Abstract
Stone sculptures hold a special place in museum collections as unique artifacts
that reflect the artistic, spiritual, and social dimensions of various eras. These relics span
several historical periods, covering cultural and historical processes from the Early Iron Age
to the ethnographic period. Within the museum environment, they simultaneously serve as
subjects of scientific research and tools for visual communication with the general public. This
dual function enables a comprehensive application of both traditional methods and modern
approaches to integrate stone sculptures into scientific discourse, ensure their preservation,
and present them within the exhibition space.
Accordingly, this article examines stone sculptures preserved in Kazakhstan’s museum
funds as a distinct group of museum objects, analyzing the core issues of their scientific
study and exhibition presentation. It addresses challenges related to attribution and dating,
methods of documentation, typological and iconographic analysis, as well as the conservation
conditions of stone monuments both in situ and in museums. Emphasis is placed on the
potential of modern technologies to ensure long-term preservation and audience engagement.
Additionally, the paper reviews the prerequisites for the phased accumulation of these
monuments in museums, analyzing the collections of Kazakhstani museums and relevant
scientific publications. Finally, it provides a bibliographical overview of stone sculptures
discovered nationwide and in museum collections, with a particular focus on the challenges
of exhibition interpretation.
01 Introduction
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