“The Knights of Asia. Military Art and Weapons of the Turkmen people (from the antiquity to the early 20th century)” is the title of a new book by a historian, Professor Ovez Gundogdyev.
This monograph is a result of the author’s tireless 12-year work and the only research work of its kind covering all aspects of military science of the Turkmen people.
According to O. Gundogdyev, the military history is an important part of history of any nation; therefore an impartial interpretation of the military history presented from the civil and patriotic position is of paramount importance for reviving the idea of service to the Fatherland. If the history makes a citizen an individual, then the military history makes a citizen a patriot!
The monograph “The Knights of Asia” consists of seven chapters focusing on the structure, military organization, weapons and security facilities (sling, bow and arrows, spears, maces, daggers, sabres, missile weapon, armour, etc.), military customs and codes of honour, military and sports games, martial art and many other interesting topics for a long historical period. A reviewer of the book, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RANS), professor of M. Lomonosov Moscow State University, M.I. Isaev noted in his review that this fundamental work presented a broad panorama of historical issues from the antiquity. Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan A. Jikiev underlined that the research work of this type is unique in Central Asia.
Ovez Gundogdyev is the author of 35 books, including those devoted to the particular issues of the military history. These include “Teke Horse Cavalry: Glory and Tragedy” (Ashgabat, 1992), “The Great Military Leaders of Medieval History of the Turkmen People” (Ashgabat, 1996), “The Past of the Turkmen Nation” (Moscow, 1998), “Turkmen Horses and Cavalry” (Ashgabat, 1999), “The Outstanding Women of Turkmenistan” (Ashgabat, 2001), “National Games of the Turkmen People” (Ashgabat, 2002), “The History of the Turkmen Nation in the Archives of Moscow” (Ashgabat, 2005), “Turkmenistan in the Eyes of European authors of the 19th - early 20th centuries” (Ashgabat, 2008). The work “Military Art and Weapons of the Turkmen Nation (VI-XVI centuries)” is mentioned into the Turkler multivolume encyclopaedia published in Ankara in 2002.
The new book is by Professor O. Gundogdyev based on numerous written sources and richly illustrated (some of the drawings is made by the author). The monograph is written in Russian, and soon it will be published in Turkmen. The book will be a great help for schoolchildren and students as well as archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians. The book is accessible to the wide readership; many facts were introduced for the first time
This monograph is a result of the author’s tireless 12-year work and the only research work of its kind covering all aspects of military science of the Turkmen people.
According to O. Gundogdyev, the military history is an important part of history of any nation; therefore an impartial interpretation of the military history presented from the civil and patriotic position is of paramount importance for reviving the idea of service to the Fatherland. If the history makes a citizen an individual, then the military history makes a citizen a patriot!
The monograph “The Knights of Asia” consists of seven chapters focusing on the structure, military organization, weapons and security facilities (sling, bow and arrows, spears, maces, daggers, sabres, missile weapon, armour, etc.), military customs and codes of honour, military and sports games, martial art and many other interesting topics for a long historical period. A reviewer of the book, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RANS), professor of M. Lomonosov Moscow State University, M.I. Isaev noted in his review that this fundamental work presented a broad panorama of historical issues from the antiquity. Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan A. Jikiev underlined that the research work of this type is unique in Central Asia.
Ovez Gundogdyev is the author of 35 books, including those devoted to the particular issues of the military history. These include “Teke Horse Cavalry: Glory and Tragedy” (Ashgabat, 1992), “The Great Military Leaders of Medieval History of the Turkmen People” (Ashgabat, 1996), “The Past of the Turkmen Nation” (Moscow, 1998), “Turkmen Horses and Cavalry” (Ashgabat, 1999), “The Outstanding Women of Turkmenistan” (Ashgabat, 2001), “National Games of the Turkmen People” (Ashgabat, 2002), “The History of the Turkmen Nation in the Archives of Moscow” (Ashgabat, 2005), “Turkmenistan in the Eyes of European authors of the 19th - early 20th centuries” (Ashgabat, 2008). The work “Military Art and Weapons of the Turkmen Nation (VI-XVI centuries)” is mentioned into the Turkler multivolume encyclopaedia published in Ankara in 2002.
The new book is by Professor O. Gundogdyev based on numerous written sources and richly illustrated (some of the drawings is made by the author). The monograph is written in Russian, and soon it will be published in Turkmen. The book will be a great help for schoolchildren and students as well as archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians. The book is accessible to the wide readership; many facts were introduced for the first time
