The role of the natural and climatic factor in the history and culture of the nomadic societies of Central Asia: the phenomenon of weather (book review: Drobyshev Yu. I. Climate and khans: the role of the climatic factor in the political history of Centra

10.54398/1818510Х_2023_2_145

Annotation

The review examines the main provisions of the monographic work of Y. Drobyshev showed its relevance and significance for the domestic and foreign nomadic studies. Conducted by the author of the reviewed monograph the research has shown all steadiness and debatability of the stated problem. Multidimensionality and interdisciplinary research required the author of the book to appeal to historiographical, archeological, ethnographic, written and oral (folklore) sources. The author's original interpretation of empirical material related to the phenomenon of climate and its exclusion on the life of nomads of Central Asia in the past is noted. It is shown that the book contains valuable historiographical data requiring climatic background of nomadic civilization, revealing the detection of changes in the objects of nature by nomads. The subjects of interest are the dramatic events in the history of nomads of the supposed region, the weather magic connected with the interests of nomads — hunting, cattle breeding and military campaigns. The author of the book when considering alternative views on an important or another issue, argued pre-trial defeat of the point of view. The review presents both the undoubted merits of the reviewed work and several observations and wishes that can be taken into account by its author when preparing new works on this very inter-esting topic.

Keywords

• climate
• weather
• political history
• historiography
• Central Asia
• nomads
• power
• material and spiritual culture
• worldview
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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project № 22-18-00313 “Transformation of nomadic societies of the South of Russia in the context of natural and factors (XIX – mid XX centuries)” (https://rscf.ru/project/22-18-00313/).

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