European International Journal of Philological Sciences
72
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
91-94
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
28 March 2025
ACCEPTED
24 April 2025
PUBLISHED
30 May 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue 05 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
Folklorist Mamatqul
Jo'rayev And Uzbek
Mythology
Munis Yunusovna Jo‘rayeva
Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Uzbek Language, Literature, and
Folklore, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Abstract
: Studying the historical foundations of oral folk
art, which represents a valuable legacy of our ancestors’
intellectual heritage, remains a relevant and significant
task. In particular, the study of myths and the discipline
that examines them
—
mythology
—
allows for a deeper
understanding of ancient perceptions and the roots of
the people's worldview. This article highlights the
research of folklorist Mamatkul Jo‘rayev on the
formation and evolutionary development of Uzbek
mythology.
Keywords:
Myth, mythology, folklore, folklorist,
Mamatkul Jo‘rayev, scholar, cult.
Introduction:
Mythology holds a significant place in the
intellectual history of humankind. Without it, it is
impossible to explore any ethnic stratum or the
primordial relationship between humans and the
universe. As we know, a myth represents the earliest
system of perceptions and concepts formed by our
ancient ancestors about the world surrounding them. As
a discipline that studies the div of such myths,
mythology plays a vital role not only in understanding a
nation's worldview, values, and spiritual heritage, but
also in examining the patterns of ethnic and cultural
development.
Myths
—
and mythology as a whole
—
being a syncretic
phenomenon, reflect both the universal worldview of
primitive humans and the specific mythical outlook of
each individual nation. This alone illustrates the
complex and multifaceted nature of mythology.
Substantial work has been carried out in the field of
global folkloristics to determine the place of mythology
in the history of artistic thought. Similarly, in Uzbek
folkloristics, the field of mythological studies has taken
shape, and significant achievements have been made in
the scholarly investigation of mythology.
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In Uzbek folkloristics, the relationship between
mythology and epic genres in Uzbek folklore was first
studied by the folklorist G‘. Akramov. The scholar
investigated the essence of the ancient religious beliefs
and mythological perceptions of the Uzbek people, as
well as their role in folklore. In 1980, he defended his
candidate’s dissertation on the topic “Mythology in
Uzbek Folklore.” Akramov examined the interrelations
between mythology, myth, and folklore; the
emergence and development of ancient Turkic
mythology; its influence on folklore texts, rituals,
customs, and cultural monuments; and the use of
mythologisms in literary works. He provided a
theoretical and scientific foundation for the idea that
the survival of mythological elements in fairy tales and
epics is connected to both the antiquity of these genres
and the persistent presence of mythological thinking in
the public consciousness. Furthermore, he deeply
explored interpretations of totemistic, animistic, and
manistic mythologies in Uzbek folklore [1].
Folklorist B. Sarimsoqov studied the evolutionary
process of mythology and the diffusion of epic genres.
He proposed a three-stage classification of myths in
the study of Uzbek mythology
—
namely, archaic,
classical, and medieval myths [2]. Other folklorists,
including T. Haydarov, J. Eshonqulov, B. Jumaniyozov,
T. Rahmonov, O. Qayumov, A. Tilavov, D. Fayziyeva, F.
Nurmonov, and M. Rizoyeva, have produced research
focusing on the distinctive features of mythology, the
historical foundations of mythological images, their
aesthetics, and the genesis of oral prose genres [3]. In
addition, researchers such as N. Mallayev, M. Saidov,
T. Khojayev, M. Narziqulova, and S. Hamdamova have
analyzed the impact of mythological plots and images
on written literature [4].
In the development of Uzbek mythological studies, the
folklorist Mamatqul Jo‘rayev holds a distinctive place.
The scholar has explored the formation of mythology,
its evolutionary stages, and its relationship with
folkloric texts. As he notes in his research: “Mythology
is a syncretic phenomenon that reflects the worldview
of primitive humans. Therefore, it has served as a
foundation for the formation of folklore, written
literature, art, and spiritual values” [5]. In his scholarly
investigations, Jo‘rayev not only contextualized
mythology within Uzbek folklore but also integrated its
connections with other disciplines such as written
literature, ethnography, ethnology, and art studies. He
thoroughly examined the role of mythology across
different historical periods, highlighting its significance
in both social and cultural life.
Jo‘rayev has also conducted extensive comparative
research on Uzbek mythology, analyzing it within
broader mythological traditions to better understand
its unique and shared characteristics across cultures.
As a leading expert in Uzbek mythology, Mamatqul
Jo‘rayev has contributed extensively to the National
Encyclopedia of Uzbekistan, providing encyclopedic
entries on myths, their classifications, mythological
images, and various topics related to mythology [6]. In
his comprehensive studies on the formation and
development of Uzbek mythology, he emphasizes the
relevance of a range of factors: from early human
perceptions and belief systems (such as totemism,
animism, dualistic and magical beliefs) to symbolic-
ritual practices, cults, Islamic teachings and traditions,
as well as the influences of Iranian, Greek, Indian, and
Chinese mythologies. Based on these components,
Jo‘rayev categorizes the evolution of myths into four
major groups:
1.
Mythological perceptions of Ural-Altaic tribes
2.
Mythology of ancient Turkic peoples
3.
Mythological concepts linked to Zoroastrianism
4.
Traditions of Arab-Islamic mythology
Jo‘rayev supports each category with concrete historical
and textual evidence, demonstrating the diachronic
development of ancient mythologies over centuries [6].
In analyzing the earliest beliefs of our ancestors, he
classifies myths into eleven categories, including:
etiological myths about the creation of the world;
celestial (cosmogonic) myths about heavenly bodies and
natural phenomena; anthropogenic myths about
human origins and supernatural figures; cult myths;
totemistic myths; calendar myths; myths about dying
and reviving nature cults; animistic myths; manistic
myths about ancestral spirits; dualistic myths; and
eschatological myths concerning the end of the world.
These eleven categories are thoroughly examined based
on scientific literature, folklore texts, seasonal and
family-
ritual practices, and the author’s own field
recordings. In addition, Jo‘ray
ev conducts deep
investigations into petroglyphs where mythological
motifs are depicted. He interprets these rock carvings as
reflections of the worldview, lifestyle, customs, rituals,
and early aesthetic thinking of ancient populations in
Uzbekistan. According to him, these sources represent
the earliest expressions of cultural values created by our
ancestors. He also discusses the multi-stage historical
evolution of petroglyph creation. Most petroglyphs are
dated to the Stone Age and reflect the mythical beliefs
and metaphorical worldview of that era. Their artistic
analysis not only helps decode early aesthetic
consciousness but also clarifies the genesis of poetic
images and motifs in epic works.
Through this approach, Jo‘rayev has enriched the
theoretical scope of Uzbek folkloristics by linking
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petroglyphs with Uzbek mythological traditions.
Jo‘rayev has also made significant contributions in
interpreting the mythology of the ancient written
source Avesta and its reflections in Uzbek folklore [6].
He emphasizes in his research that traces of this
invaluable spiritual heritage have been preserved in
Uzbek folklore to the present day, demonstrating that
the mythological layer at the core of Avesta stems from
a system of ancient beliefs that took shape within our
territory.
The folklorist analyzes various elements of Avesta
mythology in Uzbek folklore, focusing on distinctive
features and representations of mythological figures
such as Gavomard, Hubbi, Haydar, and Ajdar, which
originate in Zoroastrian mythology. His research
identifies numerous mythological characters in Uzbek
oral tradition whose roots trace back to Avesta,
including: Dev, Pari, Ajdar, Semurg‘, Aranglar, Eranlar,
Jo‘mard (as the patron of butchers), Hubbi (as a water
cult figure), Aranglar and Aranja bobo (linked to the
Amu Darya River cult), Orolcha Avliyo, Ashshadarozi
and Bavoris bobo (as mytho-poetic symbols of the
spring festival Navruz), Haydar or Mirhaydar (viewed
as the "spirit of the wind"), Sust xotin (connected to
rain rituals), and Ambar ona (symbolizing fertility).
As a result of Jo‘rayev’s extensive research, Uzbek
folkloristics has been enriched with theoretical insights
on a wide range of topics, including ancient Turkic
mythology, the influence of mythology on written
literature, mythological imagery in Uzbek folklore,
cosmogonic myths, the mythological foundations of
the folk calendar, relationships between myth and
epic, mythical perceptions of wind and thunder, and
astromythology [6].
Jo‘rayev's foundational contributions to Uzbek
mythology are presented in numerous books and
monographs, including:
•
Uzbek Folk Calendar and Mythological Legends
(1994)
•
Legends of the Silk Road (1993)
•
Celestial Legends of the Uzbek People (1995)
•
Uzbek Mythology and Arab Folklore (2001, co-
author)
•
Seasonal Ritual Folklore of the Uzbeks (2008)
•
Myth, Ritual, and Tale (2014, co-author)
•
History of Uzbek Folklore, Vol. 1 (2015)
•
Astromythology of the Silk Road Peoples
(2017)
•
Uzbek Mythology (2020, co-author)
Each of these works warrants independent scholarly
attention. Academician T. Mirzayev and folklorist Sh.
Turdimov have noted the magnitude of Jo‘rayev’s
theoretical
contributions,
stating
that
"the
comprehensive study of Uzbek mythology and seasonal
ritual folklore in such breadth was undertaken for the
first time in the history of Uzbek folkloristics."
In examining the productive scholarly work of the
insightful researcher Mamatqul Jo‘rayev in the field of
Uzbek mythology, one can unequivocally state that he
holds a distinguished place as a mythologist who has
significantly contributed to the advancement of Uzbek
mythological studies. His research is notable for its deep
exploration of the genetic foundations and poetic
transformations of ancient mythological concepts.
Through his work, the role of the Uzbek people’s artistic
imagination within the broader context of Central Asian
civilization has been extensively and meaningfully
illuminated.
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