Bronze mirror inscribed with Turkish tamgas. This mirror, found in 1972, was cleaned in 1974 and the text written in Turkish alphabet was revealed and recorded among the Hermitage Museum documents. The mirror, known as the “Bronze Mirror of East Turkestan”, was found near the Turpan region and has spiritual depictions of Burkanism (Buddhism).

Mirrors of this structure are very common in Chinese culture, especially during the Tang period, and there are thousands of examples. Therefore, it is more likely that its production is by Chinese hands. There is an inscription consisting of 15 signs on the mirror. The text is clearly in Turkish and it is understood that it was written later with the Turkish alphabet. Inscriptions of this nature also reveal that they do not belong to the producer, as they are carelessly written on carefully produced coins and objects.

When they deem it necessary, the Turks write “said or commemorative words” on the loot objects and Kagan gifts they shared. Examples of such writings can be seen on “objects such as containers, drinking bowls, ladles, mirrors, etc. and coins”. Writing with Turkish alphabet; It can be read as “AÇIKMIMIS AÇ SAC/SEC aAS OGUS”.

In this article, the tamgas “ES-AS-Z”, which are similar “thick – thin” sounds, must have been used interchangeably, as in many Turkish inscriptions. We see the use of these thick and thin tamgas interchangeably in almost all Turkish alphabetic writings, including the Orkun Benggütas. The word “AÇIG” means Kagan gift, reward. The word “AÇIG” may have been used as “AÇIQ” with the change “Q-G” in earlier periods.

If this is the root of the word, the meaning of the spelling is: “OPEN OUR REWARD, HAIR (and) HANG.” We can translate it as . If the first word root is read directly as “AÇIQ”, its meaning may be: “OPEN OUR IMAGE(Ü), HAIR, HANG” or “OPEN OUR IMAGE(Ü), SELECT (jewelry), Hang (hang)”. It has been encountered in a few short texts that the tag “ES” is used instead of “colon (:)” as a word separator.

If the tags “ES” were used with this method in this Text, the reading should be as follows: “”Open, open, HAIR”. The text becomes more understandable and is translated as “OUR IMAGE (O) IS OPEN, HAIR” and shows us the earliest use of the “open, scatter” reflection that we use even today. I think this reading is the most correct.

The “OGuS” written at the end of the text may have been written as “OĞUZ” due to the common use of the “ES-AS-Z” tags, or it may have been a spelling mistake. We also read that in some writings, the “ES-AS” tokens and the “Ş” tokens are used interchangeably due to similarity in sound.

In such a case, the word is “OGUŞ”; It can also be read as “lineage”, but I do not think it is written in this sense, I see it as unnecessary behind the mirror and in the integrity of the text. It should also be noted that; In addition to being a sign of holiness, the root “OĞ” also has the meaning of “many being one and united” and meanings such as “Bod” and “Boy” are also given.

If so, the word “OGUS – OGUŞ”; “It may have been used to mean the collection of these jewelery and objects on a head and face, and may have described painting the face, wearing jewellery, and grooming. It may have been a Turkish word used for “Makeup” at that time.

Although the word “OGUŞ” brings to mind the word “RUSHTURMAK”, the origins of the words “OĞ-MAK and OĞUŞ-TURMAK” come from the root “OW” (vocalization between b-v) and were later used as “RUBBING, RUBINING”. The usage here is not exactly “to rub” but it is similar. Our Turkish Written Bronze Mirror has become one of our assets as it is open to all reading and comment suggestions and as a source of Turkish written findings.

Kürşad BAYTOK