"A sword, a dagger and a faithful horse." The article with this title is published in the next issue of the Forum plus magazine, which is published with the support of the Interstate Fund for humanitarian cooperation of the CIS member States (IFHC). Its author-head of the Department of the state Museum of Turkmenistan Allanazar Sopiev tells about the traditions of military Affairs, which is an integral part of the history of the Turkmen people. And in the past of Turkmens, it occupies a particularly important place. The harsh living conditions of the free Turkmen tribes left men no choice but to become a skilled and fearless warrior, and the saber, knife and good horse were their constant companions.
Over the years of independence, Turkmenistan has opened a number of new museums and expositions dedicated to weapons culture. This is the main State Museum of the country, the national Museum "Geoktepin battle", the collection of the Ashgabat memorial complex "people's memory", and the collection of the house of officers under the Ministry of defense of Turkmenistan. "I was able to take part in the formation of the last three expositions. In search of material for purchase, I visited a number of cities and villages, and in these trips I found a variety of weapons that were once perfectly mastered by the Turkmen dzhigits", A. Sopiev notes.
The scabbarded saber occupied a place of honor in the Yurt and hung on the wall with its point pointing towards the Holy city of Mecca. Weapons with rich design, with a blade made of bulat steel, in expensive scabbards, as a rule, were imported-mainly from Persia, Khiva and Bukhara. And often it was a trophy of war.
The steeply curved Turkmen saber is designed for fighting on horseback, so the usual image of a Turkmen warrior is a dashing rider with a saber in his hands. It is clear that his faithful companion was a slender and fast-running horse of the Akhal-Teke or Yomud breed – an object of special care and pride of the owner. In 1895, Russian weapons factories produced a sword and knives for the Turkmen mounted militia, which was later re-formed into the Turkmen mounted division.
A traditional element of Turkmen men's clothing was a silk belt-Gushak, which was wrapped two or three times around the waist and tied in a special way. For it has been laid the knife in the sheath. Knives made of Damascus or Bulat steel were mandatory items in almost every family, they were given a special mystical meaning. Like the saber, the knife was considered a talisman. Turkmens believed that the knife protects the house, it was put under the pillow of the sick, passed down from father to son.
Before the appearance of firearms, bows and arrows were common among Turkmen hunters and warriors. Many stories and legends on this subject have been preserved by the people. In the time of Oguz Khan-the legendary ancestor of all Turkmens – holidays were accompanied by competitions in archery. Pumpkins were put on high poles, and the horsemen, riding on horses, tried to hit them at full gallop. The host of the festival lavished gifts on the winners.
...Many years passed, and the Great Patriotic war began. The author's father went to the front and returned with military awards. In this war, there were already other weapons, but our countrymen there were worthy of their fearless ancestors. In total, about three hundred thousand soldiers and officers from Turkmenistan took part in the battles of 1941-1945, eighty – six thousand laid down their heads on the battlefields-all of them are considered national heroes. Sixteen Turkmen became Heroes of the Soviet Union, seven of them fell on the fronts of the death of the brave. Nine Turkmen are full holders of the order of Glory, and tens of thousands have been awarded military orders and medals.
The Arsenal of weapons of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers has long been left in the past, and what time spared is now carefully preserved in museums of Turkmenistan and other countries where there are military collections. These items serve as a visible reminder that the Turkmens have always been excellent warriors, and the saber, dagger and faithful horse are their constant companions.
We add that the article is perfectly illustrated with colorful photographs. Forum plus magazine publishes a large number of relevant interviews, reports and original author's materials about humanitarian cooperation in the CIS.
