Scientists from Turkmenistan are taking part in the international ethnographic expedition «Greater Altai: Turkic heritage 2026», which began on the 10th of August in the Altai krai and the Altai Republic of the Russian Federation. The expedition is being carried out within the framework of the International scientific and educational project of the Altai state university «The Turkic world of Greater Altai: unity and diversity in history and modernity» («Greater Altai»). This initiative brought together scholars from Russia and Central Asia to study the shared history, culture, and traditions of the Turkic peoples.
Our country is represented on the expedition by Ayna Baymyradova, a doctoral student at the Academy of sciences of Turkmenistan and a candidate of historical sciences, and Toyly Hommyyev, a lecturer in the department of history of Turkmenistan at the Turkmen state university named after Magtymguly.
Before the start of the route, the participants met with the rector of Altai state university, Sergey Bocharov. The head of the university emphasised that over the years, the «Greater Altai» project has become a large-scale international initiative, in demand by researchers from around the world, and he wished the scientists continued success.
The expedition plans to visit villages inhabited by Turkic peoples in the Altai krai and the Republic of Altai, to study their ancient traditions, everyday life, way of life, national clothing, and crafts such as carpet weaving and felt making.
The materials collected by archaeologists and ethnographers will allow for a deeper study of the cultures of various ethnic communities, as well as the identification of common features in the traditions of the peoples of Altai and Central Asia.
