THE BIRD FIGURES IN KOK TURKS IN ICONOGRAPHIC TERMS

Abstract

In this work, the bird figures that were found in grave complexes belonging to Kok Turks era, are evaluated in terms of iconography. These bird figures still preserve their mystery and what they symbolise is tried to be clarified with the support of historical sources and archaeological datas. Probably, natural looking bird of prey (eagle, falcon) figures expressed the dead and the ascend to heaven while fantastic looking bird figures expressed the Fenghuang (Phoenix), a mythlogical bird that protects the dead. The bird figures of Turks and of the Chinese were closely related in the early medieval in terms of style and meaning.