State historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve «Berel»

The Berel State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, located near the village of Berel in the Katon-Karagay District of East Kazakhstan Region, was officially established on July 4, 2008, in accordance with Resolution No. 674 of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as a republican state treasury enterprise.

The earliest burial mounds date back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC, approximately 2400-2300 years ago, while the latest ones belong to the Early Turkic period (7th-8th centuries AD), about 1200-1300 years ago.

The first archaeological excavations at the site were led in 1865 by the German archaeologist Wilhelm Radloff, and the monument became known in academic circles as the «Great Berel Burial Mound.» A century later, an expedition from the State Hermitage Museum of the Russian Federation, headed by Sergey Sorokin, carried out further research on the Berel plain. As a result, Radloff’s earlier findings were systematized and later published in a dedicated scientific article.

Systematic archaeological research of the burial mounds is closely associated with the name of Zeinolla Samashev. Under his leadership, excavations conducted in 1998-1999 uncovered remarkable discoveries in the artificially frozen Royal Burial Mound No. 11. These included the remains of a Saka leader and a woman, as well as 13 horses buried with full harnesses. In addition, ceremonial royal garments, horse equipment, and over a thousand artifacts made of wood, leather, and felt in the distinctive animal style were found.

Today, Berel stands as the only archaeological monument in Kazakhstan where such unique organic artifacts have been preserved.

The primary purpose of establishing the museum-reserve is to preserve archaeological monuments of history and culture in their original form and historical context, along with their surrounding territories, and to carry out their restoration strictly on a scientific basis. The museum also aims to create stationary monuments and highly artistic, expressive scientific exhibitions based on authentic museum collections.

To achieve these objectives, the following tasks are carried out:

1. Identification, documentation, protection, study, conservation, and use of historical and cultural monuments within the museum-reserve territory.

2. Registration, preservation, restoration, and safeguarding of museum valuables and historical and cultural heritage objects held within the reserve and its collections.

3. Conducting scientific research in the field of protection and use of historical and cultural heritage.

4. Implementing scientific-methodological and educational activities related to the protection and use of historical and cultural heritage.

5. Promoting immovable monuments and museum collections to the public through mass media, as well as producing scientific, informational, and promotional publications.

6. Participating, in accordance with established procedures, in the development and implementation of programs and projects related to the protection and use of historical and cultural heritage.

7. Ensuring the legal protection of monuments, historical and cultural heritage sites, their protection zones, construction regulation zones, protected natural landscape areas, and museum objects.