Turkish mythology, unfortunately, is not as well known as other world mythologies. Therefore, Turkish gods are not sufficiently known. Of course, the inadequacy of primary sources is also effective in this. However, secondary source scans, extensive research and information compiled from the oral shaman tradition in recent years have helped us to understand Turkish gods more closely.
Turkish mythology, which developed in the Eurasian steppes and around Southern Siberia, is based on animism and nature worship in many ways. Therefore, the majority of Turkish gods emerged from the deification of natural elements by proto-Turkic communities that led a nomadic and pastoral lifestyle.
Tengri
Tengri is the name of the chief god in Turkic mythology. He is also known as Tangra, Tenger, Tengir or Kƶk Tengri. Although often identified with masculine qualities, he has no wife. He lives on the 18th floor, the highest floor of the sky.
Kƶk means blue and Tengri means sky in Old Turkic. Therefore, Kƶk Tengri actually means blue sky.
Tengri, who is identified with the sky, is the personification of the universe according to Assel Bekebassova.1 He lives in the sky and sees everything. In this respect, he is likened to DyÄus in proto-Indo-European mythology.
He lives in the sky and sees everything. In this respect, he is likened to DyÄus in proto-Indo-European mythology.
Tengri is symbolized with a circled cross (āØ). This sign is considered one of the symbols of Tengrism today.
Kayra
Kayra, also known as Kayra Han, is the name of the creator god in Turkish mythology. According to some sources, he is the son of Tengri, but in many communities he is identified with Tengri. He punished Erlik for hiding soil in his mouth during the creation of the world and sent him underground.2
He lives on the 17th floor of the sky. He is the creator of everything except Tengri. He planted the nine-branched tree of life on the earth, and the nine people who descended from the branches of this tree formed the nine main races on earth.3
According to Altai shamans, whoever is struck by the lightning that Kayra sends to the earth becomes a shaman.4
Ćlgen
Ćlgen is the name of a god associated with goodness and the sky in Turkish mythology. He is one of Kayraās sons and lives in the 16th floor of the sky. He is usually depicted as an old and wise man with long hair and a long beard. It is believed that he sits on a golden throne on a golden mountain.5 In some sources, he is referred to as the creator of the Sun and the Earth. This shows that some qualities attributed to Kayra are attributed to Ćlgen in some communities.
According to shamanic legends, Ćlgen both created man and taught him fire. In both Turkic and Siberian mythologies, fire came from the sky.6
As far as it is known, Ćlgen has seven sons and seven/nine daughters.5
The names of Ćlgenās daughters are unknown. However, they are seen as the muses of shamans and some shamans have drawings symbolizing them on their clothes.
KarakuÅ Han
He is also known as Karagus Han. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with birds. According to YaÅar Ćoruhlu, karakuÅ (black bird) probably means eagle.7
Baktı Han
He is also known as Paktı Han. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with grace and bestowal. In the past, the Shor Turks used to hold ceremonies in his honor every autumn under the name of Paktıgan.
Pura Han
He is also known as Bura Han. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with horses. The horses that the shaman rides to ascend to the sky are gifted by Pura Han. These horses also protect the shaman from malevolent entities.
BurƧa Han
He is also known as BurƧakan. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with wealth, prosperity, and peace.
YaÅıl Han
He is also known as ĆeƧil Han. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with nature and spring. He protects nature and adds a ring to the trees every year. The trees that shed their leaves in the autumn turn green again in the spring thanks to YaÅıl Han.
Kanım Han
He is also known as Er Kanım. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with honesty, integrity, and trust.
KarÅıt Han
He is also known as Karzıt Han. He is one of the seven sons of Ćlgen. He is associated with purity and cleanliness. It is thought that the word āKarÅıtā derives from the Turkish word ākarā meaning snow.
Umay
Umay is the name of a goddess associated with fertility and abundance in Turkic mythology.8 In Northeastern Siberia, she is better known as Ayısıt.9 She is likened to the mother goddesses in other religions. She is usually depicted with three horns or with a triple-pointed crown. She is dressed in white and has hair that reaches the ground. Sometimes she is also associated with light and the color yellow. It is believed that she is walking around with a deer.5
Umay is the protector of pregnant women and children. She is mentioned in both KĆ¼l Tigin and Tonyukuk inscriptions.
It was common practice among Turkic communities for childless women to seek help from Umay and offer her sacrifices.
Erlik
Erlik is a god associated with evil, darkness and death in Turkic mythology. He is one of the sons of Kayra. Although he is a brother to Ćlgen, he is the complete opposite of him. Ćlgen is associated with goodness and light, Erlik with evil and darkness; Ćlgen lives in the sky, Erlik lives underground. All of the evil entities underground are under the control of Erlik.
In shamanic prayers, Erlik is usually depicted with disgusting and frightening physical features. His beard extends to his knees. His mustache resembles the teeth of a wild boar. His hair and eyebrows are pitch black. Its horns resemble tree branches. He lives in an iron palace in underground. His palace is guarded by two monsters named Abra and Yutpa.5 Despite the detailed descriptions, no painting or sculpture of Erlik is made.3
According to a legend in Siberia, mammoths were taken underground to work in the service of Erlik. Mammoths that try to escape to the earth are punished by freezing.10
Erlik has nine sons and nine daughters.
The names of Erlikās daughters are not known. However, they are known as fun-loving, evil spirits that lead shamans astray.
Temir Han
He is also known as TemĆ¼r Han. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with iron. It was Temir Han who taught people the art of blacksmithing. In the epic of Manas, Temir Han is the name of a wealthy ruler.
KaraÅ Han
He is also known as KarıŠHan. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with darkness. When the end of the world comes, he will emerge from the underground before Erlik.11
Matır Han
He is also known as Patır Han and Batur Han. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with courage and fearlessness.
Åıngay Han
He is also known as Ćıngay Han and Sınzay Han. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with turmoil, disorder and anarchy.
KƶmĆ¼r Han
He is also known as KĆ¼mĆ¼r Han and Kƶmir Han. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with coal and evil. It is believed that he commands evil entities. It is said to mediate between Erlik and the dark shamans.
BadıŠHan
He is also known as BadıŠBiy. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with disasters and epidemics. In the past, some Turkic communities used to hold BadıŠHan responsible for natural disasters on earth.
YabaÅ Han
He is also known as CabaÅ Han. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with doubt and mistrust. He creates discord among people.
UƧar Han
He is also known as UƧar Kan. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with bad news and espionage.
Kerey Han
He is also known as Kirey Han. He is one of the nine sons of Erlik. He is associated with sedition. He sets people against each other.
KuyaÅ
KuyaÅ is a deity associated with the Sun in Turkic mythology. He symbolizes the masculine aspect of the Sun. He is also known as KoyaÅ. He is the personification of the Sun. As a matter of fact, KuyaÅ/KoyaÅ means Sun in Tatar.
In Turkic mythology, KuyaÅ symbolizes heat, Ay Ata symbolizes cold, Ćlgen symbolizes goodness and Erlik symbolizes evil. All four of them are the sons of the creator god Kayra.
GĆ¼n Ana
GĆ¼n Ana is a kind of goddess associated with the Sun in Turkic mythology. She symbolizes the feminine aspect of the Sun. She lives on the seventh floor of the sky. In some shaman prayers quoted by Wilhelm Radloff, prayers were made to GĆ¼n Ana.2
Ay Ata
Ay Ata is a deity associated with the Moon in Turkic mythology. He lives on the sixth floor of the sky. In a shaman prayer quoted by Wilhelm Radloff, he is addressed as āAy Ata in the sixth heavenā.2 Ay Ataās name in Northeast Siberian Turks is Ajy Tangara, he flies over the tree of life in the guise of an eagle.12
According to a legend written in the late 13th or early 14th century, the name of the first human being was Ay Atam.13 But, the influence of the Near Asian mythologies is evident in this legend.
Mergen
Mergen is a deity associated with wisdom in Turkic mythology. He symbolizes intellect and rational intelligence. He lives on the seventh floor of the sky with GĆ¼n Ana.
Wilhelm Radloff wrote that three deities emanated from Kayra Han: Ćlgen, Kızagan and Mergen.2
Mergen is usually depicted as a young man on a white horse holding a bow and arrow. He is powerful, but this power comes from wisdom rather than physical attributes.
Kızagan
Kızagan is a deity associated with war and power in Turkic mythology. He is one of the sons of Kayra and according to Wilhelm Radloff, he lives on the ninth floor of the sky.2
Kızagan, symbolized by the red color, is the protector of soldiers and warriors. The defeat of a large army with a small number of soldiers used to be interpreted as the help of Kızagan.
Elbis
Elbis is a divine/spiritual entity associated with war and ruthlessness in Northeast Siberian Turkic and Altaic myths. He is also known as Ä°lbis or Yelbis. In wars, he was asked for help in order to defeat the enemy.14
Despite having similar characteristics with Kızagan, Kızagan is hierarchically superior to him. In addition, the Elbis was later demonized in some communities influenced by Islam. The reason for this is thought to be the similarity between the word Elbis/İlbis and the word Iblis, the name of the devil in Islam.
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