The tamgas depicted and originated from simple geometric shapes and figures known to the nomadic people since ancient times as round shapes, crosses, cemi-crosses, spears, rhombs, squares, and so on.
In recent years, several famous Kyrgyz citizens or persons with a strong interest in Central Asian history have presented artfully designed fake tribal marks. These usually look very complicated, bordering on the bizarre, and some of them have appeared on kalpaks and coats, enabling their bearers to prominently focus the attention on what they claim is their ancient tamga.
However, such artwork, beautiful though it may be, is quite inconsistent with the available historical data, and often simply defies logic and common sense. How, for instance, was it possible to burn such elaborate designs onto the ears of a sheep or a cow? Ancient tamgas were primarily used to mark private animals and nothing more. Was it possible to imprint on the ears of sheep substantially much more complex figures, something that requires or equals a complex maths equation? While these modern shapes could be considered as interesting sketches in a tattoo studio they have little in common with the ancient tamgas used by our forefathers.
I never wasted my time with such silly activity. As for the shape and meaning of the tamga which belonged to my tribe, the Kytai, I have shown that this mark is supported by historical evidence and data. The tribe of the Kytai (Khitan) consists of eight large Kyrgyz sub-tribes, which later evolved into the independent tribes that formed the basis of the left wing of the Kyrgyz nation (Kytai, Saru, Kushchi, Toboy, Zhetigen, Chon Bagis, Bazys, Munduz).
In previous works I have written about the origin of the name Kytai (Kutai). Here, I would like to mention the historic work «Metahistory» by the Russian author N. Kikishev10 who wrote about the Sumerians: «The name of the river Kolyma is referred to by its original Sumerian name, Kalama. In the area located between the two rivers Indigirka and Kolyma in Northern Russia, you can find many geographical names that are used to describe hills, slopes, valleys, ridges, furrows etc. which were borrowed for originated from the names of Sumerian gods.»
The Sumerians wrote on the plates of clay (kyt), which were later hardened in fire to the firm tablets. In both Kyrgyz and Sumerian culture this process was well known from ancient times and described as Kalam or Kalamalap, respectively. The people who wrote on these clay tablets belonged to the Aryans, they were called Kyts, kyttar, Kytai by others.
The ancient Hittites founded one of the oldest state in world, and the word Het itself is derived from Kyt-Kytai, hyt-hytay. Some 4,000 years ago they were among the first inhabitants on the European continent to make shields, sabers and various other items produced from iron.
But other part of our ancestors lived in Central Asia. They discovered iron much earlier than the Hittites. In fact, they used a heavenly metal, as they called it to manufacture iron weapons, smelting iron from meteorite remains. This is documented in Y.S. Hudyakov’s work11». Thus, the Hittites were members of the Aryan civilization, and our ancestors gave them the secrets and techniques of ancient metallurgy.
Left: An Etruscan jar from the seventh century BC with Aryan signs.
Right: Picture of an Etruscan girl in traditional dress and high cap.
Left: The ancient remnants of an Etruscan tower in modern Italy, from the eighth century BC.
Right: Buranum of the Karachanid empire in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan, from the tenth century AD.
The Hittites Empire, as it is known, was located on the territory of modern Macedonia and Serbia. Modern Macedonians have written many books revealing that Alexander the Great (Iskander Zulkarnayn) belonged to the clan of the Khitan. The Tocharian state flourished 3000 years ago and the Kushan Empire from the first to the third century AD. The former was located within the modern Xinjiang autonomous Region of China. Both empires were founded by the tribe, belonged to Aryan peoples, who worshiped Tengir and used the specific tamgas – the same ancient marks of the Kytai, Kushchy, Basyz and others.
During archaeological excavations in the «Takla Makan» desert in 1977 many well-preserved mummies were found. Interestingly all male mummies were uncircumcised. In my view this indicates that this civilization’s roots differed from Semitic traditions. It is also known that one mummy called Suluu «Lula» was found with the Aryans signs belonging to the Kytai tribe.
Over the past two thousand years the Kytay tribe created the following powerful empires: Tan (sixth and seventh centuries AD), Liao (fourth to sixth century) Western Liao (twelfth century) as well as the empires of Genghis Khan, Babur, Tamerlane and Kokand Khanate.
Drawing on insights provided in the works by N.Y. Bichurin and L.Gumilev, I wrote several books the on outstanding role played by the Khitans in the era during which the Kyrgyz great power was established in Central Asia, i.e. from 840—960 AD.
It is important to emphasize in this context that the Khitans defeated the strong Uighur state, giving rise to rise the Kyrgyz Khanate. The basis of Kyrgyz Empire then included the following nations: the Kara Kyrgyz, which literally means large backbone Kyrgyz and from whom kings were selected, the Shor Kyrgyz, the Khakas-Kyrgyz, the Tuva-Kyrgyz and the Kyrgyz-Kaisak. The Kara-Kyrgyz themselves were made up of eight Kyrgyz sub-tribes.
A term that has been found to be closely associated with the name of Kytai is Kut which can mean happiness, blessing and star.
The Kyrgyz historian O. Aytymbetov12 in his famous book «Kara Kyrgyz» suggested that the word Kytai probably originates from the word «Kyt» which means metal alloy. Kyt was usually poured into the Saka, the so called king’s astragal, which seemed much bigger than bones of other animals. Apparently our ancestors greatly valued such things as the astragal, kept them with trepidation, involved them to a lot of traditions, ceremonies and national games. The largest astragal, called chuko in Kyrgyz, was made from a horse bone and called Saka or Royal.13 It has been associated with the Kara-Kyrgyz tribe, whereas the small chuko, made from a sheep’s bone, has been associated with the smaller Shor, Tuvinians, Khakas, Kyrgyz-Kaysaks tribes. I hope that our relatives will understand us correctly. The word Kara in the Kyrgyz language means big, and Kytai, Khitan make up the core of the Kara-Kyrgyz. This is also evident in the fact that the Khitan means iron, and the name translates as Liao – steel. All these observations indicate that the members of the Kyrgyz tribe of the Kytai had some form of handwriting as well as the necessary knowledge for the production of iron and steel. I have not tried to prove that all achievements and discoveries of mankind can be traced back to my tribe. However, what I am trying to outline are the deep roots of the Kyrgyz nation. I have provided detailed information on the matter in the Sanzhyra of the Kytai based on firm historical materials gathered from various ancient writings. These facts unavoidably lead us to the conclusion that this tribe shaped the core, the kyt or star of Kara-Kyrgyz nation.
Recently, the newspaper «Alibi» featured an article written by the historian N. Nusupov on its website. He suggested to readers that the Khitan allegedly were among the destroyers and enemies of the Kara-Kyrgyz empire, without backing up his claim with firm historical data.
I would like to advise Nusupov and other like-minded historians to carefully study the book «Search for an imaginary kingdom» by L. Gumilev (page 66), another book by the same author with the title «The end and the new beginning», p.117, as well as the book «Kyrgyz jana Kyrgyzstan Tarihi boyuncha tandalma emgekter», written by S. M. Abramzon14 (pp. 437—438) as well as the works