Central Asia earliest written version in 14th/15th century CE; continues to be performed orally Anonymous, Alpamish The epic of Alpamish is the main heroic epic of the Uzbeks, but is also found in the oral tradition of other ethnic groups speaking Turkic...
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan Transcribed: c. 18th century CE Anonymous, The Epic of Köroğlu Benden selam olsun Bolu Beyi’neÇıkıp şu dağlara yaslanmalıdırOk vızıltısı, kalkan sesindenDağlar seda...
Kyrgyzstan A fragment (in Persian) is dated to the end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century, but an earlier version may have existed; the first written version of the epic is from the mid-19th century. Anonymous, Manas “…for us, Kirgiz, the dastan remains a...
Arabia, Persia, and the Subcontinent Oral tradition dating back to the 7th century Illustrated manuscript commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, c. 1562Urdu version by Ghalib Lakhnavi, 1855Expanded by Abdullah Bilgirami, 1871 Ghalib Lakhnavi The Adventures of...
Armenia Oral tradition: c. 9th century CEFirst set to writing: 1874 The Daredevils of Sasun (Sasna Tsrer) “David of Sassoun” is the Armenian national folk epic representing the ethos of the Armenian people in their age-old struggle for freedom from invasion and...
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