Researchers find oldest surviving Göktürk monument with Old Turkic texts in Mongolia

Bilge Khan, Tonyukuk und Kül Tegin. Names that are forever associated with the 2nd Göktürk Empire in the 7th and 8th centuries. These men were so powerful and important that monuments were erected in honor of them. Three so called stele named after them are part of the Orkhon Inscriptions, re-discovered in the Orkhon Valley in the late 19th century. These monuments are the oldest surviving texts written in Old Turkic, by the Göktürks who wanted to bequeath their own rich history for later generations. Therefore, they are arguably the most important source for Göktürk history and ancient Turkic history in general. However, just recently a 4th monument connected with the 2nd Göktürk Empire has been found! A team of researchers working for the International Turkic Academy and the Mongolian Archeological Institute have discovered a monument that belongs to Ilterish Khagan. Before Bilge, Tonyukuk and Kül Tegin had any say in the empire, it was Ilterish who rebelled against the Tang Chinese and liberated his Turk people from foreign rule – just as Bumin had done 130 years prior – thereby establishing one of many large steppe empires. In comparison to the first empire, the second one was rather limited to East Asia. On the other hand, Turkic identity experience a form of “nationalization” not seen in the first empire, which makes the second one founded by Ilterish all the more interesting. But what exactly did the researchers find in Mongolia? Let’s go into the details.

As a result of a scientific archeological expedition in the Nomgon plain within the Arkhangai region in modern-day Mongolia, conducted jointly by the Institute of Archeology of the International Turkic Academy and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, a complex dedicated to the Türk Khagan Kutluk Elterish was discovered. On this occasion, the Turkish Academy held a special press conference in the Mongolian capital Ulanbator. The meeting was introduced by the president of the Turkic Academy, Mr. Kydyraly, and was attended by researchers as well as ambassadors of several Turkic states and Mongolia. Kydyraly announced that this would be the oldest written monument where the name “Turk” appears for the first time, at least from the Turkic side.

The total area of the complex is 49x41.5 m. A moat was dug around the complex, which was located in an oval shape from west to east, and a castle was built by piling up the soil from it.

On the west side of the complex there is a stone cube with a hole in the middle (altar), stone figures of a man, a lion statue with two cubs and two sheep statues. To the east of the gate of the complex there are 51 balbal stone ridges. Among them, a symbol belonging to the Ashina family was identified on five balbals. The remnants of clay coverings and bricks laid on the footpath were excavated, indicating that there used to be a barik (a place of worship) in the complex. In front of the barik, the upper part of the inscription monument and a turtle stand were found. The Nomghon ritual complex is similar to the Bilge Khagan and Kultegin complexes in all its features. At the top of the Nomgon written monument, the head of two wolves in the form of a dragon with its body facing down is depicted. We know that such Khagan attributes - a dragon-shaped, wolf-headed plot –  were carved on the top of the Taspar, Bilge and Kül Tegin monuments.

The ancient Turkic inscription consisting of 12 lines was engraved on two sides of the found valuable object, and the ancient Sogdian script was engraved on the third side. Scientists participating in the expedition identified a number of words from the text of the monument, such as "Tengri", "Turk", "Kutluk" and "Tumen". Based on the information obtained from the text of the inscription, it was concluded that the Nomgon complex must have been dedicated to the father of Kultegin and Bilge Khagan, the aforementioned Ilterish.

The Academy will develop a scientific collection dedicated to the results of the Nomgon scientific expedition and present it in the capitals of the Turkic states. Excavations of monuments of the Turkic era in Mongolia will continue in the future.

I would like to thank all researchers involved in the excavation for their work. This valuable discovery will now become part of my upcoming third Göktürk documentary.