page 100–115 RUS
ÓÄÊ 902.03 EDN: https://elibrary.ru/NFRBME
Zhienbay wintering near Yereymentau mountains: ethnoarcheozoological research and dating issues
Beisenov, Arman Z., candidate of Historical sciences, Senior Researcher, Margulan Institute of Archaeology, Almaty, Kazakhstan, azbeisenov@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2524-264X
Kosintsev, Pavel A., ñandidate of Biological Sciences, Senior Researcher, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology UB RAS, Yekaterinburg, Russia, kpa@ipae.uran.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0973-7426
Shashenov, Darkhan T., Master of Archaeology and Ethnology, Senior Researcher, Karaganda Regional Museum of History and Local Lore, Karaganda, Kazakhstan darkhan_57@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4791-4673
Summary
During the archaeological excavations at the Zhienbay site, a total of 955 animal bones were recovered, of which 551 were successfully identified. The collection encompasses all types of domestic animal taxa and includes nearly all skeletal elements and anatomical regions. The high degree of fragmentation observed in the bones suggests utilization of animal carcasses within the settlement. The presence of bones exhibiting traces of ungulate gnawing provides evidence that cows were kept in the settlement. Remains of wild animals are represented minimally in the assemblage. The presence of newborn sheep and cow remains indicates that the site was inhabited during late winter and spring periods. A significant feature of the settlement is the pronounced predominance of cows in the herd, accounting for 45 % of the total number of identified bones. Overall, the bone remains support the interpretation of Zhienbay as a typical pastoral settlement functioning as a wintering ground. The dietary patterns of the population appear to have been primarily based on cow and horse meat, with sheep playing a secondary role. The site of Zhienbay dates back to the second half of the 19th — early 20th century. A comparable chronological attribution is proposed for the settlements of Akylbek and Koytas (Table 12). These three sites, along with numerous other settlements in the Yereymentau district and across various regions of Central and Northern Kazakhstan, feature clearly discernible rectangular houses and provide archaeological corroboration for the assertions of Kazakh ethnographers regarding the widespread use of permanent winter huts among the Kazakh population from the mid-19th century onwards. Ethnoarchaeology is currently gaining prominence as a holistic scientific discipline in Kazakhstan. Concurrently, the scholarly importance of multidisciplinary research approaches continues to increase. The research team responsible for the investigation of the Zhienbay site intends to pursue further comprehensive study in this region, including the Sileti-Ulenty interfluve.
Keywords: Zhienbay wintering site, Yereymentau mountains, Northern Kazakhstan, archaeological excavations, radiocarbon dates, ethnoarchaeozoological research, tombstone with Arabic script inscription, materials of F. Shcherbina's expedition.
© Beisenov A.Z., Kosintsev P.A., Shashenov D.T., 2026
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Received 23.03.2026
Accepted 04.06.2026
Article is published: 15.09.2026
Funding. The article was prepared within the framework of the grant of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, project AP23490379.
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