Leiden archaeologist works with Kazakhs on numismatic collections
In May of 2023, an agreement was signed between Leiden PhD candidate Jonathan Ouellet and General Director Onggar Akan of the A. Kh. Margulan Archaeological Institute in Almaty. The aim: a detailed study of the numismatic history of Southern Kazakhstan.
Kazakh coins
With the signing of this agreement, Ouellet, alongside his counterparts in Almaty, will publish a series of academic books detailing the numismatic history of Southern Kazakhstan. The books will range from the antique period all the way to the modern era and will cover such cities as Otrar, Taraz, and Turkistan. These cities were once key parts of the Silk Road. By investigating and publishing the coins from these places, we will be able to gain a much better understanding of their importance.
I am absolutely thrilled by this agreement,' Ouellet states, 'and I think this research will shine a light on the material from Kazakhstan and show the amazing work being done by the archaeological institute there.'
Further cooperation
This agreement will also increase the possibilities for further cooperation between Leiden University and A. Kh. Margulan Archaeological Institute. The intent is in the long run, for there to be further exchanges between the two institutes, including possibly teaching and fieldwork opportunities.
About the A. Kh. Margulan Archaeological Institute
A. Kh. Margulan Archaeological Institute in Almaty was created in 1991 after the independence of Kazakhstan. The institute is named after Alkey Khakanovich Margulan, the founder of the Kazakh School of Archeology and Ethnography and a prominent archeologist in the field of Bronze and Iron Age archaeology. The insitute conducts archaeological research throughout Kazakhstan and recently excavated in places such as Otrar, Taraz, and Taldysai.