MAIASP. 2025. No. 19 Bakyt Khassenova (Astana, Kazakhstan) GENDER SYMBOLICS OF KIMEK JEWELRY Аrchaeological materials from the Irtysh region represent a valuable source of data about the costume traditions of the Eurasian steppe peoples during the Medieval period. Of particular significance in this context are personal jewellery, especially earrings and temple pendants, discovered in Kimek burials dating from the 9th — 11th сс. Their forms and the materials used (bronze, silver, gold) provide insights into both social stratification and ethno-cultural processes. Based on the analysis of over 100 burials, 31 of which contained earrings, it has been established that rounded shapes predominated in both male and female graves, whereas more massive types were likely used as pendants attached to women’s headdresses. Gold earrings are primarily discovered in wealthy men՚s burials, while bronze ones are typical of the common people. A comparison with finds from the Oghuz and other Turkic tribes reveals similarities in the symbolism and distribution of these decorations, reflecting broader processes involved in the formation of new state entities. In this context, earrings function not only as elements of traditional attire but also as important indicators of gender, social status, and the cultural transformations of medieval societies in the Great Steppe. Key words: Middle Ages, Kimek Khaganate, gender, jewellery, symbolism, funeral rite. |