Kazakhstan - Silk Road

Silk Road on theterritory of Kazakhstan is divided into several main sections (parts). Represented and marked by monuments of history and culture these sections (roads) are original and have distinct features distinguishing them one from each other. Most probably, it was the natural environment and adaptation of human to existence in definite climatic conditions that has shaped the originality of a definite section. It can be affirmed with full confidence that the Silk Road is a phenomenon of unification of diversity of regions with the help of universal system of exchange of human values which was created, developed and maintained by people of different ethnical, linguistic, religious belonging during more than two thousand of years of existence of theSilk Road. Four main sections (roads) on the territory of Kazakhstan are being offered for consideration: Semirechye, Syrdarya, Saryarka and Mangyshlak (Uralo-Prikaspiyskiy). Each of these parts is characterized by its natural- geographical conditions and historical development, including urban with clear influence on process of formation, development and stagnation of historical and cultural monuments, situated in these regions of Silk Road route. These complicated processes of indissoluble connections of culture, natural, historical process, influence with communications show not only means of human adaptation to different kind of climate conditions, but also ways of mutual enrichment by exchange of human values and cultural traditions, which reflected in preserved cultural monuments which in present mark the important human communications. Silk Road Semirechye part first of all is marked by historical and geographical region known as Zhetysu (Semirechye). Diversity of climate zones of the region became a key indicator of geographical landscapes and conditions of agriculture. Diversity of zones, among which are: wormwood-steppe, cereal-steppe, motely grass-steppe, forest or meadow and high-altitude indicates location of directions of the Silk Road, situated on these sections of the monuments, its morphological peculiarities. General route of the following of this artery was as following: from Shasha (Tashkent) road which lead to Turbat, then to Ispidzhab (Sairam, Saryam, “White city” or “Al-medinat al-Baida”), then the road lead to the east direction – to Taraz, then to Dzhamukat, then the road went to Kulan (for Chinese Tszjuj-lan’), then to the East and the cities Mirki and Aspara after which it lead to Issukkul kettle. From Issykkul kettle through Santash pass and Karkary river valley the road run through Ili valley and right bank of Ili river, through Usek and Khorgos, lead to Almalyk. It was possible to reach Ili valley by another way – it stretched out from Kulan, Aspara to the towns of middle and lower reaches of the Chu river, from where the road lead to north slope of Chuili mountains and went down to the north Pribalkhashye; or went through Chu, down and lead to the towns on the north slopes of Karatau. On the territory of Ili valley the Silk road line went though small towns, located on the place of present Kastek, Kaskelen and Almaty and reached Talkhiza (Talgar) town. In Talkhiza the Silk Road forked to south and north. Through Issyk, Turgen, Chilik, the south road lead to Ili pass – through Khorgos to Almalyk. North road from Talkhiza went along Talgar river to Ili pass, which located in Kapchagay water reservoir. After Ili the road lead to Chingeldy, then through Altyn-Emel pass it went down to Koksu valley and reached Iki-Oguz (Equius), located at the place of present Kirovskoye village. From Iki-Oguz the road lead to Kayalyk (Koylak) – capital of Karluk dzhabgu. Further the road went to Tentek valley, and passing Alakol lake, went through Dzhungar gates and came to Shikho valley. Ili valley connected to the Central Kazakhstan by the road, which went along the north slopes of the Chuili mountains, then along Chu in its lower reaches and then – to the banks of Sarysu. One more important path was from the north Ili line in Chingildy region and through Koktal and Boyauly passes – in Pribalkhashye, then – along Ortasu channel (Ili river), where there are residues of Karamergen, Aktam and Agashayak towns, to Balkhash shore, then on Uzun-Aral peninsula, which almost connect south and north shores of the lake, leaving strait in width more than 8 km. Here in the cape, there were found rests of the town, the biggest part of which was floud. Probably the caravans passed wade the strait and went to outfall of Tokrau river and then along its banks went to Ulutau foothills. Syrdarya part is marked by well preserved rests of cultural landscapes of oasises and towns saved in conditions of present steppe, desert an semi-desert area and adjusted to big water arteries (Chu, Syrdarya, Arys, Bugun). In western direction from Ispidzhab caravan road lead to Arsubaniket on Arys river, to Otrar (Farab), and then down Syrdarya- in Priaralye. On Syrdarya part the biggest towns were Otrar (Farab) and town of Otrar oasis, Yassy (Turkestan), Shavgar, Sauran, Sygnak, towns of Dzhetyasar oasis, Dzhent, Dzhankent, Khuvara. From Dzhankent the road went to north-eastern side, came to the banks of Beleuty river and lead to Kounrada, Karasakpay region. Saryarka part laid on the territory of the “Great Steppe” of the Central Kazakhstan – Desht-I Kypchak. Monuments of this region bent for many small rivers, Ulytau foothills, banks of Ishim, Nura, Sarysu, Irtysh. Sarysu path lead to the Central Kazakhstan: from Otrar through Shavgar and Turgay pass on Aksumbe, it went to the lower Sarysu and up along the river to Ulytau, and from there to Ishim along Irtysh. The shorter pathwent through Suzak to the Lower reaches of the Chu, and from there – through Betpak-Dala desert – to Dzhezkazgan region. One more road “Khanzhol” was used till present time: it was from Taraz down along Talas through Muyunkum and Betpak-Dala sands to the banks of Atasu river. According to the data of Tamim ibn Bakhra and al-Idrisi, there was a trade path to Kimaks in Irtysh from Taraz through Adakhkes and Dekh Nujikes towns. Ili valley connected with the Central Kazakhstan by the road which went along north slopes of Chu-Ilii mountains, then along Chu river in its lower reaches to the Sarysu banks, and also northern Ili route, described above. From northern Ili road, which lead to Djungar gates, there was a direction, rounded Alakol from western side and through Tarbagatay lead to Irtysh – to the land of kimaks state with the Bandzhar, Khanaush, Astur, Sisan and “capital” of khakan. On Ishim river these roads lead to Bozok town then lead to the north and west. Mangyshlak (Uralo-Prikaspiyskiy) part of the Silk Road, located along eastern bank of the Caspian sea, situated in essential natural landscape of deserts and semi-deserts, differentiated by wide diversity of its natural complex and extremal climatic and natural conditions. Population of these regions was a conglomerate of nomad and cattle-breeding tribes, who controlled trade roads, adjusted to the system of wells, springs, small rivers, what had influenced on material monuments of the cultureof the region. It was possible to reach lower Ural and Volga from Urgench, following the road of Ustyurt caravanserais. On this part of the road there was situated Kyzylkala town. Passing by the territories of Southern and Northern Priaralye the trade arteries lead to the towns on Ural (Zhaiyk) river: Saraichik and Zhaiyk towns. Then they lead the caravans to thewestern direction-to the Europe, Crimea and Caucasus, and also to the “Zhaiyk road” to the Esatern Priuralye, Ural and Povolzhye. Directions of the Silk Road were not static: during the centuries the biggest significancy received first one then another parts and nets; some of them died out totally, and towns and trade stations came to default. We can define period of intensive functioning of the parts of the Silk Road stated above. In VI-VIII the main line was Syria – Iran – Central Asia – Southern Kazakhstan – Talass valley – Chu valley – Issykkul kettle – Eastern Turkestan. Branch of this road lead to the mentioned above line from Byzantine through Derbent in Prikapispiyskiy steppe, and Mangyshlak, in Priaralye, in Southern Kazakhstan (in Sasanid Iran, after concluding trade-diplomatic union between Western-turk kaganat and Byzantine). In IX-XII this route was used with less intension, but in XIII-XVI it started to function again (in connection with the appearance of Mongol Empire). I. Semirechye sector of the Silk Road include the following objects on this nomination: 1. Antonovka ancient settlement - medieval Kayalyk (Kaylak); 2. Talgar ancient settlement; 3. Karamergen ancient settlement; 4. Aktobe Stepninskoye ancient settlement; 5. Akyrtas archeological complex; 6. Ornek encient settlement; 7. Kulan ancient settlement; 8.Kostobe ancient settlement. II. Syrdarya sector of the Silk Road include the following objects on this nomination: 9. Zhuan tobe ancient settlement; 10. Karaspan tobe ancient settlement; 11. Borizhary burial ground; 12. Kul tobe ancient settlement; 13. Monuments of Otrar oasis; 14Turkestanancient settlement; 15. Sidak ancient settlement; 16. Sauran ancient settlement (Sauran archeological complex); 17. Sygnak ancient settlement; 18. Monuments of Dzhetyasar oasis; 19. Zhankala (Dzhend) ancient settlement; 20. Zhankent ancient settlement; 21. Kuyuk-kesken kala ancient settlement; 22. Chirik-Rabat ancient settlement; 23. Babish-mulla ancient settlement; 24. Balandy settlement; III. Saryarka sector of theSilk Roadincluded the following objects on this nomination: 25. Bozok ancient settlement; IV.Mangyshlak or Uralo-prikaspiyskiy sector of the Silk Road include the following objects on this nomination: 26. Kyzylkala ancient settlement. 27. Zhayik ancient settlement; 28. Saraychik ancient settlement V. “Early Period ofSilk Roadformation (prehistory)” category on this nomination included the following objects: 29. Boralday necropolis; 30. Issyk necropolis; 31. Besshatyr necropolis.