Archaeologists excavating in northern Kyrgyzstan have uncovered a remarkable stone sculpture depicting a woman wearing a three-horned headdress, offering rare insights into the spiritual and social roles of women in early Turkic society. The discovery, made at the Borombay archaeological complex in the Chuy region, dates to the 6th-8th centuries AD and represents one of the few female anthropomorphic sculptures from the early Turkic period ever found in Central Asia.
The stone figure was discovered during a joint Kyrgyz-Russian archaeological expedition led by Professor Alexey Tishkin from Altai State University, working in collaboration with Jusup Balasagyn Kyrgyz National University. Carved into a large boulder not native to the site, the sculpture portrays a woman with a distinctive three-horned headdress holding a cup in her right hand, a traditional symbol associated with ritual offerings or ancestral veneration in nomadic cultures.
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The image, carved into a large boulder not native to the site, portrays a woman wearing a distinctive three-horned headdress — a feature characteristic of early Turkic iconography. (Greater Altai Research and Educational Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies)
Rare Evidence of Female Power in Nomadic Society
According to Professor Tishkin:
"The female figure with a three-horned headdress is rare evidence of the symbolism and rituals of the early Turkic era. It sheds light on the culture of nomadic peoples in Central Asia."
The sculpture's location near the Borombay-I burial group suggests it played a significant role in funerary or memorial practices. The boulder's composition differs from local stones, indicating that ancient peoples deliberately transported it to the site specifically for creating this important image.
The three-horned headdress depicted on the sculpture is particularly significant, as similar motifs appear in petroglyphs and bronze artifacts from Mongolia and southern Siberia, suggesting shared cultural expressions across the greater Eurasian steppe. Archaeologists interpret the headdress as potentially symbolizing authority, ritual divinity, or connections to heavenly realms, representing a unique regional expression within the broader traditions of steppe civilizations.
The Borombay Archaeological Complex
The Borombay site, located near the village of Kyzyl-Oktyabr in Kemin District, contains dozens of burial mounds and ritual structures spanning several eras. The archaeological complex includes kurgans from the early Turkic era and possibly earlier cultures, such as the pre-Turkic Kenkol culture. During the expedition, researchers investigated two major burial sites: Borombay-I mound No. 39 and Borombay-II mound No. 8.
Mound No. 39 revealed a large catacomb burial with multiple stone layers. Though looted in antiquity, the tomb yielded bone fragments and ceramic vessels that will undergo radiocarbon dating to determine absolute chronology. Professor Tishkin noted that this type of catacomb construction has not been observed in the Russian Altai region, suggesting connections to pre-Turkic phases of Central Asian history.
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Stone layers of the kurgan burial structure at Borombay-I. (Greater Altai Research and Educational Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies)
At Borombay-II, mound No. 8 consisted of an oval ring of large stones without human remains. Archaeologists interpret this structure as a cenotaph, a symbolic grave marking the memory of an individual who died far from home. A fragment of pottery and a well-shaped stone pestle recovered from the area confirm its ritual character.
Women's Roles in Early Turkic Culture
The discovery provides valuable evidence regarding the spiritual and communal roles of women in early Turkic society. Female anthropomorphic sculptures from this period are exceptionally rare, with most known examples depicting male warriors or rulers. The presence of ritual objects, particularly the cup held by the figure, suggests that women held significant positions in religious ceremonies and ancestral worship practices among nomadic communities.
Close-up of the head with three horned headdress carved on the boulder. (Greater Altai Research and Educational Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies)
Research teams conducted detailed photogrammetry of the sculpture and created a digital 3D model for future publication. The object's surface shows signs of careful pecking and polishing, typical of stone-working methods of the early Turkic period. Overall, 41 archaeological features were documented across the Borombay-I site, including stone enclosures and ritual structures, though many mounds had been damaged by road construction and agricultural activities.
Future Research and Cultural Connections
Following excavations, all trenches were refilled and covered with turf to restore the natural landscape. The collaboration between Altai State University and Kyrgyz National University marks the first systematic fieldwork by Altai archaeologists in Kyrgyzstan. Future expeditions aim to explore cultural and chronological links between ancient populations of the Altai and Central Asia.
"The discovery of the Borombay sculpture opens a new page in the study of early Turkic monumental art," Professor Tishkin explained. "It provides direct archaeological evidence of the artistic and ritual worldviews shared among the nomadic peoples of the Greater Altai and Kyrgyz steppe." Continued excavations aim to decode the artistic and ritual meaning of the three-horned headdress, which may represent divine protection or celestial connections within steppe traditions.
The expedition team emphasized that further research in the Chui Valley will require longer field seasons, additional funding, and wider use of digital recording technologies. The female figure will provide crucial insights into the cultural and symbolic landscape of early Turkic peoples, particularly regarding women's participation in spiritual and communal life during a formative period of Central Asian history.
Top image: Stone sculpture depicting a woman with three-horned headdress discovered at the Borombay archaeological complex in Kyrgyzstan's Chui region. Source: Greater Altai Research and Educational Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies, Altai State University
By Gary Manners
References
Altuntaş, L., 2025. Rare 1,400-Year-Old Stone Sculpture of a Woman Unearthed in Kyrgyzstan's Chui Valley. Arkeonews. Available at: https://arkeonews.net/rare-1400-year-old-stone-sculpture-of-a-woman-unearthed-in-kyrgyzstans-chui-valley/
Greater Altai Research and Educational Center. 2025. Archaeologists of the Greater Altai Discovered a Female Image in Stone in Kyrgyzstan Dating Back to the Early Turkic Period. Available at: https://bolshoy-altay.asu.ru/news/arkheologi-bolshogo-altaya-obnaruzhili-v-kyrgyzsta.html
Heritage Daily. 2025. Stone Depicting Three-Horned Figure Discovered in Kyrgyzstan. Available at: https://www.heritagedaily.com/2025/10/stone-depicting-three-horned-figure-discovered-in-kyrgyzstan/156265
Institute of Turkology and Altaistics. 2025. Research Institute Activities. Available at: https://farabi.university/science/nii/59?lang=en
