Humankind has always feared the dark—especially the unknown lurking within it. Over time, these fears took form and manifested as strange creatures in fairy tales and legends. Dog-headed figures, in particular, became central characters in terrifying stories whispered around fires—from the Siberian steppes to the foggy forests of Europe. Just like the Itbaraks…
Who Are the Itbaraks? What Do They Look Like?
Itbaraks. Human-like creatures rarely mentioned in Turkic mythology. What we know about them is limited. They first appear in the Epic of Oghuz Khan—though not directly, but rather as shadows lurking between the lines. Like strangers from another world. Like a primitive enemy that has crept into the civilized realm.
According to Turkic mythological narratives, the Itbaraks are dog-headed creatures that dwell in dark lands. Their bodies, however, resemble those of humans. In this sense, they are hybrids. To use a scientific term, we are dealing with a therianthropic figure—an entity that carries both human and animal characteristics.
Let’s open a brief parenthesis here. Animal-headed humanoids are quite common in ancient mythologies. Egyptian deities provide familiar examples—take Anubis, for instance, the jackal-headed god. But the Itbaraks are not gods. They are more like a hostile tribe. Foreign. Other. Barbaric.
According to the epic, Oghuz Khan—one of the legendary heroes of the Turks, also known as Oghuz Khagan—fought against these creatures. But in their first encounter, he failed. He was defeated and had to retreat. This is highly significant, because Oghuz Khan is usually portrayed as an invincible figure. Throughout the epic, he overcomes every obstacle in his path. But the Itbaraks are the first creatures who manage to stop him.
While analyzing this element of the “first defeat” in the epic, its symbolic meaning must also be taken into account. The battle between Oghuz Khan and the Itbaraks is not merely a military conflict. It is an expression of fear, a confrontation with the unknown. It marks the first trial of the light—represented by Oghuz Khan—against the darkness. The retreat of civilization in the face of savagery, especially within a mythological context where good usually prevails, emerges as a phenomenon worth deeper reflection.
For the Turks, the north and west have always been considered ominous. Darkness, death and chaos are associated with these directions. The Itbaraks dwell there—far from the sun, cut off from the sky, in the land of the unknown…
Symbolic Meanings
Now let’s think again. These are creatures with the heads of dogs and the bodies of humans. They live in a land filled with mystery and the unknown. Moreover, they protect themselves from physical injuries with magical ointments. They have women whose beauty is dangerously seductive. None of these are coincidental or randomly included details. Each carries a symbolic meaning.
First, let’s begin with the “dog-headed” aspect. In Turkic culture, the dog is a complex figure. While it may symbolize loyalty, it is never portrayed as pure or passive. Turks, who traditionally lived a pastoral and transhumant lifestyle, made use of dogs but never sanctified them. Thus, the “dog head” may be seen as a symbol of a degraded enemy. It’s a way of saying: “They are not one of us.”
The human body, on the other hand, carries another message. The enemy may be foreign, but they are still human-like. In other words, they are intelligent. That means they are powerful. And that makes them dangerous. They are not merely beasts or primitive creatures. They are a society capable of thinking, planning, fighting—and even practicing magic.
Speaking of magic… The ointment issue is also intriguing. In the shamanic traditions—of which the Turks were a part—magical ointments were common. They were usually prepared from herbs, roots, and oils of animal or plant origin, gathered from nature. This myth may be a reflection of such real ointments used in those times. It can also be interpreted as a mythologized version of early medical practices.
Whether it’s due to the effects of the magical ointments or not, the women of the Itbaraks are described as notably beautiful, alluring, and seductive—especially compared to their men. This reflects a classic myth of contrast. The seductive charm of the enemy woman is, in fact, a warning of the danger she carries within. She embodies both desire and threat. Much like the femme fatale figures in film noir…
Where Did the Itbaraks Live?
The land inhabited by the Itbaraks is as dark as they are. In the epics, this region is located to the northwest. It is the territory that Oghuz Khan sets out to conquer, but never fully subjugates. It is not a land of light. It has not encountered civilization. It is a remote frontier of the unknown.
In Turkic cosmology, this direction is considered inauspicious. The sun rises in the east. Light comes from there. The northwest, by contrast, is the direction of darkness. It is cold and mysterious. This is why the enemy comes from that direction. Because what is unknown is feared.
When mapped onto the modern world, this region roughly corresponds to the Eastern Baltic and the western edges of Tatarstan. Forests, swamps, misty valleys and freezing cold define this landscape. Such places are considered liminal zones in mythology. These are spaces that lie at the boundary between the known and the unknown. Tales, legends and strange creatures are often born in such places. Because they are filled with uncertainty.
The land of the Itbaraks, throughout the Middle Ages, was shaped by the presence of Finno-Ugric peoples, Turks, Slavs and ethnic groups fleeing the Mongols. These communities migrated constantly, interacted with one another and reshaped their mythologies in the process. The legends surrounding the Itbaraks took shape within this cultural terrain.
From the Epic of Oghuz Khan…
In Northwestern Asia,
It was said the Itbaraks lived.
The Turks were in Inner Asia,
Far away from them.
Their heads were like dogs,
But their bodies were human.
Their skin was black,
As if they were the Black Devil.
Their women were beautiful,
And would not hide from Turks.
They covered themselves in ointments,
Neither arrow nor spear could pierce them.
The epic says that
Oghuz Khan was once defeated.
He took refuge on an island,
And regained his strength.
Seventeen years later,
Oghuz defeated them.
The women gave aid,
And the war came to an end.
Oghuz gave these lands
To the Kipchak-Beg.
And so the Turks
Named that place Kipchak land.
- Baykara, Tuncer. “Bahaeddin Ögel, Türk Mitolojisi (Kaynakları ve Açıklamaları İle Destanlar), 1. cild, Ankara 1971.” Tarih Dergisi 28-29 (2011): 235-237.
- Wikipedia katılımcıları (2024). İtbarak. Vikipedi, Özgür Ansiklopedi. Erişim tarihi 17.12, Nisan 20, 2025 url:https://tr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C4%B0tbarak&oldid=32844744.
- Erzincan, Emre. “TÜRK KAYNAKLI ESERLERDE İT BARAK HALKI.” İTİL SUWI AKA TURUR: 39.
