During many centuries, Turkmenistan attracts the attention of scientists-historians and archeologists from different countries, carrying out on the territory of our country their researches. Recent really sensational discovery of the Turkmen-Russian expedition, which is headed by experienced archeologist, deputy director of Institute of MaterialCculture History of the Russian Academy of Sciences Natalya Solovyeva, became bright event in the world of archeology. Nearly 20 years, she works in Yilgynly-depe located in Altyn Asyr etrap of Akhal province. This monument belongs to eneolith period. It is very pleasant to mention the transitional period from stone to bronze century (IV-III centuries B.C.), when instruments of labor from stone prevailed, but copper tools started to appear. Judging by sizes of settlement and thickness of site development, it should be quite large, from one until 2 thousand population with rich and developed material culture, particularly with its sphere connected with dwelling and domestic life. Ordinary dwelling and economic structures strike with spacious rooms and accomplishment of yards, details of architecture and quality of interior design.
Abundance of copper articles from Yilgynly is quite unique for to eneolith. Numerous articles, having no connection with everyday life, considerably tell about welfare of community. They testify about developed spiritual culture and aesthetic feelings of people, who lived there. Discovery here of the shop for mass manufacture of religious statuettes also testifies about qualitatively new stage of socio-economic development of antique society. Undoubtedly, such discovery ranks this settlement among world-famous monuments of eneolith in Near East and Asia Minor.
It was established fruitful cooperation of this expedition not only with Ashgabat Fine Arts Museum, but also with restoration department of the Turkmen Institute of Culture. Together with their tutor – artist-ceramist Maral Atayeva, the students-restorers regularly leave for place of excavations, conduct a series of practical works with ancient ceramic dish. Undoubtedly, this experience will help them on their professional growth. So, in the near future, Turkmenistan will dispose own qualified restorers of museum values. It has been constructed well-equipped laboratory in Dushak, functioning on the basis of the Turkmen-French expedition, which studies the neighboring site of ancient settlement Ulug-depe.
In spring and autumn of this year, it was continued the works of International Margiana Expedition, which is joint project of the National Management of Turkmenistan for protection, study and restoration of monuments of history and culture and Institute of ethnology and anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
After death of famous archeologist Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi – discoverer of ancient Margiana and old leader of the expedition, it was headed by Doctor of History Nadezhda Anatolyevna Dubova. Besides archeological excavations, it is also worth mentioning the efforts of this expedition on restoration and conservation of findings. Most of them are of particular value. Therefore, its composition includes the leading specialists from the State Research Institute of Restoration of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Natalya Kovalyeva and Galina Veresotskaya, who have completed the first cycle of laborious task with the most unusual artifacts – mosaic and relief décor from royal necropolis Gonur. Besides inventory of all discovered details, which was realized by specialist from Saint-Petersburg Museum of History of religions Tatyana Shaposhnikova, it was conducted the preliminary analysis of methods of making, mounting and assemblage of ancient wall compositions, and three fragments of carpet mosaic- pictorial décor were possible to restore. Recently, they became a part of exposition of the Fine Arts Museum of Turkmenistan.
Famous Russian archeologist, Doctor of History, laureate of International Prize named after Magtymguly Viktor Pilipko concentrated his works in this year on excavations of the Parthian stratums of New Nisa, which enters into the UNESCO’s World Heritage List together with more famous fortress Old Nisa. During many years, the Italian crew is headed by director of Turin Excavation Center Dr. Karlo Lipolis. In the last year, he was awarded with International Prize named after Magtymguly for his labor. In the current season, he continued the investigations of the large complex of economic structures in the western part of Old Nisa, where it was obtained a large archeological material, including fragments of forms for casting of horse statuette that vividly testifies about deep traditions of reflection of images of our wonderful racers existed on the Turkmen land.
Turkmen- Polish expedition headed by professor of Warsaw University, laureate of International Prize named after Magtymguly Barbara Kaim, continued the excavations Guyrukly-depe – promising monument in Serahs oasis. It is early to speak about it, but even preliminary exploratory works show how interesting and complicated this hill and its whole adjoining territory, which became today the zone of protected historical landscape. In Balkan province, in the site of ancient settlement Geokchik-depe in Ancient Dehistan, it was continued the excavations of the Turkmen- Spanish expedition under leadership of professor of Madrid University Hoakin Kordova.
As usual, active work was carried out on the territory of Ancient Merv. Here, it is realized the Turkmen-American project of many years on restoration of Large Gyz-gala castle (manager Rejep Jepbarov) as well as it was held the first season of excavations of special expedition of archeologists from Turkey headed by professor of Konia University Osman Yaravshar. On the territory of site of ancient settlement Sultan-gala, they started the search of remains of Sultan Alp Arslan mausoleum, ruler of powerful Turkmen state of Great Seljiks, who lived in XI century. Another monument of that period is caravansary Dayahatyn located on the coast of Amyderya in the north of Lebap province, became the object of restoration works carried out by our specialists with support of the Ambassador’s Fund of USA for preservation of cultural heritage. This year is also remarkable with the beginning of excavations of mysterious structure in Koneurgench. Further researches at the head of Candidate of History, archeologist Ejegul Muradova will show what it was indeed.
Abundance of copper articles from Yilgynly is quite unique for to eneolith. Numerous articles, having no connection with everyday life, considerably tell about welfare of community. They testify about developed spiritual culture and aesthetic feelings of people, who lived there. Discovery here of the shop for mass manufacture of religious statuettes also testifies about qualitatively new stage of socio-economic development of antique society. Undoubtedly, such discovery ranks this settlement among world-famous monuments of eneolith in Near East and Asia Minor.
It was established fruitful cooperation of this expedition not only with Ashgabat Fine Arts Museum, but also with restoration department of the Turkmen Institute of Culture. Together with their tutor – artist-ceramist Maral Atayeva, the students-restorers regularly leave for place of excavations, conduct a series of practical works with ancient ceramic dish. Undoubtedly, this experience will help them on their professional growth. So, in the near future, Turkmenistan will dispose own qualified restorers of museum values. It has been constructed well-equipped laboratory in Dushak, functioning on the basis of the Turkmen-French expedition, which studies the neighboring site of ancient settlement Ulug-depe.
In spring and autumn of this year, it was continued the works of International Margiana Expedition, which is joint project of the National Management of Turkmenistan for protection, study and restoration of monuments of history and culture and Institute of ethnology and anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
After death of famous archeologist Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi – discoverer of ancient Margiana and old leader of the expedition, it was headed by Doctor of History Nadezhda Anatolyevna Dubova. Besides archeological excavations, it is also worth mentioning the efforts of this expedition on restoration and conservation of findings. Most of them are of particular value. Therefore, its composition includes the leading specialists from the State Research Institute of Restoration of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Natalya Kovalyeva and Galina Veresotskaya, who have completed the first cycle of laborious task with the most unusual artifacts – mosaic and relief décor from royal necropolis Gonur. Besides inventory of all discovered details, which was realized by specialist from Saint-Petersburg Museum of History of religions Tatyana Shaposhnikova, it was conducted the preliminary analysis of methods of making, mounting and assemblage of ancient wall compositions, and three fragments of carpet mosaic- pictorial décor were possible to restore. Recently, they became a part of exposition of the Fine Arts Museum of Turkmenistan.
Famous Russian archeologist, Doctor of History, laureate of International Prize named after Magtymguly Viktor Pilipko concentrated his works in this year on excavations of the Parthian stratums of New Nisa, which enters into the UNESCO’s World Heritage List together with more famous fortress Old Nisa. During many years, the Italian crew is headed by director of Turin Excavation Center Dr. Karlo Lipolis. In the last year, he was awarded with International Prize named after Magtymguly for his labor. In the current season, he continued the investigations of the large complex of economic structures in the western part of Old Nisa, where it was obtained a large archeological material, including fragments of forms for casting of horse statuette that vividly testifies about deep traditions of reflection of images of our wonderful racers existed on the Turkmen land.
Turkmen- Polish expedition headed by professor of Warsaw University, laureate of International Prize named after Magtymguly Barbara Kaim, continued the excavations Guyrukly-depe – promising monument in Serahs oasis. It is early to speak about it, but even preliminary exploratory works show how interesting and complicated this hill and its whole adjoining territory, which became today the zone of protected historical landscape. In Balkan province, in the site of ancient settlement Geokchik-depe in Ancient Dehistan, it was continued the excavations of the Turkmen- Spanish expedition under leadership of professor of Madrid University Hoakin Kordova.
As usual, active work was carried out on the territory of Ancient Merv. Here, it is realized the Turkmen-American project of many years on restoration of Large Gyz-gala castle (manager Rejep Jepbarov) as well as it was held the first season of excavations of special expedition of archeologists from Turkey headed by professor of Konia University Osman Yaravshar. On the territory of site of ancient settlement Sultan-gala, they started the search of remains of Sultan Alp Arslan mausoleum, ruler of powerful Turkmen state of Great Seljiks, who lived in XI century. Another monument of that period is caravansary Dayahatyn located on the coast of Amyderya in the north of Lebap province, became the object of restoration works carried out by our specialists with support of the Ambassador’s Fund of USA for preservation of cultural heritage. This year is also remarkable with the beginning of excavations of mysterious structure in Koneurgench. Further researches at the head of Candidate of History, archeologist Ejegul Muradova will show what it was indeed.
