RECOGNITION OF THE VALUE OF THE KHOJA AHMED YASAWI MAUSOLEUM AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS PROTECTION: ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS AND THE QAZAQ NEWSPAPER (1899–1920)

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Abstract

This article examines the recognition of the historical value of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and the question of responsibility for its protection on the basis of administrative documents from 1899–1920 and a publication in the Qazaq newspaper. The study aims to identify the relationship between the administrative recording of the religious environment, the registration of a historical monument, public criticism, and the institutional allocation of responsibility. The principal sources are an 1899 report of the Turkistan uchastok pristav, 1908 information on ancient and historical monuments in Syrdarya Oblast, Mirzhakyp Dulatuly’s 1913 article “Khazret Sultan,” published in the Qazaq newspaper, and a 1920 order of the Central Executive Committee of the Turkistan Republic. Source criticism and comparative analysis take into account the genre, intended audience, geographical scope, and evidential limits of each text. The findings show that the 1899 report already acknowledged both the religious function and the historical value of the mausoleum. Its inclusion in the 1908 provincial list does not in itself demonstrate that repair work was carried out. Dulatuly’s call for preservation combined criticism of local custodians with a demand for accountable management. The 1920 order is interpreted not as evidence of specific measures implemented at the mausoleum, but as an act defining general institutional responsibilities for the protection of historical and cultural heritage. The study distinguishes the recognition of historical value from practical preservation measures and qualifies a linear interpretation of the transition from a sacred site to historical heritage. It also demonstrates the importance of distinguishing between district, provincial, and republican geographical and administrative scales when analysing sources concerning a single monument.