Tuekta II (A-51)

The village Tuekta, also in the Ongudaj District, has become known as one of centers of Old Turkic Runic only recently.          At present, we know five Old Turkic Runic inscriptions found in the vicinity of the village Tuekta. The inscription Tuekta I on a silver jug was found there in 1935 during the diggings of a kurgan. In 1989, two more inscriptions (Tuekta II and III) were discovered on a rock containing also numerous graffiti of the Old Turkic time. In 2006, close to that rock, another inscription consisting of 3 lines was found on a separately standing rock (Tuekta IV). And, finally, in 2008, the inscription Tuekta V was found on a rock in the vicinity of the kurgan where the silver vessel was situated, also accompanied by graffiti. Thus, at present, the village of Tuekta can be considered one of the most important centers of Old Turkic Runic in Mountainous Altay, along with Bičiktu-Boom, Kalbak-Taš and Möndür-Sokkon.

Tuekta II (A-51) and Tuekta III (A-52)

The inscriptions Tuekta II and III are situated on one of the rocks of a mountain ridge to the South-East from the village Tuekta. The vertical surface of the rock contains beside the two Runic inscriptions also graffiti of the Old Turkic time. The inscriptions and the graffiti form a beautiful composition and, taken together, are a masterpiece of the Old Turkic art. The rock with the inscriptions and the graffiti was discovered in 1989 by Miklaševič, E. A. (Martynov & Miklaševič 1995).

On the rock, we see very thin, practically invisible, carved lines depicting a rider holding a bow and ready to shoot; several dogs that are chasing running animals, with their tongues stuck out; another hunter with a bow is on foot and is aiming at the running animals: he has just shot an arrow at the deer, the arrow is sticking in the deer’s back. The ancient artist has shown various details of the men’s clothes and armament. Miklaševič was able to copy more details of the composition: a flying swan met by an arrow and a third hunter, but we could not see them clearly: the surface of the stone has been damaged. However, even the preserved part of the whole picture impress by its well balanced composition, realistic forms and a dynamic character.

The inscription Tuekta II

The inscription Tuekta II is situated on the bottom of the rock. It is horizontal; its length is 10.5 cm. We could see 10 signs, but it is possible that some signs are missing. 8 signs could be read. The height of the runes varies from 1.2 to 2.0 cm. The second inscription is situated 22.0 cm higher and to the left from this inscription. Our readings of these inscriptions strongly suggest that the inscriptions and the graffiti are connected with each other not only compositionally, but also semantically. We do not know whether they were made at the same time, or whether the inscriptions were made later, as a comment to the picture. Both the inscriptions and the graffiti can be dated only roughly, by a very broad period of time.

It is its preliminary reading: because of its bad preservation we could not read all the signs (see Picture 5). Moreover, we could read it only from left to right which is an exception for Runic inscriptions in the Altay Mountains.

Our interpretation

Runic transliteration: 

Latin transliteration: ? ? b^{2 Ü}k A b²(?) z/r¹(?) d² m A ? ?

Transcription:                         … bökä b(ä)z(ä)d(i)m а ….

Translation:                            … I have depicted a warrior.

Comments

1. The first three characters 𐰋 𐰝 𐰀 are clearly seen. They could be read as bökä ‘snake’ that could be used metaphorically of strong warriors, as DLT assumes. However, Clauson supposes that it was the opposite semantic direction and the original meaning of the word bökä was ‘warrior, wrestler’. The word is an early borrowing into Mongolic. The word bökä ‘warrior, strongman, strong, brave’ with the voiceless k in the middle found in modern North Eastern Turkic is a re-borrowing from Mongolic (Clauson, 324). Here, the meaning ‘snake’ does not make any sense.

2. The following five characters (؟) 𐰕/𐰺(؟) 𐰓 𐰢 𐰀 are not so well preserved, especially the characters (؟) and 𐰕/𐰺(؟). It is, however, clear that it is a verb form of the first person singular of the past tense written as follows: 𐰓 𐰢 -d(i)m. We read the signs (؟)and 𐰕/𐰺(؟) as the verb bäzä- ‘depict, decorate’. Thus, the content of the inscription illustrates the picture.