Excursions on Silk Way of Turkmenistan.

 “Here it is described Turkmenia”. Marko spoke about the Turkmen-Seljuk’s Anatolian grounds. He wrote: “In Turkmenia there are three persons respected: Mohammed also follow its law; people simple… They live in mountains and in plains, everywhere, where thee are free pastures as are engaged in cattle breeding. Are found here I shall tell to you kind Turkmen horses and good, expensive mules… Manufacture here, know, the most thin and beautiful carpets in light, as well as are weaved beautiful rich matters or red and color, it is a lot of and other things it is produced here. Cities here are called Komo, Kasseri, Sevasto; many other cities and towns; to list all of them would be for a long time...”

“Book” Marko Polo.

Tours on sights of Silk way of Turkmenistan.

A lot of thousand years ago European peoples, having left the East, have moved to the West. They have forgotten the ancestral home which within long centuries has been shrouded for them in a secret, despite of it, the European researchers of an antiquity and the Middle Ages inevitably pulled in the countries of Asia – there where mysterious peoples lived.
How many myths, fairy tales, legends and the legends designed for the European inhabitant, have been created by the western authors about the far Asian grounds! Other writers of antiquity internationally gave out for valid legends, which have been written down at different Asian cities to cause interest to the works.
The epoch of the middle Ages has considerably expanded knowledge of European of peoples of the East. In the middle of XIII century when Mongolian and Turkic peoples have ceased to be at war and in Asia the relative calm was established, cities again began to be restored, to prosper crafts and trade. Iran, Turkmenistan, Caucasus, Crimea, the Volga region have restored ancient caravan routes on which went not only merchants, but also scientists, missionaries, dervish, etc. which conducted the traveling records.
Not all works of researchers have reached up to now, and those which have reached us, represent, in the majority, sketchy data on peoples of Asia. On this background work of great Venetian traveler Marko Polo (was born in 1254) is especially allocated, who more than 20 years. 
Have lead in the countries of the Near and far East, all China, still unknown before that time to European proceeded, and has come back to native Venice in the sea way though South China sea, Indian ocean and Persian gulf.
Result of this unprecedented travel became “Book” Marko Polo – one of outstanding products of the world geographical literature. It necessary to note, that before travel of Marko Polo his father Nikolo and native uncle Maffeo have already made travel on the East.
In 60^th of XIII century the brothers Polo have passed though Crimea and the Volga region to Central Asia. Having visited in Kunyaurgench, they arrived to Bukhara where lived about three years, and then together with embassy of Hulagy-khan, managing in Iran, they have gone to the Supreme Mongolian khan Hubilay who has handed over them credentials, written in “Turkic language” that they have transferred their Daddy.
When brothers arrived to 1269 from China in Palestine have found out, that daddy Kliment IV has died one year ago, and new yet have not selected. Two years were lived by grown-ups Polo in Venice and, having decided, that with the answer khan should not hesitate, have sailed to Palestine, having taken with itself seventeen-year-old Marko, son Nikolo.
In Ayas then has caught up new Daddies Grigory X with credentials. The union of the Daddy and the Supreme Mongolian khan opened for the China though the Iranian grounds. The family Polo was directed through Bagdad and Basra in hope to pass to the country of Hubilay by sea.
But for any reasons travelers have gone in the overland way through Kerman and Tabriz in Balh, and there from through mountain passes if Pamir to pool of Tarim they went to China through Kashgar, Yarkand, Khotan and southern surburb Gobi.
In rate Hubilay travelers arrived to 1275. In China travelers for a long time lived, carrying out ambassadorial assignments. In the same place Marko Polo has taught Turkic, Chinese and other languages and “has learned four alphabets, and the letter during very short time”.
Almost the quarter of a century was lived by Venetians in China, but having yearned for the Native land, have asked the sanction of the Sepreme khan to a way back. Hubilay has supplied Europeans with the  ships and provisions, as well as has given out to them khan paytszu.
The embassy has moved back. With them there was also a bride for the Mongolian khan Arguna, leading in Iran. Somewhere per 1294 family Polo has arrived to Iran. It is interesting, that at this time there since 1291 of rules Ilhan Gayhat to whom court yard venetians have been admitted.
And so, the wife of Ilhan was the Padishah – Hatun (1256 - 1295), the daughter of the Turkmen governor of the state Kutlughan in Kerman. She has officially entered on kerman throne under the instruction of the husband 1292 under name Safvat ad-dunya vaddin.
In 1295 Polo has arrived to Venice. In 1296 genoeses have grasped Venetian galer which ordered about Marko Polo. In prison of Genoa also has dictated Marko Polo in 1298 to the comrade on captivity Rustichano the chronicle of the Earth.
That the text has been written down in Latin, instead of the Venetian adverb, speaks that, the author addressed to the wide reader. It is remarkable, that small 21 head of “Book” Marko Polo begins so: “Here it is described Turkmenia”.
Marko spoke about the Turkmen-Seljuk’s Anatolian grounds. He wrote: “In Turkmenia there are three persons respected: Mohammed also follow its law; people simple… They live in mountains and in plains, everywhere, where thee are free pastures as are engaged in cattle breeding.
Are found here I shall tell to you kind Turkmen horses and good, expensive mules… Manufacture here, know, the most thin and beautiful carpets in light, as well as are weaved beautiful rich matters or red and color, it is a lot of and other things it is produced here.
Cities here are called Komo, Kasseri, Sevasto; many other cities and towns; to list all of them would be for a long time...” If by time Marko Polo carpets of Turkmenistan have reached such level of a subtlety and beauty it is uneasy to assume, that roots of carpet manufacture leave during earlier period of a history for the carpet is a fruit, creative activity of many generation of anonymous skilled workers.
Practically any in the slightest degree the large country of the East has not escaped an inquisitive sight of the traveler: customs the Turkmen, Armenian, kurds, Persian, Tatars. This invaluable the work fine encyclopaedic work, equal which in those days was not. It’s geographers, historians can use in the researches, ethnobroad gullies, specialists in folklore, philologists and representatives of other scientific disciplines.
In 2004 the scientific community of the world celebrated 750 anniversary from birthday Marko Polo. In Turkmenistan too know about “Book” of the great Venetian, its words about “the most thin and beautiful carpets in light’ the Turkmen especially are frequently quoted.
Still, in fact this one of the very first statements about Turkmen carpets. The “Book” of Marko Polo became widely known in the beginning of XIV century, repeatedly corresponded, and in 1477, it for the first time has been printed, and in German to Nuremberg.
In summary we shall give of a word of Marko Polo with which he has finished the work… Never was the person, be he the Christian, saratsin, the Tatar or the pagan who would travel on light so much, how many the noble and well-known citizen of city of Venice, mister Marko, the son of mister Nikolo Polo.

Authority:
Ovez Gundogdiyev. Magazine «Tourism and Sport» №1.