Kazakh wooden burial structures in the Pavlodar Irtysh region

This article analyzes field evidence of 2023 on wooden burial structures at the Kazakh cemeteries located in the Ertis Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve (Shcherbakty and Akkulu Districts in Pavlodar Region) and identifies common and specific features of wooden grave structures at the Kazakh cemeteries ofthe Reserve. The earliest dates ofthe surviving fences were the 1960s. According to the elements used, wooden grave structures can be divided into four types: those made of logs, poles, boards, or narrow planks. Fences can be either of an open type, or have a four-pitched or gable roof on top. During their construction, it was forbidden to use metal elements. The earliest and most typical structures for the territory under consideration include rectangular fences similar to a cribwork, but with logs not joining each other horizontally. A special feature of this design was log crossbar placed laid in the middle along the long axis of the fence, symbolizing "shanyrak.” Some structures were logworks or were made of poles, boards, or narrow planks. All these variants offences appear at the cemetery in the village of Mergalym in Akkulu District. This necropolis stands out by large number of wooden grave structures, their diversity and good preservation. Wooden boards with carved names and dates of life ofthe deceased have been preserved on some fences. First mausoleum ofthe famous religious figure Gabdul Wahit Hazret, who lived and was buried in this place, was also built of wooden planks in 1962. Currently, wooden funeral monuments become replaced by other building materials.