Analysis of Structural Elements of Medieval Mausoleums and Burials Nearby the Historical and Cultural Complex of Jochi

Authors

  • Nikolay N. Ilderyakov A. Kh. Margulan Archaeology Institute. 22 Abai Avenue, Astana, 010000 Kazakhstan
  • Arman A. Umarhodjiev Archaeological Expedition LLP Kabanbai Batyr str., Valikhanov str., 69/94, office 329. Almaty, Medeu district, 050010, Republic of Kazakhstan
  • Sergei A. Yarygin A. Kh. Margulan Archaeology Institute. 22 Abai Avenue, Astana, 010000 Kazakhstan
  • Zhaksylyk M. Sabitov Scientific Institute for the Study of the Jochi Ulus Turkistan street, house 2, n.p. 6., Astana, 010000, Repub-lic of Kazakhstan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.5.59.72

Keywords:

archaeology, Central Kazakhstan, Ulytau, Golden Horde, mausoleum of Jochi, early Islamic burials

Abstract

This paper deals with the results of a two-year archaeological study of a group of medieval mausoleums located 0,9 km northeast of the Jochi mausoleum on the left bank of the Kara-Kengir River. The materials of six mausoleums belonging to a single group and eleven burials were involved in the publication and analysis of structural elements. These findings date to the period when Islam was spreading throughout Central Kazakhstan; despite the absence of accompaniments, they reveal a diverse range of structural elements, building materials and their combinations. Options for the reconstruction of partially or completely destroyed structural elements have been proposed following the analysis of the materials. The dimensions of raw and burned bricks, as well as the options for laying in layers, have been traced. The elements of decorative and processed terracotta products have been presented. A statistical analysis of the identified structural components is provided in tabular form.

References

Vasiliev, D. V. 2007. Islam v Zolotoi Orde: Istoriko-arkheologicheskoe issledovanie (Islam in the Golden Horde: Historical-Archaeological Research). Astrakhan: “Astrakhanskii universitet” Publishing House (in Russian).

Vasiliev, D. V. 2009. Islamizatsiya i pogrebal'nye obryady v Zolotoy Orde (arkheologo-statisticheskoe issledovanie (Islamization and Burial Rites in the Golden Horde: Archaeological and Statistical Research). Astrakhan: “Astrakhanskii universitet” Publishing House (in Russian).

Gerasimov, G. G. 1957. Pamyatniki arkhitektury doliny reki Karakengir v Tsentral'nom Kazakhstane (Monuments of the Architecture of the Karakegir Valley in Central Kazakhstan). Alma-Ata: Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR (in Russian).

Zilivinskaya, E. D. 2024. In Zolotoordynskoe obozrenie (Golden Horde Review) 12 (1), 91–124 (in Russian).

Ivanov, V. A., Kriger, V. A. 1988. Kurgany kypchakskogo vremeni na Yuzhnom Urale (XII–XIV vv.). (Kypchak Barrows in the Southern Urals (12th –14th cc.). Moscow: “Nauka” Publ. (in Russian).

Kasenalі, A. E., Esen, S. G., Iskakov, A. Sh. 2022. Vestnik Karagandinskogo universiteta. Seriya «Istoriya. Filosofiya» (Bulletin of the Karaganda University. History. Philosophy Series) 106 (2), 85–96 (in Kazakh).

Margulan, A. Kh. 1947. In Vestnik AN KazSSR (Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR) (7), 17–22 (in Russian).

Mys'kov, E. P. 2003. In Skripkin, A. S. (ed.). Nizhnevolzhskii arkheologicheskii vestnik (Lower Volga Archaeological Bulletin) 6. Volgograd: Volgograd State University, 216–235 (in Russian).

Partina, A. S. 2001. Arkhitekturnye terminy: Illyustrirovannyy slovar'. Izd. Stereotipnoe (Architectural terms: an illustrated dictionary). Moscow: “Stroiizdat” Publ. (in Russian).

Poleshchuk, A. A. 1903. Kurs stroitel'nogo iskusstva v svyazi s raschetami ustoychivosti i prochnosti chastey sooruzheniy. V desyati chastyakh. Chast' IV-ya. Kamennye steny i svody (The course in structural art in relation to the calculations of stability and strength of structural components. In ten parts. Part IV. Stone walls and vaults). Saint Petersburg: “Parovaya Skoropechatnaya P.O. Yablonskogo. Leshtukov, № 13” Publ. (in Russian).

Rakushin, A. I. 1993. In Yudin, A. I., Zakharikov, A. P., Matyukhin, A. D. (eds.). Arkheologicheskie vesti (Archaeological News) 1. Saratov: Saratov State University, 170–175 (in Russian).

Smailov, Zh. E. 2015. Pamyatniki arkheologii zapadnoy Saryarki (Srednevekovye gorodishcha i poseleniya) (Monuments of archaeology of Western Saryark (medieval settlements and settlements)).Karaganda: “Tengri ltd” Publ. (in Russian).

Turekulov, T., Turekulova, N. 1998. In Kumbez (Kumbez) 1 (3), 6–9 (in Russian).

Usmanova, E. R., Zhumashev, R. M., Dzhumabekov, Zh. A., Antonov, M. A., Kasparov, A. R. 2019. In Usmanova, E. R. (ed. in chief.). Znak Timura na sopke Altynshoky (Hallmark of Tamerlane at Altynshoky). Karaganda: “Ltd Tengri” Publ., 93–123 (in Russian).

Fedorov-Davydov, G. A. 1966. Kochevniki Vostochnoi Evropy pod vlast’iu zolotoordynskikh khanov: Arkheologicheskie pamiatniki (East-European Nomads under the Golden Horde’s Khans: Archaeological Sites). Moscow: Moscow State University (in Russian).

Khorosh, E. Kh. 2009. In Zhanaev, B. T. (ed.). Nauchnye chteniya pamyati N. E. Masanova (Scientific Readings in memory of N.E. Masanov). Almaty: “Daik-Press” Publ., 101–109 (in Russian).

Panyushkina, I., Usmanova, E., Uskenbay, K., Kozha, M., Dzhumabekov, D., Akhatov, G., Jull, A. 2022. In Radiocarbon. 64(2), 323–331.

Downloads

Published

2026-10-31

How to Cite

Ilderyakov , N. N., Umarhodjiev , A. A., Yarygin, S. A., & Sabitov , Z. M. (2026). Analysis of Structural Elements of Medieval Mausoleums and Burials Nearby the Historical and Cultural Complex of Jochi. Arkheologiia Evraziiskikh Stepei (Archaeology of the Eurasian Steppes), (5), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.5.59.72

Issue

No. 5 (2026)

Section

Research and Publication

License

Copyright (c) 2026 N.N. Ilderyakov, A.A. Umarhodjiev, S.A. Yarygin, Zh.M. Sabitov

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.