Emily Chan
Archaeologists have uncovered a series of ancient burial mounds known as kurgans in the Ulytau region of central Kazakhstan.
Their excavations resulted in the discovery of a total of 10 kurgans dating back to the Middle Ages. Three of them feature “mustaches,” distinct ridges of stone that create an X pattern across the burial mounds.
According to Zhanbolat Utubaev, the leader of the excavations and an archaeologist at the Margulan Institute of Archaeology, “mustached” kurgans from the Middle Ages are common in Kazakhstan. In central Kazakhstan, more than 400 of them have been discovered.
The mounds range from about 10 to 50 feet in diameter. The stone ridges were likely designed to maintain their structural integrity and prevent them from collapsing over time.
When the archaeological team dug up one of the kurgans that did not have a mustache, they found the remains of a man who was buried with a triangular arrowhead. The cause of his death was unclear, but further research may shed some light on it.
The exact date of the kurgans is also unclear, but they appear to date back to the Middle Ages. The kurgans found in this region were fairly modest and simple compared to the more ornate burial mounds in the surrounding areas, like China and Mongolia.
No elaborate ornaments or grave goods were present in the tombs, which can be put down to the social structure of medieval Kazakhstan.
Wealthier individuals were usually buried in or around major cities like Taraz in southeastern Kazakhstan. The city thrived, as it was a significant hub along the Silk Road between China and Europe.
During the Middle Ages, some people in Kazakhstan were more settled down. Many settled people inhabited the city of Taraz. Meanwhile, others lived a nomadic lifestyle.
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