A Resource for Turkic and Jewish History in Russia and Ukraine

Last Updated: February 5, 2010

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Order your copy of The Jews of Khazaria - the general-interest book about the Khazars in English.

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Order the improved 2nd edition in hardcover format:
The Jews of Khazaria - 2nd Edition - from RowmanLittlefield.com
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The Jews of Khazaria - 2nd Edition - from Amazon.ca in Canada
The Jews of Khazaria - 2nd Edition - from Amazon.co.uk in the UK
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NEWS FLASHES AND NEW ARTICLES

Atil has been found! Dmitri Vasiliev and his team have located the remnants of the lost city in the newly-found 9th and 10th century layers at Samosdelka, including a triangular-shaped brick fortress and yurt-like huts. Read his Russian article "Itil'-mechta (Na raskopkax drevnego tsentra Xazarskogo kaganata)" in Lekhaim, 10 (174), October 2006. Also take a look at Valerii Zhuravliev's Russian article "Sensatsiya nashix dney: A vdrug eto legendarnii Itil'?" from the September 20, 2005 issue of Parlamentskaya gazeta, and a report released by the Regnum News Agency on August 12, 2005. David Keys wrote an article about the Atil digs in BBC History Magazine's May 2008 issue which says they've found, among other things, turquoise-glazed ceramics from Persia, stone cauldrons from Uzbekistan, amber beads from the Baltic region, a dragon-adorned belt end from China, and a copper crucifix. Further details:
Swedish article: "Återfunnen judisk huvudstad grävs ut" by Carl-Johan Bilkenroth and Bengt Jonsson (Svenska Dagbladet, May 18, 2008)
English article: "Russian archaeologists find long-lost Jewish capital" by Agence France-Presse (September 3, 2008)
English article: "Found: Ancient Capital of 'Jewish' Khazar Kingdom" by Ze'ev Ben-Yechiel (Arutz Sheva, September 4, 2008)
English article: "Scholar claims to find medieval Jewish capital" by Mansur Mirovalev (Associated Press, September 20, 2008) (illustrated)
English article: "Jewish city feared by Stalin is rediscovered" by Ben Leach (The Telegraph, September 24, 2008) (illustrated)
Russian article: "V astraxanskom gorodishche priznali stolitsu Xazarskogo kaganata" (Lenta.ru, September 2, 2008) (illustrated)
Russian article: "Propavshaya krepost' Itil'" by Yuliya Shtutina (Lenta.ru, September 2, 2008) (illustrated)
Russian article: "Arxeologi zayavlyayut, chto obnaruzhili stolitsu Xazarskogo kaganata" (RIA Novosti, September 2, 2008) (illustrated)
Russian article: "Otkrytie Itilya sravnimo s otkrytiem Novgoroda - initsiator raskopok" (RIA Novosti, September 3, 2008) (illustrated)
Russian article: "Arxeologi nashli stolitsu Xazarskogo kaganata" (Point.ru, September 2, 2008, based on RIA Novosti's September 2, 2008 report) (illustrated)
Russian article: "Arxeologi nashli v Astraxanskoy oblasty stolitsu Xazarskogo kaganata" (Vesti - Severnii Kavkaz, September 2, 2008, RIA Novosti's September 2, 2008 report, but with a different illustration)
Russian article: "Xazaram otkopali stolitsu" by Artyom Tuntsov (Gazeta.ru, September 2, 2008) (illustrated)

Rabbi Korobkin's new, improved 2nd edition of The Kuzari was published in January 2009 by Feldheim. Includes the history of the Khazar people and a translation of King Joseph's letter to Hasdai ibn Shaprut.

Abraham's Children: Race, Identity, and the DNA of the Chosen People, Jon Entine's exploration of the genetics of Jewish people, includes discussion of whether Khazars are part of Ashkenazic ancestry. Gene Expression's interview with Jon Entine. Excerpts from Jon Entine's slideshow lecture at the IAJGS conference in June 2007.

Jacob's Legacy: A Genetic View of Jewish History by David B. Goldstein is another recent book on Jewish genetics and it includes a discussion of Khazaria's possible connection with the DNA type R-M17 found in Ashkenazic Levites. His article in the Forward, "In Jewish Genetic History, the Known Unknowns", is also worth reading.

The World of the Khazars is the long-awaited collection of papers from the 1999 international colloquium on the Khazars. The 18 articles discuss the Khazars' economy, language, international relations, and more.

The Other Zions: The Lost Histories of Jewish Nations is a book about Jewish-ruled lands like Khazaria, Himyarite Yemen, and Adiabene, plus a chapter on Birobidzhan.

Over a thousand years ago, the far east of Europe was ruled by Jewish kings who presided over numerous tribes, including their own tribe: the Turkic Khazars. After their conversion, the Khazar people used Jewish personal names, spoke and wrote in Hebrew, were circumcised, had synagogues and rabbis, studied the Torah and Talmud, and observed Hanukkah, Pesach, and the Sabbath. The Khazars were an advanced civilization with one of the most tolerant societies of the medieval period. It hosted merchants from all over Asia and Europe. On these pages it is hoped that you may learn more about this fascinating culture.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF KHAZARIA

Essays summarizing the history of the Khazars, their principal cities, their culture, and their conversion to Judaism in the 9th century.

An Introduction to the History of Khazaria

Current Issues in Khazar Studies

The Khazars: A European Experiment in Jewish Statecraft

Los Khazares: un experimento europeo de construcci?n de un estado Jud?o - in Spanish

Histoire des Khazars: la nation juive de Russie et d'Ukraine - in French

Znakomstvo s Istoriey Xazarii - in Russian

Hazar Türkleri tarihine giriS - in Turkish



ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF KHAZAR ARTIFACTS

The first gallery includes images of Turkic runes, Turkic tribe symbols, a Khazar metal disc with an engraving of the Star of David, Khazar-Saltovo amulets, depictions of an epic motif, Khazarian battle and hunting scenes, Khazar silver belts, and a map of Khazaria. The second link presents the display on 8th-9th century Khazar objects (including arms and armor) from the northwestern Caucasus from the March-September 2003 exhibit "Horse and Rider" at the State Historical Museum in Moscow.

Khazaria Image Gallery

Horse and Rider: Khazaria Exhibit

THE KHAZAR FORTRESS OF SARKEL

Sarkel's fortress was one of Khazaria's most important, serving both as a defensive structure and a trading caravan stopover. Includes images of the layout of the fortress, a bronze warrior figurine, pottery, jewelry, bricks, and other objects.

The Khazar Fortress of Sarkel

MEDIEVAL QUOTES ABOUT KHAZAR JUDAISM

Judaism was practiced widely among Khazars, as these authentic quotes from medieval chroniclers demonstrate.

Medieval Quotes About Khazar Judaism

DESCENDANTS OF THE KHAZARS IN EUROPE

What happened to the Khazars after the fall of their kingdom? This remains one of the most controversial questions in Khazar studies. Some new answers are beginning to emerge from new discoveries. The first essay summarizes the latest findings and uses these findings to re-evaluate the question. The second essay explains how we know that Eastern European Jews also descend from non-Khazar Jews. The third page gathers available evidence on genetics and shows that Ashkenazic Jews have substantial roots in the Middle East. The fourth page queries whether Jews who live in the Caucasus today descend from Khazar converts.

Are Russian Jews Descended from the Khazars?

Are Russian Jews Descended from the German and Bohemian Jews?

Russian Jewish Genetics

Are Mountain Jews Descended from the Khazars?

KHAZARIAN NAMES

A list of personal names that the Khazars used in their own country, including Turkic, Hebrew, and Slavic names.

Khazarian Names

EXCAVATION REPORTS FROM CHASTIYE KURGANY AND GOLDEN HILLS

Excavation reports with photographs of Khazarian graves and objects.

Khazar Burial Mounds at Chastiye Kurgany

Khazar-Era Fortress of Golden Hills (Zolotiye Gorki)

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF KHAZAR STUDIES

The largest database of references of books and articles about Khazarian history, including works in English, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Russian, Swedish, and other languages.

Bibliography of Khazar Studies (1901-Present)

KHAZAR FICTION

A guide to conventionally-published novels, short stories, and poems about Khazaria.

Fictional Literature about the Khazars

THE KUZARI AND ITS AUTHOR

Yehudah ha-Levi was one of the greatest Spanish Jewish poets. He was born circa 1080 in Toledo, Spain, while it was under Islamic rule. He was a prolific writer of both Arabic and Hebrew poetry. From 1120 to 1140, ha-Levi wrote the famous 5-chapter book known as The Kuzari, which bases its storyline upon the Khazars' conversion to Judaism.

The Kuzari's References to the Khazar Conversion to Judaism

The Poetry and Prose of Yehudah ha-Levi

RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE HISTORIES OF KHAZARIA

This is a wonderfully illustrated guide to the history of the Khazars, compiled by staff at Rostov State University. The only unfortunate thing in the site is that Khazar Judaism is wrongly accused of causing strife and a civil war.

Khazarskiy Kaganat

THE KHAZAR CORRESPONDENCE

The Jews of Spain were introduced to facts about the Khazar kingdom largely through the efforts of Hasdai ibn Shaprut, vizier and physician to the Spanish caliphs, who wrote a letter to King Joseph of the Khazars.

Excerpts from the Letters of Hasdai ibn Shaprut and King Joseph

HISTORY OF THE PROTO-BULGARIANS

This book, translated from Bulgarian into English, chronicles the history and archaeology of the Khazars, Bulgars, North Caucasian Huns, and Alans. There are sections discussing the Khazar cities Sarkel and Balanjar. Includes maps, photographs, footnotes, quotes from historical sources.

History of the Proto-Bulgarians North and West of the Black Sea

OTHER ESSAYS ABOUT THE KHAZARS

Selected essays about Khazar history in English and Russian.

Khazaria (586-1083 AD), by Dennis Leventhal

The Khazars, by Peter Wolfe and Jeff Zolitor

The Khazars, by Steven Lowe

The Khazar Kingdom: A Jewish Empire in the Middle Ages, by Rivka Shpak-Lissak

Khazari: Il popolo dimenticato che difese l'Europa, by Lawrence M.F. Sudbury

Der erste Judenstaat Europas

Xazarskiy kostyum VII-X vv., by Aleksey (Kutluk) Tselikovskiy - about Khazarian and North Caucasian costumes

"Russkie xazary", with Svetlana Pletnyova and Vladimir Petrukhin

Khazary, by Svetlana A. Pletnyova

"Xazary. Xazarskii kaganat. Prinyatie iudaizma. Rastsvet i gibel' Xazarii." (Chapter 2) and "Xazary i slavyane. Evrey i Kievskaya Rus'. Nashestvie mongolov." (Chapter 3) in Ocherki vremen i sobytii, by Feliks S. Kandel'

Iudeo-xazarskoye tsarstvo v drevnyaya Rus', by Grigorii Vinogradov

Novye materialy k probleme izucheniya slavyano-xazarskix otnosheniy (po pamyatnikam Severskogo Dontsa), by V. V. Koloda - about apparent coexistence and synchretism between certain groups of Khazars and Slavs

Issledovaniya v Verxnem Saltove v 1996 godu, by V. V. Koloda - discusses Khazarian/Saltovo burials, one of which contained a well-conserved felt boot

Krupneyshey punkt (gorod) Khazarii, by A. V. Kryganov - discusses the more than 30 Khazarian cities, some of which (particularly Atil) have not yet been located

Vooruzhenie i voennoe delo Khazarskogo kaganata, by A. V. Komar and Oleg Sukhobokov

Rannie khazary v Severnom Prichernomorye (Postanovka problemy), by A. V. Komar

Xazary, Xazarskiy kaganat - includes Mikhael Gorelik's illustration of Khazar kagan's palace in Atil

Rusi i Bizantiya, by Igor Godovich Semenov

600 Lyet Vmeste i 50 Lyet Lzhi, by Semyon Charny, in Lekhaim, March 2003

V Storonu Khazarii, by Denis Sobolev, in Zhurnal "22" No. 103, pp. 114 ff. - brief history of Khazars

Vozvrashchenie v Khazariyu, by Denis Sobolev, in Zhurnal "22" No. 108, pp. 162 ff. - about controversy of descendants of Khazars and origins of Russian Jews

Tsarskie imenovaniya v drevnerusskom tezauruse problemi interpretatsii, by Dmitrii Kudryavtsev

The founding family of Kyivan-Rus': Sviatoslav the Conqueror, Part I, by Ingert Kuzych

Current Publications for Sale THE JEWS OF KHAZARIA by Kevin Alan Brook This book discusses all major issues surrounding the Khazar Empire, including diplomacy, trade, culture, military affairs, Khazarian Judaism, and migrations. The book draws from major primary and secondary sources, and includes a concise timeline and glossary towards the end. This was the first English-language book on the Khazars to contain a substantial amount of archaeological data. THE WORLD OF THE KHAZARS edited by Peter B. Golden, Haggai Ben-Shammai, and András Róna-Tas An expensive but valuable collection of wide-ranging views from academic specialists on the Khazars. CHASAREN by Andreas Roth German-language book about Khazars with 224 pages including color maps, etc. THE KUZARI: IN DEFENSE OF THE DESPISED FAITH translated and annotated by Rabbi N. Daniel Korobkin In this classic philosophical work by Yehuda HaLevi, a Jewish sage explains the principles of Judaism to an inquisitive Khazar king. As a special bonus, the historical communications exchanged between Khazar King Joseph and the Spanish Jewish diplomat Hasdai ibn Shaprut are included in this volume. KHAZARSKO-YEVREISKIE DOKUMENTY X VEKA by Norman Golb, Omeljan Pritsak, and Vladimir Petrukhin A detailed examination of two 10th-century Khazarian Hebrew documents, the Kievan Letter and the Cambridge Document, in the Russian language. Books about Eastern European Jews || Books about Khazars Books about Syrian Jews ArtScroll The world's finest timepieces: Pocket watches || Chronograph watches || Diving watches || Sailing watches || Wall clocks || Alarm clocks || Mantel clocks Turkic Books || Turkic Music || Turkic Videos Family Tree DNA: Genetic Testing Service

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