Research in the Turgai region

The expedition of the Turgai Regional Museum and the Regional Children's Excursion and Tourist Station excavated the Neolithic site Matrosov I on the left bank of the Tersakkan River. Two excavations unearthed 200 sq. m. The collection is represented by flint inventory. There are very few knife-like plates and products made from them. Almost all tools are made of flakes. Many bilaterally processed tools, primarily fragments of spearheads (darts?). Two intact arrowheads were found on both sides: one petiolate, triangular in shape, the other almond-shaped, with a deep recess at the base.

Two more locations were discovered: on the left bank of the Tersakkan, 0.4 km from the state farm upstream of the river, and on the right bank opposite the village, at the crossing over the river. Significant lifting material was collected at the corner. Flakes and tools from them predominate. There are few bilaterally processed tools. The single arrowhead has a subtriangular shape and a notch at the base. Ceramic is missing.

The Bronze Age settlement was discovered on the territory of the Koktau pioneer camp. It is located on the first floodplain terrace of the left bank of the river. Ashchitasty, at the place where the nameless river flows into it. Most of the collected pottery is unornamented.

Of great interest is the "flat iron" found by the geologist A. Bragin in the cliff of the Uly-Zhilanshik river and transferred to the museum. In addition to the transverse groove on the back, on the belly of the “flat iron” there is a one-sided mold for casting an adze, and on one of the ends there is an image of a human head. Facial features are rendered by a combination of low and high relief. The most probable dating of the “ironing” is the Bronze Age.