Abstract
This article explores archaeological finds known in academic literature as “caches”, “hoards”, or “hidden deposits”. In the Ural- Kazakhstan steppe region the Bronze Age recorded them in burial sites associated with the Sintashta, Early Alakul, and Alakul cultures. The study uses the term cache to describe collections of objects found in five burials, two cenotaphs, a ditch niche, and outside the stone enclosures of funerary structures. The artifacts in these caches are mostly made of copper alloys and can be grouped into three main categories: weapons and weapon-related tools, tools used for work or craft, household items and ornaments. According to the authors, these hidden items represent a kind of social and economic “code”. In Sintashta and Early Alakul contexts, the combination of military and craft-related tools suggests a link between warfare and production. In contrast, the cache found in the Alakul context likely served a ritual or symbolic purpose. The contents of the caches may reflect the professional roles of the individuals buried and may also have had sacred meaning - possibly intended to protect the objects from being removed, especially in cases where the burial was later disturbed.