The Cult of Tree in the Culture of the Turkic Peoples

Myths, legends, and traditions convey ancient mythological ideas and showcase the artistic creativity of our ancestors. The Turkic peoples held trees in high esteem and considered them as sacred objects. They believe that trees were the center of the inhabited space, symbolizing the world's structure. The reverence towards trees was not only due to their economic value but also because they were regarded as the abode of gods. Trees were believed to be animated beings carrying sacred power, and ancestors revered them for this reason. The cult of the tree is a symbol of the past and the world of ancestors that humans are closely connected to. The trunk and crown of the tree represent the abundance and fertility of the real world. The tree is a personification of the life structure of the Turks within the larger context of the world. The aim of the research is to study the imagination of the ancient Turkic peoples with a rich mythological heritage expressed in symbols.