Formation and Development of Research into the Kyrghyz Burial Culture

Purpose. Sources of information on the Kyrghyz burial culture cover a wide time range and represented by various types of materials. The purpose of this work is to characterize the main groups of sources taking into account the chronological framework and information content. Results. Four groups of sources are presented, revealing the topic of research into the burial culture of the Kyrghyz: 10th – 17th centuries medieval authors works; works of travelers and scientists of the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries; scientific works of 20s – 70s twentieth century scientists; scientific works of 1980 researchers – to present. They are highlighted based on the chronology and completeness of their information content. For each group the main characteristics are shown. Conclusion. It is emphasized that the work of the researchers made a significant contribution to the study of burial sites (intra-grave and above-grave structures) and burial and memorial rites. Considering the existing results and possibilities, this direction is promising for further development and expansion of the source base.