Turkic mythology

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Turkic mythology
Belief system Tengrism Shamanism
Chief gods and goddesses Tengri Kayra Ülgen Erlik Bai Baianai
Epics and heroes Ergenekon Metehan Oghuz Khagan Asena Attila
Major concepts Sheka İye Grey wolf Kut
Category File
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Turkic mythology refers to myths and legends told by the Turkic people. It features Tengrist and Shamanist strata of belief along with many other social and cultural constructs related to the nomadic and warrior way of life of Turkic and Mongol peoples in ancient times.^[1][2][3] Turkic mythology shares numerous ideas and practices with Mongol mythology.^[1][2][3] Turkic mythology has also been influenced by other local Asiatic and Eurasian mythologies. For example, in Tatar mythology elements of Finnic and Indo-European mythologies co-exist. Beings from Tatar mythology include Äbädä, Alara, Şüräle, Şekä, Pitsen, Tulpar, and Zilant.

The ancient Turks apparently practised all the then-current major religions in Inner Asia, such as Tibetan Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Judaism, and Manichaeism, before the majority's conversion to Islam filtered through the mediation of Persian and Central Asian culture,^[2][4] as well as through the preaching of Sufi Muslim wandering ascetics and mystics (fakirs and dervishes).^[4][5] Often these other religions were assimilated and integrated through syncretism into their prevailing native mythological tradition, way of life, and worldview.^[1][2][3][6] Irk Bitig, a 10th-century manuscript found in Dunhuang, is one of the most important sources for the recovery and study of Turkic mythology and religion. The book is written in Old Turkic alphabet like the Orkhon inscriptions.