To further implement the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit and advance joint China-Kazakh archaeological and heritage conservation efforts, the inauguration of the Issyk Branch of the Collaborative Research Centre for Archeology of the Silk Roads (CRCASR) took place at the State Historical-Cultural Museum-Reserve Issyk (Issyk Museum) in Kazakhstan on October 21. This is the first CRCASR branch to be established outside of China.
The Issyk Branch will focus on the "Golden Man" and associated burial sites, as well as other ancient sites in the Issyk region. The branch will establish projects that integrate scientific research with training and public outreach, as well as conduct joint initiatives in archeology, heritage conservation and cultural exchange. Participants also held a roundtable discussion on the center’s mission statement and future plans for collaboration, and conducted field visits to the new building of the Issyk Museum, "Golden Man" burial site, and ruins of the ancient city of Rahat .
The CRCASR is an international archeological platform proposed by China and jointly established by the five Central Asian countries. It is operated by China’s Northwest University under the leadership of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, and leverages the archaeological research capacity within the Shaanxi province to conduct joint archeological and heritage conservation work in Central Asia. Since 2016, the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology and the Issyk Museum have jointly carried out archaeological excavations at the ruins of the ancient city of Rahat. This marks the first archaeological collaboration between China and Kazakhstan, and sets an excellent example for cultural cooperation and friendly relations between the two countries.
Source: CCTV News