On September 2, 2024, the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Botai” was visited by a writer from Denmark, Leonora Van Deurs.

Her visit took place as part of an exploratory tour dedicated to the culture, history, and landmarks of Kazakhstan. Leonora Van Deurs is the author of a historical fantasy book titled “Botai – Traces of Shadows.” This is her debut work, written in a popular style and primarily intended for a young audience. According to Leonora Van Deurs, the inspiration for her book came from the documentary trilogy “Equus: Story of the Horse,” released in 2019 (directed by Canadian filmmaker Niobe Thompson, with the participation of Kazakh producer Nurbol Baymukanov).

Since then, the young Danish author has focused her research on the Botai culture, the Yamnaya culture, and the early centers of nomadic civilization, as well as DNA genealogy. After studying ancient historical periods and writing her book, Leonora Van Deurs fulfilled her dream of becoming acquainted with the culture of nomadic civilization in person, seeing the lands of the Great Steppe, and directly experiencing its traditions, culture, and way of life.

Her cultural and educational tour included visits to the cities of Astana, Semey, and East Kazakhstan. She was accompanied by a research group consisting of her parents, a documentary film producer, and a young blogger from the North Kazakhstan region, Asylym Akhmetova, who is also interested in the history of horse domestication and folk traditions.

At the Botai settlement itself, Leonora Van Deurs saw reconstructed Botai dwellings, the process of producing meat and dairy products, leather processing, reconstructed clothing, and ancient tools. The young author gained deep and unforgettable impressions from her visit, as well as from the artifacts of the Eneolithic period and the detailed explanations provided during the excursion.

It is expected that this introduction to the history of Northern Kazakhstan and the Botai culture will inspire the author with new ideas and plot developments for her future works.