The Stone-cutting Tradition of Saryarka and the Cultural Continuity of Stone Sculptures

A detailed analysis of Early Iron Age stone sculptures from the Saryarka region reveals a continuous artistic tradition spanning from the Late Bronze Age to the Kipchak period. Radiocarbon and typological studies date these sculptures, characterized by simplicity and symbolic precision—such as the 'topknot' (aidar)—to the 8th–5th centuries BCE. Two main groups were identified: those linked to funerary monuments and those used in rituals, highlighting their multifaceted cultural significance. This research underscores stone carving as an indigenous cultural trend within the Tasmola horizon, reflecting early societal structures, religious beliefs, and artistic ideals.

Kassenova, A. (2025). THE STONE-CUTTING TRADITION OF SARYARKA AND THE CULTURAL CONTINUITY OF STONE SCULPTURES. Proceedings in Archaeology and History of Ancient and Medieval Black Sea Region, (20), 75–84. https://doi.org/10.53737/2713-2021.2025.47.83.005