Archive » The Volga River Region Archaeology Vol.2 (44) 2023
Hammam from Khankurgan
Baitanaev B.A. (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan), Ergeshbayev A.A. (Shymkent, Republic of Kazakhstan), Shayakhmetov A.H. (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan)
page 114–130UDC 902/904
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24852/pa2023.2.44.114.130
The authors publish the results of architectural and archaeological research of the medieval bath house carried out on the territory of the settlement Khankurgan in 2015–2016. During the excavations, six rooms were unearthed, two of which were built of burned bricks and turned out to be “steam rooms” with an underfloor heating system, the remaining four were frame rooms – “washing rooms”. All rooms are covered with waterproof mortar and plaster. Their original layer was decorated with red-brown drawings, carved stucco and moldings. The plaster has been updated more than twenty times in the course of multiple repairs. Two major reconstructions of the bathhouse were recorded, which did not affect the "hot" rooms, due to which their original layout was preserved. The stages of restructuring and repair work for the entire period of operation of the hammam are determined. The Khankurgan bath house is well preserved and is a unique example of medieval architecture of the Samanid era, it belongs to rather early examples of such structures that arose at the middle of the 9th century. Functioning until the middle of the 11th century, it gives us a represent of the features of the architectural and construction techniques used in the building of the baths of the pre-Mongolian era in Kazakhstan. Hammam Khankurgan, being a vivid example of the medieval architecture, allows to determine the time of the emergence of this culture in the Ispidzhab historical and cultural region, clarifying its planning, constructive and shaping principles, reflecting in general the cultural and economic connection of the region with the Muslim world.
Keywords
archaeologyarchitecturebathhousehammamhypocaustplasterpotteryglazeepigraphycomplexSamanidsIspidzhab
About the author(s)
Baitanayev Bauyrzhan A. Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, General researcher of the Institute of Archaeology named after A.Kh. Margulan. Dostyk Ave., 44, Shevchenko Str. 28, 050010, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan; baytanaev@mail.ru
Ergeshbaev Azamat A. The South Kazakhstan University named after M.O. Auezov. Tauke Khan Avenue 5, 160012, Shymkent, Republic of Kazakhstan; aza.kz.85@mail.ru
Shayakhmetov Anatoliy Kh. The Institute of Archeology named after A.Kh. Margulan. Dostyk Ave., 44, Shevchenko Str. 28, 050010, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan; toliktommy@gmail.com