Beliefs of the ancient steppe tribes (From the beginning to the 13th century ad)

The subject of this study was determined as "Belief in the Ancient Steppe Tribes". This study, in which the idea of belief, which is one of the ancient elements of steppe communities, is revealed, has been discussed in four chapters apart from the introduction. In the introductory part, where the studies on the Faith Thoughts of the Ancient Steppe Tribes are analyzed, the books and researches written on the subject that determine the framework of the study are examined, and the primary sources including the ancient texts are emphasized. The developments in the belief thought of the Ancient Steppe Tribes were discussed, examined and evaluated. In the first and second chapters, which are examined and studied on this issue, it has been tried to analyze in detail how the cults took place in the belief thought of the Steppe Tribes, their mission and the roles of beliefs in the narratives. In addition to archaeological researches, the sources of foreign nations and oral sources, especially written sources, are emphasized. Within the scope of the beliefs of the Steppe Tribes, the beliefs among the people and the place and importance of various beliefs and traditions in the social life of the ancient communities were taken into consideration. In addition, examples from different periods and geographies and the evaluations in question are tried to be explained in detail in the third chapter. Considerable amount of ceremonies and practices related to the traditions of the Steppe Tribes, which have become their beliefs and are intertwined with their culture, have been tried to be revealed for a better understanding of the subject. According to the common opinion, it is accepted that the beginning of the belief system of the Ancient Steppe Tribes should be considered as a cultural element belonging to the Ancient Ages. In the last part of the thesis, in which this common idea is tried to be proven with examples, the situation and thoughts that emerged on the results of some archaeological researches belonging to the Hun, Turkish, Uyghur and Mongolian Periods, which are the Ancient Steppe Tribes in Central Asia, are emphasized. The main purpose of the study is to bring a different perspective by examining the belief system of the Ancient Steppe Tribes in the light of the studies done so far. In this direction, evaluations have been made on various religious traditions and ceremonies that have been practiced for centuries among the Ancient Steppe Tribes.