KAZNU SCIENTISTS ARE CONDUCTING JOINT RESEARCH IN THE EASTERN PAMIRS
Since May 2024, the first Kazakh-French laboratory, the Archeozoological Center for the Study of Central Asia (ZooSTAn), has been operating at the al-Farabi Kazakh National University. KazNU scientists are implementing this international project together with CNRS— a leading scientific institution in France. The project brought together researchers from Kazakhstan, France and the USA.
The laboratory employs 11 scientists who study the evolution of humans and animals, the role of animals in the development of society, as well as human settlement in extreme natural conditions. In the first year of its operation, ZooSTAn has conducted international expeditions, attracted funding for major European projects, and is already implementing an archaeological school in France in 2025.
Since 2018, an international team of scientists has been conducting comprehensive research in the Eastern Pamirs. During this time, new archaeological sites were discovered and extensive scientific material was collected. Today, work continues as part of the PaleoCALM project, funded by the French National Science Foundation ANR. According to S.V. Schneider, a researcher at the ZooSTAn Laboratory (CNRS–KazNU), the project is aimed at studying the origins of cattle breeding in Central Asia.
The research is conducted in three areas: archaeology, paleobotany and geomorphology. Archaeologists led by S.V.Schneider are identifying early traces of cattle breeding, paleobotanists led by A. Henri (University of Côte d'Azur, France) are reconstructing the vegetation of the Eastern Pamirs over the past 10,000 years, and geomorphologists led by V. Rinterknecht (CEREGE, France) are restoring the chronology of glaciations.
The conducted research provides a new perspective on the ancient history of the region and forms a unique international platform for scientific cooperation, strengthening KazNU's position as a leading research university in Central Asia.
Press-service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
