Cemeteries in Kyrgyzstan

Cemeteries in Kyrgyzstan are different to expectations in an Islam oriented country. You don’t see unpretentious graves but rather mausoleums. The typical mausoleum is big, elaborated, and showing symbols with connection to the diseased person. Often you can see symbols, which are clearly shamanistic. Sometimes you see graves with a metal structure above resembling a yurt.

You don’t have to travel to remote mountain areas to see these graveyards, but rather see a lot along the roads. One I have visited while hiking into the mountains, though. Along with Islamic and shamanistic influences, you can also detect a Russian influence by the enamel portraits attached to tombstones.

There are also old graveyards or tombstones like the Balbals. Please look at the link for these. But I might write more on the Balbals in the future.

 

 

Cemetery in the mountains

 

Close-up of a mausoleum

 

 

Met6al structure above the grave in the form of a yurt

 

 

Soviet star, deer horns, and the half moon

 

 

Cemetery along the road

 

Mausoleums along the road

Links:

http://rheumatologe.blogspot.de/2014/10/burial-and-memorial-of-dead.html

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