The Ensemble of the Central Square of Sauran City-Site, 14th – 16th Centuries

Medieval Sauran is one of the largest and best known cities in Southern Kazakhstan. Its twomillennial history has deposited in cultural layers of the two neighboring fortifi ed settlements: Karatobe (fi rst centuries of our era – 13th century AD) and Sauran (14th – 18th centuries AD), with a very high degree of preservation. A. Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology launched large-scale archaeological excavations of Sauran in 2004. The central city square within the qala (citadel) became an important object of archaeological research. A number of large public buildings were discovered here: Jum‘a mosque, a madrasa, and, probably, a khanqah. All buildings feature closed layouts of their plans with inner courtyards, clearly outlined portals, vaulted and domed roofs and facades faced with multicolor glazed tiles. Stratigraphy of these complexes allows looking into the process of development of this ensemble over time.