A new and big Celestial Turk kurgan found

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

I read this news a few minutes ago in a Turkish newspaper: www.milliyet.com.tr/Dunya/SonDakika.aspx?aType=SonDakika&ArticleID=995262&Date=24.09.2008&Kategori=dunya&b=Bilge%20Kaganin%20heykeli%20bulundu&ver=65

It says that a Mongolian archaeological team discovered a new and very big kurgan belonging to the Celestial Turks (Gök Türks, Tujue 突厥), located only two kilometers west of the famous Orkhon Monuments belonging to Bilgä Qaġan (reigned 716-734) and his brother Köl Tigin. The archaeologists also claim that a statue found at the site might be representing Bilgä Qaġan himself.

Hope to see some photos soon.

[ALTAR]

Excellent news. Thanks my dear Qaghan for sharing this exciting info.

I am impatient for the photos too.

If the info is true, I think its one of the best discoveries of Turkish History.

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Yes indeed, I'm eagerly waiting for more news.

Archaelogy seems to be the only truely fruitful way to be successful in Ancient Central Asian-Turkic History nowadays.

[Azadan Januspar]

Any pictures or news from the kurgan yet?

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

I saw the photo of the statue in the Hürriyet newspaper two days ago but I couldn't find an online version.

Btw, I think it's actually not very possible for the kurgan (actually, this word is also wrong, it should be Qorughan, but whatever) to belong to Bilgä Qaġan, because his grave is already known and already excavated in 2001 and 2004, by a joined Turko-Mongolian team. It is however possible that the kurgan belongs to another qaġan that lived before him. Plus, I also think that the statue might belong to a random Buyruq (dignitary) or a Bäg (title-bearer), because in order to decide that a statue represents a qaghan, it has to be found in the middle of a group of statues, but most of the graves have their stues broken or taken away, thus their order not remaining still.

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Oh actually I found a photo!

[Azadan Januspar]

thanks!