Archaeology - The Times Of Central Asia

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Scientists Attempt to Unlock the Secrets of Turkic Runes in Altai

Russian scientists have started deciphering unique Turkic runic inscriptions in Altai, dating back to the VI-X centuries AD. Speaking at the International Conference “Mountain Altai - the ancestral home of the Turks,” Alexander Vasiliev, head of the Oriental History Department of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, reported that whilst some 120 such texts have been identified, a significant number has yet to be deciphered due to a lack of "keys". According to Vasilyev, problems in evaluating inscriptions arise as a result of the different graphic systems used by Turkic peoples in various historical periods. Hence, researchers face a difficult task in making these texts accessible and determining the exact nature of the archaeological objects found. Historians also note that with the emergence of Mongolian vertical writing, the influence of the Turkic writing system began to weaken. Previous attempts to decipher these texts using Iranian and Finno-Ugric languages, proved unsuccessful. Assuming that the key to understanding the inscriptions lies in one of the ancient Turkic languages, scientists are now focusing on the Chuvash language, which retains ancient features, or the Kypchak language group. The decipherment of Turkic runic inscriptions began with the discovery of the famous Orkhon-Yenisei texts in Mongolia in the 19th century. In 1893, Danish scholar Wilhelm Thomsen was the first to successfully decipher these ancient texts using analogies to ancient Turkic words such as “tengri” (sky). These inscriptions, dating from the 7th to 10th centuries, recount the lives of the Turkic kagans and their victories. In addition to the Orkhon texts, significant inscriptions have been found in the Yenisei Valley and the Altai Mountains. An international conference in Manzherok, in the Altai Republic, brought together scholars to discuss not only the problems of deciphering the Turkic script but also the formation of the Turkic civilization and the history of cultural interaction between the Turks and other peoples, including Slavic cultures.

museum Archaeology Cultural Heritage History

Gold Coin From Ancient Abbasid Caliphate Found in Turkmenistan

A local history museum in the Mary region of Turkmenistan has received a gold coin dating from the 9th or 10th century. The museum's director, Yazgul Tirkishova, has said that the dinar coin was donated by a resident of the village of Zakhmet named Nurmuhammed Babayev. The gold dinar comes from one of the largest empires of the Islamic world, the Abbasid Caliphate. The Caliphate emerged in the 7th century and stretched from Spain to India; its gold currency was a sign of its power and prosperity. Coins of this type, weighing 4.25-4.27 grams and containing quotations from the Qur'an, became the standard of coinage for centuries. The acquisition of the dinar is a significant event for Turkmenistan's historians. The staff at the museum intend to thoroughly study the coin, compare it with other known specimens, and possibly discover new facts about the region's life and culture during the Abbasid era. The study of such artifacts helps modern scholars gain a deeper understanding of the complex history of the Islamic world, its economy, and culture and assess the Abbasid Caliphate's influence on world history.

Science History Dinosaurs Archaeology

New Species of Dinosaur Discovered in Kyrgyzstan

German and Kyrgyz palaeontologists have discovered the remains of a previously unknown species of predatory dinosaur in the vicinity of the town of Tash-Kumyr. Named Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus after the mythological bird Alpkarakush from the great Kyrgyz epic 'Manas', it is the first theropod to be found on Kyrgyz territory. The dinosaur's remains, found in the Balaban-Sai Formation, date to the Middle Jurassic period, about 165 million years ago. Remarkably intact, the skeleton including the skull and vertebrae, has enabled the team to gauge its appearance. Although similar to members of the Metriacanthosauridae family and close to large predators of East Asia, the unusual “eyebrow” on the skull -- which according to scientists indicates the presence of a horn -- makes the Alpkarakush kyrgyzicus unique among other theropods. As such, the discovery marks a significant step in our understanding of both the biogeography of theropods and the evolution of Central Asia. In due course, the reconstruction of the dinosaur's skeleton will take pride of place in the National History Museum in Bishkek.

US aid AFCP Panjakent UNESCO Education Tajikistan Tourism Archaeology Cultural Heritage

US Embassy Boosts Preservation of Tajikistan’s Ancient City

On April 26, U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan Manuel P. Micaller, Jr. attended the celebration of the restoration of the Silk Road’s ancient city of Panjakent. Located in Tajikistan’s Sughd region and dating back to the 5th century, it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Financed by the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) program, the U.S. Embassy awarded a grant of $186,766 to the Public Organization Javononi Peshsaf for the preservation and restoration of four of Panjakent’s key archaeological structures: the Zoroastrian temple, and corner tower-defensive wall, both constructed between the 5th-8th centuries; the defensive wall, dating back to the early fifth century, and the ceremonial hall Rustamiada, built between the 7th-8th centuries. The ancient Panjakent archeological site project, implemented by Javononi Peshsaf, in close cooperation with local authorities and the Archeological Base of Panjakent and Sarazm, offers significant potential to increasing international tourism and academic interest, and in the words of the ambassador, “boost local economy and improve the prosperity of the Tajik people.” The site which illustrates the history of Sogdians, provides a unique and rare insight into life in Central Asia during the fifth to eighth centuries. After years of being buffered by the elements, the site once carefully restored with traditional materials, including mud bricks and mortar and clay plaster, is now being preserved for generations to come. In his address, Ambassador Micaller stated, “I am honoured and proud to celebrate our partnership to preserve the ancient city of Panjakent. For the U.S. Embassy, supporting the restoration of this ancient Silk Road city is one of the most meaningful ways we can express our respect for, and appreciation of, Tajikistan’s rich history and culture.”

Culture Kazakhstan Archaeology

Kazakhstan presents its ancient and medieval art in Greece

NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — The National Museum of Kazakhstan opens the exhibition "The Great Steppe: History and Culture" on November 11 at the Epigraphic Museum of Athens (Greece). The exhibition will run until December 11, as part of the international exhibition project "The Procession of the Golden Man in the world museums," the press service of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported. Continue reading

Kyrgyzstan Culture Archaeology

Kyrgyzstan: US supports Karakhanid-era mausoleum roof restoration in Uzgen

BISHKEK (TCA) — The U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic, with representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of Kyrgyzstan, Government in Osh province, and Sulayman-Too National Historical and Archeological Museum Complex on October 29 presented the completed conservation of a twelfth century Karakhanid mausoleum roof in Uzgen. Continue reading