Necropolis “Oysylkara”

Type of monument: Sacral object

Date of monument: XVIII–XX centuries.

Location: Aktobe region, Khromtau district, 35 km to the south-east from Khromtau.

Investigations: one can obtain information about necropolis “Oysylkara” from the book «Kazyna» of R.Iliyasova, a local historian. Author states that the name of settlement and name of the river is related to the name of holy Oysylkara. In 1998 and 2010 years, a necropolis was investigated by integrated ethno-archaeological of the Ch.Valikhanov institute of history and ethnology led by S.Azhigali. In the article «Tort tulik» he hypothesized that Oysylkara was Arabian called as Uaiskharra considered as a protector of camels, a person who started first to graze them or as  the first producer of bactrians.

Overview: Necropolis “Oysylkara” is the largest  memorial and cult complex of Khromtau district, Aktobe region. The name of necropolis originated from name Oysylkara – holy protector of camels. This complex related to XVIII–XX centuries has a total area of 100х170 m, stretched from the east to the west. It is an ancient necropolis containing about 150 graves decorated in traditional Kazakh style.

Legend: living period of holy Oysylkara relates to approximately VII–VIII centuries. As aksakals states, a holy Oysylkara preached Sufi orientation of Islam  and proselytized in seven countries of Sahara. During the lifetime of Prophetic he unsuccessfully tried to meet him twice. A Prophetic left him a fig bone before his death having asked his trainees to give it to «Oysylkara in Sahara».

Oysylkara arrived to this hill with seven camels carrying seven trunks before his death knowing that people from seven countries will struggle for the right to bury him in their own country.    

There is information that Oysylkara was a religious scholar who lived in IX-XI centuries. One more protector of the cattle, Shopan ata was buried in Mangystau region, there is a mausoleum of Zengi baba in Zhambyl region. Oysylkara, a protector of camel husbandry was buried in our region. But it is unknown, after which Oysylkara the place and river was named. There are no clear evidences for this phenomenon in science .