Turkmen archaeologists, members of national and international expeditions carry out excavations of such famous sites as Gonur-Depe, Adjikui and Big Kiz-Kala in Mary Velayat, Yylgynly-Depe, Mondjukly, Old Nisa, Guyrukly Depe, Topaz Depe and Dashly Depe Depe in Ahal Velayat, Mashad-Misrian in Balkan Velayat as well as Kunyaurgench (Dashoguz Velayat) and Dayahatyne (Lebap Velayat). The evidences of the ancient material culture discovered during the archeological excavations regularly replenish the priceless collections of national museums.
The restoration works are carried out in the mausoleums of Sultan Sanjar in Ancient Merv, Mashad Ata in Balkan Velayat, Astana-baba in Lebap Velayat, Meana Baba in Ahal Velayat, Sultan Tekesh and Tyurabek Khanum in Kunyaurgench and Ismamut Ata in Dashoguz Velayat as well as other unique monuments that make up the golden treasury of the cultural heritage not only Turkmenistan but the world civilization as well.
The remarkable discoveries made last years by famous archaeologist Victor Sarianidi in the Karakum Desert, where an oasis and the Margiana country flourished about 4,000 years ago, drew a wide response. The brilliant findings discovered within the last years at the excavations of its former capital, now known as Gonur-Depe, caused a scientific sensation in the world.
Today, Gonur-Depe is not just the largest in Central Asia settlement of the Bronze Age that existed at the end of the third - the middle of the second millennium BC. It is also a powerful symbol of the deepest roots of the Turkmen people, whose ancestors created such a high level of culture that scientists agree: the country of Margush with the center in Gonur-Depe nearby Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China may be one of the five original centers of the world civilization. The trade and cultural routes connecting the East with the West intersected there. Gonur-Depe is a whole archaeological park in the desert area on the border of the Karakum and Bayramali Etraps in Mary Velayat and the largest of more than three hundred villages in the delta of the Murghab River. Archaeologists have found that it arose in 2300-2250 BC and lasted for about 600-800 years. Only the central part of the monumental buildings of the Gonur complex occupied about 25 hectares by the time when people left it. A necropolis occupied more than ten hectares. The funeral objects and jewelry discovered by archaeologists amaze with its magnificence.
The spring field season of excavations of the Margiana expedition of the National Department of Turkmenistan for Protection, Study and Restoration of Monuments of History and Culture and the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences that lasted two months was as always effective.
Among the most valuable findings in 2012 is a round bronze seal found near the royal necropolis among the fragments of stone, ceramic and bronze articles. Such seals are typical for the culture of ancient Margiana. These seals, amulets were round or square with geometric and floral patterns. Some of them depicted animals - mostly leopards, snakes, scorpions, wild rams or plants - poppies and tulips, others - the scene of ancient myths with fantastical creatures.
Among other interesting findings revealed this year are wonderful gold items, including small figure of a saiga incrusted with turquoise, a faience sculpture of a monkey as well as an amazing bronze article remining a Turkmen woman's amulet ‘tumar’. It depicts a world mountain - a key element of the mythology of Indo-European peoples. Five wild rams are placed at the edges, and an eight-pointed star in the center of the mountain.
There are two more rare findings that vividly prove the high level of fine art of the ancient Turkmen country of Margush. The first is the head of the so-called compound statuette that is usually made of two types of stone differing in color, texture and weight.
The second article is a slightly deformed head of a terracotta figurine made from clay.
The merits of the famous archaeologist were highly appreciated in our country. On occasion of the 21th anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov personally congratulated Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi, the winner of the «Türkmeniň Altyn asyry» Contest of the President of Turkmenistan on the decision of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan on awarding a monetary prize amounted to US$ 10,000 to the honorary academician.
On the eve of the holidays, several archaeological expeditions established by the National Department for Protection, Study and Restoration of Monuments of History and Culture completed the field season of excavations. One of them working in the Ancient Merv State Historical and Cultural Reserve studies the Big Kiz Kala - a famous architectural monument, which is located at the entrance to the territory of the largest in Central Asia Archaeological Park included into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Next year, large-scale conservation and restoration works will start there and in a few years the Big Kiz Kala will be revived and safely preserved for future generations.
It should be noted that mostly young Turkmen specialists, graduates of the State Academy of Fine Arts and the Turkmen State Institute of Culture work at the site.
On the eve of the 21st anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a new Law "On protection of sites of the national historical and cultural heritage" drafted in compliance with the international law based on the conceptual principles of the UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Turkmenistan acceded to. Moreover, early this year, the President of Turkmenistan issued the Resolution on the Approval of the Procedures for Identifying the Protected Areas of Historical, Archeological, Urban and Architectural Monuments, Works of Monumental Sculpture and Natural Landscapes drafted in accordance with Article 11 of the Law of Turkmenistan on Culture.
The policy pursued in the spheres of education, science and culture and the initiatives put forward by the Turkmen leader have won recognition and support from the international community. Evidence of this is the presentation of the Gold Medal of Avicenna, the highest award of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his outstanding contribution to development of the national culture, preservation of historical and cultural monuments and promotion of cooperation with UNESCO.
Development of science and culture in the modern epoch is the result of the policy aimed at further integration of Turkmenistan into the global community of nations.
The restoration works are carried out in the mausoleums of Sultan Sanjar in Ancient Merv, Mashad Ata in Balkan Velayat, Astana-baba in Lebap Velayat, Meana Baba in Ahal Velayat, Sultan Tekesh and Tyurabek Khanum in Kunyaurgench and Ismamut Ata in Dashoguz Velayat as well as other unique monuments that make up the golden treasury of the cultural heritage not only Turkmenistan but the world civilization as well.
The remarkable discoveries made last years by famous archaeologist Victor Sarianidi in the Karakum Desert, where an oasis and the Margiana country flourished about 4,000 years ago, drew a wide response. The brilliant findings discovered within the last years at the excavations of its former capital, now known as Gonur-Depe, caused a scientific sensation in the world.
Today, Gonur-Depe is not just the largest in Central Asia settlement of the Bronze Age that existed at the end of the third - the middle of the second millennium BC. It is also a powerful symbol of the deepest roots of the Turkmen people, whose ancestors created such a high level of culture that scientists agree: the country of Margush with the center in Gonur-Depe nearby Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China may be one of the five original centers of the world civilization. The trade and cultural routes connecting the East with the West intersected there. Gonur-Depe is a whole archaeological park in the desert area on the border of the Karakum and Bayramali Etraps in Mary Velayat and the largest of more than three hundred villages in the delta of the Murghab River. Archaeologists have found that it arose in 2300-2250 BC and lasted for about 600-800 years. Only the central part of the monumental buildings of the Gonur complex occupied about 25 hectares by the time when people left it. A necropolis occupied more than ten hectares. The funeral objects and jewelry discovered by archaeologists amaze with its magnificence.
The spring field season of excavations of the Margiana expedition of the National Department of Turkmenistan for Protection, Study and Restoration of Monuments of History and Culture and the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences that lasted two months was as always effective.
Among the most valuable findings in 2012 is a round bronze seal found near the royal necropolis among the fragments of stone, ceramic and bronze articles. Such seals are typical for the culture of ancient Margiana. These seals, amulets were round or square with geometric and floral patterns. Some of them depicted animals - mostly leopards, snakes, scorpions, wild rams or plants - poppies and tulips, others - the scene of ancient myths with fantastical creatures.
Among other interesting findings revealed this year are wonderful gold items, including small figure of a saiga incrusted with turquoise, a faience sculpture of a monkey as well as an amazing bronze article remining a Turkmen woman's amulet ‘tumar’. It depicts a world mountain - a key element of the mythology of Indo-European peoples. Five wild rams are placed at the edges, and an eight-pointed star in the center of the mountain.
There are two more rare findings that vividly prove the high level of fine art of the ancient Turkmen country of Margush. The first is the head of the so-called compound statuette that is usually made of two types of stone differing in color, texture and weight.
The second article is a slightly deformed head of a terracotta figurine made from clay.
The merits of the famous archaeologist were highly appreciated in our country. On occasion of the 21th anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov personally congratulated Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi, the winner of the «Türkmeniň Altyn asyry» Contest of the President of Turkmenistan on the decision of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan on awarding a monetary prize amounted to US$ 10,000 to the honorary academician.
On the eve of the holidays, several archaeological expeditions established by the National Department for Protection, Study and Restoration of Monuments of History and Culture completed the field season of excavations. One of them working in the Ancient Merv State Historical and Cultural Reserve studies the Big Kiz Kala - a famous architectural monument, which is located at the entrance to the territory of the largest in Central Asia Archaeological Park included into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Next year, large-scale conservation and restoration works will start there and in a few years the Big Kiz Kala will be revived and safely preserved for future generations.
It should be noted that mostly young Turkmen specialists, graduates of the State Academy of Fine Arts and the Turkmen State Institute of Culture work at the site.
On the eve of the 21st anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a new Law "On protection of sites of the national historical and cultural heritage" drafted in compliance with the international law based on the conceptual principles of the UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Turkmenistan acceded to. Moreover, early this year, the President of Turkmenistan issued the Resolution on the Approval of the Procedures for Identifying the Protected Areas of Historical, Archeological, Urban and Architectural Monuments, Works of Monumental Sculpture and Natural Landscapes drafted in accordance with Article 11 of the Law of Turkmenistan on Culture.
The policy pursued in the spheres of education, science and culture and the initiatives put forward by the Turkmen leader have won recognition and support from the international community. Evidence of this is the presentation of the Gold Medal of Avicenna, the highest award of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his outstanding contribution to development of the national culture, preservation of historical and cultural monuments and promotion of cooperation with UNESCO.
Development of science and culture in the modern epoch is the result of the policy aimed at further integration of Turkmenistan into the global community of nations.