Ordinary Marinka - Schizothorax intermedia This representative of the unique mountain-Asian fauna inhabits both rivers and standing water bodies—lakes and reservoirs. Marinkas, being typical inhabitants of turbulent mountain streams, have an elongated torpedo-shaped body, which allows them to easily overcome strong currents and waterfalls when they ascend rivers in search of spawning grounds. Their bodies are covered with small but dense scales and slime, which ensures easy gliding in the
Issyk-Kul Chebak - Leuciscus schmidti The genus Leuciscus — the chubs — includes quite a few species and is widespread across the entire Eurasian continent. One of the species of this genus is the Issyk-Kul chebak, which is quite large, surpassed only by the chub and the bream. It is a schooling lake fish, a subspecies of the chub, distinguished by its bright orange pectoral, abdominal, and anal fins. It inhabits Lake Issyk-Kul, preferring coastal shallow waters up to 10-15 meters and stays
Findings from the Saka-Usun Period Strict scientific evidence for the development of agriculture in Usun society has been scarce, with excavations of settlements from the first centuries AD at Lugovoe (A. N. Bernsham) and Karabalta (A. K. Abetekov) yielding little. The discovery of grain grinders, even in conjunction with the remains of adobe houses, does not yet constitute indisputable evidence of agricultural practices by the population that left them. Findings of agricultural tools, such as
Idealization of Nomads in Ancient Greek Literature In ancient Greek literature, there is a clear idealization of nomads. The goal: to improve Greek society. The method of improvement: a return to the lifestyle of heroic ancestors. For clarity, the morals of those raised in the harsh and free natural conditions of "barbarian" steppe life were contrasted with the refined and corrupted morals in Greek city-states. This idealization reached its peak in the biography of the Scythian
RULES OF DECENCY IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH LIVING NATURE If you didn't grow it, don't take it from nature. The collection of wildflowers has led to the depletion of the surroundings of populated areas. Motorization makes even the most remote corners of nature accessible. Picking wildflowers and catching or destroying other wildlife demonstrates ignorance, foolish arrogance, and irresponsibility. A decent person would not allow themselves to leave trash, break branches, make noise with
Eastern Bream - Abramis brama orientalis The bream is considered to have acclimatized in the territory of Kyrgyzstan as early as the beginning of the last century. Subsequently, it was brought from the ponds of the Chui Valley to Lake Issyk-Kul, where it, along with the tench, occupied suitable niches for life in the freshwater bays of the lake. It is widespread in the Aral Sea, Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Sary Su; in the Chui River — from the lower reaches to the Tashatkulskoe Reservoir, but is
Saka and Scythians through the Eyes of Cherilus The author of the poem "Persica," the ancient Greek poet from the island of Samos, Cherilus, wrote: Saka, shepherds of sheep, of Scythian lineage, Living in Asia, with abundant wheat. Although the poem, written in the 5th century BC, has survived to us in fragments, there are few poetic lines that so succinctly and concisely address two main controversial questions of the real history of the Saka, which have long been the subject of
Aspiolucius esocinus - The Asp The asp is considered a river inhabitant. It is endemic to Central Asia. A fairly large fish, reaching lengths of 60-70 cm and a body weight of up to 3-3.5 kg. It prefers riverbeds, occasionally found in lakes. It inhabits currents with murky water, and in reservoirs, it stays in the river mouth areas where the water is turbid. Its biology is poorly studied. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of 6-7 years when it attains a body length of 45-50 cm. Spawning
Internal Political Struggle of the Usuns for Supreme Power The internal political history of the Usuns is a story of constant infighting and struggle for supreme power among the highest aristocracy, which was interfered with by Han emperors and Hunnic rulers. Only during the reign of the Kumbag Tsylimi (45—14 BC) did the lands of the Usuns experience "deep silence and peace," as he "acted with firmness." Ultimately, Tsylimi also fell victim to a conspiracy—he was
Lin Lin is a warm-loving, slow-growing, sedentary, typically bottom-dwelling fish. Its structure somewhat resembles that of a chub, but it can be easily distinguished from all carp species by its thick, clumsy body, very thick tail section, very small scales, and very small, bright red eyes. Additionally, lin has an odd number of pharyngeal teeth arranged in a single row, elongated into small hooks on the inside; its mouth is very small, fleshy, and even appears somewhat swollen, with one very
Usuns This text will discuss the people of the Usuns. Few Central Asian-Kazakh ethnonyms have such a long history. Emerging on the historical stage in the 2nd century BC, the Usuns retained their self-designation in sources from the 10th to 12th centuries. Finally, under the tribal name "Uysun," "Uyshun," their descendants entered the composition of the Kyrgyz and Kazakh peoples in the 16th century.
Golyanka - Phoxinus phoxinus In Kyrgyzstan, there are two subspecies of this small fish — the Issyk-Kul golyanka and the Chui golyanka. The Issyk-Kul golyanka is found only in the basin of Lake Issyk-Kul, while the Chui golyanka is found in the basin of the Chu River. Golyanka is very undemanding in terms of living conditions and nutrition, which makes it possible to keep it successfully in an aquarium.
The Disgraced Monk with Seditious Prayer Beads In early May 1853, in the cold cell of the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, a lonely and forgotten prominent Russian sinologist, a scholar of international renown — the monk Iakinf — was dying. He had long ceased to eat and respond to the questions of the novice who was voluntarily caring for him. The day before his death, one of his colleagues from the Asian Department visited him. The old man's faded brown eyes were motionless.
Pike A widely distributed species, it lives in large and small rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds, preferring clean and fresh, but not too cold water. The common pike is a small fish (usually no larger than 15 cm, rarely up to 22 cm in length) with an elongated, spindle-shaped body covered with large scales, absent on the belly between the pectoral fins and the interbranch gap, a somewhat flattened head with upward-facing eyes.
Silver Crucian Carp -- Carassius auratus gibelio This species has been artificially bred in the water bodies of Kyrgyzstan and southern Kazakhstan. For instance, in Lake Issyk-Kul, the silver crucian carp was introduced in 1963 in a quantity of several specimens along with carp fry from the Frunze pond economy, where it had arrived with carp stocking material in 1954 from the Almaty pond economy. In the lakes of Biilikol and Akkol (Talas River basin), the silver crucian carp was relocated in
Sakas The ancient herders who inhabited Central Asia left no historical writings. The ancient Greeks wrote more about the Central Asian herders than anyone else. However, few of the ancient Greek authors actually visited such remote areas, so their information is not only sparse and fragmented but also contradictory and vague. Generations of scholars have analyzed this information, yet there remains no consensus on many questions regarding the history of the ancient herders of the Eurasian
Carp Cyprinus carpio In the dorsal fin III—IV, scales in the lateral line 35—39. In the republics of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, the carp is widespread in the basin of the Aral Sea, the Sary-Su River, Chu, and Issyk-Kul. It has been artificially bred in the Balkhash basin and the Talas River basin. According to F. A. Turdakova, from 1885 to 1890, carp from the Chu River was brought to ponds near Almaty, from where it entered Balkhash through the Ili River in 1913. In 1909, carp was brought by
Talas Naked Osman The coloration of the Talas naked osman is quite beautiful. It can be easily recognized by its small but well-defined dark brown spots located on its back, head, and fins. The scales, which are present only on the lateral line, stand out with a light stripe against the background of these spots. Spawning occurs during the day in shallow rapids, and the eggs are carried downstream by the current to deeper areas covered with pebbles and gravel. The eggs of the naked osman are
Tian Shan Scale-Scaled Osman - Diptychus gymnogaster This species is the most interesting of the six species of the Osman genus from the carp family found in the water bodies of Kyrgyzstan. The local population refers to it as mountain or river trout. This is incorrect because trout and osman belong not only to different genera but also to different families.
Late Medieval Period (14th—15th centuries). Saka-Usun Period (5th century BC). This period is represented by a large mass of ceramics, primarily vessels with handles in the form of protruding flattened or conical appliqués. Such handles are characteristic of the eastern Fergana settlements of the Shurabashat culture. They are often found in burial mounds from the Saka period in Semirechye, including in the Pre-Issyk-Kul region. There are noticeable connections with the ceramics of Sarabulun
AUTUMN September Ajak oona September End of the growing season for most trees. Falling of ripe fruits from the Turkestan juniper. Ripening of spruce cones. Autumn growth of feather grass. Flowering of annual wormwood. Transformation of apple moth caterpillars into winter larvae. Transition of most insects into winter stages. The last flight of the large peacock butterfly. End of spawning for the Tien Shan osman. The last young ones for turtles, water snakes, and vipers. Ceasing of activity.
Pike This is one of the most well-known freshwater fish, the only species in its genus. The pike is found in Kyrgyzstan only in the Chu River, in its lower reaches. It should be noted that this gluttonous predator can reach a length of 2 meters and a weight of over 40 kg. The body of the pike is cylindrical, with a dorsal fin slightly moved back, a huge and long head, with a wide mouth and small sharp teeth. The pike's eyes are mobile, allowing it to see well both to the side and above.
SUMMER June Kulja Completion of flowering of the fir and water lily. The saffron (snowdrop) goes into dormancy. Beginning of flowering of the reed grass. Caterpillars of the apple fruit moth pupate. The larvae of the harmful tortoise beetle pupate, and the second generation of adult insects appears. The mourning cloak is found only in the form of eggs and caterpillars. Completion of the active phase of adult scarabs and egg laying. Appearance of fry in the carp and osman. Completion of
Early Saka Period (VIII—VI centuries BC). It is represented by metal artifacts: an amulet with a solar symbol, a mace head, as well as, most likely, a fragment of a celt and a dagger. This early stage in the history of ancient nomads has not yet been distinguished in the archaeology of Kyrgyzstan, as burial mounds from that time have not yet been found or excavated, not to mention settlements. The initial stage of the formation of the culture of ancient pastoralists in Kyrgyzstan is currently
SPRING March Zhalgan Kuran March Buds swelling and the first flowers of poplar and elm. Wormwood and feather grass begin to grow. Saffron (snowdrop) blooms. Eggs and larvae of spider mites appear. Forest ants emerge and start laying eggs. Carp comes out of winter dormancy. The first fry of Issyk-Kul trout appear. Spring activity of the lizard, turtle, yellow-bellied toad, and viper. Turtles and water snakes emerge from hibernation. Active migration of birds in the foothills and intermountain
WINTER January Январь January Issyk-Kul trout completes spawning Wolves begin their mating season Bear cubs appear in the den Roe deer begin to grow antlers
Pelad The pelad was brought to Kyrgyzstan from Lake Sevan and released into the lakes Issyk-Kul and Son-Kul. In Son-Kul, it has successfully adapted. The fish measures 40–55 cm in length and weighs 2–3 kg. Its body is elongated and high. The coloration is dark and silvery. There are small black spots on the head and dorsal fin. The back is slightly humped. A distinctive feature of the salmon family is the presence of a fatty fin before the tail fin.
Ludoga Sig. Family: Salmonidae. Representatives of this family are widely distributed in the basins of rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean. Similar to salmon, the sig family, being fish of northern origin, inhabit water bodies with clean, clear water and sandy-stony bottoms. These are generally cold-water bodies with a rich content of dissolved oxygen in the water. Among the sig fish, there are typically migratory and resident forms capable of living in closed lakes. In terms of feeding
When was life flourishing? Even a brief overview of the material culture with a short excursion into its chronology indicates a long life of the underwater settlement of Sarabulun. Determining the time of its origin, flourishing, and demise is associated with significant difficulties that traditional archaeology does not encounter. Moreover, the study of underwater monuments is immeasurably more complex, as it is impossible to trace the spatial arrangement of cultural layers and the dating
Issyk-Kul Hegarkuni Trout. Salmon Family. There are 8-9 rays in the dorsal fin (III—V), 8-9 in the anal fin (III); there are 104-117 scales in the lateral line. In Issyk-Kul, it can reach a weight of 17 kg or more. Following the recommendation of Academician L. S. Berg, Hegarkuni trout was introduced to Issyk-Kul from Lake Sevan (Armenia) in the form of fertilized eggs in 1930 and 1936. The first batch consisted of 750,000 eggs, and after the larvae hatched, they were released into the Irdyk
Ala-Myshyk Cave - Colorful Cat On the ridge of the mountain range rising above the surroundings of the city of Naryn, there stands a very beautiful mountain called Ala-Myshyk (Colorful Cat), named so due to the exceptional variety of the rocks that compose it. The slopes of the mountain are covered with green patches of Tien Shan fir trees. The Ala-Myshyk cave is located 6 kilometers west of the city of Naryn, 250 meters from the Naryn relay station, which is installed on the northern slope of
Searches at the bottom of the bay continue The remote-controlled probe is a device that helped underwater archaeologists find more than a dozen metal artifacts in just one month of work. This has never happened before. Externally, the device is very simple: a small metal circle on a long handle. But its internal mechanism is complex, as it instantly emits a sound signal from one to one and a half meters away from any metal object—whether on the ground, underground, or underwater! With its
Rainbow Trout. Family Salmonidae. There are 10-11 branched rays in the dorsal and anal fins. There are 135-147 scales in the lateral line. It has a fatty fin. The body is covered with small cycloid scales. The body color is silver, with many black spots above the lateral line, and the belly is light. Along the lateral line, there is a rainbow stripe, which is how the fish got its name. Young fish have 10-13 transverse black spots on their bodies, which disappear in two-year-old fish, and the
After the Marriage On the day of the wedding, the city was filled with people. And when night fell, in honor of the high-profile couple, thousands of fiery birds soared into the sky. The famous Usun warriors, wrapping the tips of their arrows with burning tow, shot them into the starry darkness one after another. A magnificent sight! The princess had never seen anything like it even in Chang'an. It seemed as if the starry rain had suddenly defied the laws of the universe and instead of
Amudarya Trout. Family Salmonidae. Scales in the lateral line 98—120, gill rakers 16—22. Length up to 50 cm. Minimum weight 0.7 – 1 kg, average up to 2 kg, over 2 kg is considered a trophy specimen. The maximum weight of caught trout reached 27 kg (during the Soviet era). Currently, catching such a fish is practically impossible. A trophy weighing between 3.5 – 5 kg is considered a significant success. A strong fish weighing 2 kilograms fights until the end, pulling the rod to a full 15 kg.
Meeting the Bride The bride's train was met by the nomads twenty li from the encampment — a sign of the greatest respect. A gray, beautiful, yet somehow absurd "foreign" evening was approaching. Red-bearded dignitaries, adorned with golden badges, dismounted from their wonderful swan-like horses and knelt down. Following them, an innumerable (as it seemed to the princess) army instantly dismounted and followed the example of their leaders. The princess, reclining in her
Siberian Sturgeon, family Acipenseridae. This species is found in all rivers of Siberia from the Ob basin to the Kolyma inclusive. Males reach sexual maturity at 11-13 years of age, while females do not reach it until at least 17-18 years. The fecundity is high. A female weighing 25 kg, caught in the Irtysh River, had 500,000 eggs. The growth rate of sturgeon varies in different rivers of Siberia. For example, in the Irtysh, two-year-olds measure 27.5 cm and weigh 60 g; by 12 years, they reach
Goshawk. The size is medium, about 1.5 times larger than a crow. Goshawks are the largest species of the genus Accipiter. Males usually weigh 630-1100 g, their length averages 55 cm, and their wingspan ranges from 98-104 cm. Females are slightly larger, weighing 860-1600 g, measuring about 61 cm in length, and having a wingspan of 105-115 cm. All hawks, including the goshawk, have distinctive white feather stripes above their eyes, giving the impression of white eyebrows. In the goshawk, these
The Choice of the Bride Whose chest was adorned with such a precious and exotic bead? Was it not the beautiful guest from another, distant country, who became the mistress of Chigoo? The Usun rulers rose so high that they even became related to the Chinese emperor. The princesses of Hanjiye often became wives of the Kumbags and lived in Chiguchene on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul. Let us tell the fate of one of them.
Sparrowhawk. The name comes from the fact that this bird has long been used to hunt quails. Sometimes the sparrowhawk is referred to as the small hawk. It looks very similar to the Goshawk, but is much smaller, about the size of a pigeon or slightly larger. The male has a bluish-gray back, with reddish, brown, or chestnut transverse stripes on a light background below. The female is significantly larger than the male, with a gray-brown back and gray stripes on a white background below. The
Little Guest Such finds are not anticipated. They come from a fairy-tale land and are always unexpected, especially under underwater conditions with a muddy bottom — almost unbelievable. This is about a beautiful large black chalcedony bead. The bead was so well polished that no sediment could accumulate on it. It seemed as if it had just recently been dropped into the lake. In reality, its age is measured in millennia. The bead is a long cylinder with a slight thickening towards the middle.
Stone Tools of Sarybulun Even in the best books about the culture of ancient pastoralists, which showcase the rarest items made of gold and gemstones, beautiful examples of artistic crafts made from wood, leather, and felt, miraculously preserved in the permafrost of burial mounds, there are universally weak sections. In these monographs, the tools of labor of ancient pastoralists are clearly insufficiently covered or not covered at all. This is not because the authors did not master the
Golden Bee-eater. In mid-May, under a calm sunny sky, you might unexpectedly hear soft overlapping voices above your head: “kyuryu-kyuryu.” You look up and suddenly see a bird of enchanting beauty in the warm azure: about the size of a starling, with a slender, downward-curving beak, brownish-blue wings, a yellow-golden head and back, and a long green tail. With its colorful appearance and distinctive shape, this bird is hard to confuse with another; there is no doubt - you are looking at the
Underwater Treasures At the ancient settlement of Sarybulun, a fairly solid collection of material culture items has been gathered over three new seasons, which in some way provide insight into the lives of its inhabitants, their occupations, and daily life. All items had been underwater for a long time and were covered with lime deposits. Sometimes these deposits form thick layers that obscure the very shape of the object. They are so firmly "cemented" to the ancient artifacts that
Shilokhvost The most numerous and widely distributed duck in our fauna. It nests everywhere except for the islands of the Arctic Ocean and the southern deserts of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. It is relatively less numerous in the steppe zone, but in years with abundant water, its numbers here increase sharply. During the nesting period, the highest numbers are observed in vast open grassy marshes of the tundra and taiga. It prefers shallow water bodies with open shores. A medium-sized duck,
Bronze Items from the Bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul (VII—V centuries) Settlement at the Bottom of the Bay The well-known local historian and teacher at secondary school No. 31 in Bishkek, M.K. Sinusov, has repeatedly told Kyrgyz archaeologists, including us, that in the area of the Dry Ridge in the Tyup Bay of Lake Issyk-Kul, many shards of clay vessels and grain grinders are found on the shallows. According to his hypothesis, the advancing waves of the lake once destroyed a large burial ground,
Chibis A large wader, similar to a pigeon. The upper body is brilliantly green, with purple, blue, and violet hues, appearing dark gray or black from a distance, and the belly is pure white. There is a long thin crest on the nape, the undertail is reddish, and the legs are reddish-brown, with four toes. In flight, it is distinguished from all other waders by its broad rounded wings; the tail is white on top with a black subterminal band. The female resembles the male but has a generally
World Practice in the Study of Marine Depths The study of underwater cities is an extremely difficult, often dangerous, and costly endeavor, and the scientific results obtained here are incomparably lower than those from excavations of settlements on land. Therefore, archaeologists very rarely undertake underwater work. In world practice of underwater archaeological research, preference is rightly given to the study of sunken ships. For example, many valuable items have been raised from
