The Kushtau shikhan is one of the most important points for the surrounding plains and foothills of the Southern Urals along with the neighboring solitary mountains (Toratau, Shakhtau, Yuraktau). Kushtau’s foot has been a convenient place for human habitation since ancient times.
Early developments of this territory date back to at least the first half of the 2nd millennium BC, i.e. more than 3,500 years ago (Bronze Age). At that time, cattlemen and metallurgists of the Abashevo archaeological culture lived near the mountain, in its surroundings. A few centuries later the population of the Srubnaya culture settled there instead. The next period of active development of the Kushtau foothills is the first half of the 1st millennium BC, the Early Iron Age initial period. It is associated with the antiquities of the Kurmantau culture. This population is related to the Kama region by its origin. It slowly moved south from the Kama region along the broad Belaya River valley. Kush-Tau Zapadnoye settlement and the Urnyak burial ground at the foot of the Kushtau mountain are a part of the Kurmantau culture. These places were used by Sarmatian nomads as their summer pastures in the second half of the first millennium BC. The Kushtau Mountain was a part of the settlement area of some late Sarmatians, who settled down on the right bank of the Belaya River in the early centuries of the new era. One of the Southern Sarmatians monuments is Kush-Tau Southern settlement. It is located right at the foot of the mountain.
There are no monuments of later times in the Kushtau shikhan surroundings detected. But there are burials, settlements and sanctuaries of the early and late Middle Age near Sterlitamak, on the Shakhtau and Toratau shikhans. According to the 2019 survey of the top and slopes of the Kushtau shikhan there are no archaeological objects revealed. Perhaps, that area was not used by the ancient or medieval population.
The settlements of Kush-Tau Zapadnoye, Kush-Tau Yuzhnoye, Urnyak and the Urnyak burial ground are objects of cultural heritage of federal significance. They were put under state protection in 1970 (Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Bashkir ASSR No. 599 dated December 31, 1970). These monuments were revealed in 1951-1953. In 1945 excavations at the foot of the mountain discovered the so-called Kushtau Treasure dating back to the Bronze Age. In 1970s excavations discovered an iron Sarmatian dagger dated back to 3 - 2 centuries BC.
