FROM TRIBE TO TOWN: THE EARLY HISTORY OF KAMAN

Year 2006, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 201 - 209, 30.06.2006

İlhan Şahin

Abstract

Kaman, a district center in the province of Kırşehir in Central Anatolia today, is located about 25 km. northwest of Kırşehir on the ancient route from Kırşehir to Ankara. As far as it is known, the history of Kaman has not been a direct research subject for any scholars until now. However, in some studies that have indirectly touched on the subject, researchers express that its history goes back to the ancient period studies, especially by comparing the name of Kaman with some ancient names. In this connection, it has been suggested that the word of Kaman originally comes from the name of Kamana, which derives from the name of Komana, the “holy mother” country in the Luwi language1. It is also said that the name of Kaman is probably given because of the name Chamanene in the Roman period.

Keywords

FROM TRIBE TO TOWN, HISTORY, KAMAN

References

• On the use of the meaning of this word see Bilge Umar, Türkiye’deki Tarihsel Adlar, İstanbul 1993, pp. 369-370.
• See for instance, Besim Darkot, “Kırşehir”, İA, vol. 6, p. 764.
• For general information about “Köz Kaman”, see Arthur T. Hatto, “Köz-Kaman I-II”, Manas Destanı Üzerinde İncelemeler (Çeviriler I), translated by M. Noyan Çengel, G. Ertuğrul and F. Çubuklu, Ankara 1995, pp. 153-215; D. Saaliyeva, “Közkamandar”, Manas Entsiklopediya, I, Bişkek 1995, pp. 333-334.
• See W. Radloff, Opyt Slovaria Tiurkskih Narechii, vol. II/1, St. Petersbourg 1899, p. 439 and 480. Besides, for the other meanings and expressions related to “Kaman” or “Kaban”, see K. K. Yudahin, Kirgizsko-Russksii Slovar, Moskva 1965, p. 335.