Describe a person who knows a lot about history

The person I'd like to talk about is my uncle Shavkat, who is a history teacher at a secondary school and, in my opinion, one of the most knowledgeable people in our family. He's my father's younger brother, so I've known him all my life, and I see him at least once a week.

He specialises in the history of Central Asia, particularly the period of the Silk Road, but he can also talk for hours about ancient Rome, the Mongols and the Second World War. His house is full of books, old maps and even a few coins that he bought at markets. When we go on family trips, he's the one who points out forgotten fortresses or tells us who used to live in a village.

What I find fascinating about his knowledge is how he explains it. He doesn't just list dates and names; he tells history as stories, with real people who had fears and ambitions. For example, he once described how merchants travelled across deserts for months with caravans, and the way he talked about their daily problems made me feel as though I was there.

Another reason I find his knowledge interesting is that he links the past to the present. He often says that many of today's problems have been seen before, and that understanding why helps us make better choices.

Because of him, I've become interested in history myself, and I now watch documentaries and read about my region's heritage. He has also promised to take me to Samarkand next spring to see the monuments properly.