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Turya or Turanian (Avestan 𐬙𐬏𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀, tūriia) is the ethnonym of a group mentioned in the Avesta, i.e., the collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism.[1] In those texts, the Turyas closely interact with the Aryas, i.e. the early Iranians.[2] Their identity is unknown but they are assumed to have been Iranic horse nomads from the Eurasian steppe.[3]
Like the ethnonym Iranian, which is derived from Iran, the modern term Turanian is a back formation from the toponym Turan. Both Turan and Iran are in turn back formations from the Old Iranian ethnonyms Turya and Arya, respectively. Turya, or variants thereof, does not appear in any historically attested sources.[4] However, the Turanians appear in later Iranian legends, in particular in the Shahnameh as the enemies of the Iranians. During medieval times, Turkic tribes began to settle in Turan and the name was increasingly applied to them.[5] The modern pan-nationalist movement Turanism also ultimately derives its name from the term.[6]
- ^ Gnoli 1980, pp. 99–130.
- ^ Yarshater 1983, p. 366.
- ^ Boyce 1996, p. 104: "In the Farvadin Yasht, 143-4, five divisions are recognized among the Iranians, namely the Airya (a term which the Avestan people appear to use of themselves), Tuirya, Sairima, Sainu and Dahi".
- ^ Yarshater 2014, pp. 570-576: "The identification of the Turanians, a rival Iranian tribe, with the Turks, and Afrāsīāb with their king, is a late development, possibly made in the early 7th century, the Turks having first come into contact with the Iranians only in the 6th century.".