In Turkic mythology it is believed that a gray wolf showed the Turks the way out of their legendary homeland Ergenekon. The genesis story of the Turks and Mongols is paralleled in the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus, the traditional founders of Rome. According to the ancient Turkic calendar of 12-year Animal Cycle the Epic of Ergenekon took place in 2637 B.C. (converted to Gregorian calendar).
"We have now entered the historical period. This is a period full of disasters in Turkish history which is mentioned with Ergenekon now. This period is supposed to be the period before the Göktürks. The renowned Turkish historian Zeki Velidi Togan stated that the first Turk, fed by a female gray wolf, was born in the foothills of the Tengri Mountains. The so-called Ergenekon Legend, which is thought to have been created by the Göktürks, could indeed be interpreted as an explanation for the springing forth and spreading of the entire Turkish civilization. Turks possess one of the oldest cultures and civilizations in the world. It is hard to precisely specify the beginning of Turkish history. There is a high probability that the oldest culture of Central Asia, the so-called Anav Culture, which was unearthed at the end of toilsome archaeological and anthropological research and has a history that goes back to 4000 B.C., has ties to proto-Turks. As we move forward into the more recent millennia of history, we more clearly see the linkage between the cultures of Kelteminar and Afenesavo (3000 B.C.), Andronova (1700 B.C.), Karasuk (1200 B.C.), Tagar and Tashtyk (700 B.C.) and proto-Turks. There is plenty of scientific evidence proving this linkage, most notably among archaeological findings obtained from the Pazyryk and Issyk mounds. In the meantime, research carried out over the last several years supports the argument that the Scythian civilization that emerged in the eighth century B.C. was a Turkish empire. There is not much doubt among historians about the Turkish nature of the Great Hun Empire, which ruled between 318 B.C. and 216 A.D., as well as that of its predecessor proto-Huns, whose presence was confirmed by Chinese sources. The Great Hun Empire, the Western Hun Empire and especially the European Huns were examined comprehensively by Western historians. There are not many people who do not know the story of the Great Hun Emperor Mete Khan (Oghuz Khan according to Turkish epics) and the glorious Turkish Khan Atilla. European Huns changed the course of world history as a result of the Germanic Migrations." (Murat Ocak, Introduction to: The Turks: Early ages, Y. T., 2002)
"Many Turkic groups believed that they were descended from or closely associated with wolves. [...]. The cave where their ancestors were born is in the north of the Quman Mountain. These people have blond hair, green eyes, and red beards." (Mummy, Xinjiang: Xinjiang residents and their ancient culture, Xinjiang People's Publishing House, 2001, p.211)
"The familiarity of the Turks with the technology of iron is illustrated by the legend of Ergenekon: the Turks escaped from imprisonment in the heart of the mountains by melting them down with the aid of bellows they had invented." (Turgut Özal, Turkey in Europe: and Europe in Turkey, K. Rustem & Brother, 1991, p.10)
"The Turkic myths of Asena and Ergenekon reaches far back to Noah. His son Japhet had a youngest son named Turan. Turan had a wife named Athena (Açina, Asena)." (Hans von Aiberg, ZigZag Adem Havva, Metin K?l?ç, 2005)
- - - Oh race of Turks. If the sky above did not collapse and the earth did not give way, oh noble race, who would be able to destroy your nation and institutions? - - -
