A DWELLING AT THE BOTAI SETTLEMENT HAS BEEN RECREATED

The West Kazakhstan Branch of the RSE “Kazrestoration” has completed scientific restoration work at the Botai settlement in the Aiyrtau District of the North Kazakhstan Region. The project aims to recreate the dwellings of this ancient Eneolithic settlement and to give visitors the opportunity to become familiar with the distinctive features of the historic site.

The Botai settlement dates to the 4th–3rd millennia BCE. It was discovered in 1980 by the archaeologist Viktor Zaibert. Archaeological research recorded the sites of 109 dwellings within the settlement and examined 76 residential and utility structures. The excavations revealed the layout and structural features of the ancient dwellings.

During the restoration, the foundation of Dwelling No. 1 was poured and its wooden walls were rebuilt. The foundation was waterproofed and the floor was covered with a layer of cement. The roof structure was recreated using traditional building methods.

In addition, the foundation of the entrance corridor, known as the dromos, was poured, and its wooden frame and roof structures were rebuilt. The interior of the corridor was lined with a moisture-proof layer, and its floor was restored with clay.

The dromos that connects the dwellings to one another was also rebuilt, and its structures were further reinforced with a geogrid framework and anchor connections. In addition, the settlement’s main entrance door was restored.

The main goal of the work is to give visitors a clear picture of the everyday life of people in that era by recreating the structure of an Eneolithic dwelling.

RSE «Kazrestoration» carried out the restoration work on a scientific basis, guided by the fundamental principles of the field of restoration.