The culture of threshold among Turks and Mongols - Статья

The culture of threshold among Turks and Mongols R. Yasa Since creation, humankind has always admired the structure of the cosmos and sought for an explanation for it. He has always wanted to know of the creator and find out about the secrets of creation. He has, at times, sensed the presence of them, yet, is often stunned and has gone astray. He has chased after a mirage now and then, worshipped lifeless things, taken animals and plants as Gods, deified the sun, exalted the moon, hallowed the stars, sought for a secret essence in thunders, lightning, flashes and wind, believed in fire, water, soil and air to be the beginning of everything and believed even in things he made with his own hands2. Those who have regarded these elements as superior to themselves at every stage of their lives have fallen under the influence of them and attributed sacredness to these entities and felt love and respect for them out of fear. One of these sacred elements is the threshold which extends across the bottom of a doorway. This study will address the issue of “Threshold in Central Asian Turkish and Mongolian Culture” within the framework of the obtained information. As is known, environmental and climatic conditions of Central Asia favored husbandry over agriculture. Turks and Mongols grazed their animals in large herds. They had to migrate from one climate to another, seeking continual pasture and water to feed their herds and increase their yield. Living a life of nomads, the Turkish family did not have a permanent residence. Its house was nothing but a tent which was called “yurt” (home, homeland). Showing regional differences, the structure was a self-supporting, portable and round tent covered with felt. However, the most characteristic aspect of yurt was its basic integrity and inherent diversity differentiating it from the tents used by nomads in the other parts of the World. The most prominent feature of yurt is its portability. It is either dismantled and loaded onto cargo animals or transported as a whole3. Yurt is adorned with beautiful golden brocaded stuff and polished so much so that it almost blinds the eyes. All elders sit on grounded mats4. The term “kereku” also refers to “tent” in Turkmen culture and “winter house” in nomadic culture5. The same word is also used by some Ural tribes6. There is a hearth in the middle of kereku or yurt. The word yurt, which is also used in English, is of Turkish origin. However, the meaning of the word yurt in Turkish languages does not correspond to what it means in English. In Turkish, yurt means “homeland” and “headquarter”7. It is originally derived from the word ab/av which is found in Orkhon inscriptions. This word, today, is used as “Uy” in Kyrgyz and Kazakh language and “ev” in Turkish spoken in Turkey. Though, here, it refers to a dismountable and portable residence, and does not refer to a tent in general. Despite sedentism, the culture of yurt has not completely disappeared, however it has left its place to homes. Nevertheless, yurt still fulfills a number of unique functions among the Turkish communities living in Central Asia. It functions as temporary housing for people who are involved in husbandry; provides a suitable place for various social and cultural activities and also serves as a place where certain traditional sacred ceremonies * Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sakarya University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of History. ryasa@sakarya.edu.tr are performed. Today, there are yurts in one third of Ulaanbaatar (Urga) in Mongolia. This is also the case for camel breeders in Gobi as well as horse breeders and shepherds in the Orkhon valley. Yurts are also common among the Yomut and Goklen Turkmens in the southwestern region of Central Asia8. The tent has only one door and the door usually opens to the east. On the top of its roof, there is also a smoke hole called “tugun”. In the middle of the tent there is a hearth that is used to warm up and cook. All these elements had separate places and importance in epics and prayers. Turks mostly used the words “kapi” (door) and “e^ik” (threshold) synonymously.