A team of archaeologists from the Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology has discovered a relief of a human face sculpted into a granite block and an impressive stele in the Zerenda district, located in the Akmola region of Kazakhstan.

The discovery was initially reported by Mendibay Kopobayev, the director of the local museum in the village of Balkashino. He informed archaeologists S.A. Yarygin and S.K. Sakenov about the existence of a human relief on a granite rock near the dam known as Kabaniy Klyuch. Upon receiving this information, the archaeologists, accompanied by Askerek Zhamantayevich Tulebayev, traveled to the site to investigate the phenomenon.

Upon arriving at the location, the archaeologists confirmed the existence of an intricate relief and a fallen stele on the ground. The sculpted face features striking characteristics: large eyes, a straight and prominent nose, broad lips, and an inclined forehead. This relief is situated at the top of a small rocky formation oriented toward the west-southwest, with approximate dimensions of 27 × 21 centimeters.

Archaeologists studying the relief
Archaeologists studying the relief. Credit: Akmola Region’s Department of Emergency Situations

Next to the relief is a stele more than two meters tall and approximately one meter wide. On one of its faces, at what appears to be a faintly pronounced head, there is a worn image of a deer with large, branching antlers. This detail is particularly relevant, as deer are a recurring motif in the ancient art of the region, which could suggest a connection to the ritual practices of the civilizations that inhabited the area.

The discovery is considered an important example of the megalithic monuments of the Kokshetau elevation, indicating a high degree of cultural and artistic development of its creators. Archaeologists believe that the relief and stele were part of a complex intended for the performance of ritual practices, whose meaning and purpose remain a mystery. The precise dating of these objects will be key to better understanding their historical and cultural context.

The megalithic monuments of Kokshetau are known for their complexity and symbolism, often related to shamanic rituals and religious practices of antiquity. The location of the relief and the orientation of the stele suggest that they may have served for astronomical observations or as part of ceremonies related to ancestor worship.

Detail of the relief
Detail of the relief. Credit: Margulan Archaeological Institute

The team from the A.Kh. Margulan Institute plans to carry out additional excavations in the area to uncover other possible elements of the ritual complex.

SOURCES

Margulan Archaeological Institute

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