THE TREE CULT IN TURKIC MYTHOLOGY: AS A COSMOLOGICAL SYMBOL AND RELIGIOUS CONCEPT
Begzod Xomitaliyev
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) October 13, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23340502 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review |
|---|---|
| Key findings | Argues that the tree cult served as a central symbolic model in the Turkic mythological worldview, linked to the tripartite model of the universe and to totemism and shamanism, and that it underwent transformation in the post-Islamic period. |
Abstract
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the tree cult in Turkic mythology from cosmological, religious, and social perspectives. The study examines the relationship between the tree cult and the tripartite model of the universe, its role in totemism and shamanism, and the processes of transformation in the post-Islamic period based on scholarly sources. It also explores the semantic layers of the tree symbol and its place in Turkic cultural thought. The results of the study demonstrate that the tree cult emerged as a central symbolic model in the Turkic mythological worldview.