Archaeological Excavations of the “Karakuduk-1” and “Karakuduk-2” Burial Mounds in the Kyzylkoga District
From August 21 to September 29, 2023, archaeological excavations were carried out in the Kyzylkoga District at the “Karakuduk-1” and “Karakuduk-2” burial mounds. These Early Iron Age mounds (4th–5th centuries BC) are located 9.7 km northwest of the village of Karabau in the Kyzylkoga District of Atyrau Region. The Karakuduk-1 mound has a diameter of 38 m and a height of 1.8 m, while Karakuduk-2 measures 37 m in diameter and 1.4 m in height. Both mounds are surrounded by a ditch 2 m wide and 50–70 cm deep.
During the excavations, about 10 burials were uncovered. The central (main) graves were found to have been completely looted. However, in two tombs of Mound No. 1, undisturbed burials were discovered, containing gold ornaments, ceramic vessels, various household items, and part of a wooden vessel with a silver pictogram (depicting a saiga and a wolf). In three burials of Mound No. 2, a warrior’s grave was found with a ceramic vessel, fragments of a bronze cauldron, gold fittings from horse harness, as well as weapons made of iron and bronze (an akinakes, a sword, arrowheads, and a spear fragment). In addition, three bronze cauldrons were uncovered in other burials. Based on the archaeological research, the artifacts have been identified as belonging to the Early Sarmatian-Savromatian period, specifically to the so-called “Prokhorov” stage, dated to the 4th–5th centuries BC.
