Yer Tanrı
Yer Tanrı is the goddess of earth in Turkic mythology. Also known as Yer Ana.
Yer Tanrı | |
---|---|
Abode | World |
Symbol | Beautiful woman |
Personal information | |
Parents | Tengri |
Siblings | Kayra |
Consort | Kayra |
Children | Umay Ülgen (Grand Son) Koyash Erlik Ay Tanrı |
With her father Gök Tengri and her brother and husband Kayra, she was the parent of Ay Tanrı, Umay, Ülgen, Koyash, and Erlik. As a fertility goddess, she was recognized as the giver of crops and abundance. In the Spring and in the Autumn — before the beginning of the agricultural season and after the harvest — she was worshiped with sacrifices of food.
Yer Tanry was considered to be both a mother and wife to Gök Tengri. She appeared as a force of nature. In ancient Turkic mythology there was a theory that mortals were the product of the union of Tengri and Yer (Earth). In the Orkhon inscriptions it says: "In the beginning there was a blue sky above, a dark land below, and human sons in-between." (Üze kök tengri asra yagiz yir kilindukda ikin ara kişi oğlı kılınmış.)[1] The Turkic people revered the Earth Goddess (Yer Ana) as a giver of crops and abundance. In the Spring, before the beginning of the agricultural season and in the Autumn, after the harvest, as a sign of gratitude for the abundance of food and happiness, the ancient Turkic peoples and Mongols made a sacrifice to the Earth Goddess. Milk, kumys and tea were offered, and pleas were made for a fertile land and a rich yield.
See also
- Etugen Eke
- Ötüken
Bibliography
- Türk Mitolojisi Ansiklopedik Sözlük, Celal Beydili, Yurt Yayınevi (Pages 612 - 613)