The Heritage of Turkic Statehood in the Geography of the Great Silk Road: The Evolution of the Political Governance System and Writing Culture
Vuqar Abbasov1* , Lala Aliyeva1 , Xoshgedem Zeynalova1
Abstract. The article examines the evolution of Turkic statehood heritage and writing culture within the geography of the Great Silk Road. It explores the fundamental principles of the Turkic governance system, focusing specifically on the concept of 'Tanri Qut' and the social responsibilities of the Khagan. Based on the sources, the powers of the Khagan are classified across a wide spectrum, including military, diplomatic, judicial, administrative, and others. However, it is highlighted that all these powers were conditioned upon 'considering the will of the people.' This demonstrates that despite being a monarchy, the system placed significant importance on public opinion, facilitated through institutions such as the Kurultai.
At the same time, the development of writing systems—from petroglyphs to the Orkhon-Yenisei monuments—and the widespread use of this culture among the masses are analyzed. It is noteworthy that a phonetically-based, sophisticated alphabet was employed in these inscriptions. The fact that a historical background spanning millennia lies behind the formation of the alphabet and the emergence and application of orthographic rules manifests itself as an undeniable truth.
Based on archaeological and terminological evidence, the final conclusion is that ancient Turkic governance models and writing systems should be evaluated not merely as regional phenomena, but as an essential component of the global political and cultural development strategies of Eurasia as a whole.
Keywords: Great Silk Road, Turkic statehood heritage, political governance, written culture, sedentary civilization