Information Package / Course Catalogue
Turkic Mitology II
Course Code: TDE388
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 0
Credit: 2
Lab: 0
ECTS: 4
Objectives of the Course

The mythological elements which had been created by Turkish folks.The aim of the course of Turkish Mitology is to gain the ability of find and explain the mytological elements in material culture items like painting, sculpture, architectural structures and in the spirutuel culture like legend, the folk story and poetry

Course Content

To examine the descriptions which creates the mytological subjects by comparing the ones which are contemporary and chronological. Turkish Mytology, the mythological heroes, the interpretting of mythological events; the uses of story, character and the drawing tecniques, the colours in the Mytologic event iconograpy; perspective, visualisation, designing and implementing of the mythological events, the semi- heroes, the semi- deity, the deities , the plastic elements about the deities, the details about the deities

Name of Lecturer(s)
Ins. Gökhan TÜRK
Learning Outcomes
1.To be able to explain the ancient belief systems of Turks
2.To be able to define myhtology of Turks
3.To be able to compare Turkish Mitology and the mitology of the other folks
4. To be able to explain animism, totemism and shamanism of Turks
5.To be able to define the patterns and belief traces in Turkish oral culture
6.to be able to define and explain the foreign elements in materialist and spiritual culture of Turks
7.To be able to compare the ancient beliefs and the present antiquities
8. To be able to explain Turkish folk epics
9.To be able to make use of Turkish Culture and mytology in scientific researches
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Ögel B. Türk Mitolojisi. TTK, Ankara 2014
2.Leeming D.A. A'dan Z'ye Dünya Mitolojisi. Say, İstanbul 2018
3.Ergun, M. ve İbrahimov G. Başkurt Halk Destanları. Türksoy, Ankara 2000
4.Vasilyev Y. Saha (Yakut) Halk Edebiyatı Örnekleri. TDK, Ankara 1996
5.Ergin M. Dede Korkut Kitabı I, TDK, Ankara 1997
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
General overview of Turkish epics: What is an epic and when did it emerge? The formation of epics in oral tradition, their oral transmission, and their influence from periods and foreign cultures.
Week 2 - Theoretical
General characteristics of Turkish epics. Mythical and heroic epics. The mythological and religious motifs contained in the epics change under the influence of different periods and cultures.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Variants of the Oguz Khagan epic. Uyghur variant, its discovery and publication, studies on it, the content of the epic.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Examination of the Oghuz Khagan epic in terms of mythological elements: Oghuz's birth, his connection with totem animals, his marriage to the daughter of Heaven and Earth and his becoming a khagan.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Examination of the Oguz Khagan epic in terms of religious and cultural elements: State understanding, borders of the state, flag, coat of arms. Management style and bow-arrow motif.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Variants of the Ural Batir epic of the Turks of the Itil region (Tatar and Bashkir). Compilation, publication and research on it. The content of the epic.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Examination of the Ural Batir epic in terms of mythological elements: Bengi water, the struggle with giants, Yangan Tav, Yaman Tav mountains, İdil/Volga, Ural and Hakmar rivers, mythological stories telling about the formation of the Ural Mountains.
Week 8 - Theoretical
Variants, compilation, publication and studies on the Er Sogotoh (Yakut) epic of the Yakut/Sakha Turks. The content of the epic.
Week 9 - Theoretical
Examination of Er Sogotoh epic in terms of mythological elements: The hero's celestial origin, the tree of life, eternal water, the struggle with death, being the first ancestor of the Yakuts, finding and explaining the motifs.
Week 10 - Theoretical
General information about Dede Korkut epics. Finding and publishing the Dresden and Vatican copies, and studies on them. Brief summary of 12 stories.
Week 11 - Theoretical
The spread of Basat's killing of Tepegoz as a folk tale in Turkish geography, the changes it has undergone, and the content of the story.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Examination of Basat's killing of Tepegoz in terms of mythological elements: Motifs formed under the influence of totemism and animism, Tepegoz as taboo violation and punishment, the ring as a foreign motif, Dede Korkut and shaman characteristics.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Examination of the Deli Dumrul story in terms of mythological elements: Fight against death, magical practices (Bridge motif), giving life instead of life motif and similarity with Sumerian mythology.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Examination of the Golden Arıg epic of the Altai Turks in terms of mythological elements: Matriarchal society motif, death and resurrection, shaman characteristics of the hero, the hero who dies as a woman and is reborn as a man, and the transition to the patriarchal society.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Assignment125025
Midterm Examination115116
Final Examination130131
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)100
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
OÇ-1
2
4
5
4
OÇ-2
2
4
5
4
OÇ-3
2
4
5
4
OÇ-4
5
5
5
OÇ-5
4
4
4
OÇ-6
2
4
4
4
OÇ-7
2
4
4
4
OÇ-8
4
5
4
OÇ-9
4
5
4
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026