THE KYRGYZ BATTLE-AXE "AI-BALTA" FROM THE MUSEUM "RARITY" IN BISHKEK
The article studies a finding of the Kyrgyz iron battle-axe “ai-balta” from the archaeological collection of the traditional Kyrgyz culture in Tian Shan kept in the private museum “Rarity”, that belongs to V. V. Kadyrov - a famous businessman and philanthropist in Kyrgyzstan. The museum is situated in Bishkek in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The paper considers main events related to the history of studying battle-axes used to arm warriors of ancient and medieval nomadic peoples and states of Central Asian historical and cultural region. The author suggests the definition of typological, chronological and cultural identity of the Kyrgyz battle-axe finding; substantiates belonging of the analyzed finding to battle-axe tools for close combat of Kyrgyz warriors in Tian Shan, that relate to historical periods of the late Middle Ages and Modern era. The battle-axes “ai-balta” had a prominent element as a part of close combat armament complex available to Kyrgyz warriors in the territory of Tian Shan and adjacent regions during the mentioned period. Such battle-axes had wide rounded blades with curved tips after which they were named. They were fixed on the long wooden handles. Kyrgyz warriors attacked their adversaries using battle-axes in a close combat. Applying battle-axes by the Kyrgyz warriors to deliver striking blows to their opponents is reflected in the Kyrgyz epos. Similar combat clashes using battle axes of Kyrgyz are described in the Kyrgyz heroic epic “Manas”. The studied battle-axe from the museum «Rarity» is an important source of weapons history of the Kyrgyz warriors of the late Middle Ages and Modern era. The Kyrgyz warriors used such weapon while attacking their opponents on horseback. The battle axes “ai-balta” were used by the Kyrgyz warriors in the Tien Shan and Semirechie up to the chronological period of ethnographic modernity.