d.h.s. D.Baigunakov, c.h.s. G.Sabdenova

U.A.Dzholdasbekov Academy of economics and law, Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazahstan

Monuments (kulpytases) of Kartnak and Takya Ata (South Kazakhstan)

Karnak kulpytases (monuments) are situated in the territory of old cemetery in the north part of Karnak village of Kentau town of South Kazakhstan region. It was investigated by an archeological and ethnographic expedition of Kazakh scientific and research culture institution in 2013. The geographic coordination of the monument taken in that period is N 433115.1, E 0682006.8.

This old cemetery occupies a territory of 3-4 hectares. It has been used by Kazakhs, Uzbeks, and Tajiks for last times. Definite parts of the cemetery are devoted to representatives of each ethnos; consequently, it was divided into several parts. As it is owned by different ethnoses, its characteristics differ from present day monuments. At first, the size of the monument was small; later on it seems to be enlarged, as ancient tombs are spread in the southern and north-western parts asymmetrically. Gravestones of some tombs are turned over and groomed, there are enough gravestones with some corners fallen into pieces. Remainders of constructions similar to tombs of early Iron Age or early medium age are found in the territory of the cemetery. Some tombs of late centuries are covered only by gravestones without any manuscripts; most of them are of blue or white color, which represents their local origin.

Karnak kulpytases (monuments), the object of our research work, are made from stones and sand. Only some of them are completed by blue marmite and granite. According to specialists, such monuments are wide spread in the western and southern parts of Kazakhstan. In ancient times the methods of constructing monuments were changing depending on the religious ideas; decoration issues of monuments represent the traditions, world view, and memorial and handicraft process of the people living in that period [1].

T. Dairabai, one of the researchers, stating that such monuments are less spread in other regions of Kazakhstan says that he met only two monuments made from sand and stone in Kyzylorda oblast, one of them is situated in an old place of Adam Ata tomb of Kazakly district, the other is the gravestone of Moshybai Tortuyl (the 19^th century) buried near Tan village of Zhalagash district [2]. According to its outer view, the last monument is similar to monuments wide spread in the western regions. These monuments of the western regions were investigated by researchers partially. Such works as “The architecture of nomads” of S. Azhigali [3], “Kazakh traditional stone engraving art” of R.A. Beknazarov [4], “Gravestone” of I.Tasmaganbetov [5] are the most valuable among works devoted to this theme of history. These works have made a great contribution to investigating the ways of genesis and development of the stone graving art. These sources give a deep knowledge about gravestones and large information on their individual character. Certainly, above named sources do not comprise the whole flow of literature on gravestones, because there had been early researches before the above named pieces were published.

Monuments of Kazakh history have attracted the attention of researchers since the medieval ages. For instance, such medieval authors as Akhmet ibn Fadlan, Giliom de Rubruc, Ruzbikhan mentioned stone compositions of cemeteries in their works. These constructions were also discussed in the works of Russian researcher such as Rychkov, Falk, Pallas, Berg, Karuts and others. During the soviet epoch T.К.Bassenov, M. Mendikulov, E. Massanov and others researched these gravestones. After Kazakhstan’s gaining independence, the work of researching gravestones was conducted systematically, such specialists as S. Azhigali, Z. Samashev, Zh. Zhetibayev progressed in defining their nature [6; 7]. Such problems as the peculiarities and types of stonegraves, ways of their refreshement, methods of using the images of everyday and industrial objects on the surface of gravestones, and their functions were investigated by the researchers.

If to go back to the above discussed issues, the fact that only two stone and sand constructions were found in the territory of Kysyzorda oblast, which joins the southern and northern parts of vast territory of Kazakhstan, can be explained by less intensive and uncompleted research work, as T. Dairabai says. Although, it is impossible that Kazakhs of Syr River bands of Kyzylorda oblast did not use methods of constructing gravestones of Turkistan region. Because some specialists state that there were center for producing gravestones in Turkistan, and their products were of no less quality compared with those made in Samarkand.

Indeed, the researchers do not give any information about the centers, which produced gravestones. However, one of such kind of centers was situated near Khoja Akhmet Yassawi’s mausoleum in Turkistan city between the 16^th and 20^th centuries. In traditional Kazakh society gravestones made in Samarkand had been evaluated highly till the 20^th century. According to some scientific resources, Samarkand gravestones were very popular in the whole Central Asian territory. Trade caravans brought gravestones in travelling back from Samarkand, when they transported there large weighs of goods. Centers of producing gravestones were also in Nurata and near Kazygurt mountains of present day South-Kazakhstan oblast. The large number of these centers influenced on the diversification of methods of making gravestones and their nature. For instance, the fact that gravestones of different style and size were found near Arystanbab mausoleum in Otyrar region can serve as a proof for it [8, 7-8]. It is important to note that the materials of gravestones of Arystanbab mausoleum still need deeper investigation and further systematization. A surface and small research conducted by S. Akylbek some time ago does not demonstrate the nature of gravestones of southern regions thoroughly [8]. It is of great prominence to understand the need to research gravestones of Arystanbab mausoleum by orientalists, historians, literary and ethnology researchers. Only then, it is going to be possible to identify the evolution of the gravestones of the southern region thoroughly, and their influence on the development of gravestone producing art of the other regions.

In general, since Karnak gravestones did not change much since they were built. The outer view of most of them is alike. Some of them do not have any manuscripts. Writings on some others are slowly erasing. There are several gravestones partially destroyed or broken under the effects of natural forces. The gravestones have a very small amount decorations. Those decorations present on gravestones are enriched by surahs of Koran, which is considered as one of the well-known specific peculiarities of Karnak gravestones.

Epitaphs are written as lines on some gravestones, on some others they are decorated with thick curves. Some gravestones are covered by Arabic texts on both sides, while others have writings only on one side. The volume of writings also differs; some are smaller, and others are written with large letters. Alongside this, some gravestones keep the symmetry, and others are asymmetrical. Decorations of gravestones are also different. Some of the gravestones first investigated are supplied with the signs of scissors or human palms, which may give us the information about the late person’s job, as scissors may denote a tailor. According to this, we can assume that the relatives of the buried person wanted to tell everybody the talent of the late and gave a gravestone master a special order. Stone engravers tried to decorate the tombs as well as possible. Most gravestones’ size and dimensions are almost the same. By this, it is possible to assume that all these gravestones were made in one center, and even during one period of time. However, Karnak gravestones differ from others by their multiple styles. Most of them are in one style, designed as tombs with two or three ladders, while others have a cupola on upper parts.

The masters of stone engraving art used a lot of different images. Solar images as sun and star, decorations symbolizing flowers, hand mirror with a handle, cupola, different kinds of signs, and lines are drawn with a special attention. Edges of some stones and spaces between writings are enriched by curving or geometric lines. Some gravestones are decorated by vertical lines. The base of most gravestones is 2-3 centimeters long compared with the other parts.

The volume of Arabic writings on the gravestones is different. Some gravestones are totally covered with Arabic writing, while Arabic texts on some of them are written with small letters. These small letters slightly started diminishing as the time passed. It is interesting to note that Arabic writings cover the top and even the both sides of gravestones. Some smaller gravestones have no written texts at all, but their front side has recess and their upper middle side is decorated by geometric figures. These gravestones did not supply with any information about the buried people in them, which makes it difficult to know the date of their construction. They possibly are the oldest gravestones in the cemetery, as the technology of building is primitive, which demonstrates that the stone engraver as inexperienced.

According to the orientalist Aitzhan Nurmanova, most gravestones of Karnak cemetery are decorated by the wide spread Islamic phrase “La Illaha illa Allah, Muhammadan Rasul Allah!”, which is translated into English as “There is no power except Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet!”. These words are met almost on every gravestones of Karnak village. On one of these gravestones made from long blue granite it is possible to find the above mentioned words, but they also added by dates “1242/1826”. A. Nurmanova could identify the following words on one of gravestones consisting from three parts (in Kazakh): “1312/1894”, “Sana”, “Ofat”, “Gafur Alla … umit/umbet”, “Amma Kurban bek”. The name of the late person is usually written on the top or upper part of gravestones, as A. Nurmanova could read the words “Al-Marhum” denoting “the person passed away”, while other parts were not possible to read because of the effects of outer natural powers as wind, sun and water. Alongside this, some gravestones are covered by moss, which makes it impossible to read and investigate thoroughly the manuscripts for the Arab language specialists.

Alongside them, there is Takya Ata gravestone in Karnak village. The geographic coordination of this gravestone is N 433104.9, E 0682122.4. There is a tomb built approximately in the 20^th century in its center, where several people are buried. There is a possibility that some parts of it were built earlier, as the building is formed by separate parts attached to each other. The eastern and southern parts of the building were constructed later by adding canopy. The gravestones of the tomb were put side by side into the furthest corner of logs of canopy and they were covered with a column of logs. They rise one part of the building shelter. During the field researches a small gravestone was found in the territory of the cemetery. Its upper part was made in the shape of oval. There are Arabic manuscripts on its frond view. The material of the cemetery is similar to previous monuments. Some Arabic writings are unclear, some are covered by moss. In other words, it is possible to state that gravestones of Takya Ata cemetery almost lost for the history. For the outer view, gravestones used in constructing are quite similar to the complex of the first cemetery by their formation technology and outer geometric decorations.

In concluding this article, it is possible to state that Karnak kulpytases (monuments) seem to be simpler compared with such kind of monuments found in the western part of the country. Alongside this, they are not supplied with weapons. Despite the fact that outer view of objects is similar to sheep appearance, most of them are in shape of high enriched with different ornaments. Karnak monuments serve as information source on lives of peoples inhabited this territory. The dates of buried people on the gravestones demonstrate that the dates of their building are between the 18^th and 19^th centuries. It is well known fact that there are numerous old manuscripts in the territory of Kazakhstan. The issue of collecting, enumerating and analyzing these monuments is one of the urgent ones. The Arabic manuscripts on the gravestones demonstrate not only the religious opinions and philosophical view point of vernacular people, but also they make a great contribution to researching the history and culture, analyzing the language, art and calligraphy; and identifying stone graving issue.

References:

1. Kazak madeniyeti. Ensiklopedialik anyktamalyk. – Almaty: «Aruna», 2005. -576 p.

2. Dairabai, Т. Sirek kezdesetin kulpytas // Ana tili, 19 September, 2013.

3. Azhigali, S. Arkhitektura kochevnikov – fenomen istorii I kultury Evrazii (pamiatniki Aralo-Kaspiiskogo regiona). – Almaty: NITS «Gylym», 2002. - 654 p.

4. Beknazarov, R.А. Kazaktyn dasturli tas kashau oneri. – Almaty: Tipografiya OP, 2005. -160 p.

5. Tasmaganbetoiv, I. Kulpytas. – Almaty: Berel, 2002. - 392 p.

6. Samashev, Z., Zhetibayev Zh. Kazak petroglifteri (kone tamyry men sabaktastygy). – Almaty: «Il-Теkh-Кitab», 2005. – 134 p.

7. Kulpytastar. Kurast.: М.Sdykov, Zh.Т.Еrnazarov. – Uralsk: Batys Kazakhstan oblystyk tarikh zhane arkheologia ortaligi, 2005. - 44 p.

8. Akylbek, S. Arystanbab mazaratyndagy kulpytastar. Epigraficheskie kladbisha Arystanbab. – Shymkent, 2000. - 40 p.