Türkmenmetbugat

"Watan" gazeti

Founder: The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan
Adress: Ashgabat c., Garashsyzlyk shayoly, 100, Turkmenbashy centre of free creative work
Telephones: 38-61-16, 38-61-17, 38-61-07
Email: watan@sanly.tm

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Unique Specimen of Turkmen Architecture

The eastern region of the country abounds with ancient monuments that have come down to us. This primarily refers to the Karabekaul historical and cultural oasis located in the heart of the velayat. There, 21 ancient buildings stand in a relatively small area along the banks of the Amudarya River. The Soltanniyazbeg fortress takes a special place among them. It is located 63 kilometres from Turkmenabat. It is not visible from a distance, and only when the car climbs the hill, numerous ruins of various shape and size will appear to the left of the road. Ancient architects did not choose the place of construction by chance: a wide view from the hill allowed the inhabitants a century ago to see the approaching enemies and to prepare to defend the fortress. In his scientific work Ancient Lebap, the renowned researcher of the history of the eastern velayat Albert Burkhanov writes that the people of the Ersary tribe began to settle on the banks of the middle reaches of the Amudarya River in the 16th century. They were characterised by a dispersed settlement and the construction of large fortresses. As a rule, they used the remains of the Kushan ancient and medieval settlements for this (the Kushan state during its heyday covered a significant part of modern Afghanistan, C

11 March 2022

Respect for our national values

Only a healthy person can think comprehensively. Achievements in science, education and sports demonstrate that the minds of the Turkmen youth are healthy and perfect. The subject and Internet Olympiads, creative competitions, the national and international sports tournaments are important events that improve the skills of the Turkmen youth on the path to perfection. These competitions help to discover new talents each year. The President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has recently visited the Ahalteke Equestrian Complex of the President of Turkmenistan. At the venue, the Turkmen leader watched the ‘heavenly’ horses and engaged in creative writing. The President of Turkmenistan noted that, as they say ‘At – myrat’ (‘Horse – purpose’), and the art of horse breeding is enriched. The Turkmen leader emphasized that special significance is attached to the ‘heavenly’ horses and their purity, and expressed his gratitude to horse breeders for their great work.

4 March 2022

Preserving the Manuscript Heritage of Pyragy

Speaking at the 8th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States on November 12, 2021, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted, “The outstanding representatives of the Turkic peoples are Magtymguly Pyragy, Yunus Emre, Muhammad Fizuli, Abay, Yusuf Balasaguni and Muhammad Ulugh Beg, whose works continue to inspire us to achieve new heights. Facing serious challenges today, we are guided by the historical legacy of the great statesmen and scholars of our fraternal peoples, who bequeathed the imperishable principles of humanism, good neighbourliness and unity.” Today, the life dictates the need for the in-depth study of the history and culture of the nation, its traditions and customs. The research is based primarily on written monuments. All written monuments represent a collection of various documents and records, which allow in many aspects recreating the palette of the cultural life of the Turkmen people over the centuries. The Turkmen book culture developed in the conditions that were common and close for many peoples of the Central Asian region. Therefore, the study of the monuments of Turkmen book culture reveals a number of materials reflecting the cultural life of the neighbouring nations of Central Asia.

25 February 2022

Ceramic Calligraphy

Calligraphy (from Greek – the art of beautiful handwriting) – an ancient branch of applied graphics, the aesthetic design of a handwritten font is very popular among the many trends of Islamic arts. Calligraphy occupies a special place in the art of Islam. It came from the copying of the Holy Qur’an and began to flourish at the earliest stages of Islamic history. Soon the letters turned into decorative ones, and an angular pictographic form, which resembles the simplified types of hieroglyphs, developed. This form of writing was called Kufi (after the city of Kufi in Iran) and continued to be used for five centuries after the rise of Islam. In addition, it was used to write the titles of manuscripts and their sections. At first, the Arabs used the Hijazi script, which retained cuneiform writing with right angles. Gradually, new handwritings began to develop, most of which were variants of the “magnificent six” calligraphic scripts recognised as canonical. These Are Naskh, Muhaqqaq, Suls, Riqah, Rayhani and Tauqi. Each script was used in a certain area.

11 February 2022

The national pride of the people

Our people have always had deep respect for the national values and heritage of ancestors. As is known, this respect has been enhanced in the epoch of might and happiness. Impressive work is underway to preserve and promote our national values under the wise leadership of the President of Turkmenistan, and to create wonderful conditions for the selecting and breeding of thoroughbred Turkmen alabays. The Türkmen alabaý itleri Association was established on May 7, 2020 on the initiative and thanks to support of the Turkmen leader. This fact demonstrated great state concern for the alabays, which represent an example of courage, faithfulness and bravery, and for the traditions of the national school of dog breeding, selecting and raising to be passed down to the future generations.

4 February 2022

Our national pride

The sayings related to heritage and happiness, namely, ‘horse is heritage’, ‘dog comes with happiness’, ‘dog is happiness’, prove that the Turkmen people saw their heritage and happiness in horses and alabays. The origin, bravery, sensitivity, courage, wisdom of alabays, which are considered loyal friends and companions, as well as many historical facts prove that these dogs are very ancient and faithful. These facts are reflected in historical sources and provoke love of the Turkmen youth. Archaeological findings on the territory of Turkmenistan, namely, in Altyndepe, Gonurdepe, Nisa, and Dandanakan (60 km from Ancient Merv), confirm that alabay is one of the oldest breeds of dogs. To date, impressive work is underway to cherish the values of the Turkmen people that have been perfected for millennia and to pass them down to the future generations thanks to the concern of the President of Turkmenistan in the epoch of might and happiness.

28 January 2022

Alabay is our national pride

On January 7, 2022, the President of Turkmenistan held the first online meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers to discuss priority issues related to different sectors of the national economy. The scientific study of the national designs that glorify the Turkmen alabays was among the issues discussed at the meeting. To date, impressive work is underway in the museums of our country on the preservation, study and promotion of the ancient arts of the Turkmen people, as well as the specimens of carpets and felt mats with ancient gyols (patterns), such as ‘It ýatak’, ‘Tazy guýruk’, ‘Güjük yzy’ dated back to the 19th-20th centuries. As was noted, the results of the work will enhance the international prestige of the Turkmen alabay. The national features of training and breeding of the Turkmen alabays will supplement the information prepared to be included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The President of Turkmenistan emphasized the importance of the study and preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the Turkmen people and instructed to include this area of study in the curriculum of the institutions of higher education, particularly of those, which study the humanities, and to attract both scientists and members of the Milli Gengesh to the work on protection of this heritage.

21 January 2022

Mysteries of medieval city

The heritage of our people is an integral part of the world cultural heritage, therefore, the deep study and wide popularisation of the monuments of the material and spiritual culture of the Turkmen people are in the focus of the attention of the President of Turkmenistan. There were many large settlements in the medieval Merv oasis, and many of them were located along the caravan routes connecting Merv with Nisa, Khwarezm, Amul, Sarahs and Merverud. Historical and geographical writings of the medieval East tell about cities and settlements such as Faz, Jirendj, Mehdiabad, Yahyaabad, Karineyn, Asadabad, Laukar, Hauzan and al-Ahnaf. The road from Merv to Merverud was part of a large route that went further to cities and countries that existed in the territory of modern states of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

7 January 2022

Abu Sayid Mehneyi, or Mane-baba

The ancient lands of Turkmenistan abound with the famous personalities – ascetics, prominent figures of their times. One of them is the spiritual mentor Abu Sayid Mehneyi, called Meana Baba. His mausoleum, an architectural monument of the 11th century, not only is known as a specimen of medieval architecture, but also is visited frequently. He was born in 967 in the territory of modern Turkmenistan near Meana village (Mane in Turkmen) in the Kaahka etrap, Ahal velayat, 45 km south-east of the present-day Dushak railway station. In the Middle Ages, that area was called Havaran Sahrasy or Desht-i-Havaran – Havaran steppe. About a thousand years ago, there was a city of Mehne, known as the birthplace of many scientists and poets who bore the prefix to their own name “mehneyi”, which means “born in Mehne”, near the Meana village. The most famous of them was Abu Sayid Mehneyi, an elder of the Khorasan school of mysticism. His full name is Fadlullah bin Abul Khair. His father Abul Khair was an expert in medicinal herbs, imparted pharmaceutical knowledge and practice to his son. Abu Sayid studied for many years in Merv and then in Serahs, where he studied law and interpretation of the scriptures. At that time, he lived in seclusion, indulging in strict ascetic and mystical exercises. In subsequent years, he practiced in Nishapur, Amul, Mehne and Abiverd and often sang, and, according

7 January 2022

Carpet Traditions of the Coastal Region

The variety and perfection of Turkmen matting carpets is a result of centuries of creative invention and selection of the most perfect artistic means and the talent of folk craftswomen. In such carpets, dark, brown-red and red-brown tones prevail, and the ornament and colour range differ depending on the traditions of different regions of the country, where their own unique foundations have been accumulated, amazing motives and performance characteristics have been concentrated, and schools that support their original trends and distinctive features of carpet weaving, including techniques for making patterns, have been formed. These skills have survived to nowadays and can be seen in the works of carpet weavers – our contemporaries. It is all the more interesting for specialists to see mutual influence or, on the contrary, adherence to purely local foundations of carpet weaving. There are peculiarities of such art on the Caspian coast in the western part of the country. In cultural studies, “coastal” carpets are called Yomud from the late 19th-early 20th centuries. This area of the Turkmen carpet is an integral part of ancient folk art and is important for the study of their production, the continuation and development of local traditions in the modern look of the Turkmen carpet. Today, an extensive collection of such items are among the exhibits of the Main Museum of Turkmeni

31 December 2021

Kyariz — a Miracle of Ancient Hydraulic Engineering

Water is a source of life. Every drop of life-giving moisture is worth its weight in gold in the Karakum Desert, which occupies the largest part of the sacred Turkmen land. This is live water, covered with legends. According to the tradition, from ancient times people treated it with great respect and greeted it, “Essalawmaleýkim, suw aga!” In the ancient written epos Gorkut Ata, Salyr Gazan talked to water as a living being, emphasising that it saw the face of the Almighty. This article is about water and kyarizes, built by our ancestors since ancient times.

31 December 2021

A Colourful Symphony of Handmade Art

Woven scarves and shawls have a special place among the famous unique products that are the pride of the Turkmen people. However, the colourful variety of headscarves pales before one of the main attributes for a bride’s dress. This is duypli gynach – a homespun headscarf, rather a shawl, the largest in size and the most impressive in beauty, a handmade art work of ornamental weaving, perfectly complementing the national festive clothes of the Turkmen woman. Almost every family have handkerchiefs, skilfully made with great love, which are kept in grandmother’s chest. The custom of tying the woven shawl duypli gynach on a high headdress boryk or topby, worn by married women, began to be forgotten in the 1960-70s. Today, the woven shawl has regained popularity, and it is often an element of the national wedding ceremony – the change of a girl’s attire for a woman’s one. Further changes are associated with the invention of more convenient forms that do not interfere with work and are consistent with national traditions.

24 December 2021

One of the Main Shrines of Turkmenistan

Our Motherland is the realm of the sun, a country with a rich history. The ruins of the ancient states of Central Asia, recognised as unique sights, are located in its vastness like islets of the past. Many architectural monuments and fortifications have been preserved in the territory of modern Turkmenistan. One of them is the Mausoleum of Abul-Fazl, known also as Serahs-baba. It is located not far from the Old Serahs citadel; it is a vivid specimen of the Serahs architectural school that “thundered” as the most skilful all over the world in the Middle Ages. At that time, Serahs was a flourishing city through which caravans passed along the Great Silk Road. The mausoleum that is relatively small size arouses admiration for its monumentality, sophisticated forms, perfection and harmonious proportionality. It was built in the 11th century over the tomb of Sheikh Abul-Fazl; it is famous for its magnificent proportions and decoration, which made it one of the most significant monuments of medieval architecture not only in the Serahs oasis, but also in the Central Asian region.

24 December 2021

Indissoluble connection of eras and generations in patterns of turkmen craftswomen

A solemn meeting entitled “Turkmen art of embroidery is our national heritage” took place at the Centre for Public Organisations. The government officials, representatives of public organisations and the media, cultural and art workers and students attended the event. In their speeches, the participants spoke with warmth and pride about the Turkmen art of embroidery, an integral part of the national cultural heritage, reflecting the unique traditions and history of the Turkmen people.

10 December 2021

Pistachio Nut on a Children’s Vest

In caring for the younger generation, women created comfortable conditions for children to play outdoors in the hot season and in winter cold. In the seasons of the “temperature swing”, they sewed warm sleeveless jackets of velvety material and embroidered them with fragments of turquoises, carnelians, shells and also with ... pistachio nuts. A similar tradition was observed until the middle of the last century in the Mary velayat, in the settlements of Serahs, Vekilbazar, Tagtabazar, Yoloten and Kushka, where from time immemorial the fruits of this tree were used. The natural grove of pistachio trees is located within the region. Pistachio is a symbol of strength and fertility, its fruits were used to decorate children’s clothes for them to grow up healthy, powerful and hardy, like the tree itself – a long-liver, unpretentious to the environment. This is how the parents wanted to see their child, who, having become an adult, will be able to withstand difficulties, continue the family and have strong offspring, because the true wealth of a person is health and fortitude.

10 December 2021

Falcon and Tazy – a Living Chronicle of Harmony

The idea of including falconry in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, preparatory work for which is now underway in our country, goes back to the aesthetic origins of this ancient tradition representing it as an integral part of the intangible heritage of our ancestors. It is deeply symbolic that this is taking place in the year of the 30th anniversary of sacred independence the motto of which is “Turkmenistan – the Home of Peace and Trust”. Living in harmony with the surrounding world, our people wisely measured the laws of their life with it. The ancient pillars of the community of our ancestors with the world of their habitation are based on the culture of respect, the art of efficient use and the tradition of harmony. Such a spiritual and moral norm was inherent in many formulas of human existence, one of which is hunting with birds of prey.

10 December 2021

«Oguz ornament» – new Turkmen carpet

In the Epoch of Might and Happiness under the wise leadership of our Esteemed President, a state policy aimed at studying, preserving and spreading the national values of the Turkmen people as a nation, is being implemented. One of the greatest of these values is the Turkmen carpet, which is a unique work of art. It is even more important today to carry out scientific work aimed at the study of ancient specimens of this value, which is the fruit of the great talent of Turkmen women, and the creation of new modern specimens without losing their national identity. Taking advantage of the opportunities created in this area, our deep interest in the art of carpet weaving has led us to create a model of a new Turkmen carpet. Before moving on to the description of the project of the new Turkmen carpet «Oguz Ornament» presented by us, let's look at the history of the origin of the classic Turkmen carpet. As we know, the patterns of Turkmen carpets trace their roots back to ancient times. It summarizes the talents, feelings of fine beauty and patience of the Turkmen people. The art of carpet weaving created in Turkmenistan as a place of human material and spiritual values and the experience of its patterns formed by artistic creativity still retain their classical form. The embroidered patterns on the carpet fill and enrich the talents and philosophical ideas of human nature, the wo

2 December 2021

Sacral Artefacts of Dagdan Wood

The hackberry has been grown for a long time in arid countries; these trees are also loved in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Crimea, where they are used to landscape villages and cities and to build field protective belts. It is often called “stone tree” for its hard, strong, heavy and dense wood. The hackberry has strong and elastic wood; in the past, it was used for various household needs, woodwork items and decorative products. The plant also contains glycosides, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, fatty oils, vitamin C and citric acid. The leaves were used for feeding livestock, sometimes silkworms. The bark contains 8-12 per cent of tannins, and this property was used in handicraft tanning and fabric dyeing in the past.

26 November 2021

New evidence of the ancient history and invaluable cultural heritage of the nation

Archaeologists Discover Valuable Finds in Abiverd In Turkmenistan, within the framework of the programme, initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the in-depth study and preservation of the national historical and cultural heritage and the search for its still undiscovered pages, purposeful work continues bringing its worthy results. Another confirmation of this was new artefacts discovered by Turkmen archaeologists during the autumn excavation season at the Abiverd monument in the Kaahka etrap, Ahal velayat.

12 November 2021

Modern ceramics – reflection of ancient traditions

The art of ceramics has been known to humankind since time immemorial. Each work is an expression of its era, so it is no coincidence that ceramics is an object of scientific study. In addition, as in carpet weaving, in the art of modern ceramics we can vividly see the traces of art schools of antiquity. In independent Turkmenistan, the work of Turkmen artists reflects national peculiarities and originality of image of various themes and aspects. Especially interesting are works of women ceramists working in this “masculine” form of art, they attract attention with other images, lines and interpretation of themes. Skilled professional masters, representatives of different generations, pass on their experience to young artists and do not get tired of creating unique works from clay, many of which decorate the museums of Turkmenistan and exhibition galleries of many countries.

5 November 2021

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