In the study of people from the past, the jigsaw is assembled from the fragmentary remains of bones and stones that are left within the landscape. Some science and a lot of conjecture combine to make sense of these discoveries. Events from the time before written records are particularly difficult to decipher. However, once language was established it was possible for oral traditions to develop within communities. When the generation gap was short, because life-expectancy was much less than today, practices based on an oral tradition could have had resonances through many generations. Superstitious practices in unsophisticated communities may have had origins in very ancient times. Women in the relatively isolated rural areas of Turkmenistan fall back on ancient superstitions to fulfil needs that are not otherwise met.
This article discusses modern use of stone in these communities, mainly by women. Commonly the stone was unworked and visually insignificant. This is a personal observational report.
© Internet Archaeology/Author(s) URL: http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue26/24/1.html
Last updated: Wed Jul 29 2009