Idea #605 – Exploring the Scythian Necropolis of Besshatyr in Kazakhstan
The Besshatyr necropolis is the main ethnographic and archaeological site of the Altyn Emel Nature Park. Besshatyr is a burial place of the former leaders of the Saki Tigrahauda tribes and their entourage. Dating from the middle of the first millennium BC, it consists of 37 mounds with a stone embankment. The largest royal tumulus up to 17 meters high is located in the central part of the necropolis, which covers an area of 2 square kilometers. The interior consists of a wooden burial chamber, which contains mortuary niches. The largest of the mounds has been excavated and its interior restored to the visitors, allowing to dive into the very structure of the tomb, as their designers have done.
In its monumentality and complexity, Besshatyr has no analogues in Central Asia. Besshatyr mounds melt into the environment, adding a special charm, resonating with mystery and enigmas. The large size of the mounds, their original design and the singularity of their ritual-religious structures place Besshatyr on an equal footing with the other largest historical monuments of nomadic culture in Eurasia.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Besshatyr, Kazakhstan
