Abstract
The purposes of this study was to study Turkic clothing traditions as a way to shed light on cultural development via the interactions among different tribes along the Silk Road, the close correlations between the surroundings of the Turks and their costumes, and the root of Turkic culture through literature studies and empirical studies. The study results are as follows. First, the Turks were nomadic equestrian tribes in the north that dominated the cold dry steppes from the $6^{th}$ to $8^{th}$ century A.D., when they expanded their influence to Dongbei, China to the east, and Turkistan (Central Asia) to the west. The Turks formed a nomadic lifestyle and culture suited to a cold dry climate, and interacted with various other tribes via the Silk Road, while exchanging and sharing different cultural aspects. Second, given that the Turkic garments constitute a two-piece style, which is a category of the basic nomadic costume of northern tribes, and that the artifact materials manifest jackets, overcoats, pants and skirts, the garments are categorized into tops and bottoms. The tops are sub-categorized into jackets and overcoats. The bottoms are sub-categorized into pants and skirts. In light of the necklines of tops, jackets have round necklines, while overcoats have V-necklines, round necklines and lapel collars. The bottoms include narrow-legged pants, wide-legged pants and closed-hem pants. Drapery skirts are worn at the waist. Third, the Turkic V-neckline overcoat is comparable to the Huns' silk overcoat, which illustrates the ethnic link between the two tribes. Also, the Turkic narrow- and wide-legged pants are consistent with the Huns' silk pants discovered in Noin Ula. The Turkic costumes are mostly tight fitting, suitable for the nomadic lifestyle in a cold, dry climate. Also, additional patches must be attached to the crotch points of pants due to the equestrian lifestyle.
