The ‘genealogical’ structure of the Turkmen tells us the representations of the Türks about the nature. Sun, moon, and stars are astronomical bodies. The [blue] sky (atmosphere), mount (land, continent), and sea are constituted the Earth (Umaj). Umaj in Türkic is placenta, afterbirth enveloped a Man. A dual similarity is clear: sun ↔ star, sky ↕ sea.
The Selçük dynasty was from Qïnïq tribe, Deŋiz branch. Selçük means ‘little river’, see: ‘subï seläŋä ermiş’ – “Selenga (river in Mongolia) was their water” (Mojun-Çur inscription);26 sel-äŋä means ‘river-mother’. There was atabek in the late Selçük period – Shems al-Din Ildegiz (531[1136]--570[1174]). Ildegiz is Il-deŋiz (‘state-ocean’); ‘-ŋ’ is often reproduced as ‘-g’ in Arabic script, for example Moŋol → Mogol.
Six ‘sons’ of Oγuz Qaγan are eating him at all-Turkmen councils (şölen); each one has his own portion of the bull. It probably means that they consist of some part of their ‘father’. Both shoulders, both haunches, both sides of the bull are eaten by branches with celestial oŋgons and spinal column was given to Tak Qan’s branch. Levels of the Turkmen genealogic structure increases from one source and so forth: 1.2.3.4; one ancestor (source of origin) → Oγuz Qaγan; two wings (balance of contrasts; right/left) → Buzuq/Uçuq; three branches → Kün, Aj, Julduz; four tribes → Qayi, Qajat, Alqaraulï, Qaraujlï etc.
Rashid al-Din wrote that “word oŋgon comes from inäk, and inäk means ‘blessed’ in Türkic, because they say «inäk bulsun» i.e. be blessed”. ‘Inäk’ also means ‘cow’; the Kyrgyz also consider that they are descendant of one deity and cow. ‘Inäk’ is ‘female tortoise’ – tortoise-shells used in the ancient practice of divination. Both words resembles ‘inä’ – ‘mother’. Thus ‘in’ means something female, maternal. Oγuz itself means ‘bull’ (öküz, ögüz); ögüz probably comes from ‘ög’ – “mind, knowledge, thought” because ‘–z’ is not word-formative, derivational suffix, but plural affix (or duality’s affix). Probably his name tells us the story about the origin of the Universe when it was division of Oγuz Qaγan into two contraries (Buzuq – right wing/Uçuq – left one). The name itself of right and left halves – ‘wing’ – belongs to celestial one. The word ‘wing’ – ‘qanat’ could be divided into two parts ‘qan’ – ‘khan’ and ‘at’ – ‘horse’ or ‘name’. It could give birth to additional sacral and meanings.
The Oγuz Qaγan gave a bow (semicircle which is curved angle – ‘bozuq’) to three older sons of right wing, and three arrows to three little sons of left wing (‘line and angle’ or most likely triangle) with words: “Since the way of right hand is higher, I gave them the bow, which [equals] to Padishah’s degree; as for arrows, which [equals] Messenger’s degree, I gave it to those, who are from left wing.” In accordance with it, he assigned to them all pastures of right and left wings and ordered: “A throne of sovereign belongs to Bozuq branch; if after me [my] old son Kün be alive – all would proceed to him, otherwise – to second son Aj”. Semicircle is the half of circle – symbol of Heavens, and angle or triangle is the half of square – symbol of Earth. Semicircle and triangle symbolized the half of visible sky and thereafter [according to balance] the half of earth. Because of the legend about origin of tribal structure of the Turkmen we named the primary elements of the script as ‘Buzuq’ and secondary ones as ‘Uçuq’ [table 1].
It is significant to mark that names, titles, epithets’ list of Türkic ancestors (legendary or real) contain determinant things of Türkic cosmologic order. Twelve tribes of right wing of the Turkmen symbolize twelve year circle and twelve tribes of left wing – twelve months. Could we suggest the same for 24 tribes of Hsiung-nu?
It is reasonable that such kind of sequences modeled from the highest divine order or by the divine’s order. Even in this late legend influenced by Islam, it contains the history that the order was introduced by a certain Er-Jangikent Ïrqïl khwaja who was deputy of Oγuz Qaγan. By that period khwajas, linked with Heavens (or/and with world of ancestors worshiped by Türks) by golden chain of selsela, became divine patrons of many ruling courts of Türkic peoples. The Kyrgyz, another one Türkic people, were presented the divine structure owing to Sufi order Ïşqïyya. Imam Ibrahim Sultan Zarandish, while struggling against Qara-Qïtajs, appointed sons of Ana-l Khakk27 as sardars [commanders] of two wings of the Kyrgyz, Lur khan (left wing) and Lur buzurg (right wing) in 1127. His late successor Mir Jalil sayyed (posterior head of Sufi order Ïşqïyya), sheikh of city Şïrkend, descendant of Imam Ibrahim, son of Jalal al-Din constituted the structure of the Kyrgyz el.
Both legends constructed by one model. Holy ancestor and initiator of the way (Oγuz Qaγan and Imam Ibrahim) structured main rules and organized two wings: Oγuz Qaγan → Bozuq and Uçuq; Imam Ibrahim (Ana-l Khakk?) → Lur khan and Lu buzurg. Their deputies: [Oγuz Qaγan’s] Er-Jangikent Ïrqïl khwaja and [Imam Ibrahim’s] Mir Jalil sayyed constituted the rest structure of the Turkmen and of the Kyrgyz putting them in universal order, bringing them a word of God.
The Kyrgyz
The genealogic structure of the Kyrgyz is also subordinated to cosmic order, but more complicated. It is difficult to decide if it was a union of two formerly separated els or/and very complicated cosmic order and calendar. According to Majmu at-Tavarih (by mullah Saif al-Din Akhsikenti in Tajik language in XVI A.D.),28 possible elteres (or eletmiş)29 Aq Timur Qïpçaq and his seven sons was the first who embarked on the path of spiritual perfection in committed legend, i.e. accepted the divine order. Mullah Saif al-Din coded within text the origin of that celestial scheme reflected in the Kyrgyz el’s structure. The names of his seven (3+4=7) sons: Daulati Jar, Khuda Jar, Berdï, Ali Jar, Musa Jar, Isa Jar, Tule Jar, are code which could be red as: “State was Given by God, Ali,30 Musa, Isa Asked”; daulat –Persian ‘state’, Khuda – Persian ‘God’, berdï – Türkic ‘gave’, jar – Persian ‘friend’, tule – Kyrgyz (tülöö) ‘entreaty’, ‘[pleading] sacrifice’.
The Kyrgyz have got two wings: Aq Oγul [right wing] and Qu Oγul Sol [left wing]. They descendants of Ana-l Khakk: Aq Oγul ibn Boz Oγlan ibn Köktemiş ibn Dolon etc [20]; Qu Oγul ibn Sarï Buγa bij ibn Lakla-k bij ibn Atan etc [24]. According to traditional genealogy the Kyrgyz have three wings, which exist indeed: the ancestor is Dolon bij who has three sons: Aq uul, Quu uul, and Qïzïl uul [3]. Fourth father of Aq Oγul is Dolon, and fourth father of Qu Oγul is Atan; literal meaning of Atan is “your father”.
The next after Aq Timur Qïpçaq with his seven sons [7], who came to “show his devotion” [to divine order] was Aq uul. Aq Oγul had two sons: Otuz Oγul and Salusbek Bulγaçï [2]. Sons of Bulγaçï: Boston, Tejit, Coo Kesek, Döölös, Qïdïr shah, Qaŋdï [6]. Otuz Oγul had four sons: Adine, Muŋkuş, Qarabaγïş, Taγai [4]. Taγai had six sons: Qojlon, Qïlcïr, Boγoston, Döölös, Qaraçoro [6]. Otuz Oγul and Taγai branches together equal ten [10]. After Taγai Mir Jalil went to the land of Qu Oγul who asked a pray from sayyed. Qu Oγul Sol had six sons: Basïz, Quşçï, Munduz, Çoŋ Baγïş, Saru, Suncek Qïtaj bahadur — they stopped in the house of Lalïm Quşçï. All of them came out to meet the guest and together entered to dwelling of Lalïm Quşçï. Bürkütçi, Kepekçi, Quçşçï [3] served them. Bürkütçi and Quçşçï celestial oŋgons similar with the Turkmen ones, Kepekçi is sea oŋgon resembles terrestrial branch of the Turkmen – Deŋiz.
It is interesting to compare the Kyrgyz genealogic structure with the Yenisei Kyrgyz one in numbers. According to T’an shu: “[Its] bureaucracy subdivided into six [6] categories: ministers, commanders, stewards, secretaries, marshals, and dagans. It is considered that there are seven [7] ministers, three [3] commanders, ten [10] stewards. All those are in command of army. It is considered that there are fifteen secretaries: marshals and dagans do not have ranks… The Kyrgyz sovereign had three ministers: Giexi, Guishabo and Amii bei. All of them managed all state affairs”.31
The el [state] structure of the Kyrgyz of Teŋir Too (‘Celestial Mounts’) inherited all main characteristics of the el [state] of the medieval Kyrgyz in Yenisei: seven ministers of Yenisei qaγan equal to seven sons of Aq Timur Qïpçaq, the rest structure subordinates to particular numeric line which balanced everything. The Kazakh have three wings: senior zhuz, middle zhuz, junior zhuz, which also could be connected to Zhou trigrams.
Space-Numerical System of the Türks
Ancient philosophy did not divide proto-science into branches and connected it to religion and world outlook. Philosophy embraced fields of [modern] subjects of geometry, algebra, physics, chemistry, geography etc. Numbers played an important role in this system. Unfortunately Türkic numerical system is not studied at all, though symbolic role of numbers is doubtless. There are a lot of samples of usage of numbers in titles of Türkic and other nomadic states and cities: üç oγuz, üç qarluq, beş balïq, toquz oquz, altï baγ bodun, on oq, otuz tatar etc.32
The numbers are also used in ritual and magic practice of Türks. Numbers helped to classifying and grouping all things.
One of the modes of count probably confined to rites and magic practice based on tortoise-shell in Zhou period. When counting from 11 and so forth, they mention unity and after mention tens of higher file: üç jegirmi – ‘13’ (one twenty), bir otuz - ‘21’ (one thirty).33
The Saryg Uigurs still use such system of count: per otuz = 21, per jïgïrma = 11.34
In spatially-numerical world picture, Türks used squares of their kerege – wooden body of yurts. Nine squares together constitute one big square – 10; 9 small squares + one big formed by them = 10.
Thus number ‘11’, for example, geometrically could be represented as it drawn in table when eleventh [red] square belongs to square of second ten (twenty), i.e. left square – “ten” (on), right one – twenty (jegirmi) and 11 is the first square of second ten: bir jegirmi – eleven (one twenty) [table 13]. Toquz oq[uz] (“9 Arrows”) is name of left “male” wing and on oq [budun] (“10 Arrows”) is name of right “female” junior wing Türks (by male and female side of yurt). The name on oq budun shows junior rank of the right wing in triple hierarchy: el – budun – qïştïm. ‘Nine’ is sacral number among Türks. Nine squares are used in trigrams – halves of hexagrams.
The Tradition of Power Succession among [Türkic] Nomads
The dual male/female, opposite/united structures are represented in schemes of nomadic socio-political organization. Taking as sample the eight main trigrams of Yijing that probably reflected clan structure, the nomadic [Türkic] peoples modeled their states on particular model of divine order and such structures could be traced starting from Hsiung-nu Empire with dual ruling clan (father’s and mother’s phratries). There are some facts that Shan-Ying and Zhou dynasties had same line of succession to the throne, when power delivered from old brother to little one, not from father to son. The system of succession of power is always ritualized and sacralized. The nomadic one is probably obeyed to the system which remained in these eight main trigrams. There are some different orders of trigrams: what if they could reflect different form of succession of power within the above-mentioned dynasties?
Chinese called the head of Huang clan as van (king), not gun (duke) [qian/kun system?].35
Our description of trigrams will be incomplete without mention of the divine order which could be expressed in numeric line: 1.2.3.4 similar with the Turkmen genealogy; one – divider (Taiji, ‘qabïlan’); two – yin-yang, qian-kun; three – zhen-kan-gen, xun,li,dui, four – 4 trigrams of one kind.
Most likely that the same system is underlay the structure of the Türkic Qaγanates. The Türkic qan [father (?) title of Türkic ruler] could originate from qian, and Türkic qunçuj [princess, little queen (from qun or xun?)] is from kun [table 14]. During the existence of the Second Türkic Qaγanate an imperial clan aşïna (Türkic esen – healthy?) divided its power with qatun’s (queen’s) clan – aşïde (eşte – ‘on the position of spouse/life’s companion’?). The ideology of Türks based on the triad of Tenir (Heavens), Umaj (Earth), and El (Türkic state); together with paternal and maternal rulers it constitutes dual and triple structure. The state itself, two wings and its branches and tribes could be named as dual structure with inwardly balanced wings. Sometimes Türkic states (the Kyrgyz sample) have triple balanced scheme (left wing – centre – right wing).
The Şïrdaq
The şïrdaq is quintessence of the Türkic culture. It reflects all things stated in this article. The research itself began from the şirdaq and now ended with it.
Şïrdaq is the appliqué felt carpet. The technique of felt appliqué among nomads is known from Scythian period (VIII – III B. C.). Şïrdaq is one of few article of everyday material culture made by both men and women. Men make a felt and cut out an appliqué and women sew it together making from two felts of different colours two şïrdaqs [table 12, a]. This technique could provoke an introduction of well-know yin-yang symbol. The şirdaq patterns resemble the Turkmen genealogical structure subordinated to ‘1.2.3.4’ line with ‘½, ⅓, ¼’ scheme – main pattern could be divided into four parts [table 12, b, c].
Two halves encircle the central part consisted from six patterns (three whole and three divided). The amount of main patterns is six: one – quaternaries [¼], two – halves [½], three – singles [⅓]. Twin şïrdaqs give twelve main patterns. The name of the main pattern is ‘tabaq’ (tamaq) – ‘dish, food’. The şïrdaq lay at the floor of Türkic yurt could help in calendar works, meat distribution, and political questions. It is interesting that the noun ‘oimo’ – ‘pattern’, verb ‘oi-’ – ‘appliqué’ connected of the word ‘oi’ – ‘thought, idea’, and stranded yarn which used for embroidery the space between two different coloured pieces of felt is named as ‘ceek’ – ‘shore, border’ [between two contrasts].
Conclusion
In the article we tried to research the origin of Türkic script proceeding from local regional development of civilization. Using line and angle as initial elements of writing allows us to name the script as linearly-angular. We argue that the script must be red below-up, and it was the reason of its limited usage.
The linearly-angular system of extraction of the letters may explain the superficial resemblance between Türkic and Scandinavian ‘runic’ letters if the latter one produced with using of the same signs of the one of the most ancient documented system of divination, because using ‘line’ and ‘angle’ is giving limited kind of forms.
We hope that the article contributes both subjects of ‘religion and power’ and ‘state-building’ among [Türkic] nomads. The kin, tribe, branch, wing must be considered as administrative units in nomadic state. So called ‘tribal union’ constructed by the particular model, which we called as ‘ancestral’ model of nomadic state. The term ‘nomadic state’ means here, not a state established by the nomads, but a state constructed and ruled by the ‘ancestral’ model of state-building structure.
We gave only short outline of some similarities and ties between Shan-Ying and Zhou cultures and Türkic one. The ancient Hsiung-nu and the medieval Türkic peoples could be called as bearers of ancient traditions of Shan-Ying and Zhou cultures at least. The articulated hypothesis did not answer the question of date of origin of script, but probably locates place.
Kuken Oimoçu and Eleri Bitikçi
Notes
1 Thomsen V. Inscriptions de l’Orkon dechiffres // Memoires de la Societe Finne – Ougrienne, Helsingfors 1896; Donner O., Sur l’Origine de l’alphabet turc du Nord de l’Asie // Jornal de la Societe Finno – ougrienne, Vol. 15, № 1, Helsingfors, 1896; Gauthiot R., Note sur la langue et l’ecriture inconnues des documents Stein-Cowley // Journal of Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1911; Clauson, G. (1970), The origin of the Turkish “Runic” alphabet. Acta Orientaliae Havniae 32; Лившиц В.А. 1) Происхождение древнетюркской рунической письменности (состояние и пути исследования) // Всесоюзная тюркологическая конференция: Этнические и историко-культурные связи тюркских народов СССР, Алма-Ата, 1978; 2) О происхождении древнетюркской письменности //Советская тюркология, Москва, 1978, № 4; Аманжолов А.С., Материалы и исследования по истории древнетюркской рунической письменности, Автореферат докторской диссертации, Алма-Ата, 1975; Pritsak O. Turkology and the Comparative Study of the Altaic Languages. The System of the Old Runic Script. Journal of Turkish Studies (4, 1980); Rona-Tas A. On the Development and Origin of the East Turkic “Runic” Script // Acta Orientalia Hungariae (XLI, 1987); Щербак А. М. Тюркская руника (Москва, 2000) et alias
2 Аристов Н. А., Опыт выяснения этнического состава киргиз-казахов Большой орды и кара-киргизов на основании родословных сказаний и сведений о существующих родовых делениях и родовых тамгах, а также исторических данных и начинающихся антропологических исследованиях//Живая старина, Вып. 3-4, Санкт Петербург, 1912; Поливанов Е.Д., Идеографический мотив в формации орхонского алфавита // Бюллетень Среднеазиатского Государственного университета, Ташкент, 1929, № 9; Emre A.C. Eski Türk yazısının menşeği, Istanbul, 1938 et al.
3 Tables 6 adopted from: Rona-Tas A. On the Development and Origin of the East Turkic “Runic” Script // Acta Orientalia Hungariae (XLI, 1987)
4 There is additional element of the Türkic script ‘.’ – a dot – which meant third element in triad of Heaven, Earth and Man, but this system is secondary and a dot is only auxiliary element of the alphabet
5 The same tradition and principle of various combinations of identical elements could be observed in the formation of the tamga (~clan property signs). For example common denominator with different numerators in tamga and vice verse.
6 All materials related to Yijing are from: Кобзев А. И. Учение о символах и числах в китайской классической философии (Москва, Издательская фирма «Восточная литература», 1994) 49, 50
7 Something “masculine” preserved in the title of the Medieval Kyrgyz ruler in the Southern Siberia ïnal – father (?)
8 Radloff W. Phonetic der nördlichen Türksprachen (Leipzig, 1882-1883)
9 Кононов А.Н. Грамматика языка тюркских рунических памятников (VII-IX вв.) (Л., 1980); Рясянен М. Материалы по исторической фонетике тюркских языков. Пер. с нем. (М., 1957); Щербак А.М. Сравнительная фонетика тюркских языков (Л., 1970)
10 Тенишев Э.Р. 1) «Отражение диалектов в тюркских рунических и уйгурских памятниках». // Советская тюркология (1976, № 1) 27-33 2) «Язык древне- и среднетюркских письменных памятников в функциональном аспекте». // Вопросы языкознания. (1979, № 2) 80 – 90
11 Батманов И.А. 1) «Некоторые особенности языка памятников орхоно-енисейской письменности и их отражение в современных тюркских языках». // Вопросы диалектологии тюркских языков. Т. III. (Баку, 1963) 118 – 123 2) Батманов И.А., Арагачи З.Б., Бабушкин Г.Ф. Современная и древняя Енисеика ( Фрунзе, 1962) 45 – 50
12 Наделяев В.М. «Чтение орхоно-енисейского знака и этимология имени Тоньюкука». // Тюркологические исследования (М.-Л., 1963) 212.; Рясянен М. Материалы по исторической фонетике тюркских языков. Пер. с нем. (М., 1957) 177-181; Gabain A. von. Alttürkisches Schrifttum. Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften. Phil. – hist. Kl. . № III (Berlin, 1950) 21-22 13 Щербак А. М. Тюркская руника (Москва, 2000) 61
14 Древнетюркский словарь (Ленинград, 1969) 449
15 Рашид ад-Дин. Сборник летописей. Том I, книга I, пер. Л. А. Хетагурова (Москва, 1952) 100
16 Новгородова Э. А. Древняя Монголия (Москва, 1989); Киселев С. Г. Древняя история Южной Сибири (Москва, 1952) etc.
17 Ethos –quintessence of culture, the system of ideals, values dominating in any particular culture and controlling behavior of its members (term introduced by A. Krouber)
18 Симокатта Феофилакт. История (Москва, 1957) 161, cited from: Кляшторный С. Г. Памятники древнетюркской письменности и этнокультурная история Центральной Азии (Санкт-Петербургб «Наука», 2006) 244
19 Кляшторный С. Г. Памятники древнетюркской письменности и этнокультурная история Центральной Азии (Санкт-Петербургб «Наука», 2006) 245
20 Малов С. Е. Памятники древнетюркской письменности (Москва, Ленинград, 1951) 81. His translation: “I am Tensi (i.e. Chinese emperor). In the morning and in the evening (V. Thomsen: early and late) sitting on the throne I am gladdening. Do know: this is good”
21 Sinor D. «On Turkish Buddhism in Central Asia». // Kőrösi Csoma Archivum. 1. Ergänzungsband, 5. heft (Budapest, 1939) 394; Щербак А.М. Грамматический очерк языка тюркских текстов X-XIII вв. из Восточного Туркестана (М.-Л., 1961) 21-22
22 Махмуд ал-Кашгари. Диван лугат ат-Турк. Пер. З-А. М. Ауэзова (Алматы, «Дайк Пресс») 63
23 Древнетюркский словарь (Ленинград, 1969) 175, 257
24 Древнетюрский словарь (Ленинград, 1969) 367; oŋ - ‘удел, доля’
25 All related to Oγuz Qagan materials are from: Рашид ад-Дин. Сборник летописей. Том I, книга I, пер. Л. А. Хетагурова (Москва, 1952)
26 Translation by S. E. Malov. Древнетюркский словарь (Ленинград, 1969) 512
27 It symbolized here the source, the beginning: it could be God, or Khaladj – one of the first Sufi, which words: ‘Ana-l Khakk’ became famous Sufi aphorism
28 Материалы по истории киргизов и Киргизии (Москва «Восточная литература») 1973
29 Elteres – ‘el-assembler’; eletmiş – ‘el-builder’, ‘state-builder’; el – Türkic state
30 About philo-Alid tendencies among [early] Moslem Türks see: Madelung W. The Spread of Maturidism and the Turks. O. Pritsak noted frequency of the names ‘Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn’ among Qarakhanids
31 Н. Бичурин. Собрание сведений о народах, обитавших в Средней Азии в древние времена. Т. 1 (Алматы, 1998) 361
32 We consider that so called ‘tribal unions’ were states of [nomadic] ancestral model
33 Кононов А.Н. Грамматика языка тюркских рунических памятников (VII – IX вв.) (Л., 1980) 112
34 Малов С.Е. Язык желтых уйгуров (Алма-Ата, 1957) 178
35 Бичурин Н.Я. (Иакинф). Собрание сведений о народах, обитавших в Средней Азии в древние времена. Т. I. (Москва, Ленинград, 1950) 49