About the Journal

Margulan Readings is an annual international conference organized by the Margulan Institute of Archaeology, during which researchers present the results of field and interdisciplinary studies pertaining to the monuments of historical and cultural heritage in Kazakhstan and neighboring regions to the scientific community. The event discusses current issues within archaeological science and its related fields, including archaeozoology, palynology, museology, conservation, restoration, as well as issues of protection of archaeological sites and the application of modern research methods. The primary objective of the conference is to introduce new data to the scientific community and to promote the utilization and implementation of the latest methodologies in analyzing the obtained results.

Traditionally, the conference proceedings are published in a periodical that includes reports presented directly at the event. Founder and publisher: Republican State Enterprise with the right of economic management "Institute of Archeology named after A.H. Margulan" of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

For the first time, the Margulan Readings were held in 1989 in the city of Alma-Ata on the basis of the Department of Archaeology of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography named after Ch.Ch. Valikhanov (IIAE). The conference is named in honor of the outstanding scientist of Kazakhstan, the founder of national archaeology, the first head of the archaeology sector – Alkey Khakanovich Margulan.

Initially, the conference was conceived as an annual reporting session of the staff of the Institute's Department of Archaeology, which highlighted the results of field research. Gradually, the topic and the range of participants of the forum expanded. If at the end of the last century specialists from Kazakhstan and neighboring regions took part in the conference, in the last few years scientists from Asia and Europe, America and even Australia have become participants in the readings. Over the years, the scientific conference has been held in different cities of Kazakhstan – Astana, Petropavlovsk, Pavlodar, Karaganda, Shymkent, Kokshetau, Aktobe, but the main and almost unchanged venue of the scientific forum remains the largest metropolis of Central Asia, the city at the foot of the Alatau – Almaty.