Iron age aşi̇rets (tribes) in Eastern Anatolia
Articles > Article · 2011
Authors: Aylin Ümit ERDEM OTMAN
TUBA-AR, Journal Indexed in SCI Expanded, International, Scopus, 2011, vol 14, pp 59-68
DOI: 10.22520/tubaar.2011.0006
Summary
An overall assessment of both the archaeological evidence and as well the written documents indicate tribal organizations, not unlike present-day "aşiret's had already emerged in Eastern Anatolia by the beginning of the Iron Ages. This paper discusses the existence of semi-nomadic aşirets/tribes in the Early Iron Age and their continuation into the Urartian period. In visualizing the active role played by the aşirets/tribes during the Urartian state system, comparisons with the status of aşirets/tribes within the Ottoman Empire sets an excellent analogy, as the tribes of eastern Anatolia, as the tribes constituted a major component of the Ottoman state system. The present day aşirets in Eastern Turkey were also considered in reviewing the modalities of aşiret and state relations during the Iron Ages.