Rare 9,000-years-old burials discovered in Kazakhstan

Archaeologists have uncovered three Neolithic burials in the Kostanay region of Kazakhstan. The discovery has already been recognized as one of the rarest archaeological finds from the Stone Age in Kazakhstan, El.kz reports citing the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Burials discovered beneath ancient dwellings.

The burials of one child and two adults dated to the 7th–5th millennia BCE were discovered by the Turgay archaeological expedition of the Akhmet Baitursynuly Kostanay Regional University during excavations in the Auliekol district.

According to the researchers, burials of this type are exceptionally rare. Their scientific significance is further enhanced by the fact that the human remains were found directly beneath the floors of ancient dwellings, providing valuable new insights into the lifeways of Neolithic communities.

Irina Shevnina, Senior Research Fellow at the University’s Archaeological Laboratory, explained that archaeological excavations typically yield stone and bone tools, ceramic fragments, and ornaments. Burials of this nature substantially increase the scientific value of archaeological sites and contribute to a deeper understanding of the spatial organization and social structure of prehistoric settlements.

Future Research

Archaeologists believe that the practice of burying individuals beneath the floors of dwellings reflects Neolithic concepts of family, ancestry, and social organization. Such discoveries provide important evidence for reconstructing funerary practices and the worldview of prehistoric populations in Central Asia during the Neolithic period.

Fieldwork at the site is ongoing. The next stages of research will include anthropological examination, radiocarbon dating, and comprehensive laboratory analyses. These studies are expected to establish the precise age of the remains and generate new evidence on the historical and cultural development of the ancient population of present-day Kazakhstan.