An Attempt to Interpret the Name “Unogunduri”

Authors:

Pages: 305-325
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/OXCS2185

Abstract:

The false statement that the tribal names Unogunduri and Onoguri are synonyms has been prevalent in science. The purpose of this article is to prove the complete fallacy of this statement and to find the etymological explanation of the name “Unogunduri”. It has been established that the origin of the Unogundurs is related to the Tochars ruling clan, called in Chinese sources “Yuezhi” or “Rouzhi”. The Chinese dynastic history Hanshu preserved the name “unogunduri” in the title of the ruler of the Little Yuezhi, who remained in their old homeland Gansu—Wenoutuwang (wēn ŏu tú wáng 溫偶駼王). The Unogondur-Bulgarians appeared in the lands north of the Caucasus around the 1st c. BC – 1st c. AD, and the lower limit of this migration is the 2nd century BC, judging by the data from the sources. Movses Khorenatsi reported the appearance of the Bulgarians under the first representatives of the Parthian Arshakids dynasty on the Armenian throne. GrecoRoman authors mention tribal names derived from “Tochari” (Tagri, Satarchi, Tikori, Spali, etc.) in the north of the Caucasus and around the Sea of Azov around the 2nd –1st centuries BC, at the earliest. In addition to the name Unogunduri, the sources have preserved the Armenian form Vlundur, but this is not the same concept. Both are explained by the Tocharian languages, the former meaning “the glorious, the honored, the leaders, the rulers” and the latter being part of an expression meaning “ruled”. The Bulgarian Unogundurs are also mentioned in the Chinese dynastic history Sui Shu.

Keywords:

Unogunduri, Onoguri, Tagri, Satarhi, Tochari, Arsi, Yuezhi, Wenoutuwang – 溫偶駼王, Xiongnu, Wund.

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