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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 the

25 November 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dragons of Saint Seyit Jemaletdin

Now the time has come for the Rabbit, the symbol of the outgoing year 2023, to pass the baton to the Fish according to the Turkmen zodiac. According to the Eastern Chinese calendar, which has become widespread in many countries in Asia and Europe, the symbol of 2024 is the Dragon. Historians connect the origin of the 12-year zodiac calendar, which spread over a large part of the planet, with the way of life of the inhabitants of Central Asia and Turkic-speaking peoples. In the minds of the ancestors of the Turkmen people, the attitude towards the dragon itself was ambiguous and underwent significant changes over the centuries. In the archaeological excavations of Gonurdepe, stone amulets that are about four thousand years old were found. They are engraved with images of writhing snakes or dragons paired with birds or animals, which is associated with the idea of universal fertility and the endless continuation of life on Earth.

12 January 2024

Historical roots of statehood

During the Revival of the New Epoch of the Powerful State, important work is carried out in the field of through and comprehensive study of the history of Turkmenistan and the Turkmen people, and promoting thereof in the region and globally. Passing on the rich experience of the glorious history of Turkmen statehood, which goes back to the early times, is one of the basic conditions of development. The Turkmens are the people who created many empires and states that had a special position in the world history in the past. Independent, permanently neutral Turkmenistan, formed at the end of the 20th century, spreads humanitarian principles in the world based on the principles of centuries-long statehood. Our Hero Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes about the strength of Turkmen statehood in his book «Independence — Our Happiness» published in 2021: «Our ancestors have built dozens of countries in the world over the millennia. Under the strong and glorious Turkmen states great paths have been opened up for humanity. Centuries after those states, at the end of the second millennium, the Turkmen state, which was established in our ancestral blessed land, spreads its light on human history. Thus, with the new state of Turkmenistan taking its rightful position on the political map of the world a completely new epoch in the life of the Turkmen people began in our history».

15 December 2023

An old game

The game of chess is one of the most interesting sports. This game has been invented in ancient times. According to historical sources, our ancestors were deeply interested in the game of chess. In the 7th century, distinguished scientists came from the descendants of Sul, the ruler of Dehistan, located in the southwest of Turkmenistan. One of them is Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Suli, a well-known poet of the 9th century. Moreover, in the 10th century, the writer and historian Abu Bakr Muhammed bin Yahya al-Suli wrote a book about the lives of kings and caliphs and several poems in the form of ghazals and gathered information about scientists, poets and viziers. Besides, being a well-known chess player, Abu Bakr al-Suli created a valuable work ‘Kitab al-Shatranj’ (‘the Book on Chess’). These historical facts demonstrate that the game of chess had great importance in the Middle Ages. It should be noted that chess represents a legacy from our ancestors, enjoys growing popularity in Turkmenistan, and provokes the interest of the younger generations.

17 November 2023

Legends about Kyarizes

Efficient water use is an element of the national culture of the Turkmen people. In ancient time, our ancestors knew how to value every drop of water and built the sophisticated irrigation systems to use moisture efficiently. Huge experience has been accumulated, which today, through the efforts of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, is enriched through widely adopting state-of-the-art technologies and managing this work. The growing wellbeing of the people is associated with the steady economic growth of the country. However, no matter how rich our water resources are, our riches required a rational and caring approach. We should learn the practices of efficient use of water resources from our ancestors. Since ancient times, a complex, but very efficient irrigation system – so called kyarizes has existed in the territory of Turkmenistan. They say that in ancient times the foothill strip of the Kopetdag Mountains was a fabulous place where people lived peacefully, a wolf and a sheep got along side by side, and a cat and a dog played together. A clear, cold river flowed into this region from distant mountains, irrigating fields and gardens, and lush greenery covered everything around. There was plenty of bread and fruit. They say there were neither rich nor poor in those distant times. People knew no need. The water flowing from the mountain peaks gave life even to dry, barr

1 September 2023

Ibn Sina — the great Scientist of the East

In the Middle Ages (more precisely, in the VIII-X centuries), very favourable conditions for the development of science were created in Central Asia, because at that time, schools, madrasahs and libraries were established in important cultural-scientific centres such as Nissa, Merv, Amul, Urgench (Khorezm), Bukhara, Samarkand. Our Hero Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov wrote in his book «Turkmenistan — the Heart of the Great Silk Road»: «In the middle of the 8th century Central Asia became part of the Arab Caliphate. Arab culture flourished during that time. A large number of books have been translated and are gradually being made available to the general public. There were oral versions of the stories in those books. Accordingly, trade and cultural relations were strengthened». (Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. «Turkmenistan — the Heart of the Great Silk Road». Ashgabat, TDNG, 2017, p. 62)

3 August 2023

The Birth of the Anau Culture

In 2024, it will be 120 years since the first archaeological work was carried out on the territory of Turkmenistan, at the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains, in the ancient settlement of Anau, under the guidance of the American researcher R. Pumpelly. This solid date echoes the announcement of Anau as the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024 by the TURKSOY International Organisation. The discoverer of the Anau culture, Rafael Pumpelly, was an American geologist, the author of 11 major works. He graduated from the Freiberg Mining Academy in Germany with a degree in mining engineering.

28 July 2023

A chilled delight that stands the test of time

Ice cream, the delightful frozen dessert loved by people of all ages, has a fascinating history that spans centuries. From its humble origins to its evolution into a worldwide phenomenon, the story of ice cream is as rich and diverse as the flavours it offers. In this article, we will delve into the captivating history of ice cream, tracing its journey through time and exploring its cultural significance.  The origins of ice cream can be traced back to ancient civilizations. It is believed that the Chinese were the first to create a rudimentary form of ice cream around 200 BC. They mixed snow with rice or milk to create a frozen treat. Similar creations were also enjoyed by the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, who flavoured their icy desserts with honey and fruits.

21 July 2023

Kunyaurgench Meteorite is 25 Years Old

A rare exhibit of the State Museum of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan is the Kunyaurgench meteorite that is on display in a hermetically sealed case in the Department of Nature and Local History. The case, which was ordered specially in Turkey, prevents oxidation and decay of the exhibit. The meteorite – the unburned parts of the fireball were transferred inside this chamber, without being taken out, to the new building of the Ethnography and Local Lore Museum where it is on display permanently. Now schoolchildren and students come to the Museum and examine curiously the cracked alien block in the “shirt” – a burnt crust with grooves and dents that were formed when the cosmic body entered the dense parts of the atmosphere. The meteorite fell on the territory of Turkmenistan 7 km south of the city of Kunyaurgench at 5:30 pm local time in June 1998. Initially, it was kept at the geology museum of the Türkmengeologiýa State Corporation, later it was decided to exhibit it at the new National Museum of Turkmenistan (now the State Museum) so that a wider circle of scientists, citizens of the country and guests of the capital could see it. When the museum opened, the unique exhibit, registered under the number 486 as “an alien body for our planet”, adorned the collection of the Hall of Nature. The interest in the meteorite has not faded away over many years; such celestial “

7 July 2023

Dargan Fortress

Excursions to historical monuments, which the Lebap velayat is especially rich in, have become traditional for students of secondary educational institutions of our region. So recently, we with school students visited the vicinity of the Dargan settlement-fortress, the very name of which, according to the definition of Arab linguists, means: “barrier”, “barrage”, “dam”. Five kilometres from the Dargan fortress, over time, a settlement appeared, and then the modern town of Darganata. It is one of the towns of the Lebap velayat in the north-eastern region of Turkmenistan, bordering with Uzbekistan. Residents of Darganata are proud of the nature conservation objects located there. On the territory of Dargan, there is a mausoleum of the 14th century, called by the locals the tomb of Abu Muslim. According to the preserved inscription on the door of the mausoleum, it was built in 1371-1372 (in 773 according to Muslim chronology).

19 May 2023

To Protect for Descendants

Every year on April 18, the world community has been celebrating the International Day for Monuments and Sites for 40 years. The name of the date speaks for itself. Its main goal is to promote the awareness of local communities and individuals throughout the world of the importance of protecting and conserving world cultural and natural heritage. Turkmenistan can rightly be proud of its achievements in this area. The ancient monuments of the Turkmen land – Jeytun, Anau, Kara-depe, Namazga-depe, Altyn-depe, Gonur-depe proto-city, Bezegli-dere, the architectural complexes of Abiverd and Serahs, the monuments located on the banks of the Amudarya River and in the foothill valley of the Kopetdag Mountains and the medieval monuments in Merv, Kunya-Urgench and Dekhistan are the invaluable historical and cultural heritage of our country and the Turkmen people.

21 April 2023

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