Archaeologists Discover Pyramid Built More Than 3,000 Years Ago

Archaeologists have discovered a pyramid structure in the steppes of Central Asia that is thought to be more than 3,000 years old.

The monument, known as the pyramid of Karazhartas, was uncovered during excavations conducted along the Taldy River in the Karaganda region of central Kazakhstan.

The pyramid was constructed by the Begazy-Dandibay culture, which emerged in central Kazakhstan during the Late Bronze Age. This culture consisted of semi-sedentary communities primarily based on metallurgy and animal husbandry.

These communities achieved a relatively high level of economic prosperity thanks to the metal trade that extended to various parts of Eurasia. The high profits from metal exports created a new aristocratic class among the Begazy-Dandibay communities.

The pyramid of Karazhartas was constructed as a mausoleum for a representative of this aristocratic class, historian Serhan Cinar and archaeologist Aybar Kasenali—one of the coordinators of the excavations with the Kazakh National Museum—told Newsweek.

The pyramidal tomb is one of the most "striking monuments" of the Begazy-Dandibay culture, the researchers said.

During the excavations, which were conducted by the Sary Arka Archaeological Expedition of Karaganda University, researchers found that the structure was a square pyramidal mausoleum consisting of step-like layers.

The mausoleum, which contains a burial chamber, measures around 65 feet by 98 feet across and stands about 5 feet high at its peak.

The excavation of monumental stone mausoleums from the Begazy-Dandibay culture began in 1933. Researchers have since discovered several pyramidal step tombs in the region of the Taldy River valley, in which great leaders were buried.

"The newly discovered Karazhartas stepped pyramidal mausoleum is the largest burial structure of the Begazy-Dandibay elite," Cinar said.

"Considering the cut stones found in the Karazhartas pyramid and the monumental size of the mausoleum, the construction of such a gigantic structure in the Bronze Age—in a very arid region such as the steppe—is indicative of the high artistic understanding and rich spiritual beliefs reached by the Begazy-Dandibay communities."

Investigations at the Karazhartas pyramid have identified a sarcophagus structure surrounded by granite stones, which was found in the burial chamber. Inside the sarcophagus, researchers found a skull belonging to a local ruler who was buried there.

In one area in the upper part of the burial chamber, archaeologists uncovered a bronze arrowhead and a mysterious pottery fragment. Finally, animal bones, which were frequently used in the traditional ceremonies of steppe tribes, were found in various parts of the burial chamber and the step sections of the pyramid.

The features of the tomb, as well as the accompanying items, highlight the high status of the buried individual, according to Kasenali.

Analysis of organic materials found at the pyramid, carried out by Queen's University in the United Kingdom, has enabled researchers to date the pyramid structure to the 15th-14th centuries B.C.

Archaeologists also uncovered evidence of a proto-city settlement named Kent in the same region as the mausoleum, which they attributed to the Begazy-Dandibay culture.

Spread over an area of 15 hectares, Kent was characterized by labyrinthine gates, ditches and walls, according to the researchers.

The settlement featured a regular, planned street network and water collection systems. And next to the settlement, archaeologists found special sacrificial altars where ceremonial offerings to the gods were made.

"In the rituals of the Bronze Age inhabitants of Kazakhstan, offerings were made to the sun, fire, moon and protective 'ongun' spirits," Cinar said.

The findings at Karazhartas provide detailed information about the historical identity, cultural connections and socioeconomic structure of the Begazy-Dandibay culture, according to Kasenali.