Archaeology -AUCA

The Department of Anthropology at AUCA embodies the idea that students should focus not only on learning theory but also on putting that theory into practice, participating in anthropological fieldwork and archaeological excavations, and becoming firsthand witnesses of the past. From the 10th to 24th of June, 13 freshmen of the Anthropology program at AUCA had an unforgettable experience during their first archeological fieldwork in the city of Naryn. Every day in the field was spent working on the Aigyrzhal 2 site. Located on the left bank of the Naryn river in the city’s western Ak-Kyia district, it is composed of alluvial and eolian deposits that extend from east to west over an area approximately 300 meters in length and 100 meters wide. Aigyrzhal 2 is multilayered site where we can see Mesolithic settlement, Bronze Age, Saka Epoch, Turkic Epoch cemeteries. The goal of archaeological fieldwork was practical learning how to excavate, reveal and possess .archaeological data. Aigyrzhal 2 is one of biggest sites, probably settlements in Central Asian region dated back to 13200-13800 BP. Therefore students worked in 3 small areas represented by Test Pit No1, Area 1, Area 2. On the basis of excavations more than 400 artifacts have been exposed. The most part of artifacts was represented by microblades, end-scrapers, splintered pieces and chipped pebble along with hammer stones, anvil stones. Also there were found remains of wild plan seeds, engraved tooth of goat or ram used as pendant, phallic symbol made on soft stone. One of the fascinating findings was a skeleton of man, which belongs to European race, aged 30 years old. This man probably lived during the Mesolithic or Bronze Age. Artifacts are mainly concentrated around the fire places. And the main problem of that monument is that partly Aigyrzhal 2 was destroyed during Soviet time and more recently because of the building of the University of Central Asia. It means that this unique site needs to be protected by the government and local communities.
Anthropology Program students also had a lot of time to learn about Naryn city and its people.They had some free time as well to visit many of the historical places around Naryn: Alamyshyk and the beautiful Kara-Suu waterfall, with large caves inside the mountains; the Koshoi-Korgon fortress ruins; and the ancient Tash-Rabat Caravanserai.