Sentry 'towers' of Isfijab in archaeological cartography

B.A. Baitanayev^*, M.A. Antonov^**, A.A. Yergeshbayev^***, A.Kh. Shayakhmetov^****

A.Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology, Almaty, 050010 Republic of Kazakhstan

E-mail: ^*baytanaev@mail.ru, ^**archaeology@live.ru, ^***aza.kz.85@mail.ru, ^****toliktommy@gmail.com

Received March 17, 2020

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DOI: 10.26907/2541-7738.2020.3.9-20

For citation: Baitanayev B.A., Antonov M.A., Yergeshbayev A.A., Shayakhmetov A.Kh. Sentry “towers” of Isfijab in archaeological cartography. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2020, vol. 162, no. 3, pp. 9–20. doi: 10.26907/2541-7738.2020.3.9-20. (In Russian)

Abstract

The mapping data based on earlier archaeological surveys with the use of modern GIS technologies were presented. A database with archaeological data on the monuments typologically related to Karaultobe and settlement monuments of the early-medieval period of the Isfijab historical and cultural district was compiled. The data under study are mostly the results of explorations and surveys of monuments such as Karaultobe. The analysis was performed with the help of the ArcGIS mapping software. The geographical coordinates of each Karaultobe and the altitude map were used separately. The geographical points is a set of data obtained using GPS during the field research (archaeological explorations in particular). The altitude map is high-resolution radar data available on the US Geological Survey website. A digital map with data on the visibility of the chains of monuments and their functioning in the settlements of the region was created. The maps were created not only for publishing data in various formats and for navigation, but also for works that include displaying study analyses as a database. The aim of the project is to create a series of maps: the main map, where all objects are displayed, as well as a number of detailed maps of certain regions and maps with the results of the landscape analysis. In this paper, only some maps – small with simplified annotations – were used.

Keywords: Karaultobe, sentry towers, cartography, GIS, topography, archaeology, exploration, landscape

Acknowledgements. The study was performed as part of project no. AR05133957 “Sentry “towers” of Isfijab” of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Figure Captions

Fig. 1. Archaeological map of the Karaultobe monuments in the Isfijab district.

Fig. 2. Landscape analysis using the ArcGIS software (northern chain). The visibility of a Karaultobe from different positions is shown with the red color: 1 – Mashat (15); 2 – Karabulak (14); 3 – Akkoyl-1 (1); 4 – Chubarovka-2 (17); 5 – Chubarovka-1 (16); 6 – Koltogan (19); 7 – Akdala (20); 8 – Darmino (21).

Fig. 3. Landscape analysis using the ArcGIS software (southern chain). The visibility of a Karaultobe from different positions is shown with the red color: 1 – Sayram-1 (39); 2 – Karatas-2 (42); 3 – Karatas-1 (41); 4 – Badam-3 (47); 5 – Badam-2 (46); 6 – Badam-1 (45); 7 – Shymkent (26).

References

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