14. The Great Silk Way on the territory of Kazakhstan.

The Great Silk Road - one of the most significant achievements in the history of world civilization. Extensive network of caravan routes crossing Europe and Asia from the Mediterranean to China and served in an era of Antiquity and Middle Ages an important means of trade relations and dialogue between the cultures of East and West. The most extensive part of the road passed through the territory of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Asian Silk Road station, if it move from west to east, coming from Shashai (Tashkent) via Turbat in Isfidzhab, Sairam. From Isfidzhaba caravans were on the east through the town of Taraz in Sharab and Buduhket. From Taraz eastward path walked by Kulanu, passed through Suyab through the Issyk-Kul, Ili Valley, Kayalyk (capital karlukskih dzhagbu). From Isfidzhaba in Arsubaniket to Arysi through Shavgar, Yangikent. \ \ The Silk Road served initially for the export of Chinese silk. In turn, of Rome, Byzantium, India, Iran, the Arab Caliphate, and later from Europe and Russia went on the myrrh and frankincense, cardamom and nutmeg, ginseng and gall python, carpets and paintings, diamonds and jasper, ivory and «rybi tusks», ingots of gold and silver, furs, coins, and many others On the Silk Road extended cultivated crops: grapes, peaches and melons, spices and sugar, fruit and vegetables and herbs. Silk Road expands not only products but also the fashion for art styles, and getting to the prepared soil in a particular ethno-cultural environment, are widely available. \ \ Along with the proliferation of products, scientific and technological innovation, culture samples in applied arts, architecture, wall paintings Silk Road on the east and west spread the art of music and dance, visual representations, a kind of "stage" the Middle Ages. For example, Iranian, Sogdian and Turkish actors brought a lot of choreographic culture of China. When the excavation of historical monuments throughout the Silk Road found numerous tangible confirmation of the development and cross-fertilization of musical and theatrical cultures of different peoples. \ \ The Silk Road spread religious teachings and ideas, various missionaries transferred their faith in the overseas country. From India via Central Asia and East Turkistan came to Buddhism, from Syria, Iran and Arabia, spread Christianity and then Islam. \ \ Along with Buddhism on the Silk Road coming from the West to the East, Nestorian Christianity spread wing. In the 7-8 centuries. nestorianstvo widely spread in the cities of South Kazakhstan and Semirechye.

15) The towns and urban culture of Kazakhstan in Medieval Ages (VI – XII cc.).

On the territory of Kazakhstan identified major historical and cultural development of regions settled, and in the Medieval Ages, and urban life. Some of them were Southern Kazakhstan and Zhetysu.

In Zhetysu there are two historic and cultural areas: the south-western and north-eastern Zhetysu. / / The first description of the city Zhetysu belongs to the Buddhist pilgrim Xuan Jian. Some researchers believed that the agricultural culture in the territory as a result of a Zhetysu Sogdi colonization. There is also the opposite, the autochthonous model of origin of urban culture Zhetysu on which region of Southern Kazakhstan and Zhetysu has not been subjected to colonization Sogd, and independent, with great economy and culture of the region, played a significant role in the historical and economic destinies of the peoples of Central Asia. / / In Zhetysu, in southern Kazakhstan and Maverannakhr extends Turkic cultural complex. Thus, during the early Medieval Ages in southern Kazakhstan and Zhetysu a unique culture, which is integrated into a Turkish cultural complex. The most striking manifestation of this integration is observed in the culture of the city. / / Archaeological research in southern Kazakhstan recorded 25 hill with layers VI-IX centuries., Which can be considered remnants of cities. There are names of some of them - Isfidzhab, Sharab, Buduhket, Otrar (Farab) Shavgar. These cities include: Ark (citadel), Shahristan (inner city) and rabad (suburb). / / In the south-west Zhetysu (Chui and Talas valleys), according to archaeological data, there are 27 hill, most of which are identified with annalistic Taraz, Kulan, Atlah, Dzhamukat, Merka. / / Unlike Southern Kazakhstan’s hill topography of Zhetysu is different: there is a central part consisting of a citadel and Shakhristan and suburban area, surrounded the long wall. / / Cities are centers of trade and commerce. In addition to international trade has developed a local regional trade and trade with the nomads. It is spread among different religions. In the process of adding the urban culture of Turkic tribes to take an active part, living in the towns and oases of southern Kazakhstan, Zhetysu and Central Asia. Their culture is one of the summands in the early urban cultures around the Central-Kazakhstan region. The local features of urban culture in the south of Kazakhstan and south-west Zhetysu impose identity on the hill topography, urban housing, ceramic, ideology in each of these areas and the entire area as a whole.

16) Aqtaban Shubirindi – the Great Retreat. The struggle of a Kazakh people with Zhonghar invasion in XVII-XVIII centuries.

Aqtaban Shubirindi – the Great Retreat. The great threat to the Kazakhs was the rise of the Kalmyk state in the east, which by 1630 contained western Mongolia, the Ile River region, and part of eastern and southeastern Kazakhstan (the eastern portion of Semirech’e). In the early part of the seventeen century the Kalmyks, pastoral nomads of Mongol stock, began migratind in seazable numbers into the lands just east of the Kazakhs. Attracted by the goods traded in the Syr Darya cities, they began periodically to attack the cities as well as the Kazakh population whose herds grazed on the periphery. The economic balance of the steppe was quickly upset; the number of caravans crossing the Kazakh steppe was sharply reduced. The decline of trade in Syr Darya cities led the Kazakhs to the cities of Mawarannahr for their goods, which they raided when their attempts at conquest failed. The major east-west trade routs had moved; the relative isolation of Central Asia forced all the constituent states and peoples to vie for the limited economic resources available.

The Great Retreat started in 1723 when the Kalmyks crossed the Karatau to take control of the Talas valley. The Kazakhs were caught by surprise as they prepared to leave their winter campsites and fled, leaving most of their possessions and livestock. During their subsequent campaign, 1723-1725, the Kalmyks quickly captured the Syr Darya River basin from Yasi to Tashkent, forcing the Kazakhs to flee from their ancestral pasturelands. The Kalmyks continued to absorbed the territory; in 1728 they took over the land around Lake Tengiz, so posing a direct threat to Chimkent in the south. They also took control over Lake Balkhash and the lands of the Small and Middle Hordes in central Kazakhstan. By that time it was evident that without Russian assistance the Kazakhs couldn’t resist to the aggressive Kalmyks. In 1731 Abu’l Khayr, with his sons and deputies, swore their loyalty to the Russian empress. This action marked the end of an independent Kazakh state.