Sights of Almaty Museums.

"Firstly, the headquarters of the Turkic khagans, who controlled the trade routes through Central Asia, were located in Semirechye.
Secondly, the road through Fergana in the 7th century became dangerous due to civil strife.
Thirdly, the rich Turkic khagans and their entourage became large consumers of overseas goods. Thus, this route became the main one, and the main embassy and trade caravans in the VIIth - XIVth centuries passed here. 
It should be noted that the route of the Silk Road was not something frozen, over the centuries it changed, depending on various reasons, certain sections and branches acquired the greatest significance, while others, on the contrary, died out, and the cities and trading stations on them fell into decline."

Karl Baipakov. "Caravan routes of Kazakhstan".

Excursion to Archaeological Museum in Almaty.

Archaeological Museum of National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan is located at an altitude of 852 meters above sea level, located on Shevchenko Street, 28, on second floor in building of Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, in Medeu district of Almaty.
The Museum of Archaeology is the only museum of this profile in the Republic of Kazakhstan, and occupies a special place in the system of Kazakhstani museology. The museum was opened in 1973 at the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR on the initiative of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan D.A. Kunayev.
The museum has four exhibition sections that show the development of civilization in Kazakhstan from the ancient period to the later Middle Ages. The exhibitions show the continuity of Kazakh material culture and traditions. In front of the museum is a monument to the famous Kazakh poet Zhambyl Zhabayev.
The main idea of ​​​​opening the museum was to create a center for the storage and continuous scientific study of archaeological materials collected on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2010, the museum became part of the scientific complex "Gylym Ordasy".
Today, it rightfully serves as a priceless treasury of unique artifacts, the keeper of centuries-old traditions and history of Kazakhstan. The museum's collections contain more than 4,000 exhibits, the exposition displays over 1,000 archaeological finds.
Almost immediately after its opening, the museum already had a solid collection of unique exhibits. These were numerous finds of Kazakhstani archaeologists - items made of metal, glass, ceramics, bone: weapons, tools, household items and jewelry, including gold and silver, accumulated as a result of scientific research of archaeological monuments - ancient villages, cities, burial mounds.
Thus, the creation of the Museum of Archaeology is directly related to the work of several generations of Kazakhstani scientists and is conditioned by the process of general development of national archaeological science. The museum was created with the participation of such famous Kazakhstani scientists as: A.Kh. Margulan, A.N. Nusupbekov, K.A. Akishev, H.A. Alpysbaev, M.K. Kadyrbaev, A.G. Maksimova, K.A. Baipakov with the aim of preserving the national heritage and conducting scientific research.
Long-term research conducted by Kazakh scientists in all regions of the country allowed collecting rich unique material that perfectly illustrates the ancient and medieval history of Kazakhstan. The central place in the museum exposition is occupied by the section dedicated to the "Golden Man" from the Issyk burial mound.
This unique find of Kazakh archaeologists is of global significance. The Issyk burial mound provided scientists of Kazakhstan with a rare opportunity to study the original history of our ancestors - the Saks, who lived in the VIth - XIVth centuries BC.
The restorers reconstructed the clothes and made a copy of the ancient costume. Examples of the widely known "animal style" are vividly represented on the costume of the warrior from the Issyk burial mound. Another widely known monument of Semirechye of the Vth century BC. - the Besshatyr burial ground, which provided interesting information about burial architecture and the technology of building burial mounds.
The museum exposition is decorated with a model of a tomb made of Tien-Shan spruce, which served as a burial chamber for one of the Besshatyr burial mounds. An interesting group of bronze items are the Saka and Usun cauldrons and censers found during excavations of ancient sanctuaries in Semirechye.
They allow us to clarify the religious beliefs of the Sakas and Usuns. The Middle Ages are represented by materials from excavations of burials of ancient Turks and cities located on The Great Silk Road, which for a considerable distance passed through the territory of Kazakhstan.
The original art and architecture, artistic crafts, goods from different countries illustrate the high level of urbanization of medieval Kazakhstan. The cities of Otrar, Taraz, Turkestan, Kayalyk, Talkhir, Almaty were widely known in Eurasia.
The exposition of the medieval hall is decorated with ancient Turkic stone sculptures, models of the mausoleums of Aisha Bibi and Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, highly artistic carved wood from the ceremonial hall of the Syr Darya city of Keder, the remains of carved clay panels from the palaces of the cities of Dzhamukat and Kulan in Semirechye.
The unique exhibits of the museum were successfully demonstrated at exhibitions in the cities of Almaty, Zhezkazgan, Turkestan, Shymkent, Pavlodar. In the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, exhibitions are regularly held - "Ancient Treasures of Kazakhstan".
In 2013, the Museum of Archaeology celebrated its 40th anniversary. In honor of this date, the museum held an international scientific and practical conference on the topic "Archaeology of Kazakhstan": results and prospects".The richest collection and unique exhibits of the museum constantly attract the attention of the largest exhibition venues around the world.
The museum of Archaeology has held numerous exhibitions on almost all continents of the planet, and all of them received the highest marks. Currently, the museum staff is constantly conducting scientific work, the exhibition funds are replenished almost every year. Re-expositions are regularly held, new stands and exhibits appear.
The guide is always ready to conduct sightseeing tours in Kazakh, Russian and English.
Address of Archaeological Museum of National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan:
Almaty, Shevchenko Street, 28, 2nd floor, corner of Zhambypa Street,
Open for visitors:
Monday - Friday from 09.00 to 18.00, on Saturday - by appointment.
Phone:
+7 (727) 300‒32‒26
+7 (727) 272-86-56
+7 (727) 272-38-96
+7 (727) 261-01-17
+7 (727) 272-87-88
Geographical coordinates of Museum of Archeology of National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan: N43°14'47 E76°57'11

Authority:
https://culturemap.kz/ru/object/muzeiy-arheologii

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.