NEWS

Museums — witnesses of history

Today, thanks to the great efforts of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, Hero-Arkadag and under the leadership of the esteemed President Arkadagly Hero Serdar, the history of the Turkmen people is glorified. Our Hero-Arkadag says that «Turkmens are one of the most ancient peoples who have made a great contribution to the treasury of world culture and cultural and spiritual development». Because the national art, jewelry, applied art, historical and ethnographic values of the ancient Turkmen people with a five-thousand-year history are similar to the heritage of the Turkic peoples and at the same time differ in their composition. The national pride of our people is our spiritual values, monuments, priceless assets in the study of our glorious history. By studying the life, beliefs, and traditions of the Turkmen people in the historical past, you understand the artistic and ancient nature of the culture and art of the Turkmen people. During the Revival of the New Era of the Powerful State under the wise leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, great importance is attached to the preservation of our national heritage and material values, their scientific study and popularization among the public. Over the five-thousand-year history, the Turkmen people have created many states that have made a great contribution to th

25 November 2024

History

In Search of an Ancient Civilisation

On assignment from the editorial board, I was to interview Fredrik Hiebert, a Doctor of Archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania (USA), well-known in scientific circles and a continuer of the research into the ancient agricultural Anau culture. According to the rules of journalism and following my experience, I furrowed the vastness of the Internet in advance to learn more about my interlocutor. And here is what I managed to find: the archaeologist had worked with Viktor Sarianidi and Turkmen archaeologists. During excavations in Anau, he found a miniature stone seal measuring 1.5 x 1.5 cm containing carved symbols that were unlike any writing system known to science, and in the upper layers of the Southern Hill of Anau he discovered a stone wall dating back to the Bronze Age (second millennium BC), although it was believed that all structures in the settlements of the first farmers who had lived thousands of years ago in the fertile valley between the Kopetdag Mountains and the Karakum Desert were built exclusively from clay (mud bricks and pakhsa). Together with Turkmen archaeologist K. Kurbansahatov, he wrote the book A Central Asian Village at the Dawn of Civilization: Excavations at Anau, Turkmenistan, published in Philadelphia (USA) in 2003. And most importantly, according to F. Hiebert, he is looking for an ancient civilisation, not yet known to the world, and

22 November 2024

History

The love legend of Tachmahal

In memory of a great love... When we think of India, we think of a land where all dreams come true, a place where the unique nature inspires human emotions. If there are 7 wonders in the world, Tachmahal is one of them. A witness to great love is at a glance. One of the Indian poets said: «People are divided into two groups, those who have seen Tachmahal and those who have not seen it». Of course, Tachmahal is not called «one of the seven wonders» of the world. As the saying goes, «I have seen it in my dream, but I have not seen it».

8 August 2024

History

Ancient Wooden Utensils

Wood has long been the most common material for household items. Carpentry, which began with the making of simple items, developed into the art of woodworking. People’s desire to decorate their homes and to make beautiful dishes laid the groundwork for wood carving and wood painting. The Turkmen people made high-quality, artistic wooden products: vessels and household items. Wooden utensils were widely used in everyday life. In almost every Turkmen village there lived craftsmen who had, to one degree or another, carpentry skills and could make necessary household items and tools for their fellow villagers.

21 June 2024

History

Ancient farming culture of the Turkmen people

Turkmenistan is one of the countries with a unique national cultural heritage dating back thousands of years. It is known that the first settled farming in the history of mankind took place in the ancient lands of Damdamcheshme, Jebel, Uzboy, Was, Jeytun, Goksüyri, Altyndepe, Anev. The results of archaeological excavations conducted in the territory of Turkmenistan prove that it is one of the places where the ancient agricultural culture of the Motherland originated. The Jeytun culture, which belongs to the Neolithic era, is considered the place where the first agriculture appeared in Turkmenistan.

22 April 2024

History

World’s most famous sports museums

«Türkmenistan Sport», № 1 (21), 2024 Every continent on the planet is famous for its athletes performing in a wide variety of sports. Africa lives by football, England is passionate about tennis and Italy is unthinkable without the prestigious F1 races. Here we are presenting the brightest and most prestigious sports museums on the planet to devoted sports fans.

29 March 2024

History

ASTANABABA - a Sacred Place

About ten kilometres west of the city of Kerki is the medieval historical monument of Astanababa, which is considered one of the holy places in the Muslim world. Pilgrims come there to bow and read a prayer for the repose of the souls of those whose bodies found their final resting place there. People who believed in the miraculous power of the ashes of saints came there to receive healing from their ailments. The caretaker of the monument, who was respected among the population, was asked to bless new beginnings. Drivers of long-distance buses, despite the fact that there is no parking there, stopped the car for a short time to receive wishes for a safe journey, giving passengers the opportunity to make a donation. And nowadays it is always crowded there. Newlyweds come there after their wedding ceremony to venerate the ashes of the saints in the hope that this ritual will strengthen their family ties. The medieval architectural complex of Astanababa has enjoyed such fame at all times. Pilgrims who live far beyond the Lebap velayat come there. This historical and cultural monument consists of a mosque and a tomb. Its first part was erected in the 12th century, and then new buildings were added, and it acquired its final form only in the 17th century.

1 March 2024

History

Anau — the Mystery of Unsolved Mounds

Turkmenistan is a country of ancient and diverse cultural traditions that have developed over thousands of years in close contact with the ancient civilisations of the East and West. Time rapidly moves forward, making its own adjustments to the outline of the national culture of the Turkmen people, which, based on the centuries-old pillars of its original development, is filled with new content dictated by the trends of the modern development of society. Enriching the world’s cultural treasury, this beneficial process actively continues today, and after gaining independence by Turkmenistan in 1991, we have inexhaustible opportunities for creativity and preserving our identity.

23 February 2024

History

Ancient Sanctuaries of the Anau Civilisation

The unique scientific and literary works by the National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, which contain not only a lot of interesting information, but also important mentoring wishes, are of great humanitarian value for Turkmen scientists, particularly in the context of their professional activity. For example, in his wonderful book Turkmenistan – the Heart of the Great Silk Road, the Hero-Arkadag emphasises the special role of historians, archaeologists and ethnographers, to whom he addresses wishes to continue scientific research on a ongoing basis, study in more detail the places of the homeland where ancient cities and unique shrines of great value are located, noting that this is a priority task today.

16 February 2024

History

Ancient Monuments

There are many ancient archaeological monuments known to testify to the interesting and remarkable past of the Turkmen people, shrouded in secrets, on the territory of Turkmenistan. One of them is the ancient city of Anau that is rightfully declared the Cultural Capital of the Turkic Word in 2024. It is well known that a worthy future cannot be built without a thorough study of the past. The origins of patriotic education of new generations, multiplying the achievements of the beloved Motherland are in our heroic past. In his wonderful book Turkmenistan – the Heart of the Great Silk Road, the National Leader of the Turkmen people Hero-Arkadag notes, “Only a patriot can live, comprehending his past, being proud of the Motherland, rejoicing at the great deeds performed by his glorious ancestors in honour of the Motherland, thoroughly studying history, learning the tree of ancestors and passing down valuable data about them to future generations.”

9 February 2024

History