| Begash | |
| Map Type: | West Asia#Kazakhstan |
| Map Alt: | Location in Kazakhstan |
| Altitude M: | 950 |
| Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | 44.9°N 78.5°W |
| Region: | Zhetysu |
| Type: | winter campsite |
| Area: | 25000NaN0 |
| Built: | ca. 2460 BC |
| Abandoned: | ca. 1900 AD |
| Epochs: | Bronze Age, Iron Age |
| Occupants: | transhumant pastoralists |
| Excavations: | 2002, 2005, 2006 |
| Archaeologists: | Michael D. Frachetti, Alexei N. Mar’yashev |
Begash in an archaeological site in the Koksu River valley in historic Zhetysu, Kazazkstan. The site is situated in piedmont steppes above the Zhalgyzagash River, a tributary of the Koksu River. The people of Begash were transhumant pastoralists who mainly herded sheep and goats. They likely used the site primarily as a place of winter residence. The people of Begash buried their dead first in cist and later in kurgan burials. So far, the earliest direct evidence for domesticated grains in Central Asia can be found at Begash, with the earliest evidence for the presence of both domesticated free-threshing wheat (from West Asia) and broomcorn millet (from East Asia).
Direct AMS dating of broomcorn millet and wheat seeds from Begash date to around 2460-2150 BC. Most of the seeds were recovered from cist burials, with very few seeds being recovered from hearths. As almost all of the seeds came from burial contexts, the domesticated wheat and millet was most likely primarily used only for ritual purposes.
Free threshing wheat, either Triticum aestivum or Triticum turgidum, and broomcorn millet were found in all of the cultural layers at Begash.
The early wheat seeds from Begash were small, compact and round. The seeds are morphologically similar to modern Indian dwarf wheat and were similar to the seeds found in early China. The domesticated grains at Begash were not cultivated locally and were likely obtained through trade. Located near the Dzungarian Alatau, Begash is situated along the way on what is described as the "wheat road", a route of likely transmission of wheat and other goods from Western Asia to China.
The people of Begash relied mostly on herding, supplemented by limited hunting. The people of Begash herded sheep, goats, cattle, and horses and hunted red deer, goitered gazelle, Siberian ibex, and Argali.
Most of the animal remains at Begash came from domesticated animals. Starting from the earliest period at Begash, sheep and goat remains were found most frequently, and remained the primary animal remains found at Begash throughout its entire history. Over time, cattle slowly began to increase and eventually became the third most commonly found domesticated animal remains at Begash. Surprisingly, the presence of horse remains remained rather low at Begash throughout its history, although the presence of horse remains did gradually increase over time, especially from the Iron Age onwards.
The people of Begash likely burned dung as fuel.