Top archeological discoveries unearthed in Kazakhstan in 2026

Otyrar: Medieval mosque and rare artifacts

Archaeologists excavating the ancient settlement of Otyrar in southern Kazakhstan uncovered the walls of a mosque dating to the 13th-14th centuries, during the Golden Horde period. In front of it was a large stone-paved street leading to a fired-brick staircase. Researchers said a street of this scale had never previously been found at Otyrar.

The excavation also produced a painted window grille, fragments of an inkwell, metal hinges, Chinese coins and coins minted in the names of Golden Horde khans. One of the most unusual finds was an inscribed ring that may have served as a personal seal. The inscription has been read as "Al-Magdi" or "Al-Muluk." About 50 human remains were also found near the mosque and will undergo anthropological analysis.

Pavlodar region: A house on wheels from the Kimak-Kipchak era

Archaeologists discovered a remarkably well-preserved mobile wooden dwelling from the Kimak-Kipchak period at the Baidala burial complex. Mounted on a wheeled platform and covered with a tent-like structure resembling a traditional Kazakh yurt, the dwelling is described as unlike any comparable find previously documented in the Eurasian steppe.

The discovery also included a wooden saddle, stirrups, bits, weapons, jewelry and silk textiles. Such "houses on wheels" were previously known mainly from written accounts and illustrations, making the find particularly important for understanding the life of medieval nomads.

Zhambyl region: Medieval buildings and clues to everyday life

At the Akzhar archaeological settlement, researchers uncovered mud-brick structures dating to the 11th and 12th centuries. Among the finds were ceramic fragments, iron and glass objects, stone tools and bones of domesticated animals.

The animal remains are particularly valuable because they could help researchers understand the diet, economy and lifestyle of the settlement's medieval inhabitants.

Kostanay region: Rare 7,000-year-old burials

Archaeologists uncovered three Neolithic burials tentatively dated to the 7th-5th millennia BC. The remains belonged to a child and two adults and were found beneath the floors of ancient semi-subterranean dwellings.

The discovery is particularly significant because Stone Age burials, especially from the Neolithic period, are exceptionally rare. The excavations also provided the first evidence of the actual dwellings of the Mahandzhar culture in the area. Until recently, archaeologists had found campsites but did not know what the culture's houses looked like.

Karaganda region: One burial mound, two ancient cultures

At the Kulaygyr 1 burial site, archaeologists discovered graves belonging to two different historical periods separated by centuries.

The central burial dates to the Tasmalin culture of the Early Iron Age and contained a bronze mirror, belt fittings and skeletal remains. Beneath it, researchers found an older burial from the Nurin culture, dating to the 18th-16th centuries BC. The earlier burial was a stone cist containing cremated remains, along with decorated pottery and a bronze plaque.

Mangistau region: A 2,000-year-old city linked to the Silk Road

Excavations at Karakabak have revealed evidence of a major trade and craft center that flourished between the 1st and 6th centuries AD. Archaeologists found coins, seals, ceramics and other artifacts showing connections with Byzantium, Persia, India, Rome and China.

The settlement also contained traces of an ancient port and workshops, suggesting that Karakabak was both a maritime and land hub on the northern branch of the Great Silk Road. The findings point to active international trade and a developed urban economy in Mangistau nearly two thousand years ago.