Rare 9th-10th Century Kyrgyz Burial Site Discovered in Altai

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare Kyrgyz burial site dating back to the 9th-10th centuries in Russia's Altai region. The discovery, made in the Balchikova-3 tract of the Charyshsky district, is significant due to the use of cremation, an uncommon burial rite for the period in this area.

The find is considered a rare archaeological object, offering new insights into the history of settlement and development of the Altai territory. During the same field season, archaeologists also discovered objects from the Eneolithic era, approximately 5,000 years old.

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The monument belongs to the category of rare archaeological objects of this period in the Altai territory.

This current field season also involves the study of a "tsar" burial mound from the Pazyryk culture of the Scythian era, measuring about 15 meters in diameter. Nearby, a group of later Turkic kurgans from the 7th-9th centuries are also being investigated. Researchers hope to gather new information on the formation and evolution of Turkic culture between Altai and Central Asia.

Sergey Grushin, a professor at Altai State University, explained that scientists are comparing Turkic monuments from different regions to identify commonalities and distinctions, thereby reconstructing historical and cultural processes of the early Middle Ages. Expeditions by the "Big Altai" center are annual, taking place in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, with participation from scientists, students, and volunteers from various Central Asian countries and Russia. Future plans include collaboration with specialists from Uzbekistan.

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Scientists are comparing Turkic monuments from different regions, identifying their common and distinctive features, and reconstructing the historical and cultural processes of the early Middle Ages.