Stone Sculptures Depicting Umai (Katun) in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

The paper provides an overview of stone sculptures featuring figures with a distinctive ‘three-horned’ headdress and presents new findings of similar imagery. The geographic distribution of this motif has expanded over time across Central Asia. These depictions, found on coins, bone plaques, and stones, frequently appear alongside male figures, resembling carvings on stone sculptures. These images are generally interpreted as representations of the deity Umai or her earthly counterparts – either a female shaman or the khagan’s consort. The recurrence of scenes showing a long-haired male figure next to a person wearing a “three-horned” headdress suggests the prevalence of this iconographic pairing in early medieval Turkic culture. This imagery reflects the symbolic alignment of the khagan and his wife with deities Tengri and Umai, reinforcing the khagan’s authority. Such ideological expressions appear in memorial complexes, featuring sculptures of rulers and their spouses, as well as in official coinage, and other forms of artistic representation. Over time, the image of the woman in the “three-horned” headdress acquired broader cultural significance, extending even into family memorial enclosures. With the spread of Islam, the prominence of Umai diminished; however, her influence persisted in rituals, magical practices, and folklore. Ethnographic records suggest that Umai was sometimes associated with powerful women or experienced midwives, underscoring her enduring cultural relevance. Oral traditions continue to preserve vivid descriptions of her appearance. The term katun (also khatun), historically used to denote the wives of Turkic and Mongol rulers, has ancient Turkic roots. Although its exact etymology remains uncertain, linguistic analysis suggests derivation from the verb kat- (“to join, to add”) with the nominal suffix -yn, meaning ‘joined’. This etymological structure parallels the word kelin (kel- meaning ‘to come’), denoting a 'newcomer’. Originally meaning ‘wife’ or ‘woman,’ the term katun//katyn//kadyn evolved during the Turkic Khaganate period to signify the consort of a ruler and was later adopted by Mongol rulers. This study highlights the evolving cultural and ideological significance of the ‘threehorned’ headdress and its role in Turkic societal structures.