Ethnо-tribal Composition of Desht-i Kipchak as an Object of Discussion (on V.A. Ivanov’s article “Nomads of the Golden Horde in the Perception of Modern Historians”)

Abstract

Research objectives: Published in 2018, an article by Prof. V.A. Ivanov pointed to a pressing problem regarding the possibility to correlate information provided in written sources with archaeological data, discussing it in the context of issues of localization of nomadic tribal groups in the Desht-i Kipchak in the period preceding the Mongol conquest. The authors of the present article are in agreement with V.A. Ivanov in recognizing this problem. However, they cannot agree with his manner of its presentation. A study of ethnic processes in the Eurasian steppes seems more complex than is presented in V.A. Ivanov’s view. In addition, it seems to the authors that Ivanov’s reproaches to researchers working with written sources are not entirely fair and correct. Research materials: The authors submitted for discussion some of the more significant and indicative issues, in their view, related to the broad problem of identification of nomadic tribal groups of the Desht-i Kipchak. Therefore, they had to resort to both written sources and the body of research works. The foundation of the written sources used here is represented, first of all, by Arabic-Persian historical works. In addition, the data of linguistics and archaeology was also involved in the paper. Results and novelty of the research: Pointing to several of the most illustrative issues in the ethnic history of the Desht-i Kipchak, the authors sought to demonstrate the real lack of unambiguous solutions based on data in written sources. Often real historical problems are dependent on subjective interpretation of texts provided by scholars. At the same time, their results are influenced by a combination of factors – such as the degree of informativeness of written sources as well as the approaches and personal capacities of the researcher. Moreover, the authors of this article express doubts that archaeologists have sufficient material on the history of the Eastern Desht-i Kipchak. Therefore, the question of the possibility of correlating this archaeological material with written sources is premature.

Keywords

• written sources
• archaeological materials
• nomads
• desht-i kipchak
• kipchaks
• ethnic history