Unearth a massive 6th-Century warrior statue who may have been a famous heroic warrior of Turkey and was a harbinger of good fortune

The nearly 10-foot stone statue was discovered near Ak-Bulun village in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan.On Oct. 15, 2022, potato farmer Erkin Turbaev was working his field near the Northern Tian Shan mountains in Eastern Kyrgyzstan when he came upon what he believed to be a large rock that broke his plow. Intending to remove the burdensome object, he began digging — but what he found was no simple rock.

As Ancient Origins reports, he instead found a large stone statue depicting the face and torso of a human being.

Revealing more of the object, Turbaev realized he was looking at an atypically large version of a balbal — a type of carved stone statue used by first-millennium inhabitants of Central Asia to memorialize the dead. The statues were most common among nomadic Turks who, at the time, controlled the land that is modern-day Kyrgyzstan.

Turbaev described the statue as “a great historical find for this village” that “will bring good fortune,” Arkeonews reports.

The statue depicts a warrior wearing a helmet and armor, with one hand at its side holding a short sword and the other folded across the warrior’s chest.

Historian Zhanbolot Abdykerimov later examined the statue closely, discerning that this particular balbal featured special markings including specific inscriptions on the head, a pendant around its neck, and the hand folded across its chest — indicating that the memorialized individual held some important title.

However, without further archaeological study, it is difficult to tell which exact period the balbal belonged to, Abdykerimov noted. The newly discovered balbal is far from the first to be discovered in the region, though. In fact, several similar statues have been found at other sites along the lake shore of Issyk-Kul, offering some indication that the practice was widespread in the region.

“There are historical kurgans (burials) that date back to the third century BCE between the settlements of Ak-Bulun and Frunze,” Abdykerimov said, which offers historians some evidence that “the ancient city of Sarybulun … was in the eastern part of Issyk-Kul.”

Strangely, Ancient Origins notes, nomadic peoples are rarely ever associated with stone monuments as they did not remain in one particular location for a long enough period of time to leave behind permanent markers. Yet, sometime around the sixth and seventh centuries, nomadic Turks adopted the nonconformist burial practice.

There are several theories as to why the Turks began erecting stone monuments like balbals. One theory suggests that the statues were carved in the likeness of fallen warriors as a means of honoring the dead.

Another theory, however, claims that the balbal-laden gravesites actually featured numerous stone carvings of the dead enemies of heroic warriors, put in place next to the fallen heroes to serve them in the afterlife.

In either case, most historians agree that balbals depict warriors whose feats were highly worthy of commemorating, whether they were fighting on the side of the Turks or against them.

Related Posts

Paris Jacksoп, l'υпiqυe eпfaпt de Michael Jacksoп, a eпfiп parlé après 20 aпs de sileпce. Et пos soυpçoпs avaieпt raisoп…md

Paris Jacksoп, l’υпiqυe eпfaпt de Michael Jacksoп, a eпfiп parlé après 20 aпs de sileпce. Et пos soυpçoпs avaieпt raisoп…md

Eп υпa iпmersióп profυпda eп la geofepcipg de la iпdυstria de apoyo, el magпate de la música Seap “Diddy” Combs ha excitado el lado más profυпdo del mυпdo especυlador, eп las diversas respυestas…

Derпières пoυvelles : Diddy, Cristiaпo Roпaldo et les sυrpreпaпts secrets de la fête blaпche...md

Derпières пoυvelles : Diddy, Cristiaпo Roпaldo et les sυrpreпaпts secrets de la fête blaпche…md

Eп υпa iпmersióп profυпda eп la geofepcipg de la iпdυstria de apoyo, el magпate de la música Seap “Diddy” Combs ha excitado el lado más profυпdo del mυпdo especυlador, eп las diversas respυestas…

Jasoп Aldeaп Declares Legal War oп Whoopi Goldberg, Demaпds $100 Billioп iп Damages Over Her Coпtroversial Statemeпts...md

Jasoп Aldeaп Declares Legal War oп Whoopi Goldberg, Demaпds $100 Billioп iп Damages Over Her Coпtroversial Statemeпts…md

Iп a shockiпg tυrп of eveпts, coυпtry mυsic star Jasoп Aldeaп has reportedly filed a massive $100 billioп lawsυit agaiпst actress aпd talk show host Whoopi

Eloп Mυsk Files $170 Millioп Lawsυit Agaiпst Mark Hamill Over False Claims: “Yoυr Wokeпess, Yoυr Problem”...md

Eloп Mυsk Files $170 Millioп Lawsυit Agaiпst Mark Hamill Over False Claims: “Yoυr Wokeпess, Yoυr Problem”…md

Iп a high-profile legal battle that has captυred pυblic atteпtioп, Eloп Mυsk has filed a $170 millioп lawsυit agaiпst actor Mark Hamill. The lawsυit alleges

BREAKING NEWS: ELON MUSK aпd his statemeпt “Retirees” shoυld be completely TAX EXEMPTED. They have already paid the fees, do yoυ thiпk my opiпioп is correct becaυse…md

BREAKING NEWS: ELON MUSK aпd his statemeпt “Retirees” shoυld be completely TAX EXEMPTED. They have already paid the fees, do yoυ thiпk my opiпioп is correct becaυse…md

The qυestioп of whether retired iпdividυals shoυld be eпtirely exempt from taxes has sparked coпsiderable debate iп receпt years. Maпy argυe that retirees

BREAKING NEWS: ELON MUSK aпd his statemeпt “Retirees” shoυld be completely TAX EXEMPTED. They have already paid the fees, do yoυ thiпk my opiпioп is correct becaυse…md

BREAKING NEWS: ELON MUSK aпd his statemeпt “Retirees” shoυld be completely TAX EXEMPTED. They have already paid the fees, do yoυ thiпk my opiпioп is correct becaυse…md

The qυestioп of whether retired iпdividυals shoυld be eпtirely exempt from taxes has sparked coпsiderable debate iп receпt years. Maпy argυe that retirees

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *