The Sakas on the Kazakh steppe
(2-1st millenium B.C.)

Nomadic life on the Kazakh Steppe 1. Kazakhs milking sheep (from Vladimir Basilov et al., Nomads of Eurasia). Kazakhstan, the central Eurasian steppe, was in antiquity dominated by Iranian speakers broadly called Sakas, sometimes Scythians, whose material culture was much like this. From this Saka social base arose states located elsewhere, such as Scythia, Sarmatia and Saka Principalities.
Earing, Mynshukur burial, Taldy-Kurgan, Kazakhstan, Alma Alta 2. Gold earing. Mynshukur burial, Taldy-Kurgan region, southeast Kazakhstan. 12-10th c. B.C. 4.2 cm. dia. (Alma Alta: Kazakh Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography).
Plague from Tasmola, Kazakhstan 3. Gold frontlet plaque of a cat, from a bridle. Tasmola V, northeast Kazakhstan. 7th or 6th c. B.C. (Alma Ata: Kazakh Institute). 4.3 cm.
Earring, Issyk Kurgan, Kazakhstan 4. Gold and turquoise earring. Issyk Kurgan, southeast Kazakhstan. 5th or 4th c. B.C. 3.1 cm. (Alma Ata: Kazakh Institute).