Contribution of Kazakh scientist Alkey Margulan to the Historical Science of Kazakhstan

In the article, the author examines the activities of Kazakh scientist, archaeologist, orientalist, historian, literary critic, art critic, and academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, Alkey Khakanovich Margulan, and his contribution to the development of historical culture of Kazakhstan. The author comprehensively explores his scientific activity in Southern Kazakhstan and focuses on his contribution and new scientific discoveries on the territory of the Kazakh land. Alkey Khakanovich Margulan began his career in the field of science at a time when the ideological press was pressuring many scientists. The article considers the change of perspective from the study of Kazakh folk folklore to the study of monuments of material culture and ancient art, as well as his activities as a researcher at the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, taking part in the creation of a scientific publication “The History of the Kazakh SSR (from ancient times to the present day)”. He made a great contribution to the development of archeology on the territory of Kazakhstan in the difficult post-war years. The author separately examines the activities of academician Alkey Margulan as the founder of archeology in Kazakhstan, as well as the influence of Stalinist repression and ideological pressure on the work of the academician. Special attention is paid to his study of the folk epic, and the influence on the future fate associated with the study of archaeology. The article uses documents of the central archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan, including the Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, periodical press materials, scientific papers. The author studied the sources and historiography of the problem devoted to the topic under study.