The asyks and it’s role in the worldview of the nomads

Abstract

Kazakh children have been playing “asyk” (playing with lamb bone) from ancient times. Currently, the game still retains its value among the Kazakhs, as it is commonly played among the Turkic-Mongolian people in Eurasian Steppe. For instance, archaeologists often find “asyk” during the excavations.This paper is based on materials that researchers have received during excavations in East Kazakhstan in 2014. Researchers found about 140 “asyk” that relate to the primitive era. “Asyk” was in a stone bowl, at the feet of the deceased. Some of the “asyks’ had drilled holes. The purpose of this paper is to explore the Kazakh children’s game “asyk” and to identify common trends in the culture of the Turkic people. Also, this game marked the beginning of some modern gambling (dice). This fact speaks about its connections to all of humanity and as well has some social functions (people used it in resolving disputes). The researchers believed that the role of children’s toys is very important in the socialization of a child.