Saka Gold Ornament Discovered in Almaty

A gold ornament depicting a bear, along with the remains of several adults and children, has been discovered during excavations at the Karagaily burial mound complex in Almaty. In this article El.kz reviews why researchers consider the find unique and what questions the burial site itself raises based on information provided by the Almaty City Museums Association.

An Ornament That May Have Survived an Ancient Tomb Robbery

The artefact was discovered during emergency archaeological excavations in the Nauryzbay District. The excavations are being carried out by the Almaty City Museums Association with the support of the city administration (Akimat). Preliminary dating indicates that the burial mound dates back to the 4th–3rd centuries BC.

Researchers have paid particular attention to a small cast gold figurine, which they believe depicts a bear. The plate features preserved perforations, suggesting that the artefact may have been sewn onto a headdress.

“The sculptural bear figurine is unique in the context of Kazakhstan. No comparable artefacts have previously been discovered. This find makes it possible to trace cultural parallels across the Eurasian region, stretching from the Black Sea region to the Altai,” said Lyazzat Sagyndykova, Director of the Almaty City Museums Association.

Why the Find Is Being Compared to the Ornaments of the “Golden Man”

Animal figurines are among the decorative elements found on Saka ceremonial attire. As an example of a comparable artefact, the Museums Association cites a gold finial depicting an argali (wild sheep), which adorned the headdress of the “Golden Man”. Such comparisons help researchers determine the possible function of the newly discovered object.

Another relevant example comes from the Kok-Kainar burial site, where a small sculptural depiction of a snow leopard was discovered in 2014. It also served as an element of a headdress. However, the proposed function of the artefact from Karagaily remains preliminary.