New Sogdian Inscriptions from Chu valley

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New Sogdian Inscriptions from Chu valley
(Ak-tobe/Southern Kazakhstan) 
 
Assist. Prof. Gaybulla Babayarov. International Turkic Academy 
Yeraly Akymbek. Ph.D student archeology, ethnology  
and museology Kazakh National University, Almaty/Kazakhstan
 
 
Ak-tobe is the Pre-Islamic city located near the Chu River (Northern 
Kyrgyzstan – Southern Kazakhstan / Semirech’e), in a place where nomadic steppe 
tradition meets settled agrarian culture.
Each year the archaeological research on medieval cities expands covering 
new areas. As a result of detailed research we now have rich data. Of the many 
cities with rich archaeological material is the city of Ak-tobe. Aktobe has been 
studied carefully since 1974. The complicated stratigraphy at the site indicates the 
existence of overlapping cultures, dating from the VI – early XIII centuries. The 
ceramic collections consist mostly of table wares. The Sogdian and Arabic 
inscriptions on the ceramics are found on the necks, bodies, handles, and rims of 
the vessels in combination with incised and stamped decorations. Inscribed 
ceramics are found from all stratigraphic levels of the city site.
The ceramic inscriptions described in this article come from the 2008 
excavations. The excavation block is 35 m X 10 m in the shakhristan section, east 
of the citadel. The excavations uncovered a thick outer wall of the citadel and 
several rooms of houses (The scientific report on archaeological… 2009). 
The inscriptions on the fragment of the cauldron was inscribed in a horizontal 
script using a sharp tool (Fig. 1-5). Like the previously described vessel, the 
diameter of this cauldron is 16 cm, and the wall thickness is 1-1.6 cm appearance. 
This vessel was severely burned by fire, although when it was evenly fired and 
crafted from clay with sand inclusions.

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Figure 1. 1. Inscription on the shoulder of the pot; 2. Inscriptions on the side of the pot; 3. 
Inscription on the side of the fragment of the tagore; 4. Inscription on the mouth of the jug; 5. 
Inscription on the side of the cauldron. 
We are reading some Sogdian inscriptions of Ak-tobe (dated to the VIII – X 
centuries A.D) such as 
twn-ch
or 
twn-c’
– “jug, pitcher” (See Fig. 2, 1-3) and 
’yny 
p’rδ 
.. – “This is care …?” (Gharib 2004: 259) (Fig. 2, 4). Alternative readings are 
pointless: as 
twn-’n
or 
twz-’n
. 
Commentary: 
The 
twnch 
(tōnčᾰ) / 
twnc’ 
(tōnča) is the Sogdian word, may be originally is 
twn
“jug, pitcher” and -
ch
(cha) / 
cha
“diminutive” as “small pitcher”. But this 
word is not seen in Sogdian written sources. 
There are words in some Uzbek dialects and Tajik language, Sogdian like:

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1.
tüŋčä
/ 
tümčä
– “jug, pitcher, a little ware from clay” in some Uzbek 
dialects of Southern Uzbekistan, especially in the dialects of local peoples of the 
ancient villages: such Beshkent (
Sogd
. Fijkath, near Qarshi city – Kashkadarya 
region / Southern Sogd) and some inhabitants of Fergana valley (Andizhan and 
Osh) (
see
“O’zbek Xalq Shevalari Izohli Lug’ati” (“The Dictionary of Uzbek 
Dialects” in Uzbek) - OHSHL 1971: 263-264). 
2. 
tung
(گنت) – “jug, pitcher, vessel for water, the dish for the water, wine and 
etc.” (
see
“Farhangi Tafsiri Zaboni Tojiki” (“The Explanatory Dictionary of Tajık 
Language”) – FTZT 2008: 355). 
Some other Sogdian inscriptions of Ak-tobe were read by V.A. Livshits (
see
Fig. 2) [Livshits 2008: 363-368].
Figure 2. The remains of the pot with a Sogdian inscription on the aureole, found in 1989 
(Shalekenov, Aldabergenov 2006: 26). 
 
References
:
1.
Akymbek Y., Baibugunov B. (2013). Inscriptions on ceramics of medieval city Aktobe // 
2
nd
World Conference on Design, Arts and Education (DAE-2013). Published by Elsevier 
Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Ayse Cakir İlhan & 
Fatma Miralay. www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia 
2.
Gharib B. Sogdian Dictionary. Sogdian – Persian – English. – Tehran: Farhangan 
Publications, 2004. 
3.
Livshits V.A. Sogdiyskaya epigrafika Sredney Azii i Semirech’ya. Sankt-Peterburg, 2008.
4.
OHSHL (1971).Ozbek Halq shevalari lug’ati. Tahkent: Fan, 1971 (İn Uzbek). 

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5.
FTZT (2008). Farhangi tafsiri zaboni Tojiki. Jildi 2 (O - Ya). Zeri tahriri S. Nazarzoda, A. 
Sanginov, S. Karimov, M.H. Sulton. Dushanbe 2008 (In Tajık). 
6.
Shalekenov U.Kh., Aldabergenov N.O. (2006). Medieval Aktobe. Album. Ankara (In 
Turkısh). 
7.
The scientific report on archaeological researches in 2008 on the Medieval settlement of 
Aktobe (Balasagun) (2009) // Archive of Institute of archeology of A.Kh. Margulan of
SC of MES RK. Almaty (in Russian and Kazakh).