The Depiction Of Protective Totems In The Mytho-Epic Conceptions Of The Ancient Turkic Peoples

Elyor ALIMQULOV

doi:10.57033/mijournals-2026-4-0223

Authors

Elyor ALIMQULOV

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57033/mijournals-2026-4-0223

Keywords:

ancient Turkic peoples, mytho-epic conceptions, totem, Senmurv, (CC BY) license Simurgh, Humo, sphinx, Ophiolatry (serpent worship), triton, Tree of Life, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Central Asia, Sogdian art. by/4.0/)

Abstract

This article examines the imagery of protective totems in the mytho- Received: 10-05-2026 epic conceptions of the ancient Turkic peoples of Central Asia. Drawing on Accepted: 28-05-2026 archaeological finds, wall paintings, metalwork, ceramics, and ossuaries from Sogdiana, Bactria, Khwarazm, and the Fergana Valley, it traces how totemic Published:09-06-2026 animals and birds – above all the Senmurv and Simurgh, the Humo bird, the sphinx, and the serpent (Ophiolatry) and the triton – functioned as “guardians” and “protectors.” The study shows how these symbols were linked to particular stars and planets, to the Tree of Life, and to ideas of fertility and prosperity, and how, as tribes migrated and religions changed, local cult images merged Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. with incoming ones, losing some features and acquiring others. It is argued that Submitted for open access publication these ancient symbolic images preserved their hidden essence across centuries under the terms and conditions of the and creeds. Creative Commons Attribution

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