Memorial Complexes and Stone Sculptures­bediz: Ethnocultural Characteristics of the Turkic Period

In the ancient Turkic era, special rituals were performed for the burial of the deceased. One key element was the “badiz” (ancient Turkic: bediz >bediz stone sculpture). Such badiz are found in abundance in the Eurasian space, especially the art of badiz carving became a distinctive tradition, particularly flourishing during the Turkic and Kipchak eras. The article examines the ethnocultural significance of the study of the ritual complexes of the ancient Turks in the Great Steppe, its components – baryk (the main complex structure, stone sides), badiz (stone sculpture), bitiktas (inscriptional stone), a series of balbals oriented to the east and water ditches, a system of earthen enclosures, and a brick floor. The ancient Turks had burial grounds, rock burials, and ritual complexes. These were of various sizes depending on the political and military structure of the Turkic Khaganate. In this context, we also aimed to revive the ancient names in the ancient Turkic language. The study aims to revive ancient Turkic terminology through a comparative analysis of archaeological complexes, etymological research, and the interpretation of ancient Turkic inscriptions, Chinese chronicles, and ethnographic materials from excavations.