Cult of Ancestors

The reverence for the late celebrities and the respect for the ancestors were considered as the indicators of the patriarchal domination in the field of religion. The thoughts about the possible existence of these characteristics among the ancient central and northern Asian tribes due to the social and economical conditions are determined as definite with the conclusive evidence of the historical records related with Turks. As it has been stated above, the Asian Huns would present sacrifices to the spirits of their ancestors in springs (18th May).

It has been understood that the memories pertaining to the ancestors were considered as divine materials and the transgression offences committed against the Turkish tombs were sentenced with heavy imprisonment and punishments. One of the reasons of the 2nd Balkan military expedition of Attila was the robbery of the tombs and graves of the Hun ruler's family by the Byzantine Margus bishop. A similar incident of transgression that took place in the year of 79 BC forced the tan-hu (ruler) to wage war against the Mongolian O-huan people.

The reason that led the Mongolians and the Byzantine people to commit these crimes of theft was the fact that the corpses of the dead were buried together with their weapons, valuable materials and sometimes with their horses that were fully equipped and the jewels of their wives. Therefore, it was considered that they would lead a comfortable life in the next world. This belief present in other tribes that had the cult of ancestors like Turks had an exaggerated level with the consideration of some of the powerful people as the semi-deities. These tribes would sacrifice people for the sake of these dead people and the other gods. However, it is interesting that such traditions were not observed among the Turks. Ibn Fadlan had alleged that the servants of the late Khazar khan would also be killed.

However, this allegation is an unfounded allegation much different from the reality like most of the allegations that were in contradiction with the khan and generally the Khazar people. There were some records that would lead the impression of the sacrifice of people among the ancient Turks. However, as a result of a thorough study, it has been understood that this impression must have been forcibly imposed in the allegations. There was of a statement of "follow-up of the dead person by his relatives" written in relation with the Asian Hun people within the Chinese almanacs. The aforesaid result must have been derived from the misinterpretation of this statement.

However, the aforesaid resource did not explicitly record about "the sacrifice of people" although there was not any obstacle preventing this among the people. Besides, if it were true, the section to which this tradition pertained among the groups that lived in the Hun Empire was not also determined in this resource. On the other hand, Jordanes had had another allegation stating that mass groups of people were annihilated in relation with the death of Attila- pursuant to approximately 100 years. This allegation seemed to be the repetition of the current motive of sacrifice that was present among the Visigoth people that this author must have been a member of. The allegation that the people who had buried Attila were killed and buried in order to prevent the revelation of the burial place was a discretionary statement that is beyond the conceptions of the Turkish culture. Actually, on the contrary to this tradition that was observed in some of the nations, the Turks would make protuberances over their tombs and they would even construct stone slabs (stele).

The issues related with the subject matter in the 2nd rumour of the Gokturk origination legend were totally quoted from other communities and they were attributed to the Turks then. Actually, the motive of deer in the ancient Turks was of Ural origin and there was not a sea-god believed by the Turks. The Turks did not sacrifice people and they had tried to abolish this tradition of sacrificing people in the regions under their domination (For example; in Sogd). Pursuant to all of these opinions and interpretations, it is understood that it was an improper and hasty rendering of W. Barthold that stated that "the commanders of the enemy armies were sacrificed by the Gokturk people".

Animals would be sacrificed as the sacrificial instruments by the ancient Turks. The male animals would be selected from the genders (ram among the sheep, male camel, stallion among the horses). The skeleton of the horses that considered as the most appropriate sacrifice could be frequently observed in the tombs pertaining to the steppe-Turkish tribes. Therefore, horse bodies were encountered in the sepulchres pertaining to the Asian Hun empires (For example, in the site of Pazarlık in Altay Mountains).