On the Oronym of Tugluga and Microtoponymy of Its Surroundings

The origin of the toponym Tugluga is сontroversial. This sacred mountain, traditionally perceived as the place where the sun “is born” every morning, has become an important part of the spiritual culture of the local population. Despite its sacred significance, the name of the mountain is not recorded in written sources. The article examines several versions of the origin of this toponym. The most probable version for researchers is its connection with the Mongolian lexeme tugalga – “mountain of lead color.” However, the author leans towards the hypothesis that the name is based on the polysemous word tolgoy, which is also found in the toponym TsagaanTolgoy (In Tuvan Ak-Bedik). During the research, it was discovered that the word had been mistakenly interpreted and translated into Russian in the text of the well-known folk song “The Nut Forest.” This study aims to identify the motivation behind the naming of the mountain, its connection to the historical context, and its spiritual and cultural significance, which grows with each passing day and becomes increasingly important for the local population.