A scientific seminar was held at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS featuring Dr. Azat Aytkaly, PhD in History and Leading Researcher at the A.X. Margulan Institute of Archaeology of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The seminar focused on the research activities of the Margulan Institute.

Opening the event, Associate Professor Zaur Hasanov, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs of the Institute, introduced the guest and emphasized that the seminar represented another important example of cooperation and exchange of experience between archaeologists of the two Turkic republics.

In his presentation, Dr. A.Aytkaly first provided an overview of the structure and development of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology. Using statistical charts, he discussed the strengthening of its research personnel base, achievements in international cooperation, major research projects, and publishing activity. He highlighted the modernization of archaeological expeditions through advanced technical equipment and the training of specialists in new technologies. According to Dr. A.Aytkaly, Kazakh archaeologists today possess expertise at an international level in fields such as digital archaeology, geomatics, paleobotany, and archaeozoology, and continue to expand their capabilities. He noted that more than 100 archaeological expeditions are conducted annually, alongside summer archaeological schools for young researchers, in which Azerbaijani colleagues also participated this year.

The Kazakh archaeologist then presented recent findings from Early Iron Age sites in Eastern Kazakhstan, including Mayemir, Berel, and Kulajorga. He discussed Sak culture and the discovery of a new “Golden Man,” emphasizing the presence of Sak, Hunnu-Xianbei (Jujan/Avar), early Turkic, and Kimak khaganate monuments in the region. Slides illustrating archaeological and bioarchaeological materials accompanied the talk.

At the conclusion of the seminar, Dr. A. Aytkaly answered questions from participants.

The event was also attended by Asiya Karajigitova, researcher at the Margulan Institute and doctoral candidate at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and Arman Kurmangaliev, Head of the Department of Archaeology and Ethnology at the National Museum of Kazakhstan and doctoral candidate at the same university, both visiting Azerbaijan on a scientific mission.