “Nauka” Publ. (in Russian).

Kiselev, S. V. 1951. Drevniaia istoriia Iuzhnoi Sibiri (Ancient history of Southern Siberia). Moscow: Academy of Sciences of the USSR (in Russian).

Kliashtornyi, S. G., Savinov, D. G. 2005. Stepnye imperii drevney Evrazii (The Empires of the Steppes of Ancient Eurasia). St.-Petersburg: St. Petersburg State University (in Russian).

Kubarev, V. D. 1984. Drevnetiurkskie izvaianiia Altaya (Ancient Turkic Statues of Altai). Novosibirsk: “Nauka” Publ. (in Russian).

Kubarev, G. 2008. Altay tүrіkterіnің zherleu eskertkіshterі. VI-VIII ғasyrlar Evraziyadaғy tүrіk mұrasy (ғylymi-tanymdyқ al'bom) (Burial monuments of Altai Turks. Turkish heritage in Eurasia of the VI-VIII centuries (scientific and educational album)). Astana: “Kultegin” Publ. (in Kazakh).

Kydyrali, D., Enkhtur, A., Bazylkhan, N., Bogenbaev, N., Buyankhishig, Ts., Batbold, G. 2023. In Povolzhskaya arkheologiya (Volga River Region Archaeology) 43 (1), 234–247 (in Russian).

Kozybaev, M. K. (ed. in chief). Қazaқstan tarikhy (kөne zamannan bүgіnge deyіn) (History of Kazakhstan (from ancient times to the present)) 1. Almaty: “Atamura” Publ. (in Kazakh).

Kydyrali, D. 2018. Shiveet ulaan kөne tүrіk ғұryptyқ keshenі. Arkheologiyalyқ zertteudің fotoal'bomy (Shiveet Ulaan ancient Turkish ritual complex. Photo album of archaeological research). Astana: “Gylym” Publ. (in Kazakh).

Kydyrali, D., Babayar, G. 2015. Tүrkі Mәңgі tasy: Shiveet-ulaan taңbaly eskertkіshі (Eternal stone: monument to shiveet-Ulaan tamgaly). Astana (in Kazakh).

Malyavkin, A. G. 1989. Tanskie khroniki o gosudarstvakh Tsentral'noy Azii: Teksty i issledovaniya (The Tang chronicles of the Central Asian Ssates: texts and research). Novosibirsk: “Nauka” Publ. (in Russian).

Nechaeva, L. G. 1966. In Potapov, L. P. (ed.). Trudy Tuvinskoy kompleksnoy arkheologo-etnograficheskoy ekspeditsii (Proceedings of the Tuva Integrated Archaeological and Ethnographic Expedition) 2. Moscow; Leningrad: “Nauka” Publ., 108–142 (in Russian).

Ovchinnikova, B.B. 1990. Tiurkskie drevnosti Saiano-Altaya v VI–X vv. (Turkic Antiquities of the Sayano-Altai in the 6th –10th centuries). Sverdlovsk: Ural State University (in Russian).

Shasina, N. P. (ed.). 1957. Puteshestvie v vostochnye strany Plano Karpini i Rubruka (The Journey of Plano Carpini and William of Rubruk to the Eastern Parts). Moscow: “Geografgiz” Publ. (in Russian).

Savinov, D. G. 1984. Narody Yuzhnoi Sibiri v drevnetyurkskuyu epokhu (Peoples of Southern Siberia in the Ancient Turkic Period). Leningrad: LSU Publ. (in Russian).

Sūnğatai, S., Ejenhanūly, B. 2005. Tarikhi-mәdeni zhәdіgerler (Historical and cultural relics). Series: Qazaqstan tarihy turaly qytai derektemelerı (Details of China on the history of Kazakhstan) 2. Almaty: “Dasik-Press” Publ. (in Kazakh).

Tishkin, A. A. 2006. Altay v epokhu pozdney drevnosti, rannego i razvitogo srednevekov'ya (kul'turno-khronologicheskie kontseptsii i etnokul'turnaya istoriya) (Altai in the era of late antiquity, early and high Middle Ages (cultural and chronological concepts and ethnocultural history)). Thesis of Diss of Candidate of Historical Sciences. Barnaul (in Russian).

Tishkin, A. A., Gorbunov, V. V. 2002. In Soenov, V. I. (ed.). Drevnosti Altaia. Izvestiia laboratorii arkheologii (Antiquities of the Altai. Bulletin of the Laboratory of Archaeology) 9. Gorno-Altaisk: Gorno-Altaisk State University Publ., 82−91 (in Russian).

Troitskaya, T. N., Novikov, A. V. 1998. Verkhneobskaya kul'tura v Novosibirskom Priob'e (Verkhneobskaya culture in the Novosibirsk Ob region). Novosibirsk: Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (in Russian).

Bogenbayev, N., Calmirza, A. 2014. In Milli Folklor. 2014, (103), 69–79 (in English).

Kydyrali D., Enhtur A., Bazylhan N., Buianhişig S., Batbold G. 2023. In Kazakhstan arkheologiyasy (Archaeology of Kazakhstan) 19 (1), 68–83 (in English).

Published

2025-08-30

How to Cite

Bogenbayev , N., Kentbek , S. K., Moldabay , T., Smagulov , N. B., & Zhalmyrza , A. (2025). Some Aspects of the Study of Turkic Period Archaeological Sites (Mongolia and Altai) . Arkheologiia Evraziiskikh Stepei (Archaeology of the Eurasian Steppes), (4), 187–198. https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2025.4.187.198

Issue

Section

Research and Publication