ASTANA – There is something satisfying about wandering through the cool and silent museum halls, but behind the scenes there is an equally interesting noise, bustle, and distinctive scent of ongoing work. What different types of roles are available within museums? The Astana Times is bringing together three museum professionals from various fields, who offered an insight into their career paths, and the joys and difficulties of the work behind the stillness of museum walls.
Behind silent museum halls, there is equally interesting work done by professionals who bring the ancient artifacts to life. Photo credit: National Museum of Kazakhstan/nmrk.kz
As summer approaches, the museum season is heating up. The National Museum of Kazakhstan is doing a great job of pulling in the crowds with its diverse expositions across 11 halls, representing the country’s history from medieval times to independent Kazakhstan.
An anthropologist’s story
Tamila Kasymkhanova graduated with a degree in biology and was exploring career options when, drawn by the connection between the fields, she applied for an anthropologist position at the National Museum. Now, two years later, standing next to medieval bones as a young specialist, she said she made the right choice.
Anthropologist Tamila Kasymkhanova (R) says bones can reveal far more than meets the eye, offering clues about how people lived, the challenges they faced, and the diseases they endured. Photo credit: Aida Dosbergenova/The Astana Times
“My main job is to study post-archaeological excavation skeletons, identify diseases, pathologies and variations, and provide information about how people lived at that time,” said Kasymkhanova.
Before us laid a collection of bones from the early Iron Age, donated to the museum by renowned Kazakh anthropologist Orazak Smagulov. The remains were excavated from the Zevakinsky burial ground.
“Here are the bones of a young child. How can we see it? The vertebrae in the spine are not fully fused. Their fusion occurs between the ages of 18 and 25. Then the spine of an adult has no bumps, that area is a flat surface. This happens when a person walks, lifts heavy objects – there is a lot of stress, so the vertebrae rub against each other,” said Kasymkhanova.
Recalling the most remarkable discovery she has studied, she remembers the remains of a woman from medieval times who died while pregnant.
The spinal cords of a teenager from the early Iron Age. Photo credit: Aida Dosbergenova/The Astana Times
“These remains date back to the medieval period and are remarkably well preserved. They belonged to a woman who was carrying a 6–7-month-old fetus. The fetal cartilage was extremely delicate, and many of the baby’s bones had not yet fully formed. There were no complete vertebral bodies—only the lower part—and the skull was still in the early stages of development,” said Kasymkhanova.
Beyond revealing how ancient people lived and worked, her work also helps uncover the health conditions they faced. By analyzing skeletal remains, she can identify traces of diseases that affected past populations. In one case, she examined bones that showed clear signs of cancer
“There’s a possible sign of cancer here—but even if it’s not, these are the last lumbar vertebrae, which normally support each other like the arms of an octopus. The three vertebrae may have been damaged by trauma. However, based on this abnormal growth, cancer is a strong possibility,” said Kasymkhanova.
“The individual’s posture suggests a severe forward bend, and while there are other indicators, this is the most striking one. If it is cancer, it has likely spread. For instance, here on the fibula, you can see a noticeable bump—whereas the same bone on the other side shows no such growth,” she added.
An archaeologist’s story
Daniyar Duisenbai is an archaeologist with over 15 years of experience. At the National Museum, he heads the laboratory of the Cultural Heritage Research Institute.
In the hands of archaeologist Daniyar Duisenbai the ancient artifacts, including pottery, start to take shape. Photo credit: Aida Dosbergenova/The Astana Times
With a mix of artifacts, old weapons, and dishes, his working site provides much insight into the archaeologist’s work. His primary focus is on early Iron Age settlements, marked by the flourishing of Saka-era communities in the now central Kazakhstan territory.
“According to a more Eurocentric perspective—which still prevails at times—the Sakas are often described as purely nomadic, with claims that they had no permanent dwellings and didn’t live in stone or thatched houses. However, our scientific research demonstrates that they were a local population with a semi-nomadic, semi-sedentary lifestyle. In addition to archaeological excavations, we conduct interdisciplinary studies to support this view,” said Duisenbai.
An early Iron Age dagger made of iron and steel with animal print. Photo credit: Aida Dosbergenova/The Astana Times
In his hands, the ancient artifacts, including pottery, start to take shape. But before that, they are carefully drawn to capture every detail.
“What’s most important in archaeology? It is accurately drawing the object—creating a detailed illustration. For example, this is an early Iron Age dagger made of iron and steel, discovered in central Kazakhstan. If you look at it, the animal style motifs aren’t clearly visible in a photo. That’s why we rely on drawings to capture the details. We have a dedicated artist for this. As you can see here, the two animal heads are facing each other,” said Duisenbai, pointing to the objects before him.
A restorer’s story
Restorers work, for the most part, alone in quiet laboratories, with beatiful and valuable objects for company, but they are also the guards of the longevity and integrity of pieces that carry deep meaning for the nation, be it a painting or a piece of textile.
In the eyes of Kuralai Tolegenova each object that undergoes restoration remains a wondrous thing. Photo credit: Aida Dosbergenova/The Astana Times
For Kuralai Tolegenova, art restorer of the National Museum, restoration is a powerful tool that brings back the immense historical, artistic and cultural significance of the objects in the museum. Workers combine deep artistic knowledge, scientific techniques, and meticulous craftsmanship to ensure each artifact retains its original character while preventing further deterioration.
One of the innate difficulties of restoring the artifacts is not to overdo it, according to Tolegenova.
“We bring it to the exhibitional view. But in most cases, we don’t alter the ancient works, which are often of archaeological value. We simply reconstruct their original appearance,” she said.
Out of the many encounters with museum objects, Tolegenova finds it impossible to choose a favorite or say which was the most difficult to restore. In her eyes, each object that undergoes restoration remains a wondrous thing.
“In restoration, we don’t pick and choose what to discard or repair. If an artifact is ‘ill,’ we can’t resist the urge to restore it—we’re drawn to it instinctively. That’s just who we are,” she said.
