The Scythians were one of the Proto-Turkic civilizations that adopted nomadic life in the Eurasian steppes. This civilization, known as the Sakas, was referred to by the Ancient Greeks as “Skuthoi”, the Assyrians as “Ashkuzai”, and the Persians and Indians as “Sakalar”. Herodotus, known as the Father of History, referred to the Scythians as “Skyths, Skyths” in his work titled “Histories”. There are various theses on the origin of the Scythians. Although some say they were Iranian, some say they were Indo-European, and some say they were Slavs, it is an undeniable fact that the Scythians were of Turanid origin and were one of the Proto-Turkic civilizations.
One of the most important crafts of the Scythians mentioned in many ancient sources is the Pazyryk Carpet. The Pazyryk Kurgan numbered V, located in the Pazyryk Mountains, was found in 1949 by Soviet archaeologist Sergei Ivanovich Rudenko and his assistants as a result of excavations carried out in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. Here, the Pazyryk Carpet was located in this Pazyryk Kurgan numbered 5. It is assumed that the Pazyryk Carpet was made between the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The carpet is currently exhibited in the St. Petersburg-Hermitage Museum in Russia. The Pazyryk Carpet is both the world's first known carpet and the first known knotted carpet. The Pazyryk Carpet has a quadrilateral shape close to a square. This quadrilateral structure is because the ancient Turks and many steppe nations perceived the world as four corners and determined four directions. The Pazyryk Carpet is woven with the "Gördes" knot, also known as the "Turkish Knot".
The carpet is 1.89 x 2 meters in size. It is woven from very fine wool. In order to understand how the colors of the Pazirik Carpet were preserved so vividly, the carpet was examined with an X-ray microscope and it was understood that the color used in the carpet, also known as “Turkish Red”, is a metal-organic complex made from a mixture of rose root dye and aluminum. There are 36 Gördes knots in every square centimeter. There are four directions and eight corner motifs in the 24 square areas in the middle of the carpet. This motif is also called the “Turkish Star”. It is said by many researchers that this star shape symbolizes the four main directions and four intermediate directions. The star motif in the Pazirik Carpet is formed by the combination of the “Tört Bulunğ”, which the Turks symbolize the four directions and four skies, and the lotus flower. In addition to the Turkish Star, the sun symbol derived from Tört Bulunğ is also used in the carpet. The main source of the motifs used in the Pazyryk Carpet is the 'animal ancestor cult'. The use of horses and deer, which played an important role in the nomadic Scythian life, in the carpet is one of the most obvious examples of the transfer of geographical life to the craft. The use of animal motifs in the Pazyryk Carpet is not only due to geographical life but also to the shaman belief of the nomads. The power, "superior power/authority", which is also valid in the Turkish shaman belief, is one of the greatest supporters of the belief in the difficult steppe life. Drawing strength from power animals, fighting and working under their leadership has also found a place in Turkish craft.
A similar horse head covered in deer skin from the Pazyryk Kurgans was also used on the Pazyryk Carpet. The use of the winged legendary animal with the head of a bird of prey placed on the body of the predator is nothing more than a sign of masculinity. The purpose of this figure, which symbolizes the characteristics of various animals, is power. The power that emerges from the combination of the power of the bird of prey and the power of the predator is an indispensable part of nomadic thought. The deer motif found on the Pazyryk Carpet is one of the animals frequently used in the difficult conditions of steppe life. Deers and reindeers still occupy an important place in the daily lives of the Dukha Turks today. Deers are very important for the Mongols, another steppe nation, as they are for the Turks. In the Secret History of the Mongols, the lineage of Temüjin and Genghis Khan is based on a beautiful white female deer - Goa-maral - and a wolf.
The Pazyryk Carpet was woven using plant and geometric motifs as well as animal and human figures. One of the motifs found on the Pazyryk Carpet is a human riding a horse. These motifs, in which the horse's tail is tied, are a tradition that continued from the Proto-Turks to the Tathas for centuries. Many Turkish tribes still braid and tie the tails of their horses. Concrete examples of these horse motifs woven on the carpet, horses buried with their tails tied and harnessed, have been found in Turkish kurgans. It is understood from these motifs that the Scythians, known as the Proto-Turks, exhibited high-level skills in both goldsmithing and metalsmithing. It is understood from their horse harnesses, pottery, clothing and the Pazyryk Carpet that the Scythians were a civilization that was as developed in craftsmanship and aesthetics as they were warriors.
The Pazyryk Carpet is one of the most obvious examples of the transfer of daily life to craft. The transformation of animals and beliefs used in steppe life into motifs has been skillfully processed into the carpet. Based on this, it would not be wrong to say that the transformation of daily life into carpets, rugs, pots and clothes has meant that nomadic nations, especially the steppe nations, have carried the past to the future with symbols.
SOURCE
· Ekim, Yunus (2006), “Pazyryk Kurgans, Their Findings and Archaeological Evaluation”, Unpublished Master's Thesis, Ankara
· Herodotus, (2004), “History of Herodotus”, Trans., Müntekim Ökmen, İş Yay., Istanbul.
· Tekçe, Fuat (1993), “The Story of a Carpet from the Pazırık Altays”, Publications of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara
· Temir Ahmet (2019), “The Secret History of the Mongols”, Trans., Ahmet Temir, TTK, Ankara.
· Yılmaz, Bülent (2017), “Turkish Carpet Art from Pazırık to the Present Day”, Journal of Oghuz-Turkmen Studies, P:1
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