Back to category Published: 16 july 2022 Author: Zhanna Mukhatzhanova

Sisem Ata Necropolis

Sisem Ata Necropolis, one of the largest cemeteries in Mangystau, is a valuable source of information about the region’s history, architecture, and ethnography. It was first explored by Grigory Karelin in 1832. During the Soviet era, several archaeologists studied the necropolis and were able to date the earliest graves back to the 13th century.

Information about Sisem Ata is rather vague and is mostly based on local legends. Legend has it that Sisem Ata was the head of the local community in the 13th-14th centuries. According to another legend, he was one the first spreaders of Islam in the region and probably a student and associate of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. At one point he began to be revered as a saint and the cemetery where he was allegedly buried became a pilgrimage site.

Features and types of graves

Sisem Ata Necropolis contains burials of batyrs (warriors), akyns (improvising poets and singers), and various noble people. The graves of notable people were often decorated with helmet-like structures, which you can see in the cemetery. These structures later evolved into domed mausoleums. The necropolis showcases how funerary architecture changed through the ages.

In total, the necropolis houses 1328 graves, including 22 domed mausoleums, many saganatams (stone fences around a grave, often with columns at the corners), kulpytases (steles with four or eight faces), and koytases (tombstones covered with ornamental carvings and sometimes images of rams or weapons). All tombstones are made of clay and sandstone.

On your way to the Sisem Ata Necropolis, you’ll pass by the mausoleum of Man Ata. Mentioned in Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism, he is believed to be a progenitor of all people.

How to get there?

Sisem Ata Necropolis is located on the Ustyurt Plateau, 30 km (19 mi) north of Say-Utes railway station. If the city of Aktau is the starting point of your journey, drive along the A-33 highway towards Say-Utes. The distance is 283 km (176 mi); the road takes about 3 hours. On your way, you will pass the villages of Zhetybay and Shetpe. The farther from Aktau, the worse the road. This journey requires an off-road vehicle.

Please remember that you need to dress appropriately when visiting religious sites. Do not wear revealing clothes. Women must cover their heads with a headscarf.