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ELUCIDATION OF THE ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE
INHABITANTS OF THE JIZZAKH OASIS IN THE HISTORIOGRAPHY
OF THE PERIOD OF INDEPENDENCE
Qakhramon Almanov Obloqulovich
Gulistan State University, 120100. Sirdarya Region,
Gulistan City, 4th District, Uzbekistan
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14575069
Annotation.
This article focuses on the study of toponomical research in
Uzbekistan and its surrounding regions. The research examines the ethnic
history, place names (toponyms), and their ethnic origins in the Jizzakh oasis
and other areas of Uzbekistan. The scientific studies conducted after
independence are mainly based on archaeological findings, written sources,
ethnographic research, and materials in Turkic, Sogdian, Arabic, and Persian
languages. Researchers identified the historical toponomy of the region by
studying the settlement of different ethnic groups and tribes, their language,
culture, and history. The article presents scientific works aimed at analyzing the
toponyms and ethnotoponyms of the Jizzakh oasis, highlighting similarities and
differences between ethnic groups.
Keywords.
Jizzakh oasis, ethnotoponyms, toponomastics, ethnic history,
Turkic toponyms, Sogdian toponyms, archaeology, written sources, regional
research, ethnic composition, the Middle Ages, Zarafshan oasis, Samarkand,
Kashkadarya, ethnological studies.
A certain part of the research devoted to the study of the ethnic history
of the peoples of Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan, through toponomic data, is
the research carried out in the years after the independence of our country. It is
worth noting that in the research conducted during this period, mainly by
relying on primary written sources written in Sugdian, Turkish, Chinese, Arabic-
Persian and other languages, archaeological finds, as well as Sugdian-language
documents and numismatic materials. study made it possible to deeply analyze
the history of the peoples of the region.
It is especially noteworthy that such sources are involved in the history
of the country. U.Tuychiyev, A.Qayumov, S.Karayev, Kh.Khasanov, E.Murzayev,
who have been conducting research for many years on the historical toponomy
of our region, including the composition of the population of the Jizzakh oasis,
toponyms, especially ethnotoponyms, K.Hakimov, P.Gulomov, I.Karimov,
M.Pardayev,
B.Tuychiboev,
Kh.Khashkirli,
G.Boboyorov,
A.Zokirov,
M.Mirakmalov, T.Salimov, G.Normuradova, A.Togayev, A.Bababekov, U.Alibekov,
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Kh.Almanov, A.Pardayev, B.Mirkamilov, A.Bazarbayev, B.Orinboyev's articles
and monographs, we witness new interpretations of the country's history.
In particular, the research carried out by S.Khorayev and K.Hakimov on
the toponyms of the oasis is distinguished by its extensiveness and consistency
[1]. It is observed that some attention is paid to the ethnotoponyms of Jizzakh
oasis [2]. The researchers' good knowledge of oasis toponyms and
ethnotoponymy, in particular, U.Tuychiyev collected primary data on hundreds
of settlements in the Samarkand region and scientifically analyzed them. Most of
the place names in the region were in the oasis in the late 19th - early 20th
centuries. it is noteworthy to determine that it goes back to the existing
ethnonyms.
Looking at the researches of this researcher, we can see that during this
period, the ethnotoponyms of the Jizzakh oasis were similar or close to the
mountain districts of the Samarkand region, the regions bordering the Jizzakh
oasis. When looking at the composition of the population and their location in
the territories of the Jizzakh oasis, it is observed that the settlements of the
population speaking Kipchak, Kharluk, and Oghuz dialects are located
separately. The reason for the location of such a population is probably related
to the arrival of the population to the region at different times.
In the researches of Kh.Hakimov, it was noted that the majority of oasis
toponyms are Sugdian, Persian, and Turkic toponyms, while in "Annotated
dictionary of toponyms of Jizzakh region" by B. Orinboyev, the largest part of
oasis toponyms are Turkic and Sugdian based toponyms. it is observed that it is
the majority [3]. The scientific works of the local historians and archaeologists
A.Gritsina, M.Pardayev, A.Pardayev, A.Raimkulov, B.Tuychiboev, Kh.Almanov,
F.Toshboyev, who studied the history of the peoples of the oasis through
archaeological objects and written sources, are the works of the Jizzakh oasis. is
of great importance in illuminating its historical geography. Although the main
focus of the researchers' scientific research is on the pre-Islamic period of the
Jizzakh oasis, it is distinguished by the fact that it gives certain ideas about the
toponymy of the oasis.
M.Isakov[4], A.Gritsina[5], M.Pardayev, A.Pardayev’s[6] comparing the
ancient Jizzakh oasis with the names of the places preserved today from the
information in Arabic-Persian language sources related to the Middle Ages The
researchers who focused on the issue of the geographical location of historical
toponyms, the etymology of place names, followed the archaeological research
of their colleagues who conducted research in the oasis before them. It can be
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seen that it works based on the results of excavations[7]. This has had a great
impact on the success of scientific research carried out by researchers.
One of the successful researches in the years of independence belongs to
the historian and orientalist Sh.Kamoliddin. In his scientific research, the
researcher mainly based on the works of Arab geographers and compared them
with archaeological materials. In the monograph "Ancient Turkic toponyms of
Central Asia" devoted to the ancient Turkic toponymy of the region, hundreds of
place names were considered, and the researcher identified a significant part of
the toponyms in written sources in Arabic-Persian, Chinese and other languages
of the developed Middle Ages as Turkic places. determined that the names
form[8]. Oriental scholar in this scientific study of Sh.Kamoliddin, he briefly
touched on the historical toponyms of the Jizzakh oasis and showed that an
important part of the toponyms of the oasis was formed on the basis of the
Turkic language.
In the research of G.Boboyorov, who conducted research on Turkish
toponyms in the same region, it is emphasized that there are many toponyms of
Turkish origin in the region [9]. At the same time, in the research of
Sh.Kamaliddin it is quite controversial how many of them try to associate it with
the Turkish language even though it is not originally Turkish. For example, the
analysis of place names ending with the topoformants -gon, -khan on the
Turkish basis is quite controversial [10].
In recent years, A.Malikov, one of the researchers who conducted
ethnological research on Samarkand, which is part of the Zarafshan oasis, and
the neighboring Jizzakh oasis, has a significant scientific research. Similarly, the
researches of A.Togaev, who conducted research in the Forish region of the
oasis, and the researches of A. Bababekov, who conducted field ethnographic
research in the Sangzor-Zomin region, are also important for the study of
ethnotoponyms of the oasis [11]. Also, F.S.Tolipov, A.Pardaev, A.Bazarbaev,
F.Akchaev, Kh.Almanov, who conducted research on the ethnic composition of
the oasis population, have been contributing to the study of the country's history
in one way or another. According to the researcher A.Malikov, the ethnic group
that existed in the Zarafshan oasis and its neighboring areas of Jizzakh in the late
19th - early 20th centuries during the study of the situation, the Uzbek tribes in
the oasis, such as Yuz, Kungyrot, Nayman, Saray, Kipchak, Turkmen ("Nurota
Turkmen" or "Uzbek-Turkmen") published a number of scientific articles [12].
Researcher A.Malikov ethnologically analyzed the composition of 92
Uzbek seeds in his research, and approached the small seeds and balls (horns)
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contained in each seed based on a deep analysis, based on the distribution areas
of these seeds. illuminates.
The researcher pays special attention to ethnonyms related to the
Kazakh, Karakalpak and other Turkic ethnic groups in the oasis. In A.Malikov's
scientific monograph "Turkish ethnonyms and ethnotoponyms of the Zarafshan
Valley (XVIII - early XX centuries)", he mentions more than 300 Turkish
ethnotoponyms in the oasis and explains them by name [13]. It is noteworthy
that T.Salimov, A.Tagayev, A.Bababekov, who conducted research on the ethnic
composition of the oasis population, expressed their attitude to such issues.
Especially B.Tuychiboev and Kh.Kashkirli in their monograph "Language
of Zomin" which is the product of their many years of scientific research briefly
touched on the ethnic units of the population of the oasis, the clans in these
areas and the different groups in their composition. p and have expressed a
number of their thoughts and opinions to branches [14]. F.Akchaev's research
on the history of shrines in the oasis, which plays an important role in the
religious views of the inhabitants of the Jizzakh oasis, also stands out in the
study of the spiritual life of the inhabitants [15]. In the research of
G.Normuradova, who studied the social stratification of the population of
Samarkand region at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, the
social status of the population in the oasis was also analyzed [16], A.Malikov,
U.Tuychiyev, B.Tuychiboev, Kh.Kashqirli, A.Tagayev, We must emphasize that
the researches of A.Bababekov, Kh.Almanov, A.Pardayev are the most consistent
and perfect among other researches carried out on this topic.
A.Malikov as a result of studying the ethnotoponyms of the Zarafshan
oasis, the main attention is paid to the ethnotoponyms existing in the oasis, and
they are comparatively analyzed. In his research, several clans and tribes living
in the Jizzakh oasis meet with different clans living in the Zarafshan oasis in a
situation where they have the same ethnic origin. based on his point of view, he
makes a short comparative analysis of such issues. We can say that our research
is a logical continuation of A.Malikov's research conducted in Zarafshan oasis in
another area. While A.Malikov's research focused on the ethnonyms that are the
basis of toponyms in the Zarafshan oasis, we focus our attention on the internal
network names and ethnotoponyms of clans in the Jizzakh oasis and its
territories. We will also try to clarify ethnotoponyms in the oasis we are
studying.
For example, the ethno toponyms studied by different researchers in the
oasis are considered as a single integrated region without being divided into
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regions, i.e. not divided into a number of districts in the oasis (Bakhmal, Zomin,
Forish, Gallaorol, Yangiabad). Based on the naming, some of these are
ethnotoponyms, patronymics, oronyms, oikonyms during the analysis of various
written sources about the etymology of these names. A number of opinions have
been put forward regarding the fact that it is an ethnotoponym, most of which is
found as the name of one of the Uzbek clans, but no consensus has been reached
[17].
At this point, although the researches of the above researchers did not
cover the entire Jizzakh oasis, according to the nature of its content, the field is
written in an ethnographic direction and is rich in a number of different ideas
that will help our research. A number of ethnologists, in particular, researchers
such as U.Tuychiev, A.Khayumov, O.Buriev, M.Usmonov, S.Tursunov,
Sh.Eshonkulov, focused on the ethnic situation in the southern and central
regions of Uzbekistan. if[18], several dozens of terms cited in the scientific
research of these researchers (oikonym, ethnonym, ethnotoponym,
patronymics, oronyms, etc.) we should mention that some place names in the
Jizzakh region served as an assistant in determining the issue of ethnotoponymy
or giving another meaning. We should emphasize that Zarafshan, the southern
neighbor of the Jizzakh oasis, and Kashkadarya oasis are close to each other, so a
large part of the ethnotoponyms in these regions have a very close similarity
with the ethnotoponymy of the area we are studying[19].
In particular, dozens of ethnotoponyms related to the Uzbek clans of
Kungirot, Barlos, Yuz, and Saray in the mountainous districts and surroundings
of Samarkand, as well as Chiraqi, Khamashi in the Kashkadarya oasis, and the
mountainous districts of the oasis [20] Jizzakh and Zarafshan regions. Also,
settlements of the population associated with several clan names such as
Naiman, Balkhi, Uyshun, Khushchi, Min, Kirk, Barlos, Karakalpok can be found in
the oases we are studying and the oases of Zarafshan, Kashkadarya, and Surhan
on its southern side.
Also, a number of researchers have conducted their scientific research
on the toponyms of the Nurota mountain range, which is considered a
component of the Jizzakh oasis, and its surroundings.
Research scientist G. Boboyorov, in his research on the ethno-political
situation of Central Asia in the territory of Uzbekistan in the early Middle Ages
based on written sources and numismatic materials, it is noticeable that he paid
a lot of attention to Sughd, Ustrushona and Choch oasis [21]. Basically, the
Turkic Khanate, especially during the period of its western wing, in its research
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on the ancient Turkish coins minted in Ustrushona and Sughd, Ferghana and
Choch, emphasizes the occurrence of a number of Turkish titles on Ustrushona
coins as well[22]. In particular, according to G.Boboyorov, who identified the
occurrence of ancient Turkic titles and epithets such as "Satachari", "Rakhanch",
Chirdmish, Panch, "Khotun", "Bilga" in the Sugdian script on the coins of
Ustrushona, the toponym "Turon" on the coins of Samarkand place is closely
related to the ethno-political realities of the early Middle Ages, and Ustrushona
coins have Turkish names coins associated with the title of eltabar are
found[23].
According to G.Boboyorov, in the VI-VIII centuries, the status of Turkic
ethnic groups increased in all aspects in the vicinity of Sughd, which is evidenced
by the establishment of Turkish and Turkic-Sugdian mixed dynasties in
Ustrushona, Panch, Kabuduyan, Nakhlazh and Bukhara[24]. In particular, the
discovery of many coins minted in Ustrushona in the VII-VIII centuries with the
names of rulers with Turkic names and titles, such as Karabogra, Harabugro,
confirms this opinion [25].
Our archaeologists A.Berdimurodov, A.Raimkulov, M.Pardayev, who are
representatives of the Samarkand School of Archaeology, and a number of other
scientists have carried out several scientific works that greatly help in studying
the toponymy of the oasis. In particular, in a number of scientific studies by
A.Raimkulov and M.Pardayev, he paid attention to issues such as the location,
naming, archeological findings, and the place in the life of the oasis of dozens of
ancient settlements in the Jizzakh oasis[26]. Similarly, the research of researcher
A.Pardayev, who carried out a number of scientific works on the ethnic
composition of the oasis population, also plays an important role in the study of
the ethnic composition and ethnotoponyms of the oasis population. in his
research[27]. Another researcher, B.Mirkamilov, in several of his scientific
articles, with a number of opinions, some places in Forish district briefly
touching on the names and expressing his thoughts[28]. The opinions and
comments of the researchers are of great importance in the study and research
of the ethnic history and ethnotoponymy of the oasis.
So, after briefly familiarizing ourselves with the research conducted after
the independence of our country, we will conclude that a number of scientific
studies have been carried out within the framework of this topic, and certain
achievements have been made. included in In particular, the historical
significance of the toponyms of the Jizzakh oasis is highlighted, based on the
analysis of socio-political and ethno-cultural processes that took place in the
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oasis for almost two thousand years, the reasons and factors that played the
main role in the ethnic formation of the population of the country today are
shown.
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