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Ethnography on the Roof of the World. Cosmological strategies and the mental geography of "civilized" Danish explorers of the Pamirs and Turkestan in the Late 19th Century.

Research project by Esther Fihl

The research project is carried out within The Carlsberg Foundation’s Nomad Research Project:

• Publication on Central Asia and the Parmirs
• Research team
• Publications by the research team

Kyrgyz nomads in the Pamirs. Photo by O. Olufsen 1896-99

Pastoral nomads have always fascinated the more earthbound peoples among whom they live. Forever on the move with tents and belongings, and with their flocks and herds of goats, sheep, cattle, yaks, camels, horses, or reindeer, these elusive folk have captured our imagination. They call into question the very way of life that we peasant or urban people live by defying our idea of a stable and secure homestead. They stir our emotions by questioning values that we take for granted, and by offering a vision of an alternative and, as we tend to believe, carefree existence.

In Denmark serious scholarly interest in the cultures and societies of pastoral nomads, including the nature, history, and transformation of nomadism, dates back more than a century. During this period explorers, photographers, and scientists - geographers, archaeologists, linguists, botanists, zoologists and not least anthropologists - have made a substantial contribution to the documentation and understanding of a range of pastoral societies and of pastoral nomadism in general. From the expeditions, ethnographic collections were brought home to the National Museum and to Moesgaard Museum - and an extensive amount of fieldnotes dates from the antropological fieldworks. The aim of the The Carlsberg Foundation's Nomad Research Project is to analyse and publish some of this material on nomads.

Publication in English on nomads in Central Asia, read more

Research team

• Ida Nicolaisen, head of project and editor-in-chief, senior research fellow, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Copenhagen University, Denmark.
• Christel Braae, research fellow, The Ethnographical Collection, The National Museum of Denmark.
• Annette Erdler, research fellow, The Ethnographical Collection, The National Museum of Denmark.
• Late Klaus Ferdinand, associate professor, emer., Department of Ethnography and Social Anthropology, University of Aarhus, Denmark. 
• Esther Fihl  (link 2), associate professor. Centre for Comparative Cultural Studies,The Institute of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen.
• Birthe Frederiksen, editor secretary, Center for Development Research, Denmark.
• Schuyler Jones, director, emr. The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, England.
• Rolf Gildberg, curator, The Ethnographical Collection, The National Museum of Denmark.
• Inge Demant Mortensen, research fellow, The Danish Institute in Syria.
• Asta Olesen, The Danish Ambassy in Catmandu, Nepal.
• Gorm Pedersen, implementary coordinator, The Royal Danish Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen.

Publications by the research team

The Carlsberg Foundation's Nomad research Projekt - An overview

Klaus Ferdinand: Beduins of Qatar 400 p. - 450 ill.	Inge Demant Mortensen Nomads of Luristan 416 p. - 450 ill.	Henny Harald Hansen Mongol Costumes 280 p. - 240 ill.
Martha Boyer Mongol Jewelry 280 p. - 200 ill.	Asta Olesen Afghan Craftsmen 328 p. - 240 ill.	Birthe Frederiksen Caravans and trade in Afghanistan 292 p. - 190 ill.
Gorm Petersen Afghan Nomads in Transition 266 p. - 155 ill.	Schuyler Jones Tibetan Nomads 464 p. - 280 ill.	Johs. & Ida Nicolaisen The Pastoral Tuareg vol. I & II 880 p. - 400 ill.
Johns & Ida Nicolaisen The Pastoral Tuareg vol. I & II 880 p. - 400 ill.	Esther Fihl Exploring Central Asia vol. I & II 736 p. - 515 ill.	Esther Fihl Exploring Central Asia vol. I & II 736 p. - 515 ill.