M. Auezov’s contribution to study of the “Manas” epic.

"The monument was created on my initiative, in collaboration with my late friend, the artist Theodor Herzen, in 1996 - to mark the 140th anniversary of the field recording of the epic. The 'Santash-140' celebration in 1996 brought together a large number of scholars, officials, and figures from the arts from both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. At the time, the government declared that the monument 'would be preserved by the State in perpetuity,' but, to my knowledge, that never happened. We covered the concrete foundation with earth and sod so that it would appear natural. Initially, it looked fantastic - completely blanketed in grass and wildflowers - which enhanced the artistic effect Herzen had envisioned: as if a natural boulder had simply been resting in the meadow until a sharp moment of discovery split it open - like a book, or a mystery of the centuries suddenly revealed."

"From a letter to A. Petrov," October 22, 2026. Daniel J. Prior, Professor of History, Miami University.

Ch. Valikhanov’s original manuscript (in Arabic script) of "Kukotai Khan" chapter.

Memorial marker for Ch. Valikhanov near the San-Tash burial mound was situated at an altitude of 1,990 meters above sea level. It was located between the Syptas Pass to the northeast and the San-Tash Pass to the southwest, 1.1 kilometers from the right bank of the Tyup River, in the western part of the Kylchikbay Mountains - 299 meters east of the eponymous burial mound - within the Tyup District, in the eastern part of the Issyk-Kul Region.

In the vicinity of the Syptas Pass, not far from the famous San-Tash burial mound, an unusual memorial marker appeared in 1996. It commemorates one of the most significant aspects of Chokan Valikhanov’s scholarly legacy: his transcription of fragments from the Kyrgyz epic "Manas" during his expedition to Lake Issyk-Kul.
The initiative for the monument came from American historian Daniel J. Prior, a researcher of Central Asian history and the Kyrgyz epic tradition. In bringing this vision to life, he worked closely with his friend, the renowned artist Theodor Herzen.
The memorial was created to mark the 140th anniversary of Valikhanov’s field recordings of the epic material and was unveiled in June 1996. The location for the monument was not chosen by chance. This area lies along the route of Chokan Valikhanov’s 1856 expedition, during which the young researcher traveled through the Issyk-Kul basin, gathered information about the region’s natural environment and history, explored the culture of the Kyrgyz people, and - for the first time in the history of European scholarship - recorded specific episodes from the great epic tradition of "Manas."
This event holds special significance for the study of the Kyrgyz epic. Valikhanov did not merely listen to a piece of folklore and retell its content; rather, he approached the epic as a scholar, striving to document a living oral tradition directly from those who carried it.
His records became one of the earliest written accounts of the epic’s existence and artistic substance, playing a pivotal role in the subsequent study of Kyrgyz folklore.

Unique concept of artist Theodor Herzen.

The monument, conceived by Prior and Herzen, was neither a traditional sculptural composition nor a classic bust of the scholar. The artistic concept was built around the image of a stone that opens up like a book. According to Daniel Pryor, Herzen’s intention was to create the impression that the viewer was encountering an actual natural boulder - one that might have just been resting in a meadow before splitting open to reveal a secret hidden within.
This imagery was meant to symbolically convey the very essence of a scientific discovery: a researcher approaches an ancient tradition - one that had previously existed primarily in oral form - and, in effect, unveils a page of a people’s historical memory for future generations.
The creators took special care to ensure that the monument would blend organically into the surrounding landscape. The concrete base was covered with earth and topped with sod. In the early years, the grass and wildflowers almost entirely concealed the base, making the stone composition appear as a natural part of the environment.
Pryor noted that during his last visit to San-Tash in 2001, the original vision was still intact, though the effects of time were already becoming apparent. Over time, the natural vegetation gradually disappeared; as the project’s initiator later recalled, the layer of soil placed over the concrete base was too thin to sustain a lasting cover of grass.
Thus, Herzen’s concept was unusual not only in its artistic approach but also in its composition: the monument was not intended to stand in opposition to nature, but rather to be perceived as an integral part of it.

San-Tash-140: Commemorating a Scientific Milestone.

The unveiling of the commemorative marker was part of a broader event marking the 140th anniversary of Valikhanov’s expedition and his documentation of the Kyrgyz epic. The 1996 celebrations brought together representatives from academic circles, government institutions, and the cultural spheres of both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in the San-Tash area.
The focus on this particular date was highly symbolic. The 1856 expedition took place during a period when Valikhanov - then a very young researcher - was embarking on his first major scientific journeys. Even then, he displayed the very traits that would later establish him as one of the most prominent figures in XIXth-century science: exceptional powers of observation, a deep interest in the history and culture of the peoples of Central Asia, and a commitment to recording information firsthand during fieldwork.
The marker at San-Tash was intended to preserve the memory not only of Valikhanov himself but also of his encounter with the living epic tradition of the Kyrgyz people. According to the recollections of Daniel Prior, government representatives at the anniversary events expressed an intention to maintain the monument as a lasting site of memory.
However, to the best of the project initiator’s knowledge, this promise was never formally documented, and no official commemorative marker was ever installed.

Commemorative Marker to Ch. Valikhanov and Fate of the Site.

The history of this commemorative marker is, in itself, of great interest today. It illustrates just how precarious the fate of small-scale cultural monuments can be - especially those located far from major population centers. The monument was designed with the intention that it would blend naturally into the surrounding landscape.
This very quality was initially a merit, yet over time it became one of the reasons for the loss of the original artistic effect. The natural environment, intended to be an integral part of the work, gradually altered its outward appearance. At the same time, the significance of the event to which the monument was dedicated has not diminished over the years.
On the contrary, contemporary research into Valikhanov’s manuscript legacy and the Kyrgyz epic tradition allows for an even fuller appreciation of the importance of his 1856 work. It is particularly noteworthy that the history of the monument has continued into the 21st century.
Daniel Prior preserved materials related to the project - including photographs taken in June 1996 and records of his collaboration with Theodor Herzen. These materials hold independent historical value, as they make it possible to reconstruct the original appearance of the memorial and the circumstances surrounding its creation.

Stones of memorial to Ch. Valikhanov serve as a symbol of remembrance.

Perhaps it was precisely the unconventional nature of the monument that most accurately conveyed the essence of the event it commemorated. Valikhanov recorded what had been passed down orally from generation to generation for centuries.
Herzen sought to express this process through the language of art: natural stone is transformed into a unique kind of book, revealing a previously hidden page of history. In this sense, the memorial at San-Tash was dedicated not only to Chokan Valikhanov; it symbolized the very process by which oral memory is transformed into a written record, and subsequently into an object of scholarly study and cultural heritage.
Today, three decades after its creation, the story of how this monument came to be deserves special attention. It is linked simultaneously to Valikhanov’s scholarly legacy, the history of research into the “Manas” epic, the artistic work of Theodor Herzen, and the initiative of Daniel J. Prior, who sought to preserve the memory of one of the most significant events in the history of the study of Kyrgyz culture.
And so, reconstructing the history of this small commemorative marker - even if, for now, it involves only documentary research - carries far greater significance than might appear at first glance. It is a story of how a XIXth-century scientific discovery found artistic expression in the XXth century, becoming a part of the cultural memory of two neighboring peoples in Central Asia.

Geographic coordinates of commemorative marker dedicated to Ch. Valikhanov, located near the San-Tash burial mound: N42°44'49 E78°59'32

Authority and photographs by:
Alexander Petrov.