Necropolis of ancient Sakas and Scythians

Currently, the rich southern capital is picturesquely spread out on this territory, but earlier this land belonged to the legendary tribes of Saks and Scythians. In this corner of the fertile Semirechie, the center of their spiritual and cultural life was located. These places were visited by famous leaders from all over the Great Steppe, Siberia, Altai and the Black Sea. Here, the Saki buried their leaders and batyrs with honors. That is how the Boralday mounds appeared.

Why specifically mounds?

For the Saka, kurgan, or mound, was like a model of the universe, combining together the upper, heavenly and lower worlds. On the tops of such kurgans, the priests conducted their rituals to worship the supreme deity of the sky Tengri, who was represented as the sun or the winged horse Tulpar (eastern brother of the Greek Pegasus). By the way, this is why Tulpars became a national symbol, reflected on the emblem of our country.

Fight for the legacy

The first amazing discoveries were made in 1956 by archaeologist Ageeva, but, unfortunately, they were not paid due attention neither in the Soviet era nor during the times of independent Kazakhstan. In the 70s of the last century, this area was still used for agriculture, and only in 2006, the territory of the mounds was officially recognized as belongings of the Almaty Museum.

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