Besshatyr Burial Mounds
Бесшатыр
A burial ground of Saka nobles on the Ili River, dating from the 8th to 3rd centuries BC, with 31 huge stone mounds, the tallest about 17 metres high.
Besshatyr means "Five Tents". It is the burial ground of Saka (Scythian) nomadic nobility, dating from the 8th to the 3rd century BC. It contains 31 burial mounds of stone and earth in various sizes. The largest, the "Great Mound", is about 17 metres high and 100 metres in diameter, and its burial chamber is built from Tian Shan spruce logs. The surrounding area also includes standing stone circles and stelae carved with rock art. Many of the tombs have been looted, so the site is mainly for viewing from outside, with a simple display at the entrance. It lies about 3 km from the Ili River in the southwest of the park. It is often combined with the Singing Dune in a day trip along the western route of the park, and the Oshaktas Stone Stelae are nearby.
Opening hours
Daytime (national park permit required)