PROBLEMS OF STUDYING EPIGRAPHIC MONUMENTS IN ETHNOARCHAEOLOGY (BASED ON MATERIALS FROM ABAI REGION)

Abstract

The article examines issues of identification and systematization of epigraphic monuments found in the Abai Region from the perspective of ethnoarchaeological research. In the archaeology of Kazakhstan, ethnoarchaeological studies cover important areas, and several works were also published during the Soviet period. At present, ethnoarchaeology represents a relatively independent field with an established scholarly school. However, research on epigraphic monuments within this field is still not fully comprehensive across the country. In particular, the majority of studies devoted to epigraphy are concentrated in the southern and western regions of Kazakhstan and are conducted either within large-scale projects or as part of individual research interests.

          This article analyzes the issue based on funerary monuments discovered in the districts of the Abai Region and at the Old Cemetery of the city of Semey. Since most of the epigraphic monuments in the region are represented by Arabic-script tombstones, a shortage of specialists and insufficient academic literature was noted during the study. In addition, it was established that in certain areas the tombstones are preserved in a fragmented and dispersed state. For their comparative study, the expansion and deepening of the material base is required.

          The analysis of preliminary data from the ethnographic expedition conducted in the Abai Region in 2025 revealed a number of problems in the study of epigraphic monuments within ethnoarchaeology. Although individual monuments of the region have been described and their inscriptions presented to the scholarly community, there is a lack of input from codicologists and Arabic language specialists. In order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of this issue, the epigraphic monuments of the Abai Region were taken as the main source base of the study, and the identified problems and conclusions were presented to the academic community.