Funeral artifacts in the mausoleums of Medieval Syganak remnants of Pre-Islamic traditions in early Muslim Burials

Abstract

In the first half of the 14th century, Islam was declared the state religion of the Golden Horde, which led to ideological, political, and social changes in society. From that time on, monumental funerary structures, or mausoleums, began to be built over the graves of the elite. This process also took place in the city of Syganak. Mausoleums were built over the graves of local rulers, nobles, and religious figures, creating necropolises. Research on the mausoleums in the medieval city of Syganak began in the second half of the nineteenth century, and comprehensive archaeological investigations have been carried out in recent years. To date, nine mausoleums have been excavated and studied, providing important information about funerary traditions dating to the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. The characteristics of these funerary structures have allowed us to refine their chronology and identify aspects of medieval society's social structure and spiritual worldview. This article analyzes archaeological materials recovered from mausoleums 3 and 7 in the medieval city of Syganak. Eight burials were discovered in mausoleum No. 3, and three were found in mausoleum No. 7. Analysis of the grave goods recovered from these burials indicates that they are relics of pre-Islamic traditions. The use of bronze mirrors, combs, and other grave goods in pre-Islamic burial practices was widespread across a vast territory and not confined to a particular region. Large, rusty nails were found in mausoleum No. 3. The iron nails and staples found in Burials 1, 2, and 4 suggest that they were used to secure the lids of wooden coffins. The jewelry found during the excavations helped refine the mausoleums' dates and provided new evidence about medieval burial customs. A comparative analysis was conducted between the recovered artifacts and analogous finds from neighboring regions. The continuity of burial traditions within these funerary complexes was also examined. The westward orientation of the deceased and the construction of tombs in accordance with Islamic funerary practices indicate the growing influence of Islamic burial rites. Conversely, the inclusion of jewelry and domestic objects as grave goods demonstrates the preservation of elements of the ancient local worldview. The artifacts recovered from the mausoleums attest to the high level of jewelry craftsmanship in the city of Syganak's cultural environment during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Similar artifacts found at the Shoytobe, Kultobe, and Old Turkistan archaeological sites in the Turkistan region support dating these finds to the late thirteenth to early fourteenth centuries.