A Spear and a Lance of the Late Medieval Nomads of the Great Steppe (Based on the Materials on a Heroic Epic of the Kazakhs of Nogai Cycle)

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Author(s)

en Agatay, Оtkirbay M.

Агатай, Уткирбай Мылтыкбайулы

Title

A Spear and a Lance of the Late Medieval Nomads of the Great Steppe (Based on the Materials on a Heroic Epic of the Kazakhs of Nogai Cycle)

Alternative Title

Копья и пики позднесредневековых кочевников Великой Степи (по материалам героического эпоса казахов ногайлинский цикл)

Publication Type

Journal Article

Language

rus

Number of Pages

10

Location

Kazakhstan

Keywords

oral tradition

combat weapon

epic

others

Relevance to ICH Safeguarding

identification

transmission

promotion

awareness raising

ICH Genre

oral tradition

others

ICH transmission

Description

Based on a detailed analysis of previously unpublished and untranslated materials from the heroic epic of the Kazakhs of the Nogai cycle, along with evidentiary (including archaeological) and written sources, an attempt was made to interpret the name of an incisive long-flagpole weapon used by Turkic warriors in the western part of the Great Steppe during the late Medieval and early Modern periods. In particular, certain aspects of the use of spears and lances by nomads, including the sequence of their deployment and other details, were recorded. Comparisons between descriptions of armaments in the heroic epic and genuine examples of close-combat and ram-attack weapons from archaeological sites and museum collections revealed a high degree of correlation between folklore and evidentiary sources. Typically, this pertains to certain decorative elements. For example, in the case of the weapon of Nogai batyr Karasay, a 'silver spear' is mentioned in the epic, while Tana batyr crafted 'a flagpole from elm' for his spear. An analysis of spears and lances used across Kazakhstan and neighboring regions — preserved in museum collections and recovered from archaeological expeditions in previous years — confirms the presence of silver and elm elements.

Book/Journal Title

Отан Тарихы(History of Motherland)

Publisher

Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology

Place of Publication

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Date of Publication

2021

Issue

4 (96)

Pages

36-45

Access URL

https://otan.history.iie.kz/main/issue/view/33

ISSN

1814-6961

Usage

copyright cleared

Academic Field

Epic tradition

Combat weapon

Community/Ethnic Group

Kazakhstan

Contributor

Kazakhstan National Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Active Contribution

Kazakhstan, FY 2024