| Turkic mythology |
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Epics and heroes |
İye (sometimesİne orEğe;Chuvash:Ийӗ,İyĕ;Tatar:Ия,İyä;Yakut:Иччи,İççi;Turkmen:Eýe,Эе;Tuvan:Ээ,Ee;Uzbek:Ega,Эга;Ottoman Turkish:اي orٳي;Russian:Ийе,Ije) is a spirit inTurkic mythology who is atutelary deity[1] of a place, person, lineage, nation, natural assets or an animal. Although such spirits are called "masters" or "possessors", they are not necessarily subject to worship.[2] They may be revered as sacred essence of things without being deified or even personified.[3]: 24
The term means owner, master, lord, possessor in Turkic languages. Ezen (familiar spirit, protector spirit) has the same meaning (owner, possessor) in theMongolian language.[4]
In the context of Turkic shamanism and traditional belief systems, aniye is not a physical owner but a spiritual proprietor, a tutelary spirit or genius loci that embodies and governs a specific place, natural phenomenon, object, or concept.
Academic Perspective: Scholars like Ákos Bertalan Apatóczky and Vladimir N. Basilov emphasize that the concept moves far beyond simple animism (the belief that everything has a soul) to a form of "proprietorial animism." It's a system where the universe is organized under the jurisdiction of countless specialized spirits who must be respected and negotiated with.
Theiye is not inherently good or evil; its disposition is a direct reflection of human action. Respect shown through offerings and proper conduct invites theiye's blessing and protection, ensuring a successful hunt, a healthy family, or a plentiful harvest. Conversely, disrespect or harm to its domain provokes misfortune and retribution. Thus, life itself becomes a continuous dialogue with these unseen owners, a sacred contract where humanity must acknowledge its place within a spirit-governed ecological and cosmic order.
InAzerbaijani mythology, they are usually described as benevolent towards mankind.[citation needed]
Aynur Gazanfargizi states that, according toTengrism, God (Tengri) created the İye and gave them dominion over a specific place. They would have been similar to that ofangels inAbrahamic religions. However, often only their negative impact is remembered and thus have often been demonized. She argues that the İye is neither thought to be inherently good or bad, but the İye's attitude depends on human's respect towards the nature of their domain: If the İye of a garden would be disrespected, it would cause the garden to wither. If the İye is respected however, the garden will prosper. She criticizes both the demonization of İye as demons (Kara İye), as well as the deification of them done by Western researchers. İyes would be neither inherently good nor bad, but sent by God to interact with humans in a respectful manner.[5]
According tomyths among the Turks collected byVerbitsky Vasily, the İye appear similar tofallen angels. WhenErlik desired to create a world on his own to fill it with his own people,Ülgen was ordered to throw Erlik and his servants out of the sky. A battle occurred and Erlik was injured and cast into the underworld, along with his servants. They fell like water drops, and each of his servants became a spirit corresponding with the specific element it fell into. Thus, whose who fell into fire became od-iyeler (İye of fire), whose who fell into water became su-iyeler (İye of water), etc.[6]
It is the name given tosaint-like beings in many places such as Azerbaijan, Anatolia and Ahıska. Although the word seems to be the plural form of the word "Good" (iyeler), it is actually related to the concept of "Iye". Shrines and cemeteries considered sacred are used in association with the names of theseİyeler. According to belief, beings such as "al girls", who have fertile hands and make everything they touch fruitful, are considered to be among the İye. It is said among them are saints,prophets, andangels. Graves, which were thought to be places where the İyeler slept, were considered places of pilgrimage and the sick and those who could not find a cure went there.[7]
These are at the orter of other İyes:
