Research in the Karaganda region

The expedition of the Karaganda University explored three burial grounds and two settlements of the Bronze Age on the territory of the Taldy forestry in the Karaganda region. The settlement and burial ground Dongal are located on the left, Enbek-Suigush, Akimbek and the settlement Domalaktas are located on the right bank of a mountain river in the Kyzylkent tract, on a 2 km long site.

In the Dongal burial ground, an excavation (880 sq. m) uncovered 24 structures: stone boxes measuring 2.4-1.2 * 0.8-0.7 m, enclosed in fences made of stone slabs laid flat in one layer. In three cases, the fences looked like low walls made of two or three layers of slabs, fastened with a solution of loam, which was prepared here, in oval pits near the walls. These burial structures can be considered as a prototype of the classical Begazy-Dandybai mausoleums. Fragments of Begazy-Dandybai ceramics, a bronze bushing and a plaque were found in the plundered graves.

Excavations continued at the Enbek-Suigush Begazy-Dandybai burial ground, where four enclosures with boxes were unearthed, and fragments of eight vessels were found.

At the Dongal settlement, an excavation (280 sq. m.) revealed the remains of a dwelling with a pit rounded in plan with an area of ​​70 sq. m. m and a depth of 0.3-0.4 m. The walls of the structure were made of stone. The entrance was a corridor-shaped ledge on stone slabs placed on edge. In the center of the pit, there was a hearth lined with stone slabs around the perimeter and a utility pit. At the bottom of the pit, 19 pillar pits were cleared. The finds include numerous fragments of "roller" ceramics of the Final Bronze Age, stone disc-shaped tools, fragments of pestles, a fragment of a bronze knife, and animal bones.

Six out of 15 mounds were excavated in the Akimbek burial ground. The diameter of the earth embankments is 3-13 m, the height is 0.2-0.4 m. Under the embankments there are ring-fences made of stone slabs dug on edge with a stone box in the center, oriented along the southwest-northeast line. The graves were destroyed, but judging by the children's burials (four) in small stone boxes, the dead were laid on their right side in a crouched position. The inventory is represented by fragments of ceramics ornamented with hatched triangles, flutes, meander, zigzag, made mainly with a small-comb stamp (some vessels had a polished surface), bronze and paste beads, threads, two gilded clips, a bronze plaque. The burial ground is interesting due to the peculiar combination of the Alakul burial rite and Fedorovo ceramics in appearance.

At the settlement of Domalaktas, 216 sq. m and traced the remains of a dwelling with an area of ​​about 70 sq. m with stone walls. In the filling of the dwelling, “roller” ceramics were collected, which is similar to the late Cherkaskul (?), stone hoes, a fragment of a clay whorl, flint arrowheads, and animal bones.

In the zone of flooding of the reservoir on the Ashchysu river (right bank) in the Ulyanovsk region, protection excavations of the Tashik settlement have begun. The cultural layer of the site contains pottery from the Developed and Late Bronze Ages. Here, the Late Bronze Age dwelling with double-shell masonry walls was partially unearthed.