Boralday (archaeological site)

Boralday (Kazakh: Боралдай) is a kurgan necropolis in Almaty, Kazakhstan, dating to the early Iron Age and associated with the Saka people.[1] Located on the southeastern outskirts of the village of Boralday, the site comprises 47 burial mounds spread over 430 hectares on the left bank of the Bolshaya Almatinka River.

The site was discovered in 1990[2] and was declared a protected monument in 2010. There are plans to turn the site into a museum.[3][4]

Necropolis

The necropolis comprises 430 hectares, and includes 47 mounds of the Saka period from the 5th to the 3rd centuries BC. The necropolis is located in chains in the South-North and South-West-North-East. The burial ground is 3 km long and 800 meters wide. The height of the largest mound, which is located in the center of the necropolis, is 14 meters, and the diameter is 100 meters. There are also several mounds with a height of 5-6 meters and a diameter of 60-80 meters. Medium-sized mounds have a height of 3 meters and a diameter of 30-40 meters, and the small one have a height of 1-1,5 meters and a diameter of 10-20 meters. The dry climate conditions in the area have preserved and mummified remains, including human remains, clothing, and various objects. A burial area for horses has also been found.

The Tsar and his mother were found in the biggest burial mound (number 11). Researchers believe that the various burial mounds had multiple functions, including astronomical purposes and calendar ceremonies.

References
  1. "Что ждет казахстанский Стоунхендж?". voxpopuli.kz. Retrieved 2017-12-25.
  2. "Открыт новый экскурсионный маршрут в Боралдайские царские курганы". kt.kz. Retrieved 2017-12-25.
  3. "Berel mounds will turn into museum · Publications · "Kazakhstan History" portal". e-history.kz. Retrieved 2017-12-25.
  4. "Сакские курганы в Алматы могут стать аналогом Долины пирамид | Все права защищены". inform.kz. Retrieved 2017-12-25.

Further reading
  • Боралдай Курган
  • Управление культуры г. Алматы. Курганный некрополь (могильник) Боролдай
  • Открытие археологического парка «Боралдайские Сакские Курганы»
  • Энциклопедия Алматы. Боралдай, курганы
  • Постановление Акимата города Алматы от 10 ноября 2010 года N 4/840 «Об утверждении Государственного списка памятников истории и культуры местного значения города Алматы»
  • Решение ХХХI сессии маслихата города Алматы V созыва от 10 сентября 2014 года N 261 «Об утверждении границ охранных зон, зон регулирования застройки и зон охраняемого природного ландшафта объектов историко-культурного наследия города Алматы»

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