Data about dissemination of the world's proselytizing regions and traditional beliefs and funerary rites among the yenisei kyrgyz and kyshtym during periods of the early and high middle ages

Abstract

It is analyzed in an article the data of various medieval sources, testifying about commitment to shamanism of the Yenisei Kyrgyz and possibility of adaptation by their several part, after their conquest of Central Asia, of the world's proselytizing religious dogmas, widespread in conquered lands. Appeal of the Kyrgyz rulers in the era of the Kyrgyz Great Power to those religions was motivated by aspiration to unite over them different Turkic and Mongolian nomadic ethnic groups at the all territory of Central Asian historical and cultural region. Data about adoption by the Kyrgyz rulers of several world's religions are contained in the Chinese, Arabic and Persian sources. Depictions of Manichaean, Buddhist and Nestorian religious symbols contain on several metal art goods, discovered in the Kyrgyz mounds, that are related to the era of the Kyrgyz Great Power in the territory of Southern Siberia and Central Asia. After migration of several part of the Kyrgyz into the eastern regions of Tian Shan, where they resided side by side with Muslims, large number of them have adopted Islamic religion. After subjection by Dzungaria of the Sayan and Altai Mountains population, several part of local inhabitants adopted Lamaism. There were widespread pagan beliefs among the Kyshtym tribes.