Boralday North Boralday River Terrace Kurgans (River Boralday Terrace North Bank)
Boralday River North Mounds · Boralday Terrace North
Saka (520–280 BCE)·Saka Tigrakhauda·🇰🇿 Almaty Region, Ili District, Boralday River north terrace 2 km north of Boralday Park, Kazakhstan
About
About Boralday North Boralday River Terrace Kurgans (River Boralday Terrace North Bank)
North bank terrace of Boralday River (Boraldy) 2.1 km north of park (770 m) with 5 mounds 24–52 m diam on 8-m river terrace scarp. Mound N-2 (52 m) 6 m high with large peripheral ditch (38 m) and secondary satellite mound 12 m (child burial). River terrace gravels provide cobble source; mounds use river-rounded cobble vs steppe angular. Finds: gold appliqué leopard plaques (N-2) and Chinese silk fragment (Han import) in N-2 timber lid, indicating Silk proto-corridor.
Why it mattersKey tumulus illustrating Saka Tigrakhauda hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Almaty Region, Ili District, Boralday River north terrace 2 km north of Boralday Park.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Silk fragment pre-Silk Road
Theories
- 01Boralday as early trans-Eurasian node
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.520–280 BCE
- Period
- Saka (520–280 BCE)
- Culture
- Saka Tigrakhauda
- Purpose
- River terrace kurgans on Boralday River north bank
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.520–280 BCE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
43.3550° N · 76.8700° E · 770 m · 3 mapped features
North Terrace Mound N-2 (52 m) Leopard Plaques
kurgan52-m mound with gold leopard and silk
43.3560° N · 76.8710° ESatellite Child Mound N-2a (12 m)
kurgan12-m child satellite of N-2
43.3570° N · 76.8720° ETerrace Scarp Ditch (38 m)
earthwork38-m peripheral ditch on terrace
43.3560° N · 76.8710° E