Female Burials from Kurgan No. 1 of the Zhaiyk-1 Burial Site in Western Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT The article introduces some materials from kurgan no. 1 of the Zhaiyk-1 burial site, researched in the 2019 field season. Excavations were conducted in connection with planning for the opening of the “Zhaiyk Fortified Settlement” museum. The kurgan is situated at the entrance to the territory of the future open-air museum. Due to active anthropogenic impact, the mound was in a critical state. The central part of the kurgan had been taken down by heavy equipment; destruction was documented in the western half. The entire surface of the mound has been dug extensively by burrowing animals. Fourteen burials were studied as a result of archeological research. The mound is surrounded by a ring-shaped ditch with a marked entrance on the southern side. Buried to the west of the central grave were women in five complexes, and on the eastern side men, in seven complexes. The material obtained was deposited over several centuries: from the fifth–fourth through the fourth–third centuries BCE. This article emphasizes the female burials, since they are better preserved. Analysis of this and other factors permits us to arrive at conclusions about the significance of the role of women in ancient society.