Geography and Natural Resources

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES THAT PRESERVE THE TRACE OF THE QUSHCHU TRIBE

N.Q.Babayev 

Institute of Geography named after academician H.A. Aliyev, Ministry of Science and Education. Baku, Azerbaijan

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DOI: 10.59423/gnr.2025.88.44.013

Abstract

The Qushchu tribe is one of the ancient nomadic tribes that played an important role in the history of Azerbaijan and, more broadly, in the history of Turkic peoples. The presence of various geographical names associated with their name demonstrates the wide territorial spread of this tribe throughout history and its place in Turkic ethnography. This article analyzes the origin, history, geographical traces, and contemporary role of the Qushchu tribe in the Turkic world. The Qushchu tribe has long attracted the attention of different researchers, and various views exist regarding their origin. Most scholars assert that the tribe is of Turkic origin, while some specialists link them to the Mongols. However, the prevailing view is that the ethnonym Qushchu derives from the Turkic language and means “bird hunters” or “hunters of birds of prey.” This is further confirmed by the fact that among the Bashkirs, the Qushchus were known as “bird hunters,” which indicates that they were not of Mongol origin.

Keywords: Qushchu tribe, Kushans, Mugan Khan, ethnonym, Oghuz land, Turkic tribes

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Accepted for publication: June 10, 2025

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N.Q.Babayev  – Geographıcal names that preserve the trace of the Qushchu trıbe. Geography and Natural Resources, №1 (23), 2025, pp. 87-90.