Turkic Memorials
Turkic memorial structures include squared enclosures that are often accompanied by image stones, false image stones, or balbal. There is every indication that these structures were commemorative in function. Within the Mongolian Altai, they are not typically associated with recognizable burials.
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Three Turkic enclosures seen from the west. Enclosures have been disrupted over time and filled in with juniper. Three false image stones stand on the east sides of the enclosures, and two lines of tall balbal stretch to the east for a distance of 198 m. Khoton Nuur.
Enclosures are squared or rectangular mounds, usually filled with white and black boulders and framed by black or granitic slabs. Enclosures are oriented with their sides to the four quarters. Excavations of enclosures in other regions have indicated that they were originally centered by a pit into which were probably poured ritual libations. The remains of larch poles in these pits and sometimes at one of the sides of the enclosure indicates the ancient mounting of young trees or poles for ritual purposes.
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Two Turkic enclosures with frames of heavy, black slate, interior of mounded boulders. Both measure approximately 2 m to a side. The southern enclosure has a large standing false image stone with possible slight carving around the face. View here is from the southeast. Khargantyn Gol.
Enclosures are squared or rectangular mounds, usually filled with white and black boulders and framed by black or granitic slabs. Enclosures are oriented with their sides to the four quarters. Excavations of enclosures in other regions have indicated that they were originally centered by a pit into which were probably poured ritual libations. The remains of larch poles in these pits and sometimes at one of the sides of the enclosure indicates the ancient mounting of young trees or poles for ritual purposes.
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Two enclosures with broken frames and one false image stone. Turkic period. Khara Zharyk, Dayan Nuur Basin. View southwest.
False image stones are simple, un-carved, or barely carved vertical stones placed in the same way as true Turkic image stones on the east side of or within a Turkic enclosure. Their function was certainly similar to that of the true Turkic images; that is, they referred to specific deceased individuals.
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Enclosure, image stone, and balbal. Turkic period. Sary Böktep, Sogoo Gol Valley. View east.
Turkic image stones are sculptured representations of males. Most are show as warriors, but some seem to represent young men. The size and quality of Turkic image stones varies considerably. The best show the figure with his right hand holding a cup in front of his chest and his left hand at the hilt of a sword. They face east, on the east side of or within an enclosure. Late Turkic images—that is, of the Uighur Period—clasp a vessel with both hands, but they are not associated with enclosures.
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Two enclosures, one false image stone, and two lines of balbal extending approximately 300 m. Turkic period. Mogoityn Am, valley of Mogoityn Gol. View east.
Balbal are stones of varying size set up in rows running from west to east on the east side of an Early Nomadic period burial mound or on the east side of a Turkic enclosure. Balbal of the Early Nomadic period may be relatively large; their shapes often recall those of deer stones and in at least two cases, a deer stone is used as a balbal. Balbal of the Turkic period are usually smaller and more numerous: in some cases they may stretch for more than 200 m to the east. There is no certainty about the meaning of these stones, but they may refer either to the followers of the person being memorialized or, according to some authorities, to the number of adversaries killed by that person.
