Overview
The Kegen basin and surrounding plateau contain numerous kurgan fields — earth mounds of the Saka and Wusun (Usun) periods, roughly 7th century BCE through 4th century CE. The kurgans appear as rounded earth mounds 1–5 m high scattered across the open steppe, often arranged in loose rows or clusters following the natural contours of the land. They are the most numerous archaeological monuments on the plateau. Some have been excavated by Kazakhstani archaeologists and returned to visible surface mounds; many remain unexcavated. Walking through the field gives a sense of scale: these mounds cover burial chambers of wooden log construction, surrounded by stone enclosures, topped with rammed earth. Artifacts from Kegen-area kurgans are held at the regional history museum in Kegen village and at the Central State Museum in Almaty.
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Visit notes
Viewing visit notes for Kegen–Tekes Plateau
Bronze-Age kurgan field
Step 6 · 12 km from previous · 25 min drive
The Kegen basin and surrounding plateau contain numerous kurgan fields — earth mounds of the Saka and Wusun (Usun) periods, roughly 7th century BCE through 4th century CE. The kurgans appear as rounded earth mounds 1–5 m high scattered across the open steppe, often arranged in loose rows or clusters following the natural contours of the land. They are the most numerous archaeological monuments on the plateau. Some have been excavated by Kazakhstani archaeologists and returned to visible surface mounds; many remain unexcavated. Walking through the field gives a sense of scale: these mounds cover burial chambers of wooden log construction, surrounded by stone enclosures, topped with rammed earth. Artifacts from Kegen-area kurgans are held at the regional history museum in Kegen village and at the Central State Museum in Almaty.