Tulpar / ; ba, Толпар, ; tt-Cyrl, Тулпар, ; ky, Тулпар; tr, Tulpar; uz, Tulpor / ; ug, تۇلپار is a winged or swift horse in
Turkic mythology
Turkic mythology refers to myths and legends told by the Turkic people. It features Tengrist and Shamanist strata of belief along with many other social and cultural constructs related to the nomadic and warrior way of life of Turkic and Mongo ...
(for example,
Kazakh and
Tatar
The Tatars ()[Tatar]
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different mythology), similar to
Pegasus. Tulpar is also in state emblems of
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
and
Bashkortostan
The Republic of Bashkortostan or Bashkortostan ( ba, Башҡортостан Республикаһы, Bashqortostan Respublikahy; russian: Республика Башкортостан, Respublika Bashkortostan),; russian: Респу́блик ...
.
Tulpar came to be due to the hunting lifestyle of the people of
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
. The people hunted with horses, with the company of a bird of prey. These two animals, with the human imagination, formed into one creating the winged horse known as Tulpar.
This mythical creature has also been used as state symbols of
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
, the emblem of which is decorated with two golden Tulpars, the top of a yurt (the
yurt
A yurt (from the Turkic languages) or ger ( Mongolian) is a portable, round tent covered and insulated with skins or felt and traditionally used as a dwelling by several distinct nomadic groups in the steppes and mountains of Central Asia. ...
is a traditional tent where the Kazakhs lived) and the sun rays. The blue background represents the sky where the Tulpars run.
Tulpar is the legendary horse that appears in culture of Turkic-speaking nations (Turks, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, etc.).
The association of a bird with a horse can also be changed to that of a
sight hound
Sighthounds, also called gazehounds, are a type of dog, hounds that hunt primarily by sight and speed, rather than by scent and endurance as scent hounds do.
Appearance
These dogs specialize in pursuing prey, keeping it in sight, and overpo ...
. A picture of a sight hound coming together with a picture of a legendary horse allowed for the word Tulpar to form, which is the kennel name.
The wings were not necessarily for flight but to emphasize their speed. These horses shared their lives with their masters.
See also
*
Buraq
The Buraq ( ar, الْبُرَاق "the lightning") is a heavenly equine or chimeral beast in Islamic tradition that notably served as the mount of the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his Isra and Mi'raj journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and up ...
*
Tulpar (IFV)
Tulpar is a Turkish heavy infantry fighting vehicle designed by the Sakarya-based automotive manufacturer Otokar. It is named after the Tulpar, a winged horse in Turkic mythology.
The vehicle has been designed to augment Turkey's new-generation ...
*
Wind horse
The wind horse is a symbol of the human soul in the shamanistic tradition of East Asia and Central Asia. In Tibetan Buddhism, it was included as the pivotal element in the center of the four animals symbolizing the cardinal directions and a symbo ...
, a similar equine in Tibetan mythology
*
Pegasus
*
Emblem of Mongolia
The State Emblem of Mongolia (, ''Mongol Ulsīn törín süld'') is used by the government of Mongolia as its symbol of state. It is officially used for example on documents such as Mongolian passports, and government and embassy placards.
Desc ...
*
Emblem of Kazakhstan
, supporters = Tulpar
, compartment =
, motto = QAZAQSTAN
, orders =
, other_elements =
, use = The Cyrillic-text version used between 1992 and 2018
, image2=Emblem of Kazakhstan.svg, image2_captio ...
*
Coat of arms of Bashkortostan
A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a ...
Bibliography
* Rémy Dor, Contes Kirghiz de la steppe et de la montagne, Publications orientalistes de France, 1983, 166 p. ()
* Gilles Veinstein, Les Ottomans et la mort, vol. 9 de Ottoman Empire and its heritage, BRILL, 1996, 324 p. ()
* Hervé Beaumont, Asie centrale: Le guide des civilisations de la route de la soie, Éditions Marcus, 2008, 634 p. ()
Notes
References
*
*
External links
Статья «Тулпар» в ''Энциклопедии Башкортостана''
Turkic legendary creatures
Horses in mythology
{{Europe-myth-stub