Military symbols in the medieval turks (based on picturatory sources)

Abstract

This article explores the findings of a study on the military symbolism of medieval Turks. The research focuses on specific types, forms, and designs of military standards and insignia used by Turkic tribes during the period of the Turkic Khaganates, as well as their application in military practices. To date, the history of Turkic military symbols in the medieval era has not been thoroughly examined within domestic historical scholarship. This study utilizes visual materials, primarily the art monuments of the Turks and other Turkic-speaking tribes, as primary sources. Additional sources include information from written literature, as well as archaeological findings. A detailed and in-depth analysis of these visual, literary, and archaeological materials reveals that the ancient Turks had a comprehensive system of diverse military standards and insignia, which varied in purpose, design, and supplementary elements, determining the status of the standards and the rank of their bearers. This complex, multi-tiered system of military symbols reflects the history of the Turkic tribes, the social structure of Turkic society, levels of military hierarchy, and the centuries-old traditions of the Turkic nomadic military culture.