Central Asian khanates
Countless millennia of migrations and invasions means that there are over fifty ethnic groups in modern day Iran alone. Following the devastating conquests of the Mongols, the nature of society and culture still had not recovered at the time of 'Let Me Help'. Tyranny and lawlessness lay around every corner like today, for the lone traveller it was a place where anything could happen.
Just some of the main groups prominent at the time of this book are listed below.
KAZAKS - Mongoloid
who broke away from Uzbeks in 15thC and are loose Muslims. Men wear baggy
shirts and trousers, sleeveless jackets, wool/cotton robes and skull caps.
Women wear long dresses and stand up collars with bright velvet waistcoats
and jewellry.
They generally live between the Aral Sea and lake Blakash.
KYRGYZ - Very similar to Kazaks in looks, clothes, culture and language. Men wear white embroidered tasselled felt cap (AK KALPAK). In winter, long sheepskin coat and fur trimmed round hat or TEBBETEY. Are loose Muslim and live south of Balkash.
TAJIKS - Mediterranean features, are Aryan, civilised and ancient! Men wear quilted coat (TAPAN) ties with sash which also secure a sheathed dagger. Black embroidered cap (TUPI) Women wear psychedelically coloured dressed (KURTA), headscarves (RUMOL), dayglo slippers and striped under-trousers (IZOR).
-The Mongols are coming
TURKMEN - Tall and semi Mongoloid/Caucasian with the main tribe being TEKKE. Men wear huge sheepskin hats (TELPEKS), white and fleecy or black dreadlocks and are worn all year round" Baggy trousers tucked into knee length boots. White shirts under knee length cherry red cotton jackets. Women wear heavy ankle length silk dresses, usually red/purple/maroon with colourful underneath trousers. Are BIG on Sufism and live East of the Caspian Sea.
UZBEKS - Men and women wear embroidered skullcaps (DOPPE). Men wear sombre colours with bright coloured sash which can tie quilted coats and sheathed daggers. Old men wear telpaks in winter. Women wear bright sparkly dresses and similar underneath trousers. One of two braids show woman is married, more = single woman. Both like gold teeth and are into sedentary agriculture.
UIGHURS - Large, dark and slightly Mediterranean Four sided skull cap or tall black cotton hat with harrow fur fringe at the bottom.