Balfour on the Turkmen 1883

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The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia: Commercial, Industrial and Scientific, Products of the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms, Useful Arts and Manufactures
By Edward Balfour
Published by Benard Quaritch, 15 Piccadelly 1885
pages 174-175

The Turkoman group of tribes has been known from the early agea as a distinct branch of tbe Turkish race. They were first known historically as having come from the neighbourhood of Mangishlak on the Caspian, but they have traditions which assert that they lived originally far to the east, and travelled thence in a N.W. direction ; and isolated groups are indeed found located on the supposed line of route, in the district of Jizikh, north of Karmina and Samarcand, which, although living for ages apart from the rest of the race, still retain all the characteristic features of the race. Soon after the death of Timur, the tribes overran and occupied Persia, and Azun Hasan, chief of the Turkomans of the White Sheep, overthrew and killed in battle Abu Said Mirza, the most powerful of Timur's descendants. The last chief of this dynasty, Murad Beg, was driven out of Baghdad, A.IT. 908, by Ismail Shah of Persia, and was finally defeated and slain by the Persians, A.H. 920, A.D. 1514. At present the various tribes, entirely nomad, have no political connection with each other, nor any common head, and the power and importance of the race has greatly fallen. But the Mameluk of Egypt were of Turkoman origin ; and the Turki races in the N. and W. of Persia and adjoining districts are of this stock. For a long time past they have been employed as mercenaries by Khiva and Bokhara, and they will serve any master who will pay them well. Nadir is said to have had the whole race in his pay ; and Aga Muhammad Khan, the founder of the Kajar dynasty, is said to have employed them. They extend from the Caspian eastwards to Balkh, in the south of the Amu (Oxus), and from that river southward as far as Herat and Aster- abad, a tract almost all desert, excepting the districts watered by the Atrak, Amu, Gorghan, and Murghab, where they cultivate the soil. They are chiefly nomad (charwar), but partly settled (chumur). The latter cultivate, have large flocks and herds, and keep fowls, but have few camels ; the nomads have numerous camels, sheep, and goats. Both classes rear horses. The Turkomans have nine tribes, — Ali-ali, Arsari, Chandora, Goklen, Kara, Salor, Sarika, Tekke, and Yomut, — each of them with several taifa or tira, clans or branches. The Russians estimate their numbers at 600,000, in an area of 21,000 square miles.

The Ali-ali, about And-khui, have 3000 tents = 15,000 souls.

The Arsari are on the banks of the Amu, about Charjui and Lab-i-Ab, and northwards as far as Kirkinjuk and Karakul. In the end of the 18th
century they arrived from Mangashlak. Those on the Amu produce silk, the finest in the khanate. They have 20 clans,and have 50,000 to 60,000
tents = 250,000 or 300,000 souls.

The Chaudor, seven or eight clans, have about 11,000 tents. They frequent the country lying between the S. shores of the Caspian and the Lower Amu.

The Goklen are agricultural, settled, and the sost peaceable and civilised of the Turkoman; dwell in the rich country about Garjan ; most of them are Persian subjects. They have ten clans, and about 10,000 tents.

The Kara, a small but very savage tribe, at war with all their neighbours, are found about And-khui, and near wells between And-khui and Merv.

The Salor have been famous for their martial qualities ever since the Arab invasion. The Constantinople dynasty is said to belong to them. At present they have three clans, with 8000 tents. The Sarakhs near Merv are said to be of this tribe. They are rich in cattle, and cultivate. They and the Sariks early left Mangishlak. The Sarakhs are equally brave; they are occupying about Panjdik, on the Murghab, but are at war with most of the other tribes. They have about 10,000 tents, in five clans.

The Tekke have their principal stations at Akhal and Merv. They are the most numerous and powerful tribe. They have less than the other tribes of cultivable land within their borders, and are more dependent on plunder. Their incursions are much dreaded in the N.E. of Persia, as well as in the direction of Herat. Their principal taifas are the Bakshi, Otemisch, and Totamish, with numerous subdivisions, and they are said to number 60,000 tents = 300,000 souls. In 1881 they submitted to Russia.

The Yomut are said to have 31,000 families, of which 16,000 are subject to Khiva, and 15,000 to Persia. They themselves allege that their tents are 40,000 to 50,000. They are settled on the eastern shores of the Caspian and on some of its islands, also in the Khiva desert near the Oxus. They have four clans; one, the Ogurjali, are under Persia, and are peaceable traders.

The purest type of the Turkomans is found amongst the Chandor and Tekke in the remoter deserts, are of middle height, small head, oblong skull, a rather long chin, and snub nose ; cheekbones not high ; eyes remarkably bright, sparkling, and fiery ; feet usually turned inwards ; and usually fair in colour. The women are unveiled, have a ruddy, healthy look, and often considerable beanty. They are chaste, devoted to their families, and do all the hard work, the men confining their work to the care of their horses. The women make beautiful carpets ; a long shift is their usual dress, to which they add a shawl and boots, with many silver trinkets, chains, amulets, etc. The chief expeditions of the Tekke were to seizeslaves in Herat, Khorasan, Seistan, W. Afghanistan, and Persia, whom they sold in Bokhara and Central Asia ; while the Yomut infested the southern shores of the Caspian. The Ali-ali and Kara captured caravans on their way to Bokhara. The Chaudor ill-treat their slaves, so as to be a scandal to the neighbouring races. The slaves Me mostly Persians of the Shiah faith ; but they take the Sunni from Khaf and Herat, also capture Jamshidi and Hazara, occasionally an Afghan and Hindu. The slave trade is regularly organized.

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.

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