This article, written in the form of an essay, provides the reader an overview of the life and scholarly activities of the oldest specialist in ethnography of the Turkmen, Sergey Mikhailovich Demidov (b. 1936), the author of several monographs and hundreds of articles in academic publications and the media. They cover various aspects of the spiritual and material culture of the Turkmen people, their religious beliefs, sacral scenery,traditional life, occupations, settlements, and dwellings. It also highlights the contribution Demidov made to the investigations of the founder of Turkmen studies, Georgy Ivanovich Karpov, and other scholars who left a noticeable mark in this field of knowledge.