Paper short abstract:

Not 23 (Cholpon)

Paper long abstract:

This paper focuses on the development of cultural heritage management in Kyrgyzstan. More than 2000 historically significant monuments and sites exist in the country and the most famous is Burana Tower. In 2014, it has been enlisted into the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of its unquestionable historical, archaeological and cultural significance. In 1976, the shepherd’s house next to the Tower was re-constructed into a museum and since then the Burana Tower Archeological Museum-Complex exposes different archeological tools, coins, and other artifacts discovered in this place and the surrounding area of the Chui oblast. I argue, although there some measurements are provided, the Tower lacks sufficient protection and safeguarding. The greatest harm is caused by the anthropogenic activity of the local population who does not give importance to the value of the monument and cares more about their economic lag, grazing their livestock on the cultural layers of the monument or close to the Tower. I argue that a lot of blame lies with the state, which is not well working to raise awareness of the population about the need to protect and preserve the monument. This paper is based on cultural laws, published books, and different visual materials collected in the framework of the international project “Protection of Burana Tower against anthropogenic and seismic threats” in 2021-2022.