Journal of the Silk Roads - issue libre

 Salvete Omnes,

when you are interested in the Central Asia history, from the hunter gatherers to the end of the nomadic empires, the story of old Silk Roads is probably one of the more engaging subjects.

Transporting silk and woven textiles, gold, Chinese ceramics etc in exchange for steppe-bred horses was the traditional way of exchange between the ancient nomads and the Chinese civilization, the Tang Dynasty period being the most intriguing, with the Sogdian merchants playing the pivotal role. The Christian Nestorian creed spread into the steppe and into China through the Silk Roads routes, later Islam as well, and Buddhism too, while the Zoroastrian refugees from Persia found heaven in Tang China. The Turkish and Mongol conquests started along the Silk Roads. Tea was spread through the Silk Roads and so on. The Silk Roads linked Western Asia, especially the Persian empires and the Chinese empires, resulting in many beautiful works of art and ideas.

the new issue 1-2 (2026) of the Journal of the Silk Roads 

is available on the Brill's site for download.

My most favorite book on the subject still is 'Golden Peaches of Samarkand'(1962)  by Edward Schafer. 

one aspect of the Silk Roads was the Tea Horse Road, perhaps more about its Muscovy connection more in the future.

valete

Tarnow and its treasures

Salve,

the city of Tarnów, in Little Poland,  is famous for its history, embodied in its historic buildings  like the ratusz (the town hall) 

among the artefact the tTarnow city executioner sword  

and the Saint Mary cathedral basilica where the Tarnowski tomb monument, one of the most spectacular Renaissance tombs in Poland and perhaps in the whole Europe, may be found. 

But there are more tomb monuments within this cathedral basilica like the Ostrogski family, and many others. And there are many more old churches, museums and galleries  being testimony to the former glories of this city.

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World War I photos -

typical peasant carriage of Little Poland

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enjoy

Salve

Nomad 'Olympics' in Kyryzystan, buzkashi-kokpar

 Salvete Omnes,

the Eurasian Nomads are having their own games,  their Olympics right now in Bishek and Issyk-Kul (Astana Times report), Kyrgyzstan. 

One of my favorite nomadic sports to watch  is buzkashi (kokpar, kok-boru, Ulak-Tartysh) or 'goat wrestling.'  There is even an American kokpar team participating - cowboys. 

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Valete

Taczanka in Polish army 1939

 Salvete Omnes,

September 3rd back in the 1939 - the German & allies invasion of Poland was in full gallop. 

Polish armies continued withdrawals toward the Vistula River, while the German invaders continued to increase brutalization and crimes against the Polish civilian population.

That evening  of the 3rd the governments of  Great Britain(and by being part of the British Commonwealth also Canada, New Zealand & Australia and British India, while South Africa joined on September 6th) and France declared they were at war with Hitler's Germany. They needed weeks or months to mobilize for this new war, too late for Poland.

ad rem,

three horse-tema would pull the final Polish taczanka

The taczanka (tachanka) - Polish armies adopted this horse-drawn carriage with the heavy machines gun, 1908&1910 Maxim, mounted on the carriage from the Bolshevik Red Army they fought against in 1919-20.

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During the 1930s  the Polish army intensified their search for a perfect taczanka. They constructed 1934 version, and finally so called the 1936 version, authorized for cavalry and infantry. Polish cavalry got their 1936 taczanka with the 1930 maxim, 8 per regiment  by November 1938.

  

Nazi Germany and Soviet Union also developed their taczanka vehicles during 1930s. Soviet tachanka'35 with Maxim MG, 

and German Maschinen-Gewehrwagen 36 with machine gun MG-34.

Valete