Form of monument: Sacral object
Date of monument: era of early iron
Location of monument: Aktobe oblast, Temir region, in 4,6 km to south-east from Kenkiyak village
Research history: Information about the Maulimberdy burial ground is found in the works of P.I. Rychkov and A.I. Levshin. In his work “Topography of the Orenburg Governorate”, P.I. Rychkov describes the site as follows: “At a distance of one day’s travel along the Atı-Uil River, there is a locality which the Kazakhs call the sacred Mavlyum-Koe-Berdy; traces of an ancient city can be seen, with 30 to 40 brick structures remaining, as well as signs of a canal and cultivated fields.” The site was later studied in 1955 by V.S. Sorokin and in 2002 by S.M. Vinogradov.
Brief description: The area known as the Maulimberdy sacred burial ground contains the remains of a medieval mausoleum complex. The necropolis is located on the right bank of the Temir River. It includes medieval mound-type mausoleums, Kazakh burial sites dating from the 18th to mid-20th centuries, and archaeological burial mounds from the Early Iron Age.
Legend: According to oral tradition, Saint Maulimberdy, the son of Asan Kaigy, who is believed to have lived in the 15th–16th centuries, is buried here. For this reason, the area has long been considered sacred and respected as a holy site.
Locals refer to those buried here as Nogais. This is likely connected to the presence of Nogai communities that lived in the region until the early 17th century, before the Kalmyk-Torgut invasions, and who built irrigation systems along the Temir River. According to elder Menдыкұл Bolysbaiuly of Sarykol village, many mound-shaped monuments were still visible here in the late 1950s, but most were later leveled.
The name “Maulimberdy” (or “Mauletberdy”) means “one who created conditions” or “one who provided opportunity,” possibly indicating favorable living conditions in the area.
The region is associated with the name Maulimberdy, believed to have lived during the Nogai period in the 15th century. About 6 km northwest lies another burial site called Kelimberdy. According to folklore, the lower reaches of the Temir River near its confluence with the Zhem River were the summer and winter settlements of Asan Kaigy. Both Maulimberdy and Kelimberdy are regarded as Nogai saints, likely important and respected figures among the Nogai population who lived along the Zhem River in the 15th–16th centuries.
Each monument within this complex provides valuable information about the history of the Kazakh people, reflecting burial architecture from the Early Iron Age to the 15th–16th centuries.
Historical and cultural significance: The Maulimberdy burial ground is a unique historical and cultural complex in the Aktobe region. Its burial mounds, mausoleums, and graves reflect the evolution of funerary traditions across different periods, as well as the social structure and nomadic lifestyle of the population from the Early Iron Age to the Nogai-Kazakh era.
Based on written and oral sources, Saint Maulimberdy and other respected figures of the Nogai community are believed to be buried here, highlighting the spiritual and social importance of the site. In addition, the nearby medieval settlement of Kyzylkala and traces of ancient irrigation systems indicate the strategic and economic significance of the region. Thus, the site is not only a burial ground but also an important witness to the cultural, religious, and economic life of the steppe peoples.
Source:
Aktobe Newspaper — https://aqtobegazeti.kz/?p=70047