Bestamak, the burial ground
Located in the northern part of the Torgay deflection at the source of the river Ubagan, the right tributary of the Tobol (Auliekol district, Kostanay region). The burial ground is located near the settlement of the same name, which was studied during several field seasons by the expedition of the Kostanay Pedagogical Institute under the leadership of V.N. Logvin (1980-1983) and the Torgay Archeological Expedition under the leadership of A.V. Logvin (2002).
The research on Bestamak was conducted by the Torgay archeological expedition led by V.N. Logvin, S.S. Kaliyeva, A.V. Logvin, I.V. Shevnina during 11 field seasons. For the whole period of excavation more than 9 000 m2 were discovered, 183 grave pits and ritual constructions were studied. The burial site near Bestamak settlement is the first and so far the only monument on the territory of Kazakhstan, the materials of which date from the Eneolithic to the Middle Ages inclusive. Most of the burials and altars of the necropolis date back to the II millennium BC, i.e. to the Bronze Age.
Eneolithic burials. The burials of the Eneolithic Age are not numerous (12), but due to the fact that such burials are very rare in Kazakhstan, they are of great scientific interest. Grave pits were constructed in rectangular, oval or round shapes. Dead tribesmen were buried on their backs or in a sitting position. The body of the dead was abundantly sprinkled with ochre. Among the findings were stone arrowheads, knives, scrapers, plates, punctures and handicrafts in the form of "boots". Jewelry is represented by pendants made of animal bones, stone and shells, as well as amber beads.
Burials of the Bronze Age (II millennium BC). More than 70% of Bestamak's graves date back to the Sintashty era. Ditches were recorded around some of the tombs. Among the burials, solitary ones prevail, there are many paired burials and one joint burials, where three individuals rested. These are mostly adult burials. Single burials of men and women do not differ from each other. In all paired burials of different sexes, women rest on the right side, facing the man. A characteristic feature of the Bestamak burial ground is the considerable labour and time spent by the community members in performing the funeral rite. This reflects the large size of the burial pits (up to 4 m long, 3.5 m wide and 3.35 m deep), a significant number of sacrificial animals, and rich accompanying equipment. Wood was used to cover the walls of the funerary chambers and to build the ceilings. The graves contain sacrificial animals. At the feet of the buried animal the skull and bones of sheep, calf, ram and dog's extremities are often marked. In most graves, entire horse bones were found, usually placed on the ceiling of the burial chamber. Most of the dead were laid to the bottom of the burial chamber in a slightly curved position on the left side, usually with their heads to the west or northwest. Vessels were necessarily placed in the grave at the head of the buried person, and sometimes in the legs. Often, needles, knives, etc. were found in the vessels. Bone psalms were placed in the legs or behind the back of the buried person, axes and knives were sometimes found on the wrists of hands.
To all appearances, stratification in the Sintashty time community of Bestamak has already gone quite far. This follows at least from the fact that we are dealing with a large variety of burials. For example, those buried in grave No. 5, which obviously left the Bestamak burial ground at some stage of its existence, played a leading role in it and, apparently, occupied the highest level in the social hierarchy (or had the right to do so). Here the remains of three horses were found, located along the three walls of the cell in a standing position (at one horse's back limbs were separated from the femur bones and placed in front of the forward). A man and woman were buried in the burial site in pairs. The man was buried on the left side and the woman on the right side. There are eight vessels in the headboard. The man died at the age of 18-22 years. The wrist of his right hand covers the wrist of the left hand of the woman. Next to the left hand there is a perfectly executed stone cross-shaped mace, and at the base of the wrist of the same hand there is a big flat plaque. In the area of the neck there were paste beads, a bronze knife was found in a standing vessel. Elements of the woman's accompanying complex are represented by weapons and tools (axe-body, 10 flint arrowheads, knife, etc.), as well as numerous decorations made of metal, including noble, bone and semiprecious stones (turquoise, chalcedony). Among them: a bracelet, a pendant in 1,5 turns, a necklace, a plaque, low bronze beads, which, obviously, could be decorated with leather boots.
Another unusual burial is the burial of a man in pit No. 140. The burial is ringed by a moat with a diameter of 17 m. The pit had a wooden ceiling on which two horses were placed, facing west. The horses were laid along the northern and southern walls. A 35-40-year-old man was buried in a rectangular grave, where the walls were also covered with wood. He was on the left side, head to the west. The subject emphasizing the elite status of the buried man is the mace. It is made of limestone. The burial revealed a large number of findings of bronze. Among them are an axe-body, a bushing chisel, a lobe-bearing bushing axe, a sickle, beads, a hook, a paper clip, a chisel tool. Preliminary analysis of bronze objects demonstrates a careful attitude to them. They often have remnants of handles, braids and covers. The ceramic products are represented by four vessels. The outer surface of the smallest vessel was painted with ochre, while the neck was marked with low paste beads. There were objects made of stone and bone.
Most impressive is the fact that 26 objects made of stone, bronze, clay and bone were found in the filling of the grave at a certain depth, approximately 20 cm. These are arrowheads (stone), chisel-shaped tools, punctures, a paper clip, a needle, a sickle, a knife, an openwork pendant, an iron ball, two pieces of azurite, a strahl with a drilled hole, as well as fragments of ceramics, of which the vessel and a rounded "dish" with drilled holes are reconstructed. Besides, there are two spots in the grave, perhaps the remains of the cart wheels (combat chariot?). Apparently, these numerous objects appeared in the grave during a complex funeral and memorial ritual. It is difficult for an archeologist to answer the question about the role of the buried person in society. However, the objects of material culture that have come down to us in the form of silent witnesses of the ancient epochs, allow us to assume that this rite is not an indicator of the simple status of the buried person.
Burials of Alakol and Fyodorov cultures. Burials of Alakol and Fyodorov cultures constitute the smallest group of burials of the necropolis and, unfortunately, are severely disturbed. Only ornamented ceramic vessels have been recorded among the inventory.
Burials of the final bronze (end of II millennia BC). Two ways of handling the dead - cremation and inhumation - were recorded in the study of final bronze burials. Funeral equipment is scarce, mainly represented by ceramic vessels and flint tips. The vessels are flat-bottomed and ornamented. Almost all of them have an ornamented roller on the neck of the vessel. According to the rite and inventory, the burial data are attributed to the Sargara-Alexeyev culture.
Burials of the Early Iron Age (I millennium BC). The epoch of the early Iron Age at the burial ground is represented by the burials of Sarmatian culture, a characteristic feature of which is a pronounced military equipment: iron swords, quiver with bronze arrows.
Medieval burials are non-conventional and of the same type. The dead were placed on their backs, in an elongated position, in narrow oval pits, sometimes buried from above with branches. The head buried are oriented to NNW and W.
The study of the Bestamak necropolis showed that it functioned during a long period of time - from the Eneolithic to the Middle Ages, which gives us a unique opportunity to study the peculiarities of the funeral rite of different archaeological periods in a particular area. The received material clearly indicates that for a long time, numbering more than one millennium (Eneolithic - Middle Ages), this territory was firmly associated with the population living here as a sacred place, a sanctuary.
It is a monument of archeology. The object of tourism.