Women’s Identity and Representations in Sogdian Society (6th Century BC- 8th Century AD)

Year 2023, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 633 - 675, 26.03.2023

Başak Kuzakçı

https://doi.org/10.24186/vakanuvis.1253575

Abstract

From the third-fourth centuries AD, the Sogdians intensively established trade networks and colonial cities along the Silk Road from China to the Black Sea steppes. An integral part of Sogdian historical identity are its commercial successes. However, Sogdians and Sogdian world were not just about trade. Sogdians built a strong written culture and city-centered social system in Sogdia in general term Central Asia. One of the main elements of Sogdian culture and city life is Sogdian women and their social representations. Sogdians produced a significant amount of documentary and archaeological data on the status of women in these areas. In Sogdia, which was subject to the Achaemenid Empire in the sixth century BC, the religious, political and legal structure of the Iranian world began to have a strong influence from this period. The legal status and social rights of the Sogdian women were also shaped from this period. In this study, it was aimed to determine the social status of Sogdian women by analyzing the documents produced directly by the Sogdians, and to define the identity of women in the Sogdian society and the social functions they assumed, based on the rich data provided by these documents.

Keywords

Sogdia, Sogdians, Sogdian Women, Ancient Letters, Marriage Contract, Murals/Wall Painting

Soğd Toplumunda Kadın Kimliği ve Temsilleri (MÖ VI.-MS VIII. Yüzyıl)

Abstract

Soğdlar, MS III.-IV. yüzyıllardan itibaren yoğun surette İpek Yolu boyunca Çin’den Karadeniz steplerine kadar ticaret ağları ve koloni şehirleri kurdu. Soğd tarihsel kimliğinin ayrılmaz parçası ticari başarılarıdır. Fakat, Soğdlar ve Soğd dünyası, sadece ticaretten ibaret değildi. Soğdlar, Soğdya’da daha bilindik ve genel ifadeyle Orta Asya’da kuvvetli bir yazılı kültür ve şehir merkezli toplumsal sistem inşa etti. Soğd kültür ve şehir hayatının temel unsurlarından biri ise Soğd kadını ve kadınların toplumsal temsilleridir. Soğdlar bu alanlarda ve kadının statüsü üzerine önemli oranda doküman ve arkeolojik veri üretti. MÖ VI. yüzyılda Ahameniş İmparatorluğu’na tabi olan Soğdya’da bu dönemden itibaren İran dünyasının dini, siyasi ve hukuki yapısı kuvvetle tesirli olmaya başladı. Soğd kadınının hukuki statüsü ve sosyal hakları da bu dönemden itibaren şekillendi. Bu çalışmada doğrudan Soğdlar tarafından üretilen belgelerin analizi ile Soğd kadınının sosyal statüsünün tespiti ve bu belgelerin sağladığı zengin verilerden yola çıkarak, Soğd toplumunda kadın kimliği ve üstlendikleri sosyal fonksiyonları amaçlandı.

Keywords

Soğdya, Soğd, Soğd Kadını, Eski Mektuplar, Evlilik Sözleşmesi, Mural

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