Coins of the Turkic Khaganates from Taraz settlement (southern Kazakhstan)

The aim of this article is to introduce into scholarly discourse an extensive collection of Turkic coins unearthed during archaeological excavations at the Taraz settlement and to analyze their numismatic significance. The study employs instrumental measurement methods (weight, diameter) and classifies the coins based on legends in Sogdian script, tamghas, and additional symbols. The authors classify 444 coin specimens dated to the 8th - 9th centuries and identify distinctive features reflecting the political, ethnic, and economic structures of the Turgesh and Karluk Khaganates. The findings confirm Taraz’s role as a key center of coinage and prompt a reevaluation of local economic autonomy during the era of the Turkic khaganates.