The plan of the lecture

Kazakhstan in ancient times.

The theme

Lecture 1 – 2 hours

The brief contents of lectures and seminars

Additional Reading

Compulsory Reading

The control questions

Additional Reading

Compulsory Reading

1. Martha Brill Olcott – The Kazakhs, Hoover Institution Press, Stanford University, Stanford, California, pp. 5-7;

1.Kazakhstan. Encyclopedic Reference Book, “Kazakh Encyclopedia”, Almaty, 2007, pp. 49-56;

1. История Казахстана с древнейших времен до наших дней, «Деуiр», Алматы, 2006, с.30-55.

1. What were the periods of Stone Age?.
2. What were the specifics of techniques and labour tools of the period?
3. Where there the locations of the archaeological monuments of the Stone Age period on the territory of Kazakhstan?
4. The essential features of the “Neolithic revolution”?.
5. Name the main features of the economy and lifestyle of ancient nomadic people (Sakas, Ghuns, Kipchaks).
6. What was the philosophy of Tengri religion?

1. Textbook, pp.1-9;
2. Martha Brill Olcott – The Kazakhs, Hoover Institution Press, Stanford University, Stanford, California, pp. 4-5;

1.Kazakhstan. Encyclopedic Reference Book, “Kazakh Encyclopedia”, Almaty, 2007, pp. 42-49;

1. История Казахстана с древнейших времен до наших дней, «Деуiр», Алматы, 2006, с. 4-29.

Stone age on the territory of Kazakhstan. Divisions into periods, archaeological monuments. Main characteristics. “The Neolithic revolution”: the Nurin, Atasoo and Benghazy-Dandybai periods. Bronze Age Stone age on the territory of Kazakhstan. Divisions into periods, archaeological monuments. Distinguishing features.Formation of the steppe civilization in Eurasia: the Sakas, Huns, Usuns.

Kazakhstan is populated by many different peoples and cultures. In the course of a history that has been far from simple, Kazakhstan has acquired uniqueness in the nature of the nomadic tradition and ancient culture. Although Kazakhstan is historically and culturally a part of Central Asia, it is in fact a country lying at the very heart of geographical Eurasia.

Humans have inhabited present-day Kazakhstan since the earliest Stone Age, generally pursuing the nomadic pastoralism for which the region's climate and terrain are best suited.

The term "Stone Age" was used by archaeologists to designate this vast pre-metallurgic period. It is the first age in the three-age system.

The subdivision into the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods that still is in use today, was made by John Lubbock in his now classic 1865 book Pre-historic Times. These three periods are further subdivided.

The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (The term Paleolithic derives from Greek: palaios, "old"; and, lithos, "stone", literally meaning "old age of the stone" or "Old Stone Age.") Age, Era, or Period, or Old Stone Age, is a broad prehistoric time period during which humans widely used stone for toolmaking (and covers roughly 99% of human technological history).

In reality, the succession of phases varies enormously from one region (and culture) to another. But generally in the areas affected by the Ice Age, such as Eurasia, the Paleolithic era ended with the Mesolithic era. It is termed pre historic since humanity had not yet started writing—the traditional start of history (i.e., recorded history).

Paleolithic extended from the introduction of stone tools by hominids 2.5 or 2.6 million years ago and ends with the development of agriculture, the domestication of certain animals, and the smelting of copper ore to produce metal around 10 000 BC.

During the Paleolithic, humans grouped together in small societies such as bands, and subsisted by gathering plants and hunting wild animals. During the end of the Paleolithic, specifically in the Middle and or Upper Paleolithic, humans began to produce the earliest works of art and engage in religious and spiritual behavior such as burial and ritual.

The climate during the Paleolithic periodically fluctuated between warm and cool temperatures.The climate change of Mesolithic age led to the rise of the temperature on the earth surface. It caused some changes in flora and fauna. Mammoths completely disappeared. The characteristic features of Mesolithic age: a wide use of bows and arrows, application of auxiliary techniques to make tools for labour and increase of population density. The development of methods to satisfy domestic demands resulted in some regions in tilling and cattle-breeding, whereas in other regions fishing, raising crops and hunting. Technology of making labour tools underwent significant changes in the Mesolithic age. Different knives, diggers and spares were made of bone and wood.