Sep 07, 2023 12:30:00

The body of a Bronze Age girl buried with a large amount of ``animal foot bones'' is discovered

An archaeological team from Kazakhstan's Alfarabi Kazakhstan State University and the UK's Oxford University unearthed the remains of a young girl who was buried with 180 animal foot bones at an excavation site in

the Zaysan district of East Kazakhstan. . The remains were buried during the Bronze Age, and in addition to animal bones, various grave goods such as bronze discs and mirrors were found.

Kazakh, Cambridge Archaeological Expedition Finds Burial Mound - The Astana Times
https://astanatimes.com/2023/08/kazakh-cambridge-archaeological-expedition-finds-burial-mound/

Bronze Age girl buried with more than 150 animal ankle bones, potentially to help her to the next world | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/bronze-age-girl-buried-with-more-than-150-animal-ankle-bones-potentially-to-help-her-to-the-next-world

Since 2017, an archaeological team from Al-Farabi Kazakhstan National University and the University of Oxford has been excavating burial mounds and ancient settlements at the excavation site Ainabulak-Temirsu in eastern Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Science and Higher Education reported on August 2, 2023 that an archaeological team's excavations discovered a girl buried in the Bronze Age. Although the research team has not been able to determine the girl's identity, the fact that she was buried with a rich collection of grave goods suggests that the girl's social class was in the Bronze Age communities that lasted from 3200 B.C. to 1000 B.C. in Central Asia. It seems that it was expensive.

Rinat Zhumatayev , an archaeologist at Al-Farabi Kazakhstan State University and head of the excavation team, said in an email to Live Science, ``The girl was buried bent over to the left. She had small wire earrings and beads around her neck.' Radiocarbon dating revealed that the girl was between 12 and 15 years old at the time of burial.

A unique feature of the bodies excavated this time was that they were buried together with 180 'animal ankle bones.' These bones are believed to be of sheep or cows, and are thought to have had ritual significance.

Until now, ancient bodies buried with large amounts of animal bones have been found in Central Asia, but this time the bodies are particularly large and luxurious. Some researchers believe that the foot bones were buried as part of a 'ritual practice' and were used for meditation. However, other researchers say that bones are considered to be ``symbols of happiness and good fortune,'' and Zhumatayev said bones are used to ``pray for a successful transition from one world (this life) to another.'' He says it may have been buried.

In addition to animal leg bones, the girl's grave goods included a wide variety of items, including a cow's shoulder blade, a metal sword handle, a mirror, and a bronze bowl. Of particular interest to archaeologists is a bronze disc with a frog design engraved in its center. This is the first time such an object has been found in Kazakhstan, and Zhumatayev said, ``Since ancient times, the image of a frog has had various meanings among many ethnic groups. It is associated with water worship and water worship... However, further research is needed (to determine its true meaning).'

Also, in August 2023, a ``step pyramid with a hexagonal base'' was also excavated in the Abay area north of the current excavation site.

Archaeologists Discover Bronze Age Step Pyramid in the Abai Region - The Astana Times
https://astanatimes.com/2023/08/archaeologists-discover-bronze-age-step-pyramid-in-the-abai-region/