The Remarkable History of Turkmenistan
Interview with Olivier Hein about his book Mother of the World: The Remarkable History of Turkmenistan. Discusses Turkmenistan’s profound yet often unacknowledged past, revealing its role as a crucial crossroads of empires and civilisations, with ancient cultures rivalling Egypt and the Indus Valley, to its potential as the birthplace of Zoroastrianism. The city of Merv flourished as a global intellectual hub before the devastating Mongol invasion. Details the Turkmen people’s enduring resilience through Russian and Soviet eras, and the complexities of the post-Soviet period, emphasising its unique culture and untapped potential.
