TO THE QUESTION OF THE HISTORICAL BANNERS OF THEKAZAKHS AND THEIR ANCESTORSFlags, banners… Banners, flying in the wind ... Clothes, calling for the unityof the people and the defense of the homeland... Banners, rising up... Withthe horsetails inherited from ancestors..."Туған жерге туыңды тік" – “Raise your banner on your land”, says anold Kazakh saying. There is no state without a banner, and there is nonation without a flag. As soon as people form a society, they need commonsymbols and traditions. From Pacific Ocean to the shores of the Atlantic, onthe whole Earth, people unite under the banners. What are the banners of the Great Steppe? Of the Turkomans, Kazakhs,proto-Kazakhs?

Blue flag of ignoranceBeginning from 1990s, when Kazakhstan becameindependent, a certain flag became popular (Figure 1);it is supposed to be an official flag of the KazakhKhanate (1465 — 1822 (1847).

Figure 1. Invented flag of Kazakh Horde

A blue sheet includes an insignia of an eternal knotfrom Tibetan ornaments. This symbol, which wasinitially Tibetan, may be found with the Slavs, whichled the Russian folk-historian A. Fomenko to state thatthere was a united Russian-Horde Empire1. It is fair tosay that this symbol is found in the Chinese, Tibetan,and Kazakh cultures. It is explained partly by the factthat cultural contacts between the Old Turkic and theOld Chinese states were rather close. It is obviousthat the mutual exchange of goods led to the borrowingof the ornaments. 1 G. Nosovskiy, А. Fomenko. Rus and Crimea. New Chronology. Russian Horde Empire. Moscow

In particular, the patterns resembling the eternal knotmay be seen on the tilework of the assumed mausoleum ofJanybek Khan (1466 -1480), which was recentlydiscovered on the territory of Akmola Region (Figure2). However, this doesn’t refer to heraldry, which hasa separate meaning for each of the cultures2. There areno similar images on the flags and banners of theancient Turkeman peoples and Kazakhs, nor on theweapons and clothes. Taking into account thatarchitectural forms for the Kazakhs and proto-Kazakhswere created mostly by foreign specialists, the patternof the eternal knot is borrowed, and it couldn’t beplaced on the banner.

Figure 2. Fragments of polychromic terra-cotta, coveredwith green glaze. Mausoleum of Janybek

On the sides of the banner, near the flagpole, thereare three white five-pointed stars. Obviously,according to the artist’s design, they were supposed toembody three 3 kazakh tribal unions "zhuz"Kazakhzhuzhs. However, the Kazakhs, except for Soviet period,rarely used five-pointed stars. They only used eight-pointed stars of Oghyz Khan sometimes3. This flag is nothing else than invention of a Turkishartist. According to one of the versions, the scheme ofthis banner was created back in 1960. According to

2Archeologists discovered the mausoleum of Janybek Khan 5 years ago. http://e-history.kz/ru/publications/view/10123Oghuz-Khagan, ancestor-hero in the Oghuz mythology. The image of Oghuz Khan has features of a cultural hero.

another version, in 1980, after military coupe-de-tat,the local pan-Turkists and nationalists decided toissue an agitational banner from out of flags of OldTurkic states. Under the guidance of Rekh Oghuz Turkhan(1920-2010) – a very well-read and ideologic man – acalendar and series of stamps were issued (Figure 3).However, the writer himself was not the creator of theflag of Kazakh Khanate, and the name of the artist-creator is not unknown. Another issue is that with theabsence of anything else, this blue flag with the imageof the “eternal knot” and three five-pointed starsquickly filled the vacuum that had existed around thetopic of Vexillology of Kazakh Khanate.

Figure 3. Series of stamps, issued in Turkey in 1980

Then these figures of flags of Old-Turkic states werepresented at the conference of authoritative Turkishorganization TürkTarihKurumu (Turkish historicalsociety). This is covered in the article of Professor Bukra DogaIkinchi4. He says that some of 16 flags of Turkicempires, which since recently have been used duringceremonies by the president of Turkey, Recep TayyipErdogan, are not quite historically accurate.5 Let us

4 «Cumhurbaşkanlığıforsundaki 16 yıldızneyiifadeediyor?»Prof. Dr. EkremBuğraEkinci «Türkiye» gazetesi2.2.20155EskiTürkdevletiaskerleriAliyev'ikarşıladı http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/27972452.asp

not argue here, but, in our opinion, it is true, asmany of them do not reflect general Turkic semanticsand heraldry. One may be sure that the flag that waspresented in 1980 as a banner of the Kazakh Khanate wasjust an invention of the artist. It is fair to say that during the Curtain of the USSR,the Turkish specialists didn’t have that level ofaccess to historic sources which that they have today.The Turkish scientists were not allowed to work in theUSSR. That’s why the flag that was created by theideologic pan-Turkists quickly became a symbol of theancestors’ glory in independent Kazakhstan. Nowadays,it is used for political objectives, having nohistorical or sacred reasoning. A vivid example of this is – an agitational banner withfeigned flag of the Kazakh Khanate, which, with theproclamation of Kazakhstan’s independence, got in thecountry and quickly took its niche in the ideology offlag-waving. Again, all of that was die to ignoranceand low level of knowledge. During Soviet timesperiod,there was no research on the Kazakh heraldry and statesymbols. Still, this feigned flag has been the mainsymbol of the greatness of the ancestors for 24 years.It has been used by patriotic artists, which arereluctant to study the history of heraldry, but stillwant to create something authentic and with the spiritof Kazakhstan. However, it is a simple matter, especially taking intoaccount the modern level of technologies – spending acouple of months for studying the flags of our fathersand creating a thread which would connect the glory ofthe ancestors with the achievements of descendants.

Descendants of the Heavenly wolf

Three thousand years ago in Altai, there appeared atribe of Turkoman, the descendants of which acquiredvast Eurasian territory from Baikal to the Balkans. It

was themThey were ones who founded the tradition ofmodern Turkic speaking nations: Sakha, Tuvinian,Kazakhs, Uzbeks, KirghizKyrgyz, Turkmen, Azerbaijani,Turks and others. Still, in those distant timesBut in the distant past,when the power and glory of the Turkic Kaganate wasrecently established (552 — 603), the whole nationunited under one banner. That banner was Kok Bori Көк Бөрі (Bozkurt) – theHeavenly wolf. As the legend says, his ancestor was thehead of Kaganate (ruling) family of Ashin, who was bornfrom a she-wolf and founded the Turkic nation. He “abovethe gates of his lodging he put the banner with a head of a wolf – as amemory of his ancestry”6. The academician A. Margulan pointsout that the Turkemans borrowed the totem of wolf fromthe proto-Turkemans – the Huns7. Bilge-Kagan (716 — 734), who is known from the texts onthe stone stelae of the ancient Turkemans, compares thehost of his father with a wolf:“As heavens granted [them] power,The host of my father-chagan Kagan was like a wolf”8. At that, the comparison with wolves was peculiar notonly for the ancient TurkemanTurkoman peoples, but alsofor later Turkic speaking nations, like Cumans,Pechenegs, Kazakhs and others. In the Old Russian poem“Zadonshchina”, the invasion of Cumans is compared toattack of gray wolves: “And gray wolves came fromestuary of the Don and the Dnieper, and fought on theriver, on Mech, wishing to invade Russian land. Thosewere not gray wolves – came vileTatarsприидошапоганныетатаровя, want to cross withfighting all Russian land”9.6 Collection of knowledge of races inhabiting Middle Asia in ancient times. 1950. Author: N.Y. Bichurin7А. Margulan “Petroglyph with totems of wolf. Totem of Shaprashty tribe”. Kazakh’s World. Institute for development of Kazakhstan. 1997.8 M. Dzholdasbekov “Stones spoke”. Library of “Amanat” journal. 2003. 9 Dmitriy Likhachev. Tales and legends of Battle of Kulikovo. “NAUKA” Publishing House. 1982

It is obvious that wolf, as a primal forefather, becamethe main symbol of the TurkemanTurkoman peoples, whichwas reflected on the banners that immediately receiveda very high sacred meaning. A huge role of a banner, as an important symbol thatdemonstrates high social status of its owner andbearer, was explained primarily by the fact that a flagfor many other Turkic peoples was “not only an externalexpression of unity of a tribe or main sign of social power, but an essentialcondition of the latter, a sacred guarantee of influence and rule of a chiefover all other members of the society”10.In whole, the ancient Turkemans vividly distinguishedall attributes of banner complex: banners, flags,horsetails, and standards. Academician Z. Samashevstates that banners were the official insignias of theruler’s power, while flags and standards were frombatlemasters’ domain, and horsetails – from warriors’domain11. Obviously, one of the first symbols-banners was achief’s spear with wolf’s tail or a bun of wolf fur.Thus, the horsetails appeared that were one of thefirst components of banner complexes.According to M. Fasmer, horsetail is “a horse tail,falling from the top, having a crescent form; symbol ofhigher power…”. “Horsetail, or insignia of thecommander…, consisting of horse tail, hung under thecross of a spear or a peak, is very well-known from themilitary history of the Ottomans and Middle AsianTurkemans Turkoman people and the Mongols”, writesRoerich. 12.For horsetails the ancient Turkemans Turkoman peoplewould use wolf or horse tails, or hair locks of otheranimals. Probably, even the scalps of powerful enemies,10 Okladnikov А. P. Horse and banner on Lena carvings // The Turkic bulletin. Issue No. 1. — М., 195111 Z. Samashev “Rock carvings of Upper Irtysh”. Almaty. Gylym. 1992. 12 О.S. Sovetova, А.N. Mekhareva. Use of banners in warfare of medieval nomads(based on graphic sources). // Archeology of South Siberia. Issue No. 23. Kemerovo: 2005.

like in the culture of the North American Indians. Weshould also mention the Kazakh tradition of shashaks –horsetails, braided from the hair of defeated enemy.According to the epic sources, these shashakhs werehung by the warriors near the peak of a spear, attachedto shields, sabres, and kamchas. According to A.Z.Turkhanova, shashakhs played the role of psychologicalattack on the enemies before the decisive battle13. Here one might recall a famous saying by the Russianscientist G.V. Vilinbakhov, “Obviously, it’s quite fairto say that the first banner was a staff in the hand ofthe first shepherd, who was walking in the front of thevery first herd. That staff was a symbol of theshepherd’s power over the herd and a symbol of unitingof the herd around the shepherd”14. That staff featureda lock of hair of totem animal or, probably, a defeatedenemy. StillHowever, the first banner flagpole ofTurkoman people , who Old Turkic first banner flagpole(and the Turkemans, primarily, considered themselves tobe warriors,) was not a staff, but a spear. Later there appeared cloth varieties of horsetails inthe form of flags with triangular cut, which wereattached to the pikestaff. Academician Zeynolla Samashev points out that“probably, the form of horsetail was strictlyspecified, so the rock carvings of the whole areal ofthe ancient Turkic peoples show various types of them.This can be explained by the reasons of ethnical,social, and other matters15”. That is, the horsetailshowed the position of its owner. A lot of famous petroglyphs of the Old Turkic periodinclude images of horsemen armed with spears featuring

13 STEPPE HERALDRY: INSIGNIAS, TANGAS, STAMPS. Associate professor of the department of international realions, ESU named after N. Gumilev A.Z. Turkhanova, article for “Anzhi” journal (Poland). 14Banner is sacred gonfalon // Emblem and flag of Russia. X – XX centuries./ ed. by G.V. Vilinbakhov. - М., 1997.15 Z. Samashev “Көне түркі графикасы” Monograph. Turkic Academy. Astana 2013

horsetails. For example, Kara-Oyuk in Mountainous Altaiand Zhaltyrak-Tas in Zhetysu (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Petroglyphs with banner-bearers

In the sources, the traditional Old Turkic banner iscalled “tug”, or “tu”, and is actually a horse tail(or lock of horse hair), attached to the pole (spear,staff), i.e., it is a horsetail itself.The version on origin of banners from a spear issupported by Chuvash researcher N.Y. Bichurin(September 9, 1777 — May 11 (23), 1853), founding onChinese sources, “From weapons (the Turkemans Turkomanpeople – А. U.) - horn bows with whistling arrows, armor, spears,sabres, and broadswords. Banners with golden wolf head”16. It issaid also that banner complex of the ancient TurkemansTurkoman people was appended by golden peaks in theform of wolf heads. A famous Russian archeologist and Turkic researcherA.P. Okladnikov (October 3, 1908 — November 18, 1981)points out that the ancient Turkemans Turkoman peoplehad banners with peaks in the form of wolf head, aswolf was considered to be the ancestor of this nation17.A.P. Okladnikov thought that “peaks” were the oldestbanners of steppe peoples and resembled the Persianones. These were figured articles made of copper and16 Collection of knowledge on peoples inhabiting Middle Asia in ancient times.1950. Author: N.Y. Michurin17A.P. Okladnikov. Horse and banner on Lenskiy carvings // Turkic bulletin. Issue 1. — М., 1951.

bronze, peculiar for the Scythian culture of EasternEurope and the contemporary steppe cultures of CentralAsia – up to Ordos and Northern China. They depictedvarious animals and, sometimes, humans. “Wolf-like” bannersof the ancient peoples were, probably, the same figured standards as thebanners with dragon head in Sasanian Iran (224 — 652) or banners witheagles with Romans”18 (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Sasanian standard. Reconstruction by K.V.Trever19.

Assuming that initially this was a spear or a staffwith a stuck head of totem animal, and only later onthe peaks began to be made of silver and bronze. Fatherof the Kazakh archeology Alkey Margulan (May 10, 1904 –January 14, 1985) writes that the ancient TurkemansTurkoman people attached golden banner with wolf headto sharp end of a long spear. Wolf head inspired awarrior’s spirit for victory20.

18 О.S. Sovetova, А.N. Mukhareva. . Use of banners in warfare of medieval nomads(based on graphic sources). // Archeology of Southern Siberia. Issue 23. [Bulletin for 60th anniversary of V.V. Bobrov.] Kemerovo: 2005. 19K.V. Trever. Silver peak of Sasanian standard. // Works of Eastern department of the State Hermitage. B. III. Л., 1940, p. 176, Fig. 220 А. Margulan “Petroglyph with totems of wolf. Totem of Shaprashty tribe”. Kazakh’s World. Institute for development of Kazakhstan. 1997.

Variety of sources mention that during the horse ride,when horseman brought up a banner, the air, comingthrough the hole, produced the sound resembling wolfhowl. The tail on the peak was often made, according tothe Chinese manner, of light cloth, which, when filledwith air, made a banner with a wolf head look like aflying dragon. However, the very head resembled adragon one. This aspect became a source for the Old Roman and othersources on the Eastern peoples, led by dragon banners.I shall risk assuming that ballads about knightsfighting scary dragons originate from the skirmishes ofthe proto-Turkemans Turkoman people (the Scythians andthe Sarmatians) with European peoples. The banners, similar to Turkic wolf-head one, weredescribed in detail by the Old Greek historian andgeographer, who was in the service of the Roman Empire,Flavius Arrianus in AD 135: “Scythian military insignias aredragons, waving on the poles of appropriate length.21”This proves the authenticity of the Turkic peoples asto the Scythians. The famous Turkish scientist EmelEsyn writes that wolf banner is a hybrid wolf-dragonthat passed to the Turk omanTurkeman from the Huns’culture, which had a cult of the Heavenly dragon22. The Russian scientist S.V. Dmitriev mentions theepithets of Shaybanid Abdullah Khan (XVI century):“majestic as a dragon”, “flag, like a dragon banner”,during the march of Ubaydullah-Khan to Balkh in 1118(1707), a “great horsetail and dragon banner” arementioned.23 It is obvious that the Shaybanids (1500-1598), which came from dynasties Altyn Ordy Orda (1224— 1483), which in its turn borrowed a lot from the

21Arrianus. Tactical art. / A.K. Nefedkin. SPB.: Department of philology and art SSU; Nector-Istoria, 201022EmelEsin -TürkKozmolojisineGiriş. Ankara. 1972 y. 23S. V. Dmitriev “Banner in military and political culture of Turkic and Mongolian nomads” Journal of sociology and social anthropology. Book VI. 2001.

ancient Turkoman peopleTurkemans, used a wolf headbanner. In any case, the general semantics of wolf and dragonbanners exists. With time, the Turkic tribes beganusing banners, besides peaks. The most famous Turkicwolf head banner has the semantics of all threecultures of Turkic, Chinese, and Sogdian peoples. This fresco from ancient Sogdian settlement Pendzhikent(AD V—VIII centuries) shows a Turkic warrior with wolfhead banner on the spear, accompanied by a dragon(Figure 6).

Figure 6. Fresco Pendzhikent

By order of Central State Museum of the Republic ofKazakhstan, the famous Russian scientist M.V. Gorelik(1946-2015) reconstructed a Turkic banner. Theresearcher worked on the basis of wall carvings inEastern Turkestan and icons from Dunhuang, and also ofthe silver head of a predator of Sogdian origin of VIIcentury, which are kept in the Hermitage. The ornamentsof the banner feature patterns of the Sogdian andChinese cloths of VII-VIII centuries (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Old Turkic banner. Reconstruction by M.Gorelik

The Russian word “bunchuk” (“horsetail”) originatedfrom the Turkic “bonshak” and “monshak”.24 A wolf head banner was used in many Turkic states andby many peoples. It survived rises and falls of theTurkic Kaganates, and it was used by the ancientKirghizs Kyghys and Uighurs (Figure 8)With timeIn course of time, the metal peak of the wolfhead was replaced by a simple image on the banner – orthe banner itself looked like a grinned wolf head. А. Margulan points out that there are about 15 bannersof the Turkic Kaganate with the wolf head featuringpointed ears, painted in color..

24 А. Turkhanova. INSIGNIAS, TAMGAS, STAMPS AS EXPONENTS OF STEPPE CULTURE. Report at the conference “SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND “GREEN ECONOMY” IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN: STATE AND TRENDS” 2014.

Figure 8. Figure of Kirghiz Kygyz horseback warrior onthe carving of VII-IX centuries. Two wolf head flags,attached to the spear, are clearly seen.

Many rock carvings of the Turkic areal of Eurasiafeature banners with wolf heads (Figure 9). Such highoccurrence of wolf figure is a proof of power andworship of wolf totem among the ancient tribes.Worship of wolf totem preserved to our days withKazakhs of the tribe Sshapyrashty of Elder Zhuzh, whichtraditionally preserved certain manners of the OldHuns25.The cult of wolf was connected with the Kazakh tribeSshapyrashty during a very long time, so it’s clearthat some traditions of this cult preserved to ourdays.Thus, young women that wanted to have a boy ate wolf'sliver and heart. Shapyrashty people attach wolf earsand paws to a cradle, as a talisman. In some houses,old spears with wolf banner are still preserved26.25А. Margulan “Petroglyph with totems of wolf. Totem of Shaprashty tribe”. Kazakh’s World. Institute for development of Kazakhstan. 1997.26 А. Margulan. Same source.

Let us recall the verses of the Kazakh akin (poet)Suyunbai Aron-uly:Бөрі басы ұранымБөрілі менің байрағым.Бөрілі байрак көтерсе,Қозып кетер кайдағым.Wolf head is my battle call,Wolf den is my homeland,When wolf banner rises,You’re taken by battle spirit27.

Figure 9. Images of the Old Turkic banner-bearers(petroglyphs). 1-6 — Shishkin carvings, the Lena(Okladnikov, Zaporozhskaya); 7, 13, 14 — Tamgaly,Kazakhstan, 8-10 — Eshkiolmes, Kazakhstan (Mariashev,Goryachev, Potapov); 11, 12 — Oi-Dzhayliau, Kazakhstan,15 — Tamgaly, Kazakhstan (Medoev)28.

27 Translation of A. Umarovacademician A. Margulan. 28 О.S. Sovetova, А.N. Mukhareva. “Use of banners in warfare of medieval nomads”

Among modern Turkic speaking peoples, the image of wolfpreserved on the flag of the Gagauz autonomy (Figure10) and the Nogai people (Figure 11).

Figure 10. Flag of the Gagauz

Figure 11. Flag of the Nogai

The cult of wolf head banner preserved among theTurkoman peopleTurkemans for a long time. очень долго.The Great Turkic State ceased to exist, new countriesarose, but the cult of the great ancestor of Heavenlywolf preserved. For banner and flag in everyday life ofthe Turkoman peopleTurkemans was not only the sign ofnationhood and collective conscience. That was aninstrument of self-organization of society and army,

during peaceful periods and in time ofduring war.Breakage into smaller states led to the fact that eventhe Turkic flags became of different colors.

Color of power and of lifeThe Old Turkic banners and flags were determined as“tu” (“tug”), bairak, and zhalau (yaulav). These namespreserved in all modern Turkic peoples, as ifdemonstrating the bridge between the past and thefuture, as well as preservation of the Turkomanpeople's Turkemans’ adherence to a single commonbanner. By the way, the Old Turkic and Old Chinese word “tu”stands for “banner”, which yet again proves theconnection of the Turkic and Chinese cultures. At that,the cultural interpenetration related largely to thesemantics of warfare – in particular, the bannerregulation of a host, which is described in Chinese wartreatises.In his famous treatise “The Art of War”, Sun Tzu (VIcentury BC) says that “...during night battle use signal fires anddrums, while during day battle – banners and flags, as means influencingears and eyes of soldiers”. Wuzi writes: “drums, attabals, gongs, andbells are used for influencing hearing; horsetails, banners, flags, andinsignia – for influencing vision...”29. Without banners andhorsetails there is no battle rank. [Wuzi, Chapter IV,P. 3, 1]. As banners and insignias are used as meansfor commanding the host and the means for command, theyhave to move in a strict order. When this order isbroken, it may be concluded that there is no rightbattle rank.Moreover, the Chinese borrowed a lot from the ancientTurkoman peopleTurkemans. In particular, troops of“бөріBori” – heavily armed horsemen with long combinedspears the shafts of which featured flag with scallop29О.S. Sovetova, А.N. Mukhareva. “Use of banners in warfare of medieval nomads”

edge, which showed the military status and place ofhousing of a troop. Turkic host had banners with wolfhead of many colors, and special “arrows with goldenpoints and wax seal”30 were used.

Figure 12. Petroglyphs Khar-Khad. Turkic warriors inarmor and with horsetails near the spear-ends

The fact that banners served for designation of rank isproved by the Chinese sources: “Army consists of three parts –center, right flank, and left flank. The center’s banner is yellow, left flank’sbanner is blue, and right flank’s banner is white. Correspondingly, thesoldiers have yellow, blue, and white feathers on their caps”31. For ancient Turkoman peopleTurkemans, colors of rankshad regulatory means of connection during war and atpeace. Black was means north, red – south, white – west, blue– east, and center – yellow or golden32. Thus there is confusion, as to what color had the flagof ancient Turkoman peopleTurkemans. For example, bluebanner with wolf head, mentioned in several sources,shows that it belonged to East TurkomanpeopleTurkemans. Describing the war of the ancientUighurs with the ancient Turkoman peopleTurkemans,Makhmud Kashgari (1029-1274) pointed at the red banner:Placing horsetails on horses,

30 Y.S. Khudyakov. Golden wolf head on battle banners. Weapons and wars of ancient Turkemans in Eurasian steppes. SPb: 2007. Y.S. Khudyakov31О.S. Sovetova, А.N. Mukhareva. “Use of banners in warfare of medieval nomads”32Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kafalı .TÜRK KÜLTÜRÜNDE RENKLER. (YÖRTÜRK DERGİSİ SAYI : 42)

To the Uigurs and TatsTo thieves and foul dogsWe flew like birdsRed banner was seen aloftBlack ash went up33

Red color was used for ancient banners of the KirghizsKyrgys (Kazakhs), Ccumans, the Oghuz, and Tamerlane)34

(1336-1405). In whole, red color for ancient TurkomanpeopleTurkemans was a sign of power and life, a symbolof fire. That is, it was a symbol of colors of life. Atthat, red color of banners could be used by SouthTurkoman peopleTurkemans. For example, flag of theOttoman Empire (1299 — 1922) - (Figure 13) consists ofred and yellow colors (state of the central Turkemansof the West), the flag of the Republic of Turkey(Figure 14) – of red and white (state of South-EastTurkoman peopleTurkemans). The flag of the Kirghizs Kygys is red (Figure 15).Besides, some Kirghiz Kygyz researchers think that itscolor is related to theе Kirghiz Kygyz Kaganate (840 —924), which fell under the onset of the West TurkomanpeopleTurkemans and took their banner. According toanother version, the flag of the epic hero Manas wasalso red35. Based on the semantics of Kirghizstan’sKyrgyzstan’s flag, red color may define the WestTurkoman peopleTurkemans, and yellow color – denote thecentrality of the Kirghiz Kygyz ethnic group.

33Translation of Makhmnud Kashgari. Karl Reichl. Singing the Past: Turkic and Medieval Heroic Poetry .Cornell University Press; 200034Prof.W.Trembicky, Flags of non-Russian peoples under soviet rule, The Flag Bulletin VIII:3, Lexington, 196935http://pandia.org/text/78/235/20758.php

Figure 13. Flag of the Ottoman Empire 1453-1844

Figure 14. State flag of the Rebublic of Turkey

Figure 15. State flag of the Kirghiz Kygyz Republic

Red color is present in the flags of Azerbaijan,Northern Cyprus, Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Sakha (Yakutia),the Karachays, and the Syrian Turkmen.Assuming that red banner could appear out of whitebanner, sprinkled with sacrificial blood. White color,in semantics of the Turkoman peopleTurkemans, denotedstability and peace in the state. Still, during startof war or battle, the chief would sprinkle the bannerwith his own blood. This tradition was followed in theempire of Genghis Khan (1206 — 1368), successor of the

Turkic Kaganates. The white flag in that state was asymbol of peace, red – symbol of conflict36. The chiefs would conduct the ceremony of sprinkle ofthe banner with their own blood: Jamukha, before themarch of allied forces of Wan Khan, Temnujin, andJamukha against the Merkits, performed the ceremony ofbanner sprinkling – the same was done by Wan Khan.Before the victory over the Naimans, Genghis Khansprinkled the banner, too37. His banner was white, aswell: “As to the ceremonial guard of Genghis, there is a pure whitebanner, which is held aloft as a sign of distinction”38.According to the Ddoctor of Hhistorical SsciencesAkhmet Toktabay, the legends say that above the yourtof Abylay Khan (1711—1781) there was a white silk lag.The legend says that before the battle, the Khan wouldcut his thumb and sprinkle the flag with his blood. Itis considered that this Abylay would return the debt tored banners of his ancestors Chingisids39.At that, the white color was considered to be elite. Inparticular, according to the legend, written down byPrzhevalsky, Russian hunter kills three-fathom wolf andreceives a maid and sky white banner from Genghis Khan.Thus, Russian Emperor was called White Tzar among thenations of Central Asia and Siberia.40 Obviously, thislegend tells about the expansion of Russia to newterritories, expressed in the taking of white banner.

36 The companion of Plano Carpini, brother Benedict writes that during coronation of Guyuk, all electors were clad in white, and there was no consensus. On the third day, when all member of kurultai were clad in red silk, the final decision was made. That is, threat of civil was quickened theelection of the head of the state.

37 Secret history of the Mongols (translated by S.A. Kozin)38 Men-da bey-lu (“Full description of the Mogol-Tatars”). (translated by N.T.Munkueva). М. Nauka. 197539 “Pride for the country”. “Caspian commune” 26.11.201140 S. V. Dmitriev “Banner in military and political culture of Turkic and Mongolian nomads” Journal of sociology and social anthropology. 2001. B. IV. № 4

In the Rus, before Peter the First, the state flag waswhite with golden two-headed eagle. This banner wascalled by the Turkic word “yasak”41 (Figure 16).

Figure 16. Yasak flag. Reconstruction by A. Umarov.

Obviously, that was influence of the times when Ruspaid tribute (yasak) to the Horde. Then this banner wasused by strengthened Muscovy for collecting tributefrom dependent tribes, positioning itself as successorof the Horde. Peter the First, conducting themodernization of Russia, introduced a new three-coloredflag, still preserving the white color. However, it israther interesting that the same tradition existed inWestern Europe, where a white banner with emblemsymbolized the monarchy.There are also other colors of banners in descriptions:green, black, and spotty. At that, the ancient Turkoman peopleTurkemans valuedblue color of the sky. The word with a meaning of “sky”is a determinative of indigo (blue) color in Turkiclanguages – for example “көк – тәңріKok Taniri”. Forthe ancient Turkoman peopleTurkemans, “КөктәңріKokTaniri” means inseparable notion of “Heavenly god”. Inthe language conscience of the Turkic nations, theconcepts “sky”, “blue”, and “god” are united and form asemantic paradigm of traditional image of the worldbeginning from ancient times42. Correspondingly, thenational colors of the Turkoman peopleTurkemans were of41 Arsenyev Y.V. To the issue of white color of tsar banner, existing in Rus before the beginning of XVIII century. SPb., 1911.

sky blue color, which enabled many scientists toemphasize the sky blue color of the main state flag ofthe Great Turkic Kaganate. Turkic kok – color of skyand grass – was associated with divine substance, as anancestor of the family43.Nowadays, indigo (sky blue) color is very popular inheraldry of the Turkic tribes. At the beginning of1920, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938) considered apossibility for changing the red flag of the OttomanEmpire by the sky blue flag with white crescent. Heeven suggested that to the Great National Assembly ofTurkey, but didn’t get the approval44. From the moment of activation of Pan-Turkic movementsfrom the beginning of XX century, there has been aTurkoman peopleTurkemans; blue flag with a wolf head,which, obviously, has nothing to do with the time ofthe Great Turkic Kaganate (Figure 17). However, thisbanner is widely used in the Turkic societies.

Figure 17. Sky blue flag (Gekbayrak)

Sky blue color is mentioned, as a symbol of the Turkicpeoples, by famous ideologist of pan-Turkists ZakitoganValidi and Sadri Maskudi45. 42Reflection of the formula of the ancient Turkic world in Kazakh vocabulary. О.S. Sapashev, PhD in philology, Head of ESIC of humanitarian studies of EKSUnamed after S. Amanzholov. http://www.vkgu.kz/ru/struct_podrazdeleniya/Unts_GN/Trudi_sotrudnikov.htm43Zhuldyz Tanieva. Symbolism of color as a bearer of cultural codes. Prostor. 2010. 44YılmazKoç, "Unutulanlar". 200945S.М.Iskhakov, А.Z.Validov: staying in power. Journal: National history, №6,М, 1997.

Various shades of indigo – from blue to purple – werepresent in the flags of the Turkic-speaking republicsof the USSR: the Kazakh SSR (Figure 18), the KirghizKygyz SSR (Figure 19), the Azerbaijan SSR (Figure 20),the Uzbek SSR (Figure 21), the Turkmen SSR (Figure22)46.

Figure 18. Flag of the Kazakh SSR

Figure 19. Flag of the Kirghiz SSR

46On January 20, 1947, the Resolution of Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR “Regarding state flags of the Soviet republics” was issued: It is advisable to implement changes in the current state flags of the Soviet republics, in order for the state flag of the soviet republic to reflect the idea of the Soviet state (a flag includes the emblem of the USSR - sickle and hammer, five-pointed star, preservation of red color) and national peculiarities of the republic (introduction of other colors, apart from the red, their positioning, implementation of national ornament).

Figure 20. Flaf of the Azerbaijan SSR

Figure 21. Flag of the Uzbek SSR

Figure 22. Flag of the Turkmen SSR

It is unknown, whence the indigo appeared on the flagof the Soviet republics. One version says than thiscolor scale meant revolution that conquered oceans andsky. Still, it is possible that Soviet heraldry masterssubconsciously took into account the Turkic factor –all the more so that combination of red and indigo wasalready used in the flag of the Turkestan self-rule(the Kokand Autonomy), pan-Turkist state which existedfrom September 27, 1917 to February 22, 1918 (Figure23). At the suggestion of the head of the department offoreign affairs of the Temporary National Council,

Mustafa Chokaev (1890-1941), a flag, consisting of redand blue horizontal equal stripes with white crescentand five-pointed stars, was approved. Blue color was asymbol of the fact that most of Turkestan’s populationwere the Turkoman peopleTurkemans, and red – of renewaland revolution47.

Figure 23. Flag of the Turkestan self-rule (the KokandAutonomy)

It should be noted that indigo is present in flags ofthe Armenian and Georgian SSRs. Probably, that’s whySoviet heraldry masters were led by some ideas thatwere known only to them. The first independent Turkic state that used sky bluecolor as a background for flag was the Republic ofKazakhstan (Figure 24).

Figure 24. State flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The state flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan is arectangular width of blue color with the image of sunwith rays in the center, beneath which is the hoveringeagle. The shaft has vertical strip with national

47S.М.Iskhakov, А.Z.Validov: staying in power. Journal: National history, №6,М, 1997

ornament. The image of the sun, its rays, the eagle,and national ornament are all of golden color.The author of the State flag of the Republic ofKazakhstan is Shaken Niyazbekov, the honored artist ofKazakhstan Shaken Niyazbekov48.The tradition of indigo (sky blue) banner quicklyspread among new Turkic states and territories of atthe end of the 20th century. In the Turkic-speakingenvironment, the notion “gekbayrak” received widerfeatures (Figure 25).

Figure 25. Types of modern flags of sky blue color,used nowadays. 1. Crimean Tatars. 2. East Turkestan. 3.Banner of sky Turkemans. 4. Flag of the Council ofheads of the Turkic states. 5. The Republic ofKazakhstan. 6. Sakha (Yakutia).

The flag of the Council of heads of the Turkic states(Turkic Council), which includes Azerbaijan,Kazakhstan, KirghizstanKyrgystan, and Turkey, is alsosky blue. (Figure 26).

48http://www.akorda.kz/ru/category/about_simbols

Figure 26. Flag of the Turkic Council

Semantics of the flag is described in the followingway: sky blue color – from Kazakhstan, crescent – fromTurkey, sun – from KirghizstanKyrgyzstan, eight-pointedstar – from Azerbaijan. Indigo and white colorssymbolize the expansion of the Turkoman peopleTurkemansfrom East to West49.

The Kazakh banner cultureNowadays, no one denies the historical connection ofthe ancient Turkic Kaganates, the Empire of GenghisKhan, post Golden Horde states, and the Kazakh Khanate.Semantics and state traditions are very similar.Genghis Khan calls himself the successor of the ancientKagans, and his descendants, tore-Chingisids, had anexclusive right to occupy the ruling throne on theterritory of Central Asia50. Naturally, the succession influenced almost all aspectsof life. For example, in the ancient Turkic Kaganates,Altyn Horde and Kazakh Khanate, the coronation wasperformed similar to rise of the monarch on whitefelt51. 49TürkKonseyiözünedöndü. Sabah. 30.11.201250 Not only Central Asia but also many other states. For example, during the Time of Troubles in Russia, boyars considered the issue of coronation of the nephew of Kazakh Khan, Tauekel Oraz-Mukhammed, as he was the Chingisid by family line. 51Iakinph Bichurin, founding on the Chinese sources, writes that in the TurkicKaganate, “when elevating the monarch on the throne, the closest important

The same is fair for state symbols, including banners. As was stated above, beginning from the ancient TurkicKaganates, various colors were used for flags. However,the most important was the white banner. Obviously, itpassed on to the Empire of Genghis Khan. And from it –to the White (XIII—XV centuries) and Blue (1428 -1480)Hordes, which were the start of Kazakh Khanate. Like in the preceding periods, banners were relics,important sacred symbols of the state, tribe, andfamily52.It is clear that at first, the Kazakh Khans used nine-stand white horsetail banner as their main sacred relic(Figure 27). It was a sign of supreme power, passed todescendants of Great Kagan Genghis Khan. It is unknown,from which materials the horsetails were made, but ispossible that shashaks53 of the hair of defeated peopleswere used. Nine white horsetail banners are related tonine white peaks of ancient Altai, whence the firstTurkoman people Turkemans appeared. The Altai folk-song“Kan-Altai” tells of nine-edged Altai:“When seen from above,Kan-Altai is TRIangular.If it is seen from aside,NINE-edged is Kan-Altai”.(translation by V.I. Verbitskiy)54

noblemen seat him on felt, and carry him nine times according to the sun”. Itreminds greatly of the election of khans in the Golden and Kazakh Hordes.52 The issue of banner tradition of Kazakhs, including not only military, but everyday life, requires separate and deep studying. 53 Kazakh military tradition of shashaks – horsetails made of the hair of defeated enemy54Galimzyanov А. Symbolism of numbers of the oriental peoples. 2002. -Access: www.ayratgalim.narod.ru/stat/chisel. htm.

Figure 27. White nine-stand horsetail banner.Reconstruction by A. Umarov and A. Ospanov

Referring to knowledge of Makhmud Kashgari, academicianV.V. Bartold stated that “the highest number of bannersthat could be owned by one khan, was nine55; a khan withnine banners (tokuztuglug khan) was deemed to be themost powerful khan56”. Nine Kazakh banners are mentionedin the work “Bakhr al-asrar” by Makhmud ibn Vali (XVIIcentury). In “Tarikh” by Shakh Makhmud Churas (XVIIcentury), there is mention of seven horsetails andbanner of the Kazakh ruler Khak-Nazar57.It is told that it was during the rule of the KazakhHorde khan, Khak Nazar (1560-1580), in the war againstthe ruler of Yarkend Abd ar-Rashid-khan, during thebattle of Emil, the white nine-stand banner was lost.55 “Nine” is a sacred number in Turkic picture of the world. Nine banners might have derived from nine tribes of “tokuz-oghuz”. Besides, “nine” is present in the game “togyz-kumalak”; for Crimean Tatars, NINE items – “DOKUZLAMA” – are a gift for the bride from the groom, and the Kazakhs make dowry out of nine items.56Bartold V.V. Essays. Book 5. (Moscow: “Nauka” Publishing house. Main department of oriental literature, 1968)57Atygaev N: Symbols of power: For 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate / Written by R. Shulembaeva // Kazakhstanskaya pravda. - 2015. – February 20.

That was a disastrous defeat of the Kazakhs, in whichthe khan Khak-Nazar was slain, as well as manyrepresentatives of the tore (Chingisids). “Beginning fromthat day /80b/, the Kazakhs didn’t have the custom of raising the horsetail(tug) and the banner ('alam). Up to this time, there is a token that [they] donot have the banner [and they have a custom] — to form a new hostwithout [any] banner”, writes medieval chronicler Makhmudben Wali. 58. It is clear that here it is stated that after thedefeat the Kazakhs didn’t possess the sacred relic –white nine-stand banner of Genghis-Khan. The artifactwas lost without a trace. After the battle, warriors ofYarkend khan gathered only “seven horsetails and banners of torafrom the Dzhuchi family59”. It would be a mistake to say that the Kazakhs didn’tuse the banners from that time on. Quite on thecontrary, banners, horsetails, and flags were the mainregulators of military and social life during the timesof ancient kaganates, and the times of theirdescendants. The Kazakh language possesses a lot ofmany phrases with“tu” – a banner: ала туAla tu → striped banner (Ablai) Altyn naizaly bori bas tuалтын найзалыбөрі бас ту →wolf head banner on a golden spear. жасыл туZhassyl tu→ green banner (or religious context, denotes the powerover certain tribes, passed from Khan Bolat to SultanAblai)60.

58 MAKHMUD BEN WALI MANY SERETS, REGARDING VALOR OF NOBLES. Materials on the history of the Kazakh Khanates of XV-XVIII centuries. (Abstracts of Persian and Turkic essays). Alma-Ata. Nauka. 1969http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/rus15/Machmud_ben_Vali/pred.phtml text - Pishchulina К.59“Histort of Shakh Makhmud ben Mirz Fazilchoras”. (translated by V.P. Yudin) Text reproduced according to the edition: . Materials on the history of the Kazakh Khanates of XV-XVIII centuries. (Abstracts of Persian and Turkic essays). Alma-Ata. Nauka. 1969. http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/rus9/Curas/text4.phtml?id=969660Kurbangali Khalid. Тауарих хамса / Book of history. Almaty. 1992.

қара туKara tu → mourning banner (of noble deceased; itis risen in the day of death, and taken off at the endof one-year funeral feast) сары ала туSary ala tu → yellow-dappled banner (relatedto the epic “Er-Targyn”61).шұбар туShubar tu → dappled banner (related to the timeof the Kazakh ancestor Khan Alash)ту байлауTu bailau → tie the family symbol to thetopping of every horseту жығылуTu zhygylu → fall of a banner (i.e., defeat,rout) ту көтеруTu koteru → elect a khan or found a state. ту қандауTu kandau → sprinkle a banner with blood, asit was done from the times of ancient Turkic Kaganates. ту тігTu уtigu → hold a banner; also may denotegeneral military gathering or call for Kurultai (spotfor gathering of the host or people).Herodotus of the Kazakh steppe, Aleksey I. Levshin(1798—1879) says that the Kazakhs had a system ofbanners’ usage. He writes that each Kazakh family hadits own large banner (Figure 28), and each part had itssign or flag. These attributes were well guarded andwere used only during war.

Figure 28. Family banners. Attempt of reconstruction.А. Umarov. А. Ospanov

“The warriors had insignias of the color of the main banner and boundaround their arms cloths and strips, or even sewed the pieces of cloth – inorder to tell the allies from the foes. For that aim, each family had its own

61In the poem “Er-Targyn” the Nogai orange-red banner (sarı-ala tuw) with an image of golden crescent and wolf head is described.

military password… The bearer of the main banner for the march waselected from the noble sultans or elders and he was the most importantperson after the commander”62.Y. Gaverdovskiy also says that the Kazakhs used thebanner formation before the Russian rule. He describesthat time as “before, when there was order in the Horde”. Thatis, Russian rule took the state emblems from theKazakhs, and the Kazakhs lost their former order.Military gathering is described in the following way:“As soon as the elder or sultan, who is ruling the family, put the bannernear the hut, all who could wield the weapon, as if came out of slumberand took the arms. Messengers ran from aul to aul, spreading the word ofbattle, everywhere were the sounds of coming war; in allied aimaks, thebanners, which called for warriors, were raised and the warriors were cladin armor and, having saddled the horses, rushed to the gathering of theirbrothers, who stood beneath these insignias of bloodshed, flying in thewind63”.Flag and banner were the guides in the battle. Theirabsence could provoke panic among the warriors, so thebanner-bearers had to possess special valor andcourage64. 62 Text reproduced according to the edition Levshin A.I. Description of Kirghiz-cossack or Kirghiz-Kaisak mountains and steppes. Almaty. Sanat. 1996.text – Erofeeva I. 63 GAVERDOVSKIY Y.P. Description of Kirghiz-Kaisak steppe (part 1), or Daytimenotes in Kirghiz-Kaisak steppe of 1803 and 1804 // History of Kazakhstan in the Russian sources of XVI-XX centuries. Book V. First historical and ethnographic descriptions of Kazakh lands. First half of XIX century. Almaty.Dayk-press. 200764 The Kazakhs have a legend about batyr Kazymbet from branch Bolatshy of family Karakerey-Nayman, which is described in the following way "Ту түбіндетулапөлгенҚазымбет" (Kazymbet who died at the banner). In the middle of XVIII century, in the mountains of Tarbagatay, Kazymbetbatir was a banner-bearer of the host of Kabanbay and protected the flag to the end. And when the battle was over, he was found dead but still holding the flag aloft. The son of the last Kazakh Khan Kenesary – Sadyk – astonished the Russian colonial host with his heroism. During the siege of Shymkent by the army of General Chernyaev, this event is described in the following way: “When Sultan Sadyk, marching ahead with the banner, brought his horsemen by hundred steps, the Russians gave a volley from three hundred guns. From the horsemen, who went in a dense crowd, hiding behind each other, the first row was beaten to the ground, while the rear rows went down from fear. Out of 1,000 people, no one lifted his head!.. Only Sultan Sadyk, with the banner in his hand, stood for an hour hundred steps from the line of the Russians. The soldiers were shooting at him so fiercely that the banner became like a sieve from the bullets – it was all shot and torn! Still, God protected Sultan Sadyk, for he

There is a belief that very often several alliedfamilies would make a new banner with weird ornamentthat included interweaving tamgas. The scheme of one ofsuch flags was published in 1990 in “Zhuldyz” journal.(Figure 29).

Figure 29. Scheme of family banner. Unknown author.

By the way, the flags, regardless of their age, werepassed from one to another. Thus, Kanzhaly KartBogenbay Batyr (1680−1778) gave his flag to a youngBatyr from Argynov, Zhanatay. In traditional vocabularythere remains a phrase “желкілдеген ту келмесін, жерқайысқан қол келмесін”... this proves very well thatthe Kazakhs could not imagine their army without aflag! Flag was an obligatory attribute of militaryculture! No one would start a march without a flag.People without a flag (tusyz) could, certainly, gatherand go to war, but they were not called KOL (militarytroop), but simply tobyr (rabble).Academician A. Margulan states that the Kazakh’sattitude towards the flag in medieval times –generally, in pre-revolutionary times is similar to theworship of the flag by the ancient Turkemans, whichshows strength and continuity of cultural tradition inthis sphere.Therefore, flag semantics didn’t change much. Beforethe Russian expansion, the Kazakh Horde extensivelyused white and red flags. “Tauarikh khamse” says thatthe Kazakh khan Esim (1565−1628) had the red banner ofremained safe and sound. One hour later, Mulla-Alimkul sent messengers to call him back. When Sadyk went back, the horsemen, who had been lying on the ground, rose up and went with him.”

Urus-khan (? — 1377). He also wrote about red, white,and green banners of the Kazakh rulers65.Thus, Bolat-khan (1718—1731) gave his son Abulmambetthe red banner. He also gave Abilay the green bannerand made him the leader of several families.66. So Thusit may be concluded that the red color was the mainone. However, Chokan Valikhanov (1835-1865), being aChingisid by blood line, writes that “thus, one line of theKaisak sultans is known under the name of sultans of the red banner anddescends, according to the legend, from a certain Middle Asian stranger,and adventurer”67. Founding on According to the data ofprovided by Kurbangali Khalid, it may be assumed thattore-Chingisids received from a certain khan banners ofvarious colors – according to their descent andposition in the host and society68.

65Atygaev N: Symbols of power: For 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate / Written by R. Shulembaeva // Kazakhstanskaya pravda. - 2015. – February 20.66 B. Ospan. ТӨРЕЛЕР TORELER – CHINGISIDS. http://yvision.kz/post/27801467 C. Valikhanov “Family tree of the Kazakh khans and sultans”. “Collection of essays", Alma-Ata, 1985.68" Shygai khan had two sons from his second wife: Seitkul and Onnan khan. Later Onnan became a batyr, separated from Kyzyl tu and set up different Ak tu. Tores under the Ak tu wherever they travelled were considered as descendants of Onnan khan. Zhangir khan is Esim khan's son and Tauke khan is Zhangir khan's son. Tauke khan's son Bolat khan, Bolat khan's son Abilmambet khan, Abilmambet's khan Abil Faiz khan, all of them were ancestries of tores under Kyzyl tu. Zhangir khan had two sons from his second wife: Aula and Baki, Aula had son Abylai…at the end he gave Kyzyl tu to Abilmambet the son of Bolat and appointed him to his awrang, he gave Zhasyl tu to Abylai also and made him uali (head) of some tribes. At the end, according to his brilliant skills Abylai khan had obtained confession among representatives ofMiddle zhuz, the rest of Great zhuz and the most part of Junior zhuz, he became Khan of three zhuzes. He was an ancestry of tores under Zhasyl tu. Well-informed people say, that all these three tus (Kyzyl tu, Ak ty, Zhasyl tu) derived from Orys khan, however taking into consideration Horde, Serai khans were under Kyzyl tu, Shagatai clan was under Ak tu, Ukudau clan was under Kok tu. Afterwards this separation was forgotten, the nearest ancestry Onnan told about "the history of tu" to Abylai khan, it means that they are also descents of Orys khan.(Құрбанғали Хамед, Тауарих хамса, Алматы, «Қазақстан», 1992 ж. (Kurbangali Khamed, Tauarih hamsa, Almaty, "Kazakhstan" 1992)

? М. Магауин «Азбука казахской истории». Алматы. 1997 г. (M. Magauin "The alphabet of Kazakh history of", Alamty, 1997)"«Сығайханныңекіншіәйеліненекіұлы бар: СейітқұлжәнеОннан хан. БұлОннан батыр болып, қызыл ту астынаншығып, өзіншедербесақ ту көтерген. Ақтулытөрелерқайдажүрсе де

The expert on the Kazakh Middle Ages, writer andhistorian, M. Magauin writes: “The national call of the unitedKazakh nation (summon) was “Alash”. State emblem – “tore tamga” (means“main tamga” of the Chingisids), the sigh which descends from the times ofthe ancient Turkemans; it appeared in the time of the Golden Horde andshows the unity of three branches, coming out of one trunk. The mainbanner was the red flag with “tore tamga”69. (Figure 30).

Figure 30. Төре таңбаTore tanba – Tamga of theChingisids

In the Kazakh folk-lorefolklore, one may often find thedefinition of certain bright banner. In may be көк kokala tu (indigo bright banner), ala tu (bright banner),or ala-шұбар shubar tu (fiery bright banner)70.Probably, this mythical banner is related to the nameof the forefather of the Kazakhs, khan Alash khan(bright). Thus, the semantics of the summon, emblem, and bannercorresponds to the name of the first ruler. Оннантұқымыболыпесептеледі. Ишм хан ұлыЖәңгірхан, ұлыТәуке хан бірәйелденжеке. МұныңұлыПолат хан, ұлыӘбілмәмбет хан, ұлыӘбілФайз хан қызылтулытөрелердіңбабасы. Жәңгірханныңекіншіәйелінен Аула, Бақидегенекіұлболып, АуладанАбылай хан туған. ... соңынанПолатбаласыӘбілмәмбеткеқызыл ту беріп, өзорнынақойып, Абылайғажасыл ту беріп, кейбіртайпаларғауәли (басшы) қойған. СоңынанАбылай хан өзқабілетімен орта жүздіңбәріне, ұлыжүздіңкөбіне, кішіжүздіңбіразынаиеболып, жалпытөреатаулыданбасымкелгенсебепті, үшжүздің ханы депаталған. Жасылтулытөрелердіңбабасыболады. Білетіндер осы үштудыңбәрі (қызыл ту, ақ ту, жасыл ту, М.С.) Орысханнандейді, бірақмағынағақарайорданыесепке ала отырып, Сарай хандарықызыл ту, Шағатайәулетіақ ту, Укудайәулетікөктумендараланып, кейінненбұлжағдай да ұмытылып, жақынаталарыОннанмұныАбылайханғажеткізіп «ту тарихынайтады», яғнибұлай да Орысханнәсіліненесептеледі» (ҚұрбанғалиХамед, Тауарих хамса, Алматы, «Қазақстан», 1992 ж.).69 М. Magauin “Alphabet of the Kazakh history”. Almaty. 1997. 70Turkhanova А. Z. REGARDING THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL SYMBOLS. The Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev, Astana. http://repository.enu.kz/bitstream/handle/123456789/6198/k-voprosu.pdf

The bright banner is described in the epic about khanAlash khan: Алаш Алаш болғалы,Алаша атқа мiнгелi,Ала шұбар ту байлапАлашқа ұран бергелi...Ever since Alash was made Alash,Ever since he took the bright horse,Ever since he raised bright red banner,Ever since Alash acquired the battle cry uran71...The expert on the Kazakh mythology, S. Kondybay saysthat the bright red banner of Alash was actually aScythian one; it had a dragon face – thus, using thedata on the Scythian and Alan military tasks, it ispossible to reconstruct the real banner of Alash72.Probably, a wolf head banner was mentioned here – forsome peoples took in for a dragon one. However, it’s more likely that the Kazakhs used whitebanner, which during a war was sprinkled with blood andbecame red. Bright banners remained in the past andwere not widely used in the period of founding of theKazakh Horde. C. Valikhanov writes in his report that “owners of brightbanners (among tore-Chingisidis) are scarce. They live in the Greatzhuz”73.At that, the written and oral sources mention red andwhite banners of the Kazakhs. V. Tatishchev writes inhis work “History of the Russian state” that theSheybanids, the descendants of Genghis Khan, that wholive near Tashkent, also have their own white flag:“Akyalav, strong people, above Tashkent to the south. There were up to60,000 of them in the host of Tamerlane, and as they were given the whitebanner, they received the name, belizna menshiki. Now they are called

71Translated by Z. Nauryzbaeva72 KINDYBAY SerikbolKn Z: MYTHOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT KAZAKHS /Translated by ZiraNAURZBAEVA. Almaty: SaГG, 2008. 73C. Valikhanov “Family tree of the Kazakh khans and sultans”. “Collection ofessays", Alma-Ata, 1985.

shiban74...”. At that, the famous picture by N. Karazinshows that in the South Kazakhstan, at the beginning ofthe 19th century, there were white horsetails bannersin the spears, “zhalauly naiyza” in the court of theruler”75 (Figure 31).

Figure 31. N. Karazin (1842 -- 1908). Cossacks in theKirghizKyrgyz-Kaysak Horde. Two white horsetail bannersare clearly seen.

The Kazakh oral folk-lore contains a lot of informationabout white banners of the Kazakh khans, in particular,“Абылайдың ақ туыAbylaidyn ak tuyi”, one of which,according to doubtful data, is nowadays in possessionof the Kazakhs of Mongolia, and the other – was possessby the Kazakhs of China for a very long time76.Probably, the white banner of Kerey Er Zhanibak (1693–

74 Tatishchchev V. Russian History. AST Publishing House. 200375 М. СҮЛЕЙМЕН. Көтеріліс қаһармандарының туы қайда?! Тарихи құжаттар ол туралы не дейді. Инфо-ЦЕС. 13.11.2009 (M. Suleimen. Where is the banner of upraising leaders?! What we can find in historical documents. Info-TSES. 13.11.2009)M. SULEYMEN. Көтерілісқаһармандарыныңтуықайда?! Тарихиқұжаттаролтуралы не дейді. Info-CES. 13.11.200976Atygaev N: Symbols of power: For the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate / Written by R. Shulembaeva // Kazakhstanskaya pravda. - 2015. – February 20..

1752) is mentioned here; it was passed to him byAbylaykhan77.It may be concluded that banner culture and the Kazakhtraditions were rather complex. There was a cleargradation as to the colors, according to the positionof the ruler, war commander, or aul and military troop.Many colors of banners were combined into a singlebright banner. Accordingly, it may be assumed that thebright banner is a state flag, and white banner is asymbol of rulers, while white banner sprinkled withblood and made red is a battle or military flag. With the annexation by the Russian Empire of the KazakhHorde, which was in deep systemic crisis, the bannersceased to be used. At that, during the rebellions orprotests against the Tsar administration, the Kazakhswould always raise their red banners. For example,during the participation in the revolt of Pugachev(1773—1775), in which not only volunteers, but alsokhans’ hosts supported the impostor. In particular, theKazakh army took Guryev and destroyed severalfortresses (Figure 32)78.

77« Ер Ж ә нібек » халы қ аралы қ қ о ғ амды қ қ оры , Бапай Ұ лан . ЕР Ж Ә НІБЕК РУХЫНА ДЕГЕН ЕЛ ҚҰ РМЕТІ . 23.05.2014. http://erjanibek.com/qogamdyq- kory/1148 ("Er Jnaybek" international non-governmental foundation , Bapai Ulan. PEOPLE'S APPRECIATION FOR ER JANYBEK'S SPIRIT) 23.05.2014. ?«Ер Жәнібек» халықаралыққоғамдыққоры, БапайҰлан. ЕР ЖӘНІБЕК РУХЫНА ДЕГЕН ЕЛ ҚҰРМЕТІ. 23.05.2014. http://erjanibek.com/qogamdyq-kory/114878The Kazakhs took massive participation in Pugachev’s revolt. At that, the impostor received military and political help from the Kazakh elites. http://kazakhstan.awd.kz/theme/t13_1.html

Figure 32. N. Karazin (1842 -- 1908). Battle againstPugachev soldiers. (Obviously, the picture depicts theKazakhs with the red battle flag, who took active partin Pugachev’s rebellion)

The last Kazakh khan Kenesary (1802-1847) could not beconsidered the All-Kazakh khan, for several families ofthe Middle and Junior zhuzs zhuzes did not take part inhis election. SoTherefore, according to the Kazakhrules, he, like his grandfather Abylaykhan, raised notthe white banner sprinkled with blood, but green one –above his host. This enables the researchers to sayabout the assumed religious component of war of khanKenesary against the Russian Empire.Son of Kenesary, sultan Sadyk (1837-1910) used the redflag79. During the famous Turgay rebellion of 1916, the electedkhan Abdugappar raised the ancient bright banner abovehis stand. The chief commander of the rebellions,Amangeldy Imanov, raised the red banner80. It symbolized79“We stood firm on Amu-Darya”. Khivin march of 1873, described by the great prince Nikolay Konstantinovich // Source. Documents of Russian history, № 4 (58). 200280

М. СҮЛЕЙМЕН. Көтеріліс қаһармандарының туы қайда?! Тарихи құжаттар ол туралы не дейді. Инфо-ЦЕС. 13.11.2009 (M. Suleimen. Where is the banner of

the resurrection of statehood, on the one hand, and thebeginning of the bloody war – on the other hand. InSemirechensk Oblast, the rebels brought back to lifethe ancient system of banner army control.81 Liberation movement of 1916 in Kazakhstan led to thewithdrawal of part of the Russian army from thefrontlines of the World War I, to the deepening of theinternal crisis, and the Russian revolution of 1917. Onthe ruins of the Russian Empire, the Kazakhs proclaimedtheir own Republic of Alash (1917—1920). According tocertain sources, the flags of this state were of redcolor with yellow crescent and a star (Figure 33).

Figure 33. Pan-Turkic banner of the Alash Horde

There is a vivid similarity with the flag of theOttoman Empire and Turkey – and this is no wonder, asthe party “Alash” had a very strong pan-Turkic vector.Interesting enough, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republicfounded in 1918, initially took the emblem that wassimilar to the Turkish one. The only difference wasthat the star was eight-pointed, not five-pointed(Figure 34).

upraising leaders?! What we can find in historical documents. Info-TSES. 13.11.2009)М. СҮЛЕЙМЕН. Көтерілісқаһармандарыныңтуықайда?! Тарихиқұжаттаролтуралы не дейді. Info-CES. 13.11.200981Executive officer of the Turkestan command, M.N. Mikhaylovskiy, said that the Kazakh troops “have insignias-banners, and the caps of many rebels feature similar metal plates… the crowds of the Kirghizs have order, and theyuse signals to transfer the information on the movement of our troops”

Figure 34. The flag of the Azerbaijan DemocraticRepublic until November 9, 1918

At that, the Semey Museum contains another flag, ofgreen color with inscriptions: “Long live the for AlashAutonomy” and the Islamic khakydoy “Ләиләһаиллаллаһ,Мухаммадуррасулуллаһ” (Figure 35). The famous Alashexpert Sultan Khan Akkuly writes about the whitebanners: “On June 19, the armed troops of the Alash Horde arrived tothe capital. Three hundred militiamen with the officers were triumphantlymet by the representatives of the Provisional Siberian Government andmilitary officials. “During the meeting, the famous national figureBukeikhanov arrived to the square; at lieutenant-colonel Tokhtamyshev’ssuggestion, the horsemen called “Alla” ho honor him. The white bannerscontained the Kirghiz (Kazakh) mottos: “Long live for the Russian andSiberian Constitutive Meeting”, and “Long live the for loyal sons of themotherland”82.The writer Sabit Mukanov writes in his autobiographicaltrilogy about the green flag of the Alash Horde, whichappeared in the hall of the Kazakh Central ElectionCommittee during the transfer of the capital fromOrenburg to KizilorduKyzylorda.83

There is also a mention of the white flag with theimage of yourt: “On June 5, 1918, the Kazakh troop of 500 horsemenentered the city of Alash. On June 6, a triumphant meeting in the center ofAlash was held. The troop was armed and was learned in warfare, and hadits own uniform, resembling the national waistcoat with leather stitchedcollars. They had the white flag, in the center of which contained the image82 S-K. Akkuuly. Life and death of the leader of the Alash Horde. 13.10.2011. http://www.elimai.kz/zhizn-i-smert-lidera-alash-ordy.html83 S. Mukanov. “School of life”. Book III. Almaty. 1965.

of yourt...” – wrote the Semipalatinsk newspaper “The wWillof the people”84.

Figure 35. Banner of the Alash Horde

As was mentioned above, the Turkestan self-rule, orKokand Autonomy, had its own flag, consisting of redand blue horizontal equal stripes with a white crescentand five-pointed star.On the territory of the modern Republic of Kazakhstan,the communists founded the Kirghiz Kyrgyz SSR andTurkestan SSR. As a result of the national andterritorial limitation of Soviet Republics, the KazakhSSR was created. The flags of these autonomous stateswere of red color (Figure 36).

84Astana is hailed, another capital of Alash is forgotten. Radio “Azattyk”. http://rus.azattyq.org/content/alash_capital_semei/2085958.html

Figure 36. Flags of the Soviet republics on theterritory of Kazakhstan

On October 14, 1942 the government of the Nazi Germanyofficially recognized the Turkestan national committee,created by the emigrants from Turkestan, as a prototypeof the government of the future Great Turkestan. TheThird Reich wanted to use that organization to win thesympathies of the population of Central Asia and createa satellite state on that territory. The Turkestan national committee chose the flag of thecolors of Turkestan self-rule (Kokand Autonomy), butthe white crescent with the star was replaced by thebow and arrows. (Figure 37).

Figure 37. Standard of the Turkestan legion – armedforces of the Turkestan national committee.

The fate of the flag of Kerey Er Zhaniber was veryinteresting. It is told that the white flag still iskept in the chest of one of the descendants. Manypeople looked for it and offered a lot of money for theflag – or at least for the chest – but the descendantsrefused to sell it. Like the other representatives ofKerey, they believe that the flag has a soul, that itis alive and sacred. Every year, at certain time, theflag is brought outside, sprinkled with blood and takenfor the horse-ride. Academician Z. Samashev writes thatthe flag of Er Zhanibek was yellow, and gives his owndescription of the ceremony of its demonstration85. Itis possible that it was a white banner, but with timethat became yellow with time. The researcher E. Shakenuly states that it was thebanner of Kerey Er Zhanibek that was raised by the

85Zhanibek’s banner (made of yellow cloth 2 meters long) was considered a sacred symbol of the tribe abak-kerey. During peaceful periods, the banner was kept on special sacred spot, in front of which no one could sit. During the war, at the ceremony of the carrying and rising of the banner, two wolf-siblings were pacing in front of it. The latter stayed at the leader’s bannerduring the march, as well. The legend ascribes to Zhanibek’s banner the magical attribute of being able to warn about approach of the enemy host, to fly in the wind and produce special sounds.З. Самашев «Көне түркі графикасы» Монография. Тюркская академия. Астана 2013 (Samashev "Ancient Turkoman graphics" Monograph. Turcik Academy. Astana 2013)Samashev «Көнетүркіграфикасы» Monograph. Turkic Academy. Astana 2013

famous Ospan batyr (1899 —1951) in the 1940s, when hebegan the liberation war of Ili and Tarbagayt Kazakhsagainst communist China86. That is the last mentionedcase of the use of the ancient Kazakh banner in modernperiod.

Nowadays, the topic of the historical flags of theKazakhs is not thoroughly studiedreserched, which isreflected on the national self-consciousness of thecitizens of Kazakhstan. During the years of the Sovietregime, the heraldry and semantic history of theKazakhs was not seriously considered. All thehistoriography was built through the prism of theexclusive role of Russia in Kazakhstan. As a result,the basis of facts for the flags is rather small. Weknow of the banner of one of the Kazakh batyrs, whichbecame yellow with age – it is shown demonstrated inthe National Museum of Astana – and of the knob of theflag of the banner of khan Tauekel khan (Figure 38).

Figure 38. The descendant of khan Tauekel khan,Bekaydar Amire, gives the family relic, the knob of the

86ЖәдиШәкенұлы: ЕР ЖӘНІБЕК – ҚАЗАҚТЫҢ ХАС БАТЫРЫ. http://kerey.kz/?p=81. (Zhadi Shakenuly: Er Janybek – Outstanding Kazakh batyr) http://kerey.kz/?p=81.

khan flag, to the National Museum of the Republic ofKazakhstan87

In view of 25-th anniversary of the independence of theRepublic of Kazakhstan, which is to take place nextyear, and this year’s 550th anniversary of the KazakhKhanate, there will be other events, devoted to thecommon Turkic history. Unfortunately, during theofficial ceremonies, the State flag of the Republic ofKazakhstan is not accompanied by other banners, whichpreceded it and which connect the descendants with thedeeds of their forefathers. Any country of the modernworld needs the confirmation of its deep roots of thestate tradition. That’s why the study of nationalheraldry and symbols needs significant and closefocused attention. Askar UMAROV, cultural figure of the Republic ofKazakhstan12.04.2015

87http://munara.kz/44563/