KazNU professor studies Turkic world in Vatican archives

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Director of the Republican Research Center for the Study of World History, Academician Kalkaman Zhumagulov is on a scientific business trip in Rome (Italy).

This is not his first visit to the Vatican to work at the famous Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. Under the program "The Turkic World of Eurasia (V-XIV centuries) according to Western historical and archival sources and Vatican materials" he reveals new information on the history of the Hun Power, Turkic Khaganates, Desht-i-Kipchak, Golden Horde, Mamluk Sultanate during the reign of Beibars, integration of East and West on the Great Silk Road. Most of these sources are in Latin. They include papal correspondence, chronicles, accounts and notes of travelers, missionaries, and other rare narrative evidence. The professor translates and analyzes these materials in the manuscript collection in the Vaticani Latini Manuscript Room.

K.T.Zhumagulov pays special attention to meetings in the largest highly rated university of the world La Sapienza (Sapienza Universita di Roma). La Sapienza University and Al-Farabi KazNU, according to the current memorandum, conduct training of masters in the specialty "World History" under the double degree program. In the current 2023/24 academic year here on this program are three master's students: Gulinur Davutova, Anel Kazbaeva, Adilet Amirkhanov. A student of La Sapienza Melissa Guolo is studying at KazNU. The arrival of other master students is expected.

As part of the scientific trip Kalkaman Zhumagulov made a report to the students of La Sapienza. At the meeting Italian students were interested in the history and culture of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, as well as the system of education in KazNU.

Professor K.T.Zhumagulov is actively working on compiling a bibliography of original studies by European scholars on the Turkic world in Italian, English, German and French, Eurasia and Central Asia. These works have not been in scientific circulation in Kazakhstani historical science until now. Here a number of materials are emphasized by the professor in one of the largest libraries of Italy, Rome - Biblioteca Universtitaria Alessandrina. Necessary advice on the funds of book depositories was shared by its director, Dr. Daniella Fugaro.

In addition, as part of the scientific trip, Kalkaman Zhumagulov met with the Director of the Department of History, Anthropology and Religion Prof. Gaetano Lettieri, Prof. Fabio Grassi, specialist in Islam and Turkology Federico de Renzi and others.

Press-service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University