kurgan

¹

[ koor-gahn, -gan ]

noun

1. a circular burial mound constructed over a pit grave and often containing grave vessels, weapons, and the bodies of horses as well as a single human body; originally in use in the Russian Steppes but later spreading into eastern, central, and northern Europe in the third millennium b.c.

Kurgan

²

[ koor-gahn; Russian koor-gahn ]

noun

1. a city in the S Russian Federation in Asia, near the Ural Mountains.

Kurgan

/ kurˈɡan /

noun

1. a city in W Russia, on the Tobol River: industrial centre for an agricultural region. Pop: 344 000 (2005 est)

Word History and Origins

Origin of kurgan¹

1885–90; < Russian kurgán burial mound, Old Russian, apparently to be identified with kurganŭ fortress < Turkic; compare Turkish, Tatar kurğan, Chagatai, Kazakh korğan fortress, castle

Example Sentences

From Mir we proceeded to the Kette Kurgan ('great fortress').

From Project Gutenberg

An occasional kurgan rising up here and there in the Steppe is the sole sign that it was once inhabited by a people.

From Project Gutenberg

These people buried their dead in barrows, or kurgans, and for this reason they have been called Kurgan people.

From Project Gutenberg

Sergi states that it varies from 65 to 81, but it seems likely that among his collection of kurgan skulls are some of other types.

From Project Gutenberg