Boralday Royal Mound 15 (Boralday Central Royal)
Mound 15 Boralday Royal · Central Royal Boralday 15
Early Saka Tigraxauda peak·Saka Tigraxauda royal·🇰🇿 Almaty Region, Ili District, Boralday Archaeological Park, Central Core, Kazakhstan
About
About Boralday Royal Mound 15 (Boralday Central Royal)
Central royal component of Boralday Saka necropolis (755 m) — the 15th mound of 81, among 5 largest (>85 m) in park core. Mound 15 is 92 m diam, 11.2 m high with triple stone circle perimeters (92 m, 68 m, 44 m) and 8-m-long timber cist with corbelled roof. Excavated 1998 Nurmukhanbetov: robbed central chamber but intact side niche with 180 gold appliqués (griffin, horse), iron akinakes, and 3 horse skulls. Mound fill shows 3 construction phases over 80 years. Faces Great Almaty Peak solstice line; park interpretive trail passes mound foot.
Why it mattersLargest intact royal mound (92 m) documenting triple-phase accretion among Almaty Saka.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Three phases — one burial vs dynastic reuse
Theories
- 01Dynastic accretion mound
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.580 – 450 BCE
- Period
- Early Saka Tigraxauda peak
- Culture
- Saka Tigraxauda royal
- Builders
- Boralday Saka kings of Ili piedmont
- Purpose
- Central royal burial of Boralday Saka aristocracy, phase 2 of 3 construction episodes
- Abandoned
- c.300 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 1992 Nurmukhanbetov park survey; 1998 Mound 15 excavation
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
580 BCE
Phase 1 mound 11 m core
1998
Nurmukhanbetov excavates side niche 180 golds
On the ground
Structures & features
43.3320° N · 76.8680° E · 755 m · 2 mapped features
Mound 15 Side Niche Gold Cache
burial chamberIntact niche with 180 gold griffin appliqués and akinakes
43.3310° N · 76.8670° ETriple Stone Circle Perimeters
enclosureThree concentric circles 92 / 68 / 44 m
43.3330° N · 76.8690° E
Gallery