Laboratory of Archaeological Technologies
24 May 2022
The Laboratory of Archaeological Technologies as an independent unit was restored thanks to the initiative of the Director Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan B. Baitanayev and by the decision of the Academic Council of the Institute dated 28.04.2018 (Protocol No. 2). The Laboratory is headed by Ph.D. E. Akymbek.
The history of the creation of the "Laboratory of Archaeological Technologies" is connected with the Decree No. 394 "On the introduction of Natural and Technical Sciences into Archaeology" of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences dated May 17, 1963. In 1971, the laboratory "Archaeological Technologies" was first opened at the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography named after Ch. Walikhanov of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. The laboratory was headed by the famous archaeologist, scientist M. Kadyrbayev. Later, in 1983, S. Akhinzhanov was appointed head of the laboratory "Archaeological Technologies", and in 1990, Zh. Kurmankulov was elected head of the laboratory. For a number of reasons, the laboratory was abolished by the mid-1990s and recreated only in 2018.
The laboratory is engaged in the study and reconstruction of ancient technologies using natural science methods. The following research areas are being developed in the laboratory: traceology – the study of wear marks from working on tools and manufacturing marks on products, including through experimental modeling using a microscope. Based on the data of experimental-traceological and technological analyses of archaeological artifacts, the issues of the functional purpose of certain categories of tools, the development of technologies of ancient people are solved; archaeozoology – morphometric study of bone materials of wild and domestic animals, description of osteological materials, composition of the fauna of trade mammals, study of commercial and livestock activities of the ancient population, reconstruction of the role of animals in the funeral rite; technical and technological analysis of ceramics (production process and technologies in the manufacture of ancient ceramics) using petrographic analysis using a polarizing light microscope, preparation of sections. The study of ancient ceramics using the analysis of the composition of the molding masses, the features of ceramic production, trade and economic relations. The further development of these areas will allow solving a number of complex issues in the archaeology of Kazakhstan, such as the peculiarities of cultural genesis, the addition of the producing economy and the development of innovative technologies in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
The allocation of an independent "Laboratory of Archaeological Technologies" in the structure of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology is aimed at activating research using natural science methods, which will give impetus to solving existing scientific problems in this area.
Department employees:
1. Akymbek Yeraly - Head of the laboratory
2. Abir Rasul
3. Dospenbetov Umirgali
4. Dubyagina Ekaterina
5. Yerzhanova Albina
6. Zheleznyakova Vera
7. Kalieva Zhanargul
8. Nurgali Nesipbay
9. Shagirbayev Mambet
Projects within the framework of program-targeted financing, in which the department's employees have participated over the past 5 years:
1. PTF 2018-2020 "Culture of the population of Kazakhstan from the Stone Age to ethnographic modernity according to archaeological sources". Headed by A. Manapova;
2. PTF 2018-2020 "History and culture of the Great Steppe". Headed by M. Abuseitova;
3. PTF 2021-2022 OR11465466 "The Great Steppe in the context of ethnocultural research". Headed by B. Baitanayev;
4. PTF 2022-2023 BR11765630 "Cultural genesis in the Kazakh steppes: new paradigms of problems of studying the continuity of material and spiritual heritage according to archaeological sources." Headed by A. Onggar.
Projects within the framework of grant financing for the last 5 years:
1. GF 2021-2023 AP09260358 "Medieval tortkuls and the cultural landscape of the Talas valley". Headed by Ye. Akymbek.