Symbols in the Names of Some Medieval Turkic Nomadic Ethnic Groups, Clans and Names of Famous Historical Figures

Abstract

The article describes the animalistic symbolism in the names of some medieval Turkic nomadic ethnic groups, namely, the ancient Turks. The versions of the origin of the ethnonym "Turk" and its connection with the image of a wolf in medieval, Chinese sources, as well as in scientific literature are considered. Two versions of the ancient Turkic genealogical legend about the origin of the ancient Turkic tribe and its ruling aristocratic clan, preserved in the Chinese chronicle sources, were analyzed, its connection with the real history of the ancient Turks was traced and possible places of settlement of the people were given. The question of the use of "wolf " symbols in the ancient Turkic ethnocultural environment was considered. The work also pays attention to the change in the meaning of the very name "Turk" during the Middle Ages on the territory of the Eurasian Steppe Belt, when even after the departure of the ancient Turks from the historical arena, their name began to be used not only to designate representatives of this people, but also some other Turkic tribes and peoples who spoke Turkic languages. At the end of the article, the probable consequences of the process of interracial and intercultural mixing of the early Turks with the Caucasian population of Altai, the emergence of the tradition of installing "balbals", as well as changes in funeral and memorial ritual traditions in a later time among the Western and Eastern Turks in Central and Central Asia are considered. The analysis of the sources showed that, regardless of the origin of the source, according to the ancient Turkic history, the ethnonym “Turk” was always identified with the nomadic army or with bright warlike epithets attributed to it.