Necropolis Karaotkel: sacred - religious function of the cemetery

Abstract

Ancient cemeteries are of interest in the study of the spiritual and material culture of ethnic groups. Tombstones, as a specific type of historical and ethnographic source, carry great information. Its reliability and scope depend on the «age» of the cemetery. According to the epigraphics on the grave, it is clear that the preservation and stability of the Muslim burial tradition in the context of globalization and the development of interethnic relations undergo changes and transformation. The article presents some results of the study of the Muslim cemetery «Karaotkel», located in the city of Nur-Sultan. This is one of the oldest and most famous necropolises in the city center. According to some reports, the cemetery has functioned since the 17th century. Officially closed in 1962. This monument was included in the number of sacred objects of Kazakhstan of national importance, associated with historical figures and significant events of national history. Here are buried the soldiers of the Kenesary detachment, who died during the storming of the Akmola fortress in the 19th century. The objective of this study is to study the available materials on the Muslim necropolis of Karaotkel and conduct field research on the territory of the cemetery. The authors used materials from fieldwork carried out during 2019 and 2020. As a result, cartographic and archival sources about the cemetery were analyzed, and primary information was obtained on the classification of tombstones.