Towards the Alan-Polovtsian-Mongolian Mythogenealogical Parallels

It is known that the nomadic peoples of the steppe zone of Eurasia have left a noticeable mark in the history of our country. One of the important topics in the field of science devoted to the nomadic people is the topic of reconstruction of the spiritual culture of these peoples. The pagan beliefs of the ancient nomads, rooted in the primitive era, were reflected, among other things, in the field of ethnogenealogical myths. One example illustrating such a phenomenon is a story left by medieval authors, telling about the military agreement between the Mongols and the Kipchaks, who were allies of the Alans. The reason for such an agreement was the “common origin” of two ethnic groups - Mongolian and Kipchak. Having pushed the Polovtsians to an agreement, the Mongols deprived the Alans of their allies and defeated them in another battle, subsequently attacking the Kipchaks themselves. The proposed article attempts to identify the basis of this kind of agreement, which, in the author’s opinion, has a direct connection with the ethnogenealogical views on the origin of the ruling families of three peoples - Mongolian, Kipchak-Polovtsian and Alan. In one case - for Monogols and Kipchaks-Polovtsians - it took place to be common, whereas in the other - for Mongols and Alans - it was different. This story is also of interest in the context of the spiritual culture and religion of the Alans, one of the ancestors of the Ossetian people. Folklore and ethnographic material also complements such a plot and to a certain extent confirms the assumptions made by the author. All this, in turn, allows us to reconstruct certain aspects of the spiritual culture of the peoples who did not leave behind an authentic written history, such as the Alans and Kipchaks-Polovtsians, whose history we know only thanks to foreign sources.