Ancient Face Carving Found During Routine Fire Patrol in Kazakhstan
Modern Kazakhstan has a rich history shaped by various cultures, khanates, and empires. During a routine fire patrol about 200 miles northwest of the capital city, Astana, a discovery was made of a nearly foot-long face carving in a granite boulder. Experts believe the carving may have origins dating back to the ancient Bronze Age or medieval Turkish cultures.
The region now known as Kazakhstan has been shaped by diverse cultures throughout history, from the Srubna, Afanasevo, and Andronovo cultures in the Bronze Age to the Dark Age Huns, medieval Turks, and various Khans. After being under the rule of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan gained independence in the 1990s.
The discovery of the face carving was made by two employees of the district fire service, Nursultan Ashkenov and Akhmet Zaripov, while patrolling the Sandyktau region. The face, measuring approximately 10.5 inches in length and 8 inches in width, is believed to be part of a ritual complex based on its appearance.
Archaeologists are working to determine the age and cultural significance of the carving, which bears resemblance to iconography found in Bronze Age sites across Central Asia and Western Europe, as well as Iron Age sites in southern Siberia and medieval Turkish cultures. This discovery adds to a series of recent findings in Kazakhstan, including artifacts from the Pavlodar and Karaganda regions that shed light on the country’s ancient past.
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