Karatobe

Karatobe is placed in the dry Mangyshlak country east of the Caspian Sea. A necropolis of the same name lies in the Mangystau region. Water sources and seasonal pasture were important to movement through the wider arid region. The Karatobe necropolis stands near a small prominent hill and contains more than two hundred monuments. Its traditional grave markers include carved stones and mausoleums, with examples from the sixteenth century onward, preserving local traditions of commemoration.