HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF THE GREAT STEPPE

Abstract

The article examines the historical and cultural landscapes of the Great Steppe. The Great Steppe is a vast natural and geographical space that encompasses the desert, steppe, forest-steppe, and mountain regions of Eurasia. The domestication of the horse and the development of nomadic pastoralism in this space laid the foundation for civilizational development. Nomadic culture strengthened the connections between various ethnic groups and cultures, and this process continued during the eras of the Xiongnu, Turkic, and Chinggisid empires. The rich natural and cultural heritage of the Great Steppe had a direct impact on the formation of the Kazakh Khanate, defining the way of life and political development of the people. The historical continuity of the Turkic Khaganate, the Golden Horde, and the Kazakh Khanate further enhanced the political and cultural role of this region. Historical sources and archaeological research make it possible to explain the socio-economic development of the societies of the Great Steppe and the formation of their ethno-cultural unity.