TENGRIISM

TENGRIISM, religious belief of the Mongolian and Turkic tribes. Originated, presumably, in the late 2nd – early 1st millennium BC. T. is based on the belief that nature is animate and man is connected with the surrounding world. According to T., the world consists of underworld, earthly and heavenly spaces inhabited by different deities, headed by the supreme deity Tengri. The plots related to T. are preserved in the Bashkir epics (Kungyr-buga, Ural-batyr, etc), toponyms, legends and lore, etc. Elements of T. are traced in the national holidays (ref. Sabantuy), traditions of veneration of souls of deceased ancestors (ref. the Cult of ancestors), various rituals, etc. After adoption of Islam, the term “Tengri” was used as a form of appeal to Allah. The spreading of T. among Bashkirs in ancient times along with totemism is mentioned in the writings of Ibn Fadlan.