The subject of the study is an iron dagger with a gold hilt and a gold scabbard, found during excavations of the Gorgippia necropolis in a rich burial in the second half of the second century A.D. The sheath and hilt of the dagger are decorated in a polychrome animal style characteristic of the Sarmatian world. Daggers similar in shape and decoration were found in the graves of the highest Sarmatian nobility – Dachy and Tillya-Tepe. It is possible that the Gorgippian dagger is close to them in time and should be attributed to an earlier period than the one containing its burial. An important element of the scabbard's decor is the nine-fold repeated image of an eagle torturing a hare. This motif dates back to the ancient Iranian mytho-epic tradition and symbolizes military luck (Xen. Cirop. II, 4). The discovery of Sarmatian-type status weapons with images reflecting the ideas of military prowess characteristic of the Iranian world gives reason to consider the Gorgippian find as an insignia of power belonging to a representative of the Sarmatian nobility, who performed the functions of a military leader in Gorgippia. Most likely, he held the position of «chief of the Aspurgians», known from Bosporan inscriptions.

This study deals with the contemporary interpretations of mythological figures in Prof. Dr. Mutluhan Taş’s works in Turkish art. The compositions created by the artist using balbals, tombstones, shaman figures and Seljuk symbols have an original approach that blends the rich heritage of Turkish culture with modern art. The aim of the study is to examine how Turkish mythological figures find a place in contemporary art through the works of Mutluhan Taş and to evaluate the role of these figures in preserving cultural memory. Within the scope of the research, figurative and abstract elements used in the artist's works were analyzed in detail. The color palettes, calligraphic arrangements and mythological symbols in the compositions establish an aesthetic bond that brings together the past and the present. In addition, through these symbols, the artist’s method of handling historical and cultural elements from a contemporary perspective has been revealed. The findings reveal the success of Mutluhan Taş’s works in reinterpreting Turkish culture through art. The artist’s works create a bridge between traditional and contemporary art and take the viewer on a cultural journey. The study supports the consideration of mythological figures in the literature in the context of contemporary art and makes an important contribution to the deficiencies in this field.

This article provides an analysis of the twelve portraits of Qing military officials from the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts. The portraits, executed by Jesuit artists during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, were intended to serve as studies for a series of portraits in the form of large-scale hanging scrolls. The article examines the artistic features of portraits in the context of Chinese and European painting traditions, and also identifies a number of problems associated with the attribution of these images. The creative method of European artists who worked at the court of the Qing emperor is manifested in portraits painted in oil on paper to a greater extent than in the official ceremonial images of the emperor and high-ranking officials painted by the same masters. There are noticeable differences between the bust portraits and large portraits, confirming the participation of Chinese artists in the work on the hanging scrolls. The details of each hero’s attire allow scholars not only to compare the insignia in the portraits with the status of the military officials, but also to clarify the rank of little-known officers whose merits in the military campaigns against Dzungaria and East Turkestan were rewarded by the emperor. As the twelve portraits become objects of scientific research for the first time, their further study with the involvement of various written and visual sources will significantly expand the knowledge about the court art of the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.

There are several versions about the time of the translation the New Testament in to Arabic. They are based on evidence recorded by medieval historians, on citations of texts in theological works, on the presence of fragments of manuscripts that have survived to our days. It is known that the first translations appeared no later than the 9th century, but a number of scholars believe that they were carried out earlier. This is evidenced by Arab historians, but this evidence is not confirmed by the presence of surviving manuscripts. Of particular interest are citations of New Testament texts by Muslim theologians, who translate these fragments from Syriac or Greek in their own way. The latest possible dating of the translation of the New Testament is determined by the surviving manuscripts. The article examines hypotheses about the existence of earlier translations and the historical conditions under which these translations could have been created.

A review of information on the number and personnel of Cossacks who were captured and voluntarily transferred to serve in the troops of the Manchu Qing Empire from Russian detachments operating in the territory of the Amur region in 1653–1689 is presented on the basis of published documents and those introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The change in the ratio of captured Cossacks and defectors throughout the period under consideration and the reasons that contributed to the decision to voluntarily transfer to serve the opposing side are analyzed in the article. The names and known biographical data of the Cossacks who actively collaborated with the command of the military units of the Manchu Eight-Banner Troops are given in the study. Lists of Cossacks from the Albazin and Yakut forts who were captured during the campaign to drive the Russians out of the Amur region by the Manchus and who actually formed the basis of the “Russian company” in the Manchu guard are presented. Individual examples of the actions of captured Cossacks who refused to cooperate with the Manchus even under threat of death are also given in the article. Changes in the functional use of captured Cossacks before and after the conclusion of the Nerchinsk Peace Treaty are noted in the presented material. The study of documents compiled by Cossacks in captivity and addressed to the authorities of the Russian state allows us to show that for some captured Cossacks, falling out of the usual socio-cultural environment leads to the formation of internal conflict and the desire to return to their familiar environment by any means.

The western Iranian region was one of the important regions in the Sassanid lands and played a commercial role. The presence of important sites such as Bisotun, Taq-e-Bostan, and Qasr-e-Shirin in this geographical region indicates the importance of this region during the Sassanid period. The good climate and lush lands directed the Sassanids' attention to western Iran. The presence of numerous buildings, from palaces and caravanserais to magnificent rock carvings and bridges, especially during the time of Khosrow Parviz, indicated the importance of this region. The presence of numerous buildings in western Iran, including the provinces of Ilam, Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Kurdistan, clearly demonstrate the grandeur and power of the Sassanid period. An attempt is made to introduce and examine the most important existing buildings from the Sassanid period. Taq-e-Bostan, Khusrow Palace, Taq-e-Shirin, Farhad-e-Tarash Wall, Zij-e-Manijeh Building, Bisotun Bridge, Khusrow Bridge, and Taq-e-Gara are among the most important buildings that will be discussed in this article. The method of collecting materials is library-based and descriptive-analytical. The questions raised here are: 1. What was the use of each building and for what purpose were they built? 2. What was the reason for the Sasanians' attention to the west of the country and what work was done in this region?

The article examines composite bows of Central Asian nomads from the rock burials of Mongolia in the 11^th – 14^th centuries. Descriptions of five bow specimens with preserved kibiti are presented. The collected materials allow us to identify some trends in the evolution of composite bows of the region in question. Among other things, it was found that during the period in question, the inner side of the bow limbs began to be increasingly equipped with horn pads, which worked better than wood in compression. In addition, the horn shoulder pads served as a damping spring, which allowed the bow to more effectively return to its original shape after firing. Certain changes occurred in the design of the kibiti. If the limbs of earlier bows had a predominantly flattened cross-section, now it changes to a more rounded one, in some cases D-shaped. Such bows could be stored in a bow case in a combat position (with a stretched bowstring) for a long time, and were more effectively used when shooting heavy arrows with a wide, massive feather. Bone overlays on the ends of the bow are used less and less in the 13^th – 14^th centuries, and the transition zones become more pronounced. In addition, early versions of bowstring rests appear in the Mongolian era. Certain changes also occur in the design of weapons. For example, Central Asian craftsmen stop pasting birch bark or leather on the inside of the bow kibiti. Thus, during the period under consideration, a special type of composite bow is formed, which, over time, will become dominant in the sadachny sets of the peoples of Mongolia, Manchuria, Sayan-Altai and the Baikal region.

In the 3^rd – 7^th centuries the Japanese islands were the scene of a fight between the Yamato state and the surrounding Emishi and Kumaso tribes. In the battles, Yamato warriors used different types of offensive weapons – including double-edged swords. In this article, for the first time in the Russian historiography, the known Japanese swords of the 3^rd – 7^th centuries were classified on the basis of their basic morphological characteristics – the cross-section of the blade, its shape, the presence of a guard or its analogue, as well as the features of the design of the weapon. During the work 287 swords were studied originating in the provinces of Wakayama, Ishikawa, Mie, Miyazaki, Nara, Saga, Saitama, Fukuoka, Hyogo, Yamanashi and others. We identified 2 departments, 4 types and 9 subtypes. As a comparative material, we used long daggers of the same historical period, the construction and decoration of which are close or similar to the construction of swords. It was found that the most widespread type of swords are specimens with a lenticular straight blade without a guard or its analogue. Judging by the visual materials, as well as the laconic design of hilt and scabbard, most of the swords were part of the armament of simple warriors. In perspective, swords were replaced from the wide military use of Yamato warriors by straight single-bladed backswords, which, in turn, evolved over time into the famous Japanese sabers of the developed Middle Ages.