#ENUscience: ENU hosted an international conference “Bozok in Medieval Eurasian Urban Spaces”

On the eve of the 25^th anniversary of the capital, on July 5, 2023, the L.N. Gumilyov ENU opened a two-day International Scientific and Practical Conference “Bozok in Medieval Eurasian Urban Spaces”. Scientists-archaeologists of Kazakhstan, far abroad and CIS countries attended the conference.

Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the L.N. Gumilyov ENU Serik Makysh congratulated the participants on the 25th anniversary of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

“Astana’s ancient history has been reconstructed by the materials of the archaeological monument of the Bozok settlement. The ancient settlement Bozok was discovered by the great Kazakh scientist archaeologist Kemal Akishev and for 15 years was being studied by the archaeological expedition of the Eurasian National University.

Bozok settlement existed in the VII–XV centuries on the site of modern Astana. Bozok is a historical fact justifying the selectivity of the center of the Kazakh steppes as a special geostrategic and geopolitical space of the Kazakh statehood.

Today we will hear reports reflecting the modern approach to the interpretation of the history of the Kazakh Khanate and methodological issues of creating a new concept of the national history of Kazakhstan. In its writing, great importance is given to archaeological sources reflecting the historical processes of the pre-industrial era,” the scientist said.

Maral Khabdulina, Director of the K.A.Akishev Research Institute of Archaeology at the L.N. Gumilyov ENU told about the history and role of the large-scale archaeological monument in her speech.

“25 years ago, the medieval settlement Bozok was discovered and became the brand of the young capital. The archaeological site confirms the deep historical roots of this territory, its attractiveness for settlement. The ancient settlement Bozok was founded by the ancient Turks 1,200 years ago in a strategically convenient space of the upper Ishim, in a place where there converge a bundle of migration and caravan routes.

It is interesting that this place retained its appeal for more than 8 centuries from the VII to the XV centuries,” the scientist said.

The scientist connected the history of the discovery, the beginning of the study of Bozok with the biography of the famous scientist, truly famous archaeologist, called the “Legend of Eurasian Archaeology” Kemal Akishev. According to the archaeologist, his knowledge, experience and scientific authority became the basis of the historical interpretation of its functional purpose which is largely unusual in terms of determining, treating it as a special kind of sedentary monument of the nomadic environment.

Associate Professor of ENU Archeology and Ethnology Department Maral Khabdulina focused on the fact that the study of Bozok settlement has been conducted by the L.N. Gumilyov ENU archaeological expedition continuously for 16 field seasons.

Scientific Secretary of the Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Bozok” Ainagul Sabitkyzy noted that today “Bozok” settlement belongs to the most widely studied archaeological monument in the steppe zone of Eurasia.

“Research in Bozok settlement has been carried out for 15 years. We can say that today the works of archaeologists are being introduced into production, because in 2018 the Bozok Museum-Reserve was opened. Today, the reserve begins construction of a large open-air museum. Now the museum’s fences are being built and these are two large medieval portals. Reconstruction of the settlement is planned in the future. Today’s conference is the result of a 25-year study of Bozok settlement,” candidate of historical sciences said.

 Daniyar Tleugabulov, senior researcher at the K.A. Akishev Research Institute of Archaeology, stressed that Bozok settlement is a unique medieval monument located on the territory of Astana.

“It was discovered in 1998 by the famous Kazakh archaeologist Kemal Akishev.  Since then, for 15 years, the ENU expedition has been excavating this monument. As a result, it was established that the place where our capital is located was an important strategic and geopolitical center in the Middle Ages. There were cult memorial complexes, residential settlements and subsequently a huge necropolis.

This monument has increased the history of our capital by more than 1,200 years. Starting from the 7th century AD, here on the territory of Astana, the ancient Turks created a cult center that existed for about 1,000 years.

All the results of the research of the settlement are reflected in the creation of the historical and cultural complex of the Bozok Museum Reserve. This is a large-scale project for our country and the Eurasian continent, since not only the materials of the study of Bozok settlement, but also monuments of all eras that existed on the territory of Kazakhstan and steppe Eurasia will be presented here. This museum will not only be a place of exposition, but also a scientific center,” the scientist shared.

Within the framework of the conference, the famous scientist-historian Nurlan Kenzheakhmet presented his monograph “European-Chinese Imperial Maps and Gazetteers Related to the Kazakh Khanate and Its Adjacent Regions from the XVI to the XIX Centuries”.

This monograph reflects important milestones in the history of Western and Chinese cartography of the Kazakh Khanate. The aim is to re-evaluate maps of Europe, Russia and China of the XVI and XIX centuries representing the Kazakh Khanate, using archival and historical, etymological, comparative and linguistic methods to study geographical images of Central Asia created by Western and Chinese geographers. In particular, this project explores the toponyms of Central Asia (including Western Siberia) and the Kazakh steppe on Qing maps, imperial dictionaries, maps made in Europe and Russia.

The conference participants discussed the formation of urban culture in the steppe space of Eurasia on the example of the study of the medieval settlement Bozok, including the problems of forming a new concept of national history, issues of historical geography, preservation and museumisation of archaeological heritage and prospects for the development of archaeological science in Kazakhstan.