Anatomy of Mythology: Turkish Mythology

This post serves as both the second entry on the blog and the launch of a brand new series, Anatomy of Mythology. Today, we will be exploring Turkish Mythology, to the best of my ability. Let's begin.

First and foremost, we need to understand that Turkish mythology emerges from a vast and sprawling geography. We are talking about a territory that stretches from the steppes of Siberia to the Altai Mountains. This area is so immense that searching for a single, definitive narrative is a futile exercise. Depending on the tribe, the region, and the era, hundreds of different variants emerge. Since we are dealing with a confluence of traditions from the Göktürks, Altai, Yakuts (Sakha), Khakas, Tuvans, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, and Oghuz, we should focus on regional richness rather than hunting for one "absolute system." Yet, beneath this apparent fragmentation lies a shared understanding: a unique life philosophy that regards every being in nature as an equal. But first, we must understand how it all began.

How Did It All Begin?

According to Turkish mythological narratives, the beginning of the universe was nothing but a formless and infinite body of water. There was neither earth nor sky. Only boundless chaos reigned supreme.

We have different answers from various compilations regarding how the world emerged from these primordial waters.

According to the compilation by Wilhelm Radloff, in the beginning, there was only water. The God (Kuday) and the first being, named "Kişi" (Person), flew over the water like two black geese. While God remained still, this "Kişi" grew arrogant, stirred up the wind, and splashed water into God's face. Thinking himself more powerful, he attempted to fly higher, but his strength failed him, and he began to sink into the depths, nearly drowning. When he begged God for help, God raised a stone from the water, and both of them sat upon it. Then, God told Kişi to dive into the water and bring up earth from the bottom. That earth was scattered over the water, and the surface of the earth was formed.

According to the compilation by Vasili Verbitskiy, however, the creator deity Ülgen, flying through endless emptiness, could find no place to land. A voice from the sky told him to "grasp the object ahead." Ülgen caught the first stone that emerged from the water surface and sat upon it. As he pondered how to create the world, a luminous female figure rose from the waters, Ak Ana (White Mother). Ak Ana whispered the first inspiration and formula of creation into Ülgen's ear and then returned to the waters.

Ak Ana told Ülgen:

"If you wish to create, then as the Creator, learn this sacred word. Always say, 'I created it, and it is done!' Say nothing else. And especially while creating, never say, 'I created it, but it failed!'"

Ülgen never forgot this word; he built the universe by declaring, "Let the earth be created!" and "Let the sky be created!" He left us mortals with this philosophical advice:

"Do not call what exists nonexistent; for if you deny existence, you may cease to be yourself."

You may recall that in Wilhelm Radloff's compilation, there was a "Kişi" who defied God. When the earth was being created, this being hid a piece of the earth in his mouth to build his own world. However, the earth grew in his mouth and began to choke him, forcing him to spit it out. The mountains, rugged terrains, and valleys of the earth were formed from this spit. Angered by this disobedience, God named him "Erlik" and made him the ruler of the underworld.

The Tree of Life

Turkish mythology does not envision the world as an aimless, abandoned place. Right at its center stands a vertical pillar that tightly binds everything together, a Tree of Life. All layers of the universe are divided into three main zones around this tree:

Upper World (Sky): The celestial layers where, according to belief, the great creative powers and benevolent spirits reside, serving as the center of light.

Middle World (Earth): Our physical realm, inhabited by humans, animals, and nature spirits (the Iyes).

Underworld (Below Earth): The dark region ruled by Erlik Han and his malevolent spirits called "körmös."

This massive central tree connecting these three worlds is also called Bayterek, Ulugh Kayın, or Turuğ. While different narratives mention it having seven, nine, or twelve branches, the most common belief holds that it has nine branches. These nine branches balance the eight directions, the eight winds, and the eight spiritual gates. The tree's roots plunge into the underworld, its trunk holds the earth, and its branches stretch up to the celestial palaces. While Turks most often revere the white birch as sacred, the Yakuts hold the larch in similar esteem.

The Shaman (Kam) uses this tree as a ladder to ascend to the sky during ecstatic ceremonies. In rituals, a nine-notched birch tree is erected in the center of the tent, and the shaman symbolically crosses the layers of the sky with the rhythm of his drum.

At the very top of the Tree of Life perch cosmic birds guarding the gate of the sky. In Yakut narratives, we encounter Öksökö, a golden-winged, copper-clawed, double-headed mighty eagle. Similarly, in some Central Asian tales, influenced by Persian mythology, we see the figure of Semrük, which closely resembles the Simurgh tradition. These majestic birds cover the sun with one wing and the moon with the other, symbolizing the unity of opposites, and are considered divine messengers that convey celestial messages to the khans.

The World of Spirits and Protectors

In the ancient Turkic belief system, every entity in nature possesses a living soul, an owner. These are called the "Iye." The word we still use today for desolate, uninhabited places, "Issız" (meaning without an Iye), originates from this concept, referring to places devoid of a guardian spirit.

When disrespect is shown to nature, the Iyes become angered and punish humans. Every natural domain has its own specific Iye:

Earth Iye: The spirit of the soil. In ancient times, the wheat offered to thank the earth after the harvest was called "Kefşan." If a person fell and was injured, oil or salt would be poured on the spot to appease the earth's spirit.

Forest and Steppe Iye: Protectors of the forest against disasters, depicted as long-armed, white-bearded old men living in solitary trees.

Spirits of the Water World: Before entering unfamiliar waters, ancient Turks would drop a strand of their hair or a thread from their clothing into the water, saying, "This is an offering for you, and health for me." Figures like the Water Elder (Su Dedesi) dwelling in swamps and the Spring Iye (Çeşme İyesi) guarding fountains preserved the sanctity of water.

Household and Daily Life Spirits: There was a protector for every detail, from the Barn Iye (Ahır İyesi) protecting livestock, to the Bathhouse Iye (Munça İyesi) guarding the baths, and the Cauldron Iye (Kazan İyesi) living inside old kettles.

Over time, with the adoption of Islam, these beliefs did not completely vanish; they simply evolved. Malevolent spirits gradually merged with the concept of "jinn," while benevolent spirits continued to survive in folk culture as "erenler" (saints) or "evliyalar" (holy figures).

Animals in Turkish Mythology

In the nomadic culture, animals were not just prey or sustenance; they were also guides.

Bozkurt (Börü) - Grey Wolf: The wolf is not merely a symbol, but a sacred ancestor from whom the lineage is descended. Associated with the blue of the sky and also called Gökbörü (Sky Wolf), it appears in epics as a female ancestor (Asena) who rescues and nurtures the dying Turkic race, or as a guide leading armies through difficult times. The practice of erecting golden wolf-headed standards in front of the Göktürk khans' tents is a testament to this belief.

Tulpar - Winged Horse: The horse is practically the wing of the Turk. In mythology, the origin of noble horses is traced back to dragon-blooded, winged horses, the Tulpars, which emerged from the "Milk-White Lake" in the sky. The reason warriors were buried with their horses stems from the belief that their souls would ride them to the throne of God in the afterlife. Some later regional legends, particularly in Kazakh folklore, narrate that Hızır (Khidr) broke their wings to prevent them from escaping, causing them to mate with earthly mares.

Monsters in Turkish Mythology

Of course, not all beings are benevolent. Now, let us get to know the malevolent entities in Turkish mythology.

Tepegöz

Tepegöz: The ruthless inhabitant of Mount Kaf. According to the *Dede Korkut* stories, this one-eyed monster was born from the encounter of a shepherd with a fairy maiden at a spring. The enchanted, invincibility-granting ring on his finger was placed there by his fairy mother.

Yelbegen: These are the giants of the steppes. Appearing in Altai epics, they are colossal creatures in human form, pitch-black or bright yellow, with three, seven, or even twelve heads. Their greatest enemies are horses. Ancient Turks even viewed solar and lunar eclipses as these gluttonous giants devouring the sky.

İtbarak: Dog-headed humans. They are a mythological tribe covered in fur, with whom the Turks waged a ruthless war for centuries in the pitch-black lands of the northwest. Their strength is unimaginable. Even Oghuz Khan, who subdued massive armies, suffered a heavy defeat in a campaign against them and was forced to take refuge on a small island in the middle of a river between mountains.

Al Karısı: The feminine nightmare of darkness. A unique, independent demonological figure of pre-Islamic Turkic belief, this being is the mortal enemy of postpartum women and newborns (the figure was only later associated with the concept of "jinn" under Islamic influence). It is sometimes depicted as a winged monster and other times as a ghost with extremely long hair.

The Turkic Pantheon

So, who are the rulers of this system we have been describing? Who controls what? Let us take a closer look at that grand family.

While most deities in the mythology are depicted in human-like forms, at the very beginning of everything stands a supreme power entirely independent of time and space, Tengri, the Sky God. According to belief, every being in nature, every human, animal, and plant, possesses its own spiritual energy, or "tin." Tengri is considered the greatest and the source of all these. He does not fit into any mold or human form; he is simply referred to as the Blue Sky. This great belief was so powerful among the ancient Mongols that Genghis Khan considered himself the earthly vicar of the Sky God and would begin his decrees with the phrase, "By the will of the Eternal Sky..."

Alongside the belief in Tengri, especially in Altai traditions, another grand figure appears at the highest level, Kayra Han. While some scholars believe Kayra Han is a direct manifestation of Tengri or the same entity, other narratives present him as the ultimate creator of everything. According to some Altai tales, he sits on a golden throne on the 17th layer of the sky (this number can vary as 7, 9, or 16 depending on the narrative). After bringing the earth into existence, he planted that famous tree of life, the "Ulugh Kayın," which connects heaven and earth. From the nine branches of this mighty tree, nine humans were born, and from them, the great tribes of today emerged.

Some Altai narratives mention that Kayra Han had four children, Ülgen, Erlik, Mergen, and Kızagan, tasked with carrying out his orders. However, this genealogy is not a universal rule; in some Turkic tribal traditions, Kayra Han is never mentioned, and Ülgen is directly considered the sole creator.

However, one figure in this pantheon, Erlik, was punished severely for challenging the creative power and acting selfishly during the creation. He was banished to the lowest level of the underworld and made its ruthless lord. Erlik Han became the symbol of the underworld, darkness, and death. Although shamans sometimes call him "Kayrakan" out of fear in their prayers, he resides in a palace made of black mud or iron, alongside his nine powerful bulls. He rules over the souls of the dead in those terrifying waters formed by the rivers of human tears. Unlike the devil figures in monotheistic religions, Erlik is not directly a "hellish executioner punishing sinners." He is more of a cruel and unforgiving ruler of the subterranean land of the dead.

Erlik

Now, let us turn to Ülgen, who resides on the Golden Mountain beyond the Sun and Moon. He is the direct opposite of Erlik, governing celestial events, weather, fertility, and goodness. He is a wise, long-haired figure who taught humanity how to make fire after they were created. He shoots lightning bolts from his mighty bow and greatly enjoys doing good. Some Altai narratives credit him with creating three colossal fish to carry the weight of the world on their backs.

On the seventh layer of the sky resides Mergen, the god of intellect, wisdom, and philosophy. Mergen bestows understanding and science upon people to help them find the right path. This seventh layer, particularly prominent in Yakut and Altai traditions, is also the abode of Gün Ana (Sun Mother), the sacred feminine force that gives life energy to humans. Ay Ata (Moon Father), symbolizing the moon's light, lives on the layer just below, the sixth layer of the sky. On the ninth layer of the sky is the war god Kızagan Han, known for his colossal armies.

Of course, the pantheon does not consist solely of male deities. At the heart of this system reside magnificent feminine powers. Foremost among them is Umay Ana, the sacred protector of fertility, mothers, and innocent children. She is often depicted as a majestic woman, a being of light, or a bird. The Turks always offered sacrifices to her to protect their children.

Another birth goddess, Kübey Hanım, lives inside the Tree of Life. She protects women in childbirth from evil spirits, drips holy milk from the Milk Lake into the baby's mouth to ensure its arrival into the world, and bestows the child with its true soul. We must also not forget Ak Ana (White Mother), the light-bodied, fish-tailed figure who rose from the primordial waters at the very beginning of existence and whispered the inspiration for creation into the god Ülgen's ear. She is the first feminine force that gave life to the beginning.

Other powers directly affecting daily life and nature also have their place in this order. Among some Turkic peoples, Kuyaş, the very embodiment of the word "Sun" itself, symbolizes the life energy of the sun. We also find Maygıl, who protects the depths of the waters, and Elbis, who, while generally known as a malevolent spirit (Albıs), is sometimes associated with the fury of war in certain narratives.

Alongside these, dozens of other sacred beings form part of this great pantheon: Yel Ana and Yel İyesi (Mother and Spirit of the Wind) who control the winds; Alaz Han and Od Ata (Father of Fire), protectors of the hearth and homes; Bürküt Ata, the falcon god who watches over shamans; Boz Tengri, the great power of the steppe; Ayzıt, known for her beauty; and finally, Barak Ata, a dog-shaped deity mentioned in some sources as a legendary ancestral figure, is among the most extraordinary pieces of this rich world. In the ancient Turkic worldview, everything was alive; behind every power, from the sky to the earth, from fire to water, there was a spirit keeping the world in balance.

This is where my writing concludes. It is impossible to cover all of Turkish mythology in a single post. I wanted to touch upon as many aspects as possible to give you a foundational understanding. My next mythology post will be on Chinese mythology. Thank you for reading this far :)