The majestic barrows of Shilikty are located about 500 km from Ust-Kamenogorsk, 3 km southwest of the village of Shilikty. The mounds are situated on a flat area about 80 km long, surrounded by the Tarbagatay, Sauir-Saikhan and Manrak mountains.
The ancient culture in the Shilikty Valley flourished in the Early Iron Age. Since the beginning of the first millennium BC, Saka tribes have lived here. They left behind a large number of majestic monuments. There are more than 200 burial mounds of that time in the valley, of which more than fifty belong to the royal.
An excavation of one of the royal burial mounds in 2003 resulted in the discovery of 4,333 gold pieces in the form of animal figurines. One of the most amazing finds is a tiny cup-shaped gold pendant measuring just 1 mm, with an eye 0.5 mm in diameter soldered to it. It is hard to imagine that they were made by nomadic steppe people many centuries ago! Shilikty gold is labeled with a very high fineness: 930-970. Shilikty gold jewelry is the earliest among the Saka art forms.
In 2016, a tomb and more than 2,000 animal-style gold ornaments were discovered in one of the mounds. On their basis, Kazakh scientists reconstructed the ceremonial costume of the Saka ruler.
It is worth noting that only a small part of the copies of archaeological finds are displayed in the local museum. The finds themselves were transported to the museums of the cities of Nur-Sultan and Ust-Kamenogorsk.
The best time to visit the Shilikty Valley is in summer, when the weather is dry. Prepare for the fact that the trip will not be easy. The tour may take 2-3 days. Think about where to stay for the night. If possible, find an SUV with a strong suspension.
