Turkels – a Turkic Family in the Byzantine Civil Service

In: Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Serija 4. Istorija. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija, Heft 6, S. 150-159

Abstract

Introduction. The paper considers the two Byzantine lead seals of the second half of the 11th century, the owner of which was a translator (ermeneutes) with a non-Christian name Turkeles.

Analysis. The correct reading of the owner's name was possible by comparing the sigillographic texts with the inscription on a silver bucket found in Perm region (Russia). This richly ornamented vessel made in the last third of the 11th – 12th c., belonged, according to the inscription, to a Christian person called Theodore Turkeles. The most probable etymology of this very rare name is Turkic. Because both seals originate from the territory of the Old Rus, we can suppose that he was involved in the northern policy of Byzantium.

Results. It can be assumed that the owner of the seal, Turkeles, became the first Rhomaios in his family, entering the service of the Emperor as a translator from Turkic languages. The owner of the bucket, Theodore was called by the second name Turkeles, either from his father or as a family name. Since no other Turkeles is attested in the Byzantine sources, the bearers of this name were not very successful in cultivating their family tree, and the patronymic could simply not have time to turn into a family nickname.