---
title: Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia (Book)
slug: sacred-plants-and-animals-in-central-asia-book-1c3
url: /detay/sacred-plants-and-animals-in-central-asia-book-1c3
type: article
language: English
entity:
  primary: Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia (Book)
  type: article
  disambiguation: Explore sacred plants & animals revered by Altaic Turks in Central Asia. Jean-Paul Roux's insightful historical anthropology.
  categories:
    - name: General Knowledge
      slug: genel-kultur
      url: /kategori/genel-kultur
    - name: Literature
      slug: edebiyat
      url: /kategori/edebiyat
  tags:
    - Sacred Animals
    - Sacred Plants
    - Altaic Turks
    - Central Asia
    - Shamanism
author: Muhammed Samed Acar
created_at: 2025-08-16T18:13:39.036162+03:00
updated_at: 2025-08-20T15:58:52.252105+03:00
image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/08/16/cfkR6QVXImtHtcZTdr0DpjwlDMn5sU3t.jpg
---

# Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia (Book) 

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## KURE Information Cards

![Mo8V9TuMnbjegQlnqekljBgmMcGLlrrh.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/08/16/EXmOp53bmbkUkduupF6pGF4wIKU9BG22.jpg)
*Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia (Book)*

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Publication Year(Text) | October 2023 |
| Page Count(Text) | 456 |
| Author(s) | Jean-Paul Roux |
| Publishing House | Dergâh Publications |
| Series | History |
| Translator(s) | Aykut Kazancıgil,Lale Özcan |

<!-- CONTEXT: Article Content for "Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia (Book) " -->

## Article Content

*Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia&#32;*([Orta Asya'da Kutsal Bitkiler ve Hayvanlar](/en/detay/orta-asyada-kutsal-bitkiler-ve-hayvanlar-kitap-f0d/llms.txt)) is a work by the French historian and orientalist **Jean-Paul Roux** that examines the sacred relationship between [Altaic Turks](/en/detay/death-among-the-altaic-turks-book-7fa16/llms.txt) and nature. Translated into Turkish in 2023 by Dergâh Publications, this work is considered an extension of Roux's book *Death Among the Altaic Turks*. The book addresses the sacred meanings that the Altaic peoples attribute to plants and animals within a social and cosmological context.

### **Subject and Content**

In this work, Roux emphasizes that the plants and animals that shape the lives and environments of the Altaic Turks are not merely biological entities but also sacred beings with social and religious meanings. The book examines the transition between human-animal-plant relationships through the lens of [shamanism](/en/detay/samanizm-2/llms.txt) and sacred figures. By conducting a historical anthropology of nomadic societies, Roux contributes to the understanding of a different mode of existence beyond modern dualisms such as mind-body, individual-society, and inner-outer.

### **Themes**

- **The Unity of Life:** Roux addresses the idea of the "unity of life," arguing that the distinction between human, animal, and plant is a modern conceptual framework.
- **Understanding Sacredness:** The originality of conceptions of sacredness outside of Abrahamic religions is demonstrated.
- **Interspecies Life Concept:** The work opens the door to an understanding of interspecies life beyond modern species-centric sociality.

### **About the Author**

**Jean-Paul Roux** (1925–2016) was a French historian, orientalist, and Central Asia expert. Roux conducted extensive studies on the cultural and religious structures of Central Asian peoples and is known for his works on the Altaic Turks and Mongols. Roux's works are considered important resources for understanding the historical and cultural structure of Central Asia.

<!-- CONTEXT: Academic Sources and References for "Sacred Plants and Animals in Central Asia (Book) " -->

## Academic Sources and References

1. Roux, Jean-Paul. Orta Asya’da Kutsal Bitkiler ve Hayvanlar. Çev. Aykut Kazancıgil, Lale Özcan. İstanbul: Dergâh Yayınları, Ekim 2023. Accessed on June 28, 2025. https://www.dergah.com.tr/kitaplar/orta-asyada-kutsal-bitkiler-ve-hayvanlar.