Origin of Titles in Ancient Turkic Written Inscriptions

Abstract

Titles of positions found in ancient Turkic inscriptions provide insight into the administrative structure and political conditions of medieval Turkic states. Although these titles have been analyzed in scholarly works on the history and literature of Turkic peoples, the etymology of these titles, their formation, and their preservation in modern Turkic languages remain relevant topics for further research.

The aim of this study is to systematize the titles of positions found in ancient Turkic inscriptions and to determine their origins and methods of formation. A review of Turkological works was conducted, and the methods for classifying these titles in written sources were analyzed.

The main sources include extensive inscriptions found along the Orkhon River, such as those of Kül Tegin, Bilge Qaghan, Tonyukuk, Küli Chor, Moyun Chor, Ongin, as well as epitaphs discovered in the Yenisei Valley. The texts examine high-ranking, administrative, and military titles. A semantic analysis of these titles was conducted, focusing on their usage in the texts. Opinions on the etymology of titles such as qaγan, qan, šad, tägin, tarhan, and bäg were organized, and the frequency of their occurrence in the Orkhon and Yenisei inscriptions was identified.

The results of this research can be used in seminar courses on topics such as the language of ancient Turkic inscriptions, Old Kazakh, and the historical grammar of the Kazakh language, as well as in studies related to the governance systems of medieval states.

Keywords: Orkhon inscriptions, titles of positions, qaghan, beg, governance system of the Blue Turks.