HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF BRONZE AGE MONUMENTS IN NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN IN THE XX – FIRST QUARTER OF THE XXI CENTURY

Northern Kazakhstan is one of the most extensively researched regions in the study of the Bronze Age. The region's geographical position at the crossroads of the Southern Urals, Western Siberia, and Saryarka has fostered active cultural and historical processes, which, in turn, have shaped the study of its ancient history. The purpose of the study is to trace the history of archaeological research, evaluate the contribution of individual expeditions and researchers, and form a complete picture of the archaeological research process in the region. The first archaeological investigations in Northern Kazakhstan began in the late 19th century. These were essentially occasional activities conducted under the auspices of the Orenburg Scientific Archive Commission and the Imperial Archaeological Commission. With some exceptions, this sporadic approach to archaeological research persisted until the latter part of the 20th century. A new stage, marked by the research activities of G. B. Zdanovich, V. V. Evdokimov, S. Y. Zdanovich, and V. N. Logvin, became pivotal, laying the foundation for studying the region’s archaeology and ancient history. Today, despite the vast amount of accumulated material, the pace of new field research on this subject has somewhat declined. A focus on qualitative analysis of the existing data and an expansion of topics beyond the Andronovo culture characterises the current research stage. This article presents data reflecting the key stages in studying Bronze Age monuments in Northern Kazakhstan, from the pre-revolutionary research of individual scholars to the professional expeditions of the present day.