Researches of the Central Kazakhstan complex expedition

The expedition of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR with the participation of the Central Council of the Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, Karaganda University, the Institute of Metallurgy and Enrichment of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, and the Dzhezkazgan Regional Museum of Local Lore continued research in the upper reaches of the Atasu River in the Agadyr district, Dzhezkazgan region on the Bronze Age settlements of Ak-Mustafa (Atasu I), Myrzhyk and on the necropolises of the same name.

At the Ak-Mustafa settlement (excavation of 160 sq. m.), the eastern half of a large oval room with walls and hearths reinforced with stone slabs was explored. Judging by ceramics and other finds, the room belongs to the late period of the Bronze Age. Eight burials were unearthed at the Ak-Mustafa burial ground, with several bronze beads, fragments of bronze plates, and ceramics with Alakul ornaments found.

At the Myrzhyk settlement (excavation P, 324 sq. m), a residential building of a rectangular shape (10х6 m) was investigated. Vertically dug stone slabs support the long walls of the dwelling. Along its perimeter, a groove was traced inside the room - a heating system in places covered with stone slabs. There is a deep pit in the center of the dwelling (depth 2 m). A stone pestle, a bronze awl, fragments of vessels with Alakul ornaments were found in its filling. A hearth with a diameter of 1.6 m and a depth of 0.3 m was found near the pit. From the southeast side, a site with a metallurgical furnace adjoins the dwelling, a cone-shaped pit, the walls of which are plastered with a layer of refractory clay. In the filling of the pit, pieces of copper ore, slags, drops of metal, and fragments of Alakul ceramics were found. Next to the furnace was a dump of copper slag. A large earth mound (14) was unearthed at the Myrzhyk burial ground, under the embankment, a square fence was found, built of several rows of slabs laid flat. The burial made in the cyst (1.65x1.05x1.5 m) was looted. Calcified bones, a bronze needle, and fragments of vessels have been preserved. The floor of the stone cist is lined with stone slabs. The burial should be attributed to the Fedorovo stage of the Bronze Age.

The Paleolithic detachment discovered two Paleolithic and four Neolithic sites. Petroglyphs were also discovered at the Kabai zhartasy tract on the Kyrkymbai River and two groups of burial grounds.