The iron age kurgans in eastern Kazakhstan

The most common ancient monuments on Kazakh land are kurgans. Even today these artistic structures personify the landscape of steppes and foothills. Due to their structures and the furniture (goods) they contain, the İskit-Saka kurgans found in Eastern Kazakhstan have great importance.Scientists, who researched the Iron Age in the region of Eastern Kazakhstan, proved that the İskit-Saka culture is separated into three periods. Scientists accept the 6th - 8th centuries B.C as the end of the Bronze Age and as the beginning of the (Early) Iron Age. Because in the past centuries it was the first kurgans to be found in the Mayemir nest, the first period of İskit-Sakat culture was named the Mayemir period. Then follow the ?Berel? period which starts from the 5th - 4th century B.C and then lastly the ?Kulacurgin? period which dates back to the 3rd - 1st century B.C. Containing important information belonging to three cultures, İskit-Sakan tribe history, earthy and spiritual culture, belonging to the surroundings of these cultures, the kurgans found along the Irtysh riverside, Kalba, and at the Narın slopes, as well as in the Altay Tarbagatay slopes, and finally the ?Şilikti? valley is no coincidence. In this study, in addition to being monuments in our time characterizing the İskit-Sakan culture between the Altay and Tarbagatay mountains, and their architectural features, the kurgans have also been assessed with small finds from their contexts in archaeological point of view.Key Words1.Eastern Kazakhstan2.Iron Age3.Irtysh River4.Kurgan5.İskit-Saka