Erlik

Erlik is a god from old stories.

He lives deep in the earth. He rules a dark place called the underworld.

Some people say he is a judge. He looks at the souls of people who die.

He has many sons and daughters too.

One story says he was once in heaven. Then he fell to the earth. He made his own land there.

Erlik is also linked to a dinosaur. A dinosaur called Erlikosaurus has his name.

This is a fun fact to know.

Many different groups have stories about him. These stories are part of their old beliefs.

Erlik is a god in Turkic mythology.

He is the lord of the underworld. This is a place deep in the earth. Some stories say he lives in a copper palace. This palace has furniture made of gold.

Erlik is often seen as a god of evil. He is a brother to a god named Ülgen. They were both made by a god named Kayra. Some legends say Erlik was once in heaven. He fell to earth after he tried to be a god himself. He has nine sons and nine daughters. His sons are called the dark boys. They help him in his work.

Erlik is also a judge. He looks at the souls of people who die. He may take the souls of those who do bad things. Some people make sacrifices to him. They do this to stay healthy. A dinosaur called Erlikosaurus even has his name. This is a very old part of many stories.

Erlik is a major figure in Turkic mythology.

He is known as the god of death and the underworld. Some people call this place Tamag. In these stories, Erlik lives deep within the Earth. He is often seen as a god of darkness and evil. He is also a judge for the souls of the dead.

Many people believe he brings sickness and bad spirits to humans. He wants to take souls into his own realm. Some stories say he can only claim the souls of those who are evil.

How Erlik works in these stories is very interesting. When a person dies, a spirit called a kormos is sent to take the soul. At the same time, heaven sends a spirit to carry the soul to heaven. The soul must struggle between these two spirits. The outcome depends on how the person lived.

Erlik also has many helpers to do his work. He has nine sons known as the dark boys. These sons have names like Karash Khan and Matır Khan. He also has nine daughters who are known as the dark girls.

History and legends tell us how Erlik became this ruler. He is the brother of a god named Ülgen. Both were created by the god Kayra. Some legends say Erlik was once in heaven. He was cast out and fell to Earth after claiming he was a god.

Another story says God gave Erlik a hammer and an anvil. However, God took his power away when Erlik used them to create evil. These stories help explain why there is darkness in the world.

There are many specific details about Erlik's home and appearance. The Khakas people say he lives in a copper palace. This palace contains furniture made of gold.

In some prayers, he is described as an old man with a strong body. He has black eyes, eyebrows, and a mustache. Some say his face has the teeth and face of a pig. He is also linked to animals like the bear. Even the dinosaur Erlikosaurus was named after him.

Erlik is part of a very old belief system called Tengrism. This system is based on the spiritual life of Turkic people. Because it was not written down, different groups have different stories. Some people in Siberia and Central Asia have traditionally made sacrifices to him. They might do this to stop a sickness. Others might do it to gain a higher rank in the underworld. These beliefs show how people have thought about life and death for a long time.

Erlik is a central figure in Turkic mythology and belief systems.

He is recognized as the god of death, darkness, and the underworld. Some traditions refer to his realm as Tamag, which means hell. In these belief systems, Erlik is often viewed as a deity of evil. He is also described as a judge who presides over the souls of the deceased.

Because Tengrism was not based on a single written text, different Turkic groups hold various perspectives on him. However, his role as the lord of the underworld remains a consistent pattern across many traditions.

The mechanism of how Erlik interacts with the living involves several spiritual processes. He is believed to bring forth death, plague, and evil spirits to torment humans. These spirits act as his assistants to cause misfortune and sickness. When a person dies, a specific process occurs regarding their soul. Erlik sends a kormos, which is a type of ghost, to claim the soul. Simultaneously, heaven sends a spirit to carry the soul toward the light. The final destination of the soul depends on the struggle between these two opposing forces.

It is believed that Erlik can only claim the souls of those who are evil.

Erlik is part of a complex divine hierarchy with distinct roles. He is the brother of the god Ülgen. Both Erlik and Ülgen were created by the supreme god Kayra, also known as Tengere Kayra Khan. While Ülgen is associated with the upper world and light, Erlik is associated with the lower world. Some scholars view this as a form of dualism between heaven and earth. Others suggest that Ülgen and Erlik are simply two different rulers representing good and evil. This division helps explain the balance of forces in the Turkic cosmos.

Many legends explain the history of how Erlik came to rule the underworld. One Altai legend claims Erlik created spirits, known as İye, while he lived in heaven. He and these spirits were eventually cast out and fell to earth after he claimed divinity for himself. Another narrative suggests God (Tengri) gave Erlik a hammer and an anvil. However, God took his power away when Erlik used those tools to create evil. In a different story, a human was named Erlik as a punishment after attempting to hide soil from the creator, Kayra. These stories trace his transition from a heavenly being to a ruler of the depths.

Specific details about Erlik's status and family are well-documented in various traditions. He is said to have nine sons called the Karaoğlanlar, or "dark boys." These sons include Karash Khan, the god of darkness, and Matır Khan, the god of courage. Other sons include Shingay Khan, Komur Khan, Badish Khan, Yabash Khan, Temir Khan, Uchar Khan, and Kerey Khan. He also has nine daughters known as the Karakızlar, or "dark girls."

According to the Khakas people, Erlik resides in a copper palace located in the deepest layer of the earth. This palace is furnished with gold, showing his high status in the underworld.

Erlik's appearance and influence extend into various cultural and scientific areas. In shamanic prayers, he is sometimes described as having a human body with the face and teeth of a pig. He is also depicted as an old man with a strong build, black eyes, and a mustache. Some traditions link him to the bear, which is a totemic animal. His influence is even noted in modern science, as the dinosaur Erlikosaurus was named in his honor. In some Siberian regions, people have historically made animal sacrifices to him. These sacrifices were intended to stop diseases or to ensure a better rank in the afterlife.

Erlik's role connects deeply to the broader study of religion and shamanism. In Siberia and Central Asia, some shamans known as Black Shamans (kara kam) interact with his realm. This practice is often viewed with caution because it involves negotiating with demonic spirits. The study of Erlik also touches on how different cultures explain the existence of suffering and death. Whether viewed as a judge, a creator of evil, or a fallen deity, Erlik remains a vital part of the Turkic spiritual landscape. His stories help define the boundaries between the earthly realm and the mysteries of the afterlife.