From September 18 to 27, 2025, the «XII Bulgarian International Archaeological School” was held in Turkestan at the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University.

The event was organized by the International Institute for Central Asian Studies in cooperation with the A. Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the A. Kh. Khalikov Institute of Archaeology.

A total of 36 participants from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China took part in the archaeological school. The main objectives of the school were:

• the study and documentation of archaeological sites;
• the application of experimental and traceological methods in the study of ancient tools and materials;
• the improvement of participants’ research skills.

During the school, active work was carried out in the sections “Documentation of UNESCO Archaeological Sites” and “Basic Principles of Experimental Traceological Methods in the Study of Ancient Tools.” In each section, participants complemented their theoretical knowledge with practical research.

On September 27, a concluding conference titled “Achievements and Challenges of Interdisciplinary Approaches in Archaeological Research” was held. The conference was attended by the Director of the Botai Museum-Reserve, Sabina Karimovna Amirova, and the Head of the Research Department, Kanat Konespaevich Kozhakhmetov.

During the final conference, Sabina Karimovna delivered a presentation titled “Experimental Dwellings of the Botai Culture,” in which she provided a detailed overview of the lifestyle of the Botai culture, the features of house construction, and their correlation with archaeological data.

Participants noted that they intend to apply the experience gained during the school in their future research activities. The results of the event represent an important step for future archaeological projects and international cooperation.