Characteristic Features of Martial Art of the Old Turkis during the Formation Period of the First Turkic Khaganate

About the authors:

Yuliy S. Khudyakov, Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk); khudjakov@mail.ru; ORCID 0000-0002-4741-9971

Alisa Yu. Borisenko, Cand Sci. (Hist.), Senior Researcher, Associate Professor, Department of Archaeology and Ethnography, Novosibirsk State University; aborisenko2@mail.ru; ORCID 0000-0001-9558-5678

Abstract:

This article studies and characterizes the principal features of martial arts of the Old Turks during the period, when in the Central Asian historical and cultural region, the Old Turkic state entities were formed, including the most powerful Turkic nomads’ state — the First Turkic Khaganate. The authors analyze the data, contained in the medieval written sources, which mentioned available different types of weapon of the Old Turkic equestrian lightly armed and armored warriors. The historical data show that the Old Turkic archers were accurate bows’ shooters. The Old Turkic warriors used arrows with iron tree-blade and faceted armour-piercing tips; the three-blade arrows were equipped with hollow bone balls and roundish holes. The Old Turkic warriors employed spears, swords, glaives, sabers, and battle-axes for defeating the enemies in close combat. For defence, they used iron armor plates, helmets, and wooden shields. The military science of the Old Turks had a significant impact on development of armament and martial art in Eurasian Steppe nomadic society during the era of the Early Middle Ages. Foreign affairs of the Old Turkic rulers during the existence period of the First Turkic Khaganate was characterized by the commitment to rallying of many nomadic tribes within the unified state.

This article aims to identify the characteristic features of the ancient Turks during the formation of the First Turkic Khaganate, which contributed to the unification of most of the nomadic tribes inhabiting the steppe spaces of Inner Asia within a single state formation.

Achieving this goal has required using the historical references and the methods of scientific reconstruction of the characteristic features of the martial arts of the Old Turks during the formation period of the first Turkic Khaganate.

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