Karaman-Ata and Beky Necropolis

The Karaman-Ata Necropolis lies in central Mangyshlak Peninsula, just five kilometers west of the Kandybas Valley. In its western area, near a crossroads of dirt roads, stand the underground mosque of Karaman-Ata, Turkmen steles known as kulpytas, and a partly ruined hexagonal mausoleum. The mosque’s entrance has been outfitted with a roof, a practical but necessary addition to prevent sand and water from spilling inside.

Previously, openings in the earth above the mosque served as both windows and ventilation, and today, lighting has been installed to aid visibility.

The mosque itself is carved into a hill made of marl—a chalky rock material—possibly expanded from an existing natural cave according to some researchers.

Built into the gentle slope of a large hill, Karaman-Ata’s underground mosque features three primary chambers. A central pillar, preserved in the main hall, supports the ceiling’s thick layers of soil—a precaution that proved wise, as part of the roof has since collapsed, filling a significant portion of the prayer hall with debris. The first chamber (a vestibule) has several columns and, as relayed by the local shyraqshi (guardians), was once a madrasa where Karaman-Ata and his followers taught the tenets of Islam.

The shallow depth of the mosque’s chambers means its walls are low, and clay sediment covers the floors. In the northeast, a circular room reputedly contains Karaman-Ata’s crypt, connected to the prayer hall by a long corridor. The mosque’s neglected state likely stems from its distance from populated areas, though it has long been held sacred. Legends say a small recess in the wall once served as the entrance to a tunnel linking Karaman-Ata’s mosque to others like Shopan-Ata, Yesen-Ata, and Beket-Ata. Other stories suggest the tunnel led to a well—or even a treasure buried by Karaman-Ata himself.

Stories collected in the mid-19th century in Legends of the Adai People on the Saints of Mangyshlak describe Karaman-Ata as the son of Ikhsan (Yesen-Ata) and grandson of Chopan-Ata (Shopan-Ata). Like his grandfather, he performed miracles and built a mosque a day’s journey from Shopan-Ata’s grave. After his death, Karaman-Ata was buried near his mosque, though the exact location remains unknown. The mosque he built is revered, with local Kazakhs and Turkmen considering the land sacred and forbidding bloodshed on it. It is a site where truthful oaths are sworn, and legend has it that those who falsely swore by Karaman-Ata would meet an untimely death, their family lines soon ending.

Stories collected in the mid-19th century in Legends of the Adai People on the Saints of Mangyshlak describe Karaman-Ata as the son of Ikhsan (Yesen-Ata) and grandson of Chopan-Ata (Shopan-Ata). Like his grandfather, he performed miracles and built a mosque a day’s journey from Shopan-Ata’s grave. After his death, Karaman-Ata was buried near his mosque, though the exact location remains unknown.

The mosque he built is revered, with local Kazakhs and Turkmen considering the land sacred and forbidding bloodshed on it. It is a site where truthful oaths are sworn, and legend has it that those who falsely swore by Karaman-Ata would meet an untimely death, their family lines soon ending.

In the necropolis’s northern and central areas lie distinctive graves of the Adai clan, where men’s gravestones bear carved sabers and women’s feature scissors and combs.

The oldest graves here date back to the Oghuz-Kipchak era in the 8th century, while the latest ones were made in the late 19th century (similar in style to the Beky necropolis). Nearby, there are even graves rumored to belong to those who perjured themselves in Karaman-Ata’s name. Locals say these individuals are buried just forty paces from the necropolis fence—a warning that lies may only be forty steps from the truth, though the path to honesty is even longer.

A half-day is sufficient to explore Karaman-Ata’s underground mosque, although many pilgrims choose to stay overnight in a house specially prepared for visitors. The Karaman-Ata Charitable Foundation has established an excellent reception center for pilgrims, offering transport assistance through its Instagram account for those seeking affordable travel to this remote and sacred site.

En route to Karaman-Ata lies the historic Beky Necropolis, dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This ancient graveyard holds a wealth of history within its three mausoleums, thirteen saganatams (roofless mausoleums), kulpytas, koitas (sarcophagi), pyramids, enclosures, stone mounds, and steles.

According to legend, Beki-baba was either the first or a later shyraqshi (caretaker) of the Karaman-Ata underground mosque, and Beky Necropolis has become a revered site along the pilgrimage path to Karaman-Ata.

The koitas, stylized to resemble ram figures, can be seen in the foreground, while mausoleums and saganatams (roofless mausoleum) stand in the background.

Unique to many 19th- and early 20th-century mausoleums in Mangystau are their interior decorations, showcasing floral national motifs, household items, shoes, and even Russian samovars.

The simpler saganats retain similar artistic elements, displaying patterns, boots, and pitchers as symbols of daily life.

Meanwhile, Beki-baba’s own burial is marked by a simple mound surrounded by stones, a quiet reminder of his role in the region’s sacred history.