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
Red-headed diving duck, also known as the red-headed or blue diving duck, belongs to the so-called diving ducks. A characteristic feature of these ducks is their ability to dive well and stay underwater for a relatively long time. Unlike river ducks, they forage at significant depths and can live in deep-water bodies. The red-headed diving duck is a fairly large, robust duck with a large head. Its weight ranges from 0.7 to 1.3 kg. It swims excellently, sitting quite low in the water, with its
Recent Research Extensive research work on Issyk-Kul in the 1920s was conducted by a native of Kyrgyzstan, the subsequently well-known orientalist P. P. Ivanov. He was the first to approach the study of the underwater mysteries of Issyk-Kul with expertise and professionalism. After surveying the coastal waters of the lake by boat, P. P. Ivanov registered underwater ruins of settlements in the areas of Chon-Koysu, the Tyup Bay, and Koy-Sary. He attributed them to a single time period, believing
Ruins at the bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul Attention remains focused on the underwater ruins of Issyk-Kul However, interest in the underwater mysteries of Issyk-Kul has not disappeared. In 1886, geologist I. V. Mushketov presented a report titled "Motives and Objectives of Research on Khan-Tengri" to the Physical Geography Section of the Russian Geographical Society—regarding the organization of a special expedition to the Khan-Tengri mountain system in the Tian Shan. Although the
Black-headed Stonechat. Stonechats (Saxicola) are a genus of birds in the thrush family. The black-headed stonechat measures 13 - 14 cm in length and weighs 17 - 19 g. Its head and back are black, and the wing coverts are white. There is a bright white spot on the shoulders. The chest is orange, and the underside is white. The legs and beak are black. The female differs in having a brown coloration. Stonechats feed on insects.
The Unfulfilled Dreams of Governor Kaufman The Turkestan Governor-General K. P. von Kaufman did not forget the letters he received from Pyotr Petrovich Semenov, who, after several years following his journey to Issyk-Kul, had become a recognized scholar and effectively the head of the Russian Geographical Society. P. P. Semenov pointed out the underwater finds of the Kyrgyz at Issyk-Kul, noting their undeniable scientific value and urging the search for antiquities to be concentrated in a
Cheglok. Small (like a pigeon), as with all falcons, it is beautiful and graceful. It has long pointed wings and a tail resembling a wedge. The total length is 32-37 cm, wingspan 76-85 cm, wing length 25-30 cm, males weigh 170-210 g, females about 250 g. Females of the cheglok, like all other falcons, are larger. The plumage is mottled – the upper part of the body is a solid gray-steel color, while the chest and underside are yellowish-white with small dark streaks. The undertail coverts and
Seagull The most numerous genus of birds in the gull family, inhabiting both marine expanses and inland waters. Many species are considered synanthropic—they live near humans and benefit from this. Typically, these are large or medium-sized birds with white or gray plumage, often with black markings on the head or wings. The coloration of the bird depends on the species to which the seagull belongs. The average length of the bird is 30-80 cm, and the weight is usually from 150 g to 2 kg. One
Semenov-Tian-Shansky Searches for Chigu Just as Mecca eternally beckons Muslims, Chigu attracted almost all researchers of the Preissykul region. The scientific quest for the real or mythical Chigu has a clearly defined starting date. On a warm evening of June 14, 1857, a young Russian scientist-traveler, arriving from distant St. Petersburg to Issyk-Kul in search of the origins of the Tian Shan mountains, stood on the cape of Kara-Bulun, at the watershed of the rivers Tyup and Dzhergalan,
The Little-Known "Columbus of Asia" The name Zhang Qian is almost unknown to the general public. There is little written about him. Yet he deserves to be placed alongside the greatest explorers, such as Columbus, Magellan, and Vasco da Gama. He was the first to connect the trade arteries of China with those of the West. As a result, a new intercontinental route emerged — the Silk Road. This route, which operated for one and a half thousand years, played a huge role in bringing the
Heron (white, gray, reddish). A genus of large (80-100 cm and above) birds of the heron family. These birds live along marshy areas, where their prey consists of fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals. Herons are powerful birds with long conical beaks, long necks, and long legs. Most species have a well-defined tuft of feathers at the back of the head.
And ahead lies a journey to fairy-tale lands... The question of the second embassy to the West, now concerning the Usuns, has been resolved. At its head is Zhang Qian. Sima Qian writes: “The Son of Heaven appointed him as the Xiongnu magistrate, with 300 soldiers each having two horses and up to 10,000 heads of cattle and sheep... and subordinated to him many assistants with banners — to send them as envoys to various territories along the route.” Liu Shu also participated in the expedition —
The Nomads Retreat The third year of exile was coming to an end. Zhang Qian began to receive letters, written in the clumsy hand of a teenager. His son wrote that he was diligently studying literacy and was already good at holding a brush and a wooden stylus — a pen... In the remote province, rumors reached him about new and new victories of Chinese arms. In 121 BC, the Huns were defeated by Huo Qubing. In 119 BC, they suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Li Guangli. The number of
Pheasant. Family Phasianidae, order Galliformes. The length of a pheasant is 80-90 cm, with a tail up to 40 cm, consisting of 18 tail feathers. Wingspan is 75-80 cm. The male is black-brown with golden spots. The feathers are glossy, with a black border, and on the head and neck, they are green with a metallic sheen. The wings are reddish-yellow, and the wedge-shaped tail is gray-brown with black transverse stripes. The female measures about 65 cm in length, with a tail of 30 cm. The wingspan
Hypothesis—1985 At the bottom of the Tyup Bay of Issyk-Kul during the field season of 1985, we discovered a large settlement. The findings indicated that it existed sometime in the first millennium BC. However, all of this needed to be proven through new excavations and scientific research. We based our work on one appealing hypothesis: the discovery of the city of Chigu—the capital of the nomads in the 2nd century BC. This needed to be confirmed or disproved through field (or rather,
The Downfall of Zhang Qian After a long and mature discussion in the imperial council, it was concluded that the embassy should be postponed until a corridor to the west was established. The primary task became the war with the Huns. Allies were never found, and they had to rely on their own strength.
Hoopoe. A small bird measuring 25-29 cm in length and with a wingspan of 44-48 cm. Distinguished by its striped black-and-white plumage on the wings and tail, the hoopoe has a long, slender beak and a long crest on its head, making it one of the most recognizable birds. The coloration of the head, neck, and chest varies from pinkish to chestnut depending on the subspecies. The wings are broad and rounded, colored with contrasting black and whitish-yellow stripes. The tail is of medium length,
The Return of Zhang Qian Home On a bright September afternoon, four travelers were riding donkeys on the road to Chang'an: two men, a woman, and a boy about nine or ten years old. Each had a bag of oats on one side of the saddle and a basket for provisions on the other. A long leather bundle protruded from the back of one of the men: a spear—maybe a spear, a bow—maybe a bow... The walls of Chang'an soon came into view. The road was becoming busier with carts and pedestrians.
Yellow-headed Wagtail (white, mountain, masked). The yellow-headed wagtails have a bright yellow breast, which makes them easy to recognize in nature. Their tail is shorter than that of white wagtails. The yellow-headed wagtail has a bluish-gray back and a pure yellow head. These insectivorous birds arrive in small flocks and individually during the peak of snowmelt, staying around thawed patches where they gather emerging flies and other insects, which they successfully catch even in the air,