A mini open-air archaeo-park has appeared at Baitursynuly University.
This autumn, stone sculptures began to be installed near the building of the Archaeological Laboratory (main campus of Kostanay Regional University).
As it turned out, these are stelae—stone monuments that once formed part of ancient burial and ritual sites. They were discovered by KRU archaeologists during excavations in our region.
A stela is a vertical or slightly inclined stone monument—slab, pillar, or sculpture—traditionally erected near graves, sacred structures, or as memorial markers.
Such stones could serve both as burial markers and as elements of ritual spaces.
“For many years these stone artifacts were kept in closed storage,” explains Irina Shevnina, Senior Researcher at the KRU Archaeological Laboratory. “These stones are living history. In many major museums, similar artifacts are placed in open-air archaeological parks in front of the buildings. So we decided to create our own outdoor museum.”
The park features stelae from the Early Iron Age—the time of the Saka, Sarmatians, and other nomadic peoples of the steppe.
Each exhibit has been carefully installed so that students and visitors can see—and, as we say, ‘touch history with their eyes’.
Exhibit No. 1: Monument to a Girl from the Early Iron Age
Exhibit No. 2: Stones from Ancient Geoglyphs of the Kostanay Region
The site is not yet officially open, but its foundation has been laid. It will continue to grow, with informational plaques and new exhibits to come.
Few universities in the world can boast of having their own archaeo-park.
We have every reason to be proud—both of this unique project and of the dedicated work of KRU archaeologists, faculty, and students.
When you pass by these stones, remember: they are traces of human lives that have reached us through twenty-five centuries of steppe history.
The Archaeo-Park is open. So is history.
