Scientists and students from Kozybayev University have completed their seasonal fieldwork at the archaeological excavation site of the ancient settlement of Ak-Iriy in far northern Kazakhstan. The expedition lasted 17 days and yielded numerous interesting discoveries.

The settlement is situated near the village of Dolmatovo in the North Kazakhstan Region on a high, triangular cape. It is protected on three sides by 40-meter river cliffs and separated on the other side by earthen rampart fortifications, which made it an impregnable fortress. Researchers suggest that the settlement was constructed for defensive, cult, and economic purposes, and also functioned as a trade and border post. Archaeologists have been conducting research here for over 22 years, discovering extensive evidence of the daily life of ancient ancestors.

This year, scientists received the results of radiocarbon dating performed on bones and charcoal found at the settlement. The analysis was conducted at a specialized dating laboratory in Vilnius, Lithuania. Based on the analysis of C14, a radioactive carbon isotope used to determine the age of organic materials, the site was dated to the period of the Golden Horde.

The Head of State has repeatedly emphasized that Kazakhstan is the direct successor to the nomadic civilization of the Great Steppe, noting the importance of ensuring that the global perception of the Golden Horde is closely linked with Kazakhstan. In this context, the Ak-Iriy settlement proves that during the medieval period, the territory of Northern Kazakhstan was densely populated and actively developing.

The primary discoveries of the excavations include furnace structures designed for metal smelting, which indicates high skills in metallurgical production technology. Smoke houses for meat preservation were also discovered. Scientists excavated production areas containing fragments of burnt brick, metal slag, and samples of the metal itself. Well-preserved animal skeletons and fish bones were present in separate pits.

This unique ancient site was originally discovered by the prominent North Kazakhstani archaeologist Anatoly Pleshakov in 1968.

"According to our initial assumptions, the first settlement on this territory occurred during the Early Iron Age, and people lived here for a very short time. They returned later, during the era of the Golden Horde. We have discovered unique furnaces for smelting metal, specifically iron. There are eight or nine such objects, and we have uncovered only three so far. Further along the river cliff, we discovered massive, visually striking structures. These were smoke houses. I have not encountered anything similar across the entire Eurasian space, neither in publications nor at scientific conferences. The volumes are immense. They smoked meat here, probably for a whole army, meaning this was a major production complex for meat preservation," notes Anatoly Pleshakov, a professor at Kozybayev University.

By archaeological standards, the number of small artefacts is relatively low. This indicates that the inhabitants left the site in an orderly manner, taking their belongings with them, though the reason for their departure remains unknown. Household items, bone remains, clay utensils, ceramics, arrowheads, and ornaments with anthropomorphic patterns were among the artefacts recovered.

The archaeological expedition included more than 20 first-year university students. Schoolchildren and university students frequently visit the excavation site on guided tours. This high level of interest among youth inspired scientists to consider developing a historical and tourism cluster at the site. The accessibility of the infrastructure, proximity to the city of Petropavl, and the scenic banks of the Esil River are major advantages. Consequently, the creation of an open-air museum is currently under consideration.

Mariya Chmir, a final-year student majoring in History at Kozybayev University, presented such a project to the Akim of the North Kazakhstan Region, Gauez Nurmukhambetov: "This site should become an object of global significance rather than just a venue for educational internships. We have prepared a master plan of the territory where we propose conducting excursions in a live excavation format. Today, people are more interested in watching excavations in real time rather than viewing static exhibits in a museum. We also propose organising museum pavilions, an ethno-zone titled 'A Night in the Iron Age,' and a reconstruction of an ancient observatory."

The Ak-Iriy settlement is officially included in the list of sacred sites of Northern Kazakhstan.