Who were the Burtases?

Ya.V. Pylypchuk

252-266 p.


doi.org: 10.22378/he.2018-3-2.252-266


This paper is devoted to the question of the Burtases ethnicity. The Burtases were originaly an Iranian-speaking population. They came to the Middle Volga region from the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Eastern Europe. The Burtases were not natives of the Middle Volga region. Burtases make alliances with the Khazars and helped them to installed the power of the Khazar Khanate over the Finnish nations of the Middle Volga. Burtases actively cooperated with its Turkic neighbors and subjected Turkization. Burtases was a heterogeneous population already in the Early Middle Ages, including Iranians and Volga Finns. Iranians occupied a dominant position; the Mordovians were also under their reign In the Late Middle Ages the people called Burtases became a Turkic speaking ethnic group.


Keywords: Burtases, Middle Volga Region, Volga Bulgars, identity, Mordva, Iranians.

For citation: Pylypchuk Ya.V. Who were Burtases? Istoricheskaya etnologiya – Historical Ethnology, 2018, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 252–266. DOI: 10.22378/he.2018-3-2.252-266


REFERENCES

 

  1. Alikhova A.E. Material’naja kul’tura sredne-cninskoy mordvy VIII–XI vv. [The material culture of the Middle Tsna Mordovians in the 8th–9th centuries.] Saransk: Mordovia Publ. House, 1969. 129 p. (In Russian)
  2. Andreev S.I. K istoricheskoy interpretacii burtasov [To the Historical Interpretation of the Burtases] Vestnik Tambovskogo universitetaBulletin of Tambov University. No. 10. Vol. 102. Humanities. Tambov, Gramota Publ., 2011, pp. 241–248. (In Russian)
  3. Anninskiy S.A. Izvestiya vengerskih missionerov XIII i XIV vv. O tatarah i Vostochnoy Evrope [Data of Hungarian Missionaries of the 13th and 14th centuries on Tatars and Eastern Europe] Istoricheskij arhiv – Historical Archive. Vol. 3. Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 1940, pp. 71–112. (In Russian)
  4. Anіkeev D.O. Mіgratsіya і rozselennya pechenіgіv za povіdomlennyami vchennih Arabs’kogo halіfatu ІX-X st. [Migration and Settlement of the Pechenigs according data of the Arabian Khalifate scholars] Skhodoznavstvo – Oriental studies, No, 48. Kazan, A.Yu. Krymskiy Oriental Studies Institute, 2009, pp. 3–13. (In Ukranian)
  5. Afanasyev G.E. Burtasy [The Burtases] Ischeznuvshie narody [Disappeared peoples]. Moscow, 1988, pp. 85–96. (In Russian)
  6. Afanasyev G.E. Donskie alany. Social’nye struktury alano-assko-burtasskogo naselenija bassejna Srednego Dona [The Don Alans. Social structures of Alan-As-Burtas peoples of the Middle Don basin]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1993. 183 p. (In Russian)
  7. Afanasyev G.E. Poisk strany furt-as [Search for the Country of Furt-As]. Dostojanie pokolenij – Wealth of Generations. No. 1 (2), Moscow, Archeological Heritage Fund for Promoting Protection of Archeological Monuments Publ., 2007, pp. 74–79. (In Russian)
  8. Afanasyev G.E. K probleme lokalizacii Hazarii i Furt-asii (o protivorechii dannyh arheologii i pis’mennyh istochnikov) [On the Issue of the Khazaria and Furt-Asia Localization]. Forum Idel’-Altaj. Tezisy dokladov – Idel-Altay Forum. Abstracts. Kazan, TAS Sh.Marjani Institute of History Publ., 2009, pp. 7–17. (In Russian)
  9. Izvestija al-Bekri i drugih avtorov o Rusi i slavjanah. Ch. 1. [Data of Al-Bekri and Other authors on Rus and the Slavs. Part 1]. Zapiski Imperatorskoj Akademii Nauk – Scholarly Notes of Imperial Academy of Sciences. Vol. 32. No.2. St.Petersburg, Imperial Academy of Sciences Publ., 1878. (In Russian)
  10. Belorybkin G.N. Mongoly v zemljah obulgarizovannyh burtasov [Mongols in the Lands of the Bulgarasied Burtases]. Volzhskaja Bulgarija i mongol’skoe nashestvie [Volga Bulgaria and Mongol Conquest]. Kazan, IYALI KFAN USSR Publ., 1988, pp. 82–87. (In Russian)
  11. Belorybkin G.N. Burtasy [The Burtases] Penzenskaja jenciklopedija [The Penzanian Encyclopedia]. Moscow, Big Russian Encyclopedia Publ., 2001, pp. 75–76. (In Russian)
  12. Belorybkin G.N. Zapadnoe Povolzh’e v srednie veka [Western Volga Region in Middle Ages]. Penza, Penza State Pedagogical University Publ., 2003. 200 p. (In Russian)
  13. Belorybkin G.N. Zolotarevskoe poselenie [The Zolotaryovo Settlement]. St.Petersburg-Penza, Penza State Pedagogical University Publ., 2011. 190 p. (In Russian)
  14. Bubenok O.B. Jasy i brodniki v stepjah Vostochnoj Evropy (VI – nachalo XIII vv.) [The Yases and Brodniks in the steppes of Eastern Europe (the 6th – early 13th centuries)]. Kiev, Logos Publ., 1997. 224 p. (In Russian)
  15. Bubenok O.B. Problema pohodzhennja burtasіv u doslіdzhennjah O. Prіcaka і shіdnoevropejs’kih doslіdnikіv drugoyi polovini XX st. [The problem of the Burtases’ origin in the studies of O. Pritsak and eastern-European researchers of second half of 20th century]. Shіdnij svіt – The World of Orient. No.4. Kazan, A.Yu. Krymskiy Oriental Studies Institute Publ., 2008, pp. 5–10. (In Ukranian)
  16. Bubenok O.B. Vіd Attіly do Chingіz-hana. Alany і tjurkomovnі nomady Evrazіyi [From Attila to Chingis-khan. The Alans and Turkic nomads of Eurasia]. Bіla Cerkva, Vydavets Oleksandr Pshonkivskiy Publ., 2012. 508 p. (In Russian)
  17. Bubenok O.B., Radіvіlov D.A. Svіdchennja al-Masudі ta Hudud al-Alam pro dvі grupy burtasіv [Data of al-Masudi and Hudud al-Alam about two groups of Burtases]. Shіdnij svіt – The World of Orient. No. 3. A.Yu. Krymskiy Oriental Studies Institue Publ., 2009, pp. 18–34. (In Ukranian)
  18. Vasilyev B.A. Burtasy i mordva [The Burtases and the Mordva] Voprosy jetnicheskoj istorii mordovskogo naroda – Questions of ethnic history of the Mordovian people. Vol. 63. No. 1. Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 1960, pp. 180–210. (In Russian)
  19. Gardizi – Izvlechenie iz sochinenija Gardizi «Zajn al-ahbar». Prilozhenie k «Otchetu o poezdke v Srednjuju Aziju s nauchnoj cel’ju. 1893–1894 gg.» [Extract from Gardizi’s «Zayn al-Akhbar». Appendix to the «Report on a trip to Central Asia for a scientific purpose». 1893–1894]. Akademik V.V. Bartol’d. Sochinenija. T. VIII. Raboty po istochnikovedeniju [Academician V.V. Barthold. Written works. V. VIII. Source studies]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1973. (In Russian)
  20. Garkavi A.Ja. Skazanija musul’manskih pisatelej o slavjanah i russkih (s poloviny VII veka do konca X veka) [Data of Muslim writers about the Slavs and Russians (from the middle of the 7th century to the end of the 10th century)]. St.Petersburg, Imperial Academy of Sciences Printing House, 1870. VIII. 308 p. (In Russian)
  21. Dzhiovanni de Plano Karpini. Istorija mongalov [The History of Mongols]. Vil’gel’m de Rubruk. Puteshestvie v Vostochnye strany [Travelling to the Eastern Countries]. Transl. From Latin A.I. Malein. Ed. N.P. Shastina. Moscow, State Publ. House of Geographical Leiterature, 1957. 270 p. (In Russian)
  22. Ibn Ruste. Kniga dragocennyh ozherelij [The Book of Precious Necklaces]. Istorija tatar. T. 2: Volzhskaja Bulgarija i Velikaja Step’ [History of Tatars. Vol. 2: Volga Bulgaria and Great Steppe]. Kazan, ruhil, Sh. Marjani Institute of History, 2006, pp. 699–706. (In Russian)
  23. Kazakov E.P. Khronologicheskie etapy vzaimodejstvija sarmat s povolzhskimi finnami [Chrological stages of interaction between the Sarmats and the Volga Finns]. Vestnik Kazanskogo gosudarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta kul’tury i iskusstv – Bulletin of Kazan State Pedagogical University of Culture and Arts. No 4–2. Kazan, Kazan Pedagogical University of Culture and Arts Publ., 2015, pp. 102–106. (In Russian)
  24. Kaplun N.M. Arabs’kі ta pers’kі dzherela pro pechenіgіv ІX–XІ st. [Arabian and Persian sources about the Pechenegs in the 9th–11th centuries]. Aktual’nі pitannja vіtchiznjanoyi, svіtovoyi іstorіyi ta іstorіyi nauky: poshuky, rozdumy, znahіdky. Materіaly mіzhnarodnoyi naukovo-praktichnoyi konferencіyi. Ch. 1. [Topical issues of national and global history and the history of science: searches, reflections, discovery. Materials of the international scientific and practical conference. Part 1]. Lugansk, V. Dal’ Skhidnoukrayinsk University Publ., 2008, pp. 42–44. (In Ukranian)
  25. Kokovtsev P.K. Evrejsko-hazarskaja perepiska v X veke [The Hebrew-Khazar correspondence in the 10th century]. Leningrad, USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 1932. 134 p. (In Russian)
  26. Konovalova I.G. Al-Idrisi o stranah i narodah Vostochnoj Evropy: tekst, perevod, kommentarij [Al-Idrisi on the countries and peoples of Eastern Europe: text, translation and comments]. Moscow, Vostochnaja Literatura Publ., 2006. 328 p. (In Russian)
  27. Konovalova I.G. Vostochnaja Evropa v sochinenijah arabskih geografov XIII–XIV vv.: tekst, perevod, kommentarij [Eastern Europe in works of Arabian geographers: text, translation and comments]. Moscow, Vostochnaja Literatura Publ., 2009. 226 p. (In Russian)
  28. Konstantin Bagrjanorodnjy. Ob upravlenii imperiej [On governing an empire]. Moscow, Nauka Publ. 1991. 496 p. (In Russian)
  29. Tahir Marvazi. Priroda zhivotnyh [Nature of Animals]. Istorija tatar. T. 2. Volzhskaja Bulgarija i Velikaja Step’ [History of Tatars. Vol. 2: Volga Bulgaria and the Great Steppe]. Kazan, Sh. Marjani Institute of History Publ., 2006, pp. 707–709. (In Russian)
  30. Minorskiy V.F. Istorija Shirvana i Derbenta [History of Shirvan and Derbents]. Transl. S.G. Mikajeljan. Moscow, Vostochnaja Literatura Publ., 1963. 265. (In Russian)
  31. Nizami Gjandzhevi. Kasydy. Gazeli. Hamse (pojemy) [Qasidas, Gazelis, Hamse (poems)]. Available in: http://azeribooks.narod.ru/poezia/nizami/poemy.htm (accessed 2.11.2018). (In Russian)
  32. Polesskikh M.R. O kul’ture i nekotoryh remeslah obolgarizirovannyh burtas [On the culture and some crafts of bulgarized Burtases]. Iz istorii rannih bolgar [From the history of the early Bulgars]. Kazan, Tatar Book Publ. House, 1981, pp. 56–68. (In Russian)
  33. Polubojarov M.S. Drevnosti Penzenskogo kraja v zerkale toponimiki [Antiquities of the Penza territory in the light of toponymy]. Moscow, ZAO FON Publ., 2010 224 p. (In Russian)
  34. Pritsak O., Golb N. Hazarsko-evrejskie dokumenty X veka [Khazarian-Hebrew documents of the 10th century]. Moscow-Jerusalem: Mosty Kul’tury – Gesharim Publ., 2003. 240 p. (In Russian)
  35. Rasovskiy D.A. Polovcy. III. Predely “polja poloveckago” [The Cumans. III. Boundaries of ‘Pole Poloveckoe’]. Seminarium Kondakovianum/Annaly instituta im. N.P. Kondakova – Seminarium Kondakovianum/ Annals of N.P. Kondakoff Institute.. Prague, N.P. Kondakov Institute Publ., 1937. Vol. 9, pp. 71–85. (In Russian)
  36. Slovo o pogibeli russkoj zemli [Poem about destruction of Russian land]. Available in: https://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/Слово_о_погибели_Русской_земли/ДО (accessed 2.11.2018). (In Russian)
  37. Stavickiy V.V. Eshhe raz o mordve i burtasah [Once again on the Mordva and Burtases]. Centr i periferija – Centre and periphery. No 2. Saransk, Humanities Scientific Research Center, 2013, pp. 8–16. (In Russian)
  38. Stavickiy V.V. Istriografija burtasskoj problemy vtoroj poloviny XX – nachala XXІ vv. [Historiography of Burtas problem in the second half of the 20th – early 21st centuries]. Izvestija vysshih uchebnyh zavedenij. Povolzhskij region. Gumanitarnye nauki – Bulletin of higher educational institutions. Volga region. The Humanities. No. 1 (29). Penza, Penza State University Publ., 2014, pp. 84–91. (In Russian)
  39. Tizengauzen V.G. Sbornik materialov, otnosjashhihsja k istorii Zolotoj Ordy. T.ІI: Izvlechenija iz persidskih sochinenij, sobrannyh V.G. Tizengauzenom i obrabot. A.A. Romaskevichem i S.L. Volinym [Tisenhausen VG Collection of materials related to the history of the Golden Horde. T.2: Excerpts from Persian works compiled by V.G. Tisenhausen and processed by A.A. Romaskevich and S.L. Volin]. Moscow-Leningrad, USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 1941. 308 p. (In Russian)
  40. Khalikov A.H. K voprosu ob jetnicheskoj territorii burtasov vo vtoroj polovine VIII – nachale X v. [On the question of ethnic territory of the Burtases in the second half of the 8th – early 10th century]. Sovetskaja jetnografija – Soviet Ethnography. No. 5. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1985, pp. 161–164. (In Russian)
  41. Khalikov A.H. Burtasy i ikh istoriko-arheologicheskoe opredelenie [The Burtases and their historical-archaeological definition]. Voprosy jetnicheskoj istorii Volgo-Don’ja v jepohu srednevekov’ja i problema burtasov : tezisy k mezhoblastnoj nauch. Konf. (23–27 janvarja 1990 g.) [Questions of the ethnic history of the Volgo-Don territory in the Middle Ages and the problem of the Burtases: Abstracts to Inter-Oblast research. Conf. (January 23–27, 1990)]. Penza, 1990, pp. 88–97. (In Russian)
  42. Khvol’son D.A. Izvestija o hazarah, burtasah, bolgarah, mad’jarah, slavjanah, rusah Abu-Ali Ahmeda Ben Omar Ibn Dasta, neizvestnogo dosele arabskogo pisatelja nachala X veka [Data about the Khazars, the Burtases, the Bulgarians, the Magyars, the Slavs, and the Ruses of Abu Ali Ahmed Ben Omar Ibn Dust, the previously unknown Arab writer of the early 10th century]. St. Petersburg, Imperial Academy of Sciences Pinting House, 1869. 199 p. (In Russian)
  43. Golden P.B. The peoples of the Russian forest belt. The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia. Cambridge UK., Cambridge University Press, 1990, pp. 229–255. (In English)
  44. Golden P.B. Burtas Encyclopedia of Islam. Leiden: Brill, 2011, pp. 98–101. (In English)
  45. Hudud al-Alam. The Regions of the World. A Persian Geography 372 A H. – 982 A.D. Tr. And expl. By V. Minorsky. London, Luzac & Co. Publ., 1937. 524 p. (In Russian)
  46. Minorsky V. Sharaf al-Zaman Tahir Marvazi on China, the Turks and India. London, Royal Asiatic Society Publ., 1942. 170 p. (In English)

About the author: Yaroslav V. Pylypchuk is a Candidate of Science (History), Department of History and Archaelogy of the Slavs, Institute of Historical Education of National Pedagogical Dragomanov University (9, Pirogov St., Kiev 01601, Ukraine); pylypchuk.yaroslav@gmail.com