ASTANA – Archaeologists and students from Pavlodar-based Margulan University have uncovered two bronze daggers that may belong to Saka nomads, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education reported on July 16.
Photo credit: Margulan University Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The discovery was made in the Bayanaul district of the Pavlodar Region during a summer field school. The rare artifacts were found at the Saka burial mounds near the shores of Lake Toraigyr.
According to Yelena Tusheva, a chief curator of archaeological collections at the Margulan University, the daggers were cast using ancient techniques from local bronze but stylistically belong to the Early Iron Age.
Photo credit: Margulan University
“This confirms that the region had developed metallurgical technologies and stable cultural ties,” Tusheva noted.
In addition to the weapons, archaeologists uncovered remains of representatives of the Tasmola culture. Biological analysis revealed the sex, age, and physical characteristics of the individuals buried there. Deeper excavation layers revealed an even older burial site dating back to the Andronovo period.
Margulan University, named after a prominent Kazakh archaeologist Alkey Margulan, has been conducting archaeological research in the Bayanaul area for over ten years. Today, it oversees and ensures the preservation of Bayanaul’s key archaeological sites.
