Among «vague» toponyms of Kabardino-Balkaria the special place is occupied by names of the mountain settlements of the republic. Such names as Bulungu, Byzyngy, Uskhur, Dumala, Kurnoyat and some other have been even drawn by those who believe that the Alans spoke Iranian as an argument in determining ethno-generation substrate of modern Balkars. It should be noted that the desire to justify the most «comfortable» hypothesis often runs counter to common sense - as it happened with the interpretation of the toponym Uskhur, presented by some Ossetian researchers. It is clear that etymologizing of the name of the patrimonial estate of major characters of Nart sagas (the family of Skhurtukovs - in Karachay-Balkar version) has a special significance, but it is also understandable that no use of Sanskrit can shake completely resistant and transparent Turkic line «as-kurt» - «as-khartag» (by the way, preserved in the Ossetian part of Nartiada) - «us-khurtuk» - «uskhur», which means «a noble wolf».
In exactly the same way may be etymologized the name of «Byzyngy» (in Russian transcription - «Bezengi»), in addition, its analysis allows lifting the veil of secrecy over the small but very interesting field of ethnic history of the Balkar people.
The word «bezengi» is known to the culture of Turkic peoples. In various phonetic modifications («berzengi», «bisingi», «bezengi» and others) it exists in the languages of Turkmen, Uigur, Kyrgyz, Karakalpak people. It stands for a mythical people, distinguished by extraordinary ferocity in battles and, sorry, penchant for cannibalism. The author of these lines connects the toponym «bezengi» with ethnonym and identifies the people «bezengi» with Pechenegs - for several reasons. First, the mere sound of ethnonym - it would be quite natural for an Old Russian author to reproduce Turkish nasal «ng» as autonomous «n» and «g».
Secondly, namely the Pechenegs is the last people in Europe, who, if not practiced cannibalism, than at least retained the ritual part of this tradition - remember the Pecheneg Khan Kurya who made a chalice from the skull of Sviatoslav. In this regard, we note a very insignificant fact: the inhabitants of each Balkar village have traditional nicknames, and Bezengi residents have been humorously called man-eaters.
The third, a number of indigenous surnames of the village mean heavily armed mounted soldiers. Akhkubekov - from «ak kebek» (mounted armored soldier) Dzhaboyev (Zhaboyev) - from «jabot» (lamellar armor), Zhabelov - from «zhabel» (a heavy chain mail). According to sources, of all Turkic people only the Turkyuts had an armored cavalry, but with much confidence it can be argued that Pechenegs also had this kind of troops - otherwise it is impossible to explain their many victories in the fights with the heavily armed infantry of Byzantine Empire.
Incidentally, one of the above mentioned names (Zhaboyev) clearly brings its origin to Pechenegs (informant S.Kh.Dzhaboyev). In addition, several patronymics of Bezengi, as a traditional family nickname, use «kangar», «kongur» or «kangaur», which, according to L.N.Gumilev was the original name of Pechenegs. Constantine Porphyrogenitus recorded this word as an original name of three out of eight tribes of «Pachanakits».
There are arguments of purely indirect nature, but also, in our opinion, very interesting. Traditionally, it is believed that all the Turkic khans of the North Caucasus after the formation of the Golden Horde were descents from Genghis Khan by origin. However, the author, being still quite a young man, had a conversation about this with a well-known sculptor Kh.Krymshamkhalov. He argued that, contrary to the opinion of the majority of his relatives, they descended from Khan Artyk, known in Russian chronicles as Otrok. As representatives of the house, so to speak, fallen into decay, they could not claim to the supreme title in the hierarchy of Turks of the North Caucasus - Shamkhal - in either the era of the Golden Horde, or after it, but the second status in importance - krymshamhhal - was assigned to them forever, which means «partial Shamkhal».
At the same time, according to a folk Balkar song «Sokur Kazak and the Crimean khan», till the middle of the XVI century Krymshamkhalovs possessed the territory of Bezengi as their ancestral lands - Akbay Krymshamkhalov sent there his two sons in order to avoid a conflict with a group of khan families, who shortly before this came to the Caucasus probably from the Volga region. In connection with everything above stated, it should be recalled that the father of Khan Artyk was Sharukan - «Yellow khan». Transitions from sibilants to hissing sounds is unusual for Turkic peoples, we find «shary» instead of «sary» meaning «yellow» only among the Mongols and the Ugric peoples. There can be no doubt that Pechenegs, closely linked with the Mongols before Genghis Khan (and judging by the Kalmyk epic «Dzhangar» - included in their alliance as a separate tribe), had most chances to adopt certain orthoepic standards from their nearest neighbors.
Today, of all Balkars only the residents of Bezengi in their speech replace the sound «s» with «sh» - more precisely, they do this as a customary rule of pronunciation. Thus, if we assume that the information of Kh.Krymshamkhalov is true, we come to two quite plausible results - a) once again draw a conclusion on Pecheneg dominant in the formation of bezengi society; b) identify the reason for Khan Otrok’s leave from Desht-i-Kipchak to Georgia. This mystery of Russian history has never been formulated by official science, but you must admit that the adopted version of the leave of the most politically and socially active ruler of the Steppe to Transcaucasus sounds at least funny - he was invited, and he agreed! Forty thousand kibitkas, sixty thousand select troops by the call of the nominal relative...
Suppose another thing - Artyk Khan was not Cuman, his people were remainders of broken and destroyed Pechenegs, who had no nomads’ camps in Cuman possessions and left for Georgia along with their leader in search of land. This version is logical, at least.
Reverting to the history of Bezengi, it is useful to recall that in the past, the so-called «bezengi society» could be evaluated as an important ethnic component of all Balkar people, not fragmented one, but of clear institutional nature. That is, in case our assumptions are correct, one can argue with good reason that, along with Bulgars, Alans and Kipçaks, the Pechenegs played a significant role in the ethnogenesis of modern Balkars.
Is it possible to find confirmation of this version? Is it possible to find traces of Pechenegs in ethno-formative and ethno-generating fields? The answer is obvious again. In this case, it is not even a version, but a simple declaration of epic evidences. One of the main heroes of the Karachay-Balkar part of Nart sagas - Rachikau - was Pecheneg, because his father's name was Bedene, what means «Pecheneg». And, in the texts it is repeatedly emphasized that Bedene was the stranger from the north. In the Adyghe version of Nartiada the son’s name Bedene did not remain, he is named simply Badynoko, but Yerykhshu is only an episodic independent hero here. However, as is known, heroic role of Badynoko in Adyghe Nart sagas is quite definite - he is the enemy of «chints».
In this regard, I think, it would be useful to recall that in the VI-VII centuries AD the Pechenegs were actually «pressed out» of their primary habitat in steppe regions of modern Mongolia by real hegemon of East Asia - the Celestial Empire. «Chint» is the traditional name of the Chinese.
It is interesting that epic isolation of Rachikau and, accordingly, Badynoko, has found its symbolic correspondence in the real history of the Balkar people. The differences in the behavioral, ethical and valuation standards between the inhabitants of the Chegem Gorge and the princely family of Rachikaovs resulted in the decision made by people’s Tyore (the Holy Council) on the destruction of the latter. |
FACT
