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Published
2025-06-03
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Articles
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The Religious Beliefs of the Early Saka Tribes
Yusupov Akhmedjon Shonazarovich
Associate Professor of the Department of History, Urgench State University Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Historical Sciences
Sapayev Khusinboy Sharibboyevich
Urgench State University, History Department 2nd-year Master's student
Keywords: Saka tribes, Indo-Iranian religion, Zoroastrianism, animism, burial practices, nomadic spirituality, Central Asian archaeology, syncretism, ritual practices, cosmology.
Abstract
The Saka tribes, a nomadic Indo-Iranian people of the Eurasian steppes, played a significant role in the cultural and historical landscape of Central Asia from the first millennium BCE. Their religious beliefs, a complex amalgamation of proto-Indo-Iranian traditions, Zoroastrian influences, and local animistic practices, offer critical insights into the spiritual life of ancient nomadic societies. This article explores the religious practices, deities, rituals, and cosmological views of the early Saka tribes, drawing on archaeological evidence, textual sources, and comparative studies with related cultures. By examining burial practices, iconography, and material culture, this study reconstructs the spiritual framework that guided Saka society, highlighting its syncretic nature and adaptation to nomadic lifeways.
References
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