Download Valentyn Stetsyuk

Valentyn Stetsyuk
Introduction to the Study of Prehistoric Ethnogenic Processes in Eastern
Europe
The Scythian mythology
Identifying the ancient Bulgars with the Scythians, we get a satisfactory explanation for
the unresolved issues of the Scythian mythology, and significant fact of absence of the cult of
fire, wheels, and chariots at the Scythians so typical for the Iranians. The names of the characters
of the Scythian mythology are well explained by means of the Chuvash language. Let us
consider first the legend about the origin of the Scythians. According to this legend, the first man
in the once desolate country was Targitaios, the son of Zeus and the daughter of the god of the
river Borisphen1. Experts know, that Old-Turkic a was reflected as u in the Chuvash language.
The Old-Turkic g has been turned in in Chuvash to v which together with next vowels gives a
diphthong, and in our case did ă2. Having taken into account this law, Targitaios can be
explained as "the wedding of gods” according to Chuv. tură "a god" and tuy "a wedding". This
wedding can be attributed to the known in mythology category of "the sacred marriages" of old
ancestors3. Targitaios had three sons: Lipoxais (Λιποξαισ), Arpaxais (Αρποξαισ) and Colaxais
(Κολαξαισ). V. Abayev believed that the second part of these names is -ksay and explained it as
"a king-ruler" (Av *xayaš “to shine”), and gave for Colaksay such ethymology: *Xola-xayaša
"Sun-king"4. The first part of the restored name is questionable in the absence of Iran *xola
though words xor/xur "a sun" are present in some Iranian languages. V. Abaev himself
considered the transition r → l for the Iranian languages uncharacteristic and searched for its
explanations5 but later in another paper, nevertheless acknowledged that "the first part is not
clear"6. Other two names have been usually explained as Mountain-king and Depth-king that
allows seeing in all names the connection with the elements of the universe as the Upper, Middle
and Lower Worlds7.
HERODOTUS. (1993): Gerodota turiytsya z Galikarnasa "Istoriy" knig dev’yat’ shcho їkh nazivayut’
muzami. Kniga IV. Mel’pomena. K. – (In Ukrainian) – Nine Books of History Calling Muses of Herodotus of
Halicarnassos. Book IV. Melpomene. Translation from Greek. K: IV, 5.
2
RONA-TAS A. (1987-1): Osnovnye zvukovye izmeneniya v istorii chuvashskogo yazyka. Sb. Voprosy
fonetiki, grammatiki i onomastiki chuvashskogo yazyka. Cheboksary. – (In Russian) – Main Sound Changes in the
History of the Chuvash Language: Qustions of Phonetic, Grammar and Onomastycs of the Chuvash language.
Cheboksary: 45-47.
3
Mify narodov mira. (1991): Entsiklopediya. M. – (In Russian) – Mythos of the Folks of World.
Encyclopedia. M.
4
ABAYEV V.I. (1965): Skifsko-evropeyskie izoglossy. M. – (In Russian) – The Scythian-European
isoglosses. M: 35.
5
Ibid: 36.
6
ABAYEV V. I. (1979): Skifo-sarmatskie narechiya. OIY. M. – (In Russian) – The Scythian-Sarmatian
Dialects. OIY. M: 310.
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DUDKO D.M. (1988): Skifskiy religioznyy prazdnik v otechestvennoy i zarubezhnoy istoriografii.
Sovetskaya etnografiya. №2. – (In Russian) – A Scythian Religious Holiday in Home and Foreign Historiography.
Magazine: Sovetskaya etnografiya, #2: 66.
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However other opportunity of interpretation of all three names can be given by means of
the Chuvash language. First of all, the attention is paid by the Turk. arpa "barley" (Chuv. urpa)
and, further, typically Turkic say which, as well as ksay, can be the second part of all three
names. In that case, these names can be shared into two parts so: Arpak-say, Colak-say and
Lipok-say. Chuv. săy "dish, course" together with arpa approaches to name Targitaios situational
good as it is clear that wedding is impossible without a banquet. Thus, Arpaxais means "the dish
of barley”. The sound k, available in this word, obviously, is based on the similarity of sounding
to two other names. According to the sense of the word arpa, kolak and lipok also should mean
such subjects which can suit for preparing some food. Absolutely exact correspondence to these
words was not found in the Chuvash language. However Chuv. kayăk "bird" instead of kolak can
be taken in view of the sense as Chuv. a can correspond old. Turc. o, and Chuv. ă does old Turk.
a8. The only objection can be caused by the discrepancy l → y. Old Turk. l was kept in the
Chuvash language therefore this transition is not as natural here but in principle it often takes
place in other languages. Besides, Herodotus could make an error. Also, Colaxais can be
translated as "the course of bird”. As to the name Lipoxais, probably, it is a little deformed by
Herodotus or by his informant. Probably, Lipoxais should sound as Paliksais then the first part of
the name would good correspond to Turk. balyk "fish" (modern-day Chuv. pulă). Hence, to the
wedding of gods, three dishes have been sent – the course of bird, barley and fish. The first dish
could correspond to Scythian imaginations about "Upper World", the second dish would concern
to "Middle World", and the third one does to "Low World". Such personification of the elements
of the universe corresponds better to the idea because understanding of mountain as "the middle
world" must be recognized only by the big effort. The mountain approaches to the concept of
"Upper World" more likely.
Using the Chuvash vocabulary, one can explain the names of all Scythian gods mentioned
by Herodotus. The most worshipped by the Scythians goddess who corresponds to chaste Greek
Hestia, the goddess of a home, had the name Tabiti which can be explained as "who has given
the vow of chastity", meaning Chuv. tupa "oath" and te "to speak". Greek Zeus and Gaia, by
Herodotus, were correspondences of Scythian Papaios and Api which names can be understood
as "Grandfather" and "Grandmother", h.e. "Primogenitors", according to Chuv. papay "a
grandfather" and Chuv. epi "a midwife". The functions of Greek god Apollo were various but he
acted as an arrow-shooter or a destroyer most frequently. He can be connected with Oitosyros of
Scythian mythology, which name is possible to be understood as "who calls down trouble”
(Chuv. ayta "to call" and šar "trouble"). The name of Scythian goddess Argimpasa, which was
corresponded the Greek goddess of fertility Aphrodite, is possible to explain by means of Chuv.
arăm "a wife" or ărăm "swear" and pusă "field". By the certain presumption, it is possible to
explain also the name of Scythian god Thagimasadas which corresponds to Greek Poseidon, the
god of seas and all water elements. In due time Poseidon, trying to ruin Odyssey, has broken his
raft therefore Chuv. takana "a trough" (might to be earlier "a boat" too) and šăt "to hole" can
have interest in this case.
And, at last, we shall talk about legendary amazons. This name (from Gr. Αμαζων) is known
us from Herodotus and means aggressive horsewomen. According to the ancient Greek national
etymology, it was cleared as α-μαζωσ "breastless" (μαζωσ Gr poetically "breast") as amazons,
according some Greek myth, have cut off the right breast themselves for better to shoot with a
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RONA-TAS A. (1987-1): Osnovnye zvukovye izmeneniya v istorii chuvashskogo yazyka. Sb. Voprosy
fonetiki, grammatiki i onomastiki chuvashskogo yazyka. Cheboksary. – (In Russian) – Main Sound Changes in the
History of the Chuvash Language: Qustions of Phonetic, Grammar and Onomastycs of the Chuvash language.
Cheboksary: 47.
bow. The explanation is interesting but it doesn’t satisfy scientists. It is possible another
explanation by means of Chuvash vocabulary. This mysterious name could have something
similar to Chuv. çyn "a person, man". Taking into account Chuv. amă “a female, mother”, we
find the explanation to the word the amazon – “the mother of people”. Herodotus explained the
origin of Sauromats from the marriage of amazons with Scythians and wrote:
"…now the Amazons are called by the Scythians Oiorpata, which name means in the
Hellenic tongue "slayers of men," for "a man" they call oior, and pata means "to slay…"9.
Thus, Herodotus precisely specifies two Scythian words "oyor" and "pata" and gives their
sense. In modern Chuvash language ăyăr means "stallion", and patak does "stick". The first
word could mean as well "male", also therefore and "man". The second word can be a derivative
from not fixed Chuv. pata "to beat, kill". Mr. Fatih Şengül (Turkey) informed me that er, eyr or
uri means “man, husband” and pata means “to kill, to hit” in Turkic.
HERODOTUS. 1993. Gerodota turiytsya z Galikarnasa "Istoriy" knig dev’yat’ shcho їkh nazivayut’ muzami.
Kniga IV. Mel’pomena. K. – (In Ukrainian) – Nine Books of History Calling Muses of Herodotus of Halicarnassos.
Book IV. Melpomene. Translation from Greek. K: IV, 110-116.
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