Abstract
Purpose. The authors tried to reveal the reasons, duration and place of temporary preservation of the bodies of the Kazakhs on the basis of archaeological, historical and folklore-literary sources. The authors also tried to trace the historical continuity in the funeral and memorial rites of nomads.Results. The tradition of delayed burials is associated with the natural conditions and economic cycle of nomads. Based on ethnographic data, the authors analyze various options for preserving the body before burial. According to it, the practice of performing deferred burials originates from the period of early nomads of the Eurasian steppes. Archaeological materials contain evidence of the usage of deferred burials of notable individuals among the Turks. The article also discusses the special veneration of ancestors, which can also be traced in the funeral rites of early nomads. The large burial mounds were build in their honor, and they were buried in clothes adorned with gold, with a large quantity of supporting equipment. The funeral and memorial rites of the nomadic Kazakh people also include the veneration of ancestral spirits. They tried to bury their khans, batyrs and biys in the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. And to do this, they had to temporarily bury the body and save it until burial.Conclusion. Islam brought changes in the funeral rites of the steppe population. However, the Kazakh people tried to preserve the traditions that do not contradict the Sharia, in some cases without changes, in others, some customs were transformed in accordance with the norms and teachings of Islam. The Kazakhs managed to unite the two worlds, and for a life of peace and prosperity, with the blessing of aruakh, arranged memorial dinners on the third, seventh, fortieth day, the annual “as”, sacrifices, but in many traditions and customs, the reading of prayers from the Koran was introduced.