Sherkala
mountain
Sherkala (Kazakh: Шерқала, romanized: Şerqala, شەرقالا) is a mountain in Mangystau Province, western Kazakhstan, close to the town of Shetpe (Шетпе, Şetpe, شەتپە). It has been described as looking like a piala, yurt or Sphinx with steep south and east sides and a more eroded northern side.
The mountain is sited between the central and western Karatau Mountains.
Remains of a medieval caravanserei and fort belonging to Jochi, Genghis Khan's elder son are on top and at the foot of the mountain. A tunnel can be used to access the summit.
The ruins of the medieval settlement of Kyzylkala and of Mankashlak (Mankyshlak), a Turkmen town on the Silk Road, are also nearby as is Torysh (The Valley of Balls).
The mountain was, according to legend, besieged by the Sheikh of Khoresm Astsyz after he had conquered Mankashlak. After four months the attackers dug a tunnel sideways through the mountain into the well shaft of the town above, cutting off their rope and forcing their surrender.
The name Sherkala is from Persian شیرقلعه, meaning 'Lion's Castle'.
“Sherkala” enters the record as mountain. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Sherkala and mountain can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Sherkala” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Sherkala and mountain provides the most credible route into that argument.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q616509. Authority coordinates are 44.256, 52.006. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Sherkala”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Sherkala primary sources, Sherkala archive and Sherkala research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Sherkala”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Sherkala” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.