Daumshar necropolis

Type of monument: Sacral object

Date of the monument: XVII-XX centuries

Location: Aktobe region, Baiganin district, 37 km south-west of Zharkamys village

Research: The research of the burial site can be referred to the following works: T.K. Basenov “Architectural monuments in Sam district”, Almaty 1947, M.M. Mendikulov “Architectural monuments of Mangyshlak peninsula and western Ustyurt”, Almaty 1956, S.I. Azhigali “Report on the work of architectural and art history expedition in Western Kazakhstan”. “Report on the architectural and art history expedition in West Kazakhstan in 1979, archive of the Republican state enterprise “Kazrestoration”.

Brief description: The earliest (late XVII – early XX century) is the northwestern part, where the oval in plan of fences from ragged flagstone are concentrated. On the western side of the fences there are roughly processed steles with tamga (stamp). In the same part of the necropolis there is a grave of Daumshar (object No.200).

The most prominent objects of the necropolis are three mausoleums made of sawn blocks. Two of them are located in the north-eastern part (objects No. 1, 40), another mausoleum of Myrza Muryn (object No. 175) is placed in the north-western part of the monument. It is a rectangular in plan monument with a pronounced southern facade, parapet and an air vent. It has a covered helmet-shaped dome. The interior of the building is decorated with bright patterns.

Legend: Daumshar Batyr (1770 – 1810) is one of the famous batyrs of the Caspian region. Daumshar batyr’s life activities, his heroic deeds are closely related to such regions as Ustyurt, Zhem and Sagyz. He showed unparalleled heroism in the fight against the Bashkirs, Turkmens, Khivins and the remnants of the Kalmyks, who wanted to seize these regions. One of the famous Alash movement representatives Khalel Dosmukhamedov, appreciating Daumshar’s heroism, put him on a par with such famous heroes as Atagozy, Suinkara, Oten, Narymbai, Kulbarak, Zhaparberdi, Mynbai and Koktaubai.

 Daumshar batyr, setting himself the task of defending Zhem area and the adjacent territories from foreigners, held many battles and repeatedly suppressed the will of the enemy. Daumshar batyr died in one of the clashes with an expeditionary group of foreigners, passing along the left bank of the river Zhem. It is still unclear what kind of group passed through these places. According to one information, it could have been Russian topographers or an English reconnaissance expedition. Other information was that one of Perovsky’s armed detachments might have passed by this place, moving in the direction of Khiva. As a result of the battle with the detachment many people from both sides were killed. The followers of the Kazakh batyr and Daushar himself were buried in the same place, which was later called Daumshar’s necropolis.