Khazaria.com
A Resource for Turkic and Jewish History in Russia and Ukraine

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Order your copy of The Jews of Khazaria - the only up-to-date introductory book about the Khazars in English.

Recommended books:
The Jews of Khazaria (Hardcover)
The Jews of Khazaria (Paperback)
The Kuzari and the Khazar Correspondence
Who Are the Jews of India?

NEWS FLASHES AND NEW ARTICLES

Ehud Ya'ari's 1997 television documentary "The Kingdom of the Khuzari" is now available on video from Tal-Shahar, an Israeli store. Choose from 4 different versions (PAL vs. NTSC, Hebrew vs. English-subtitled). Order online or call 1-888-750-7021 (toll-free from the United States), 1-877-380-9511 (toll-free from Canada), or 972-3-5108869. The English North America NTSC version has the product code 8988-1.

The Royal Mint Cabinet in Sweden has an essay by Inger Hammarberg and Gert Rispling accompanied by color photographs of imitation Arabic silver coins, including some coins believed to have been minted by Khazars. One of the Spillings Hoard coins says "Moses is the messenger of God", which shows a Jewish influence. You can learn more about the Spillings coin hoard and this coin at China Daily's article "Viking Treasure Hoard Yields Astounding Finds" (copied from Jonathan Lynn's article "Biggest Viking Hoard Goes on Show in Sweden", June 25, 2002; and at Libération.fr's article "Une pièce au puzzle kazhar"

The Forgotten Jewish Empire: Khazaria is One of the Biggest Riddles of History - Hebrew article in Ma'ariv by Meir Uziel

On the Sacral Status of the Khazarian Khagan: Tradition and Reality - abstract of a paper presented by Vladimir Petrukhin at the Interdisciplinary Workshop on 'Rulership and Religion' on February 23, 2002 at Central European University-Budapest.

"Studies in Upper Saltov in 1996" is a Russian article discussing Khazarian/Saltovo burials, including the discovery of a well-conserved felt boot.

Medieval Kingdom of Khazaria, 650-1016

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 construcción de un estado Judío - in Spanish

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

Khazaria (586-1083 AD)



KHAZARIA IMAGE GALLERY

This 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.

Khazaria Image Gallery

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 essay evaluates a genetic study announced in May 2000 and the fourth page gathers available evidence on genetics. The fifth 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?

Has Genetic Science Closed the Question of Origin of Ashkenazi 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

KHAZAR BURIAL MOUNDS AT CHASTIYE KURGANY

An excavation report with photographs of Khazarian graves and objects.

Khazar Burial Mounds at Chastiye Kurgany

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' Judaization.

The Kuzari's References to the Khazar Conversion to Judaism

Part One of The Kuzari, Hirschfeld edition

Cover Page of 1880 Warsaw Edition of The Kuzari

Cover Page of 1795 Berlin Edition of The Kuzari with Commentary

Cover Page of Liber Cosri (1660 translation of The Kuzari by Buxtorf)

The Poetry and Prose of Yehudah ha-Levi

Yehuda Halevi (1080-1142): Khazary - in Russian

MAPS OF THE KHAZAR KINGDOM

Richard Burd has created a series of historical maps depicting various periods of time in Khazarian history.

Khazarian Historical Maps by Richard Burd

POLISH-LANGUAGE HISTORY OF KHAZARIA

Mateusz Ziarkiewicz presents Khazarian history in Polish.

Chazarowie

RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE HISTORY OF KHAZARIA

This link 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

ARCHAEOLOGY ON THE CRIMEAN PENINSULA

Excavations have been continuing at such Crimean sites as Sudak, Chufut-Kale, Kara Tebe, Mangup, and Evpatoria, many of which were once ruled by the Khazars. These pages provide maps, photographs and descriptions of artifacts recovered, and historical narratives.

Crimean Archaeology

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

EVREYSKO-KHAZARSKAYA PEREPISKA V X VEKE

Electronic version of Pavel Kokovtsov's Russian book from the 1930s, concerning Jewish-Khazar documents from the 10th century which were composed in the Hebrew language. Includes translations and commentaries from the Khazar Correspondence between Hasdai ibn Shaprut and King Joseph of the Khazars.

Vstuplenie Isaaka Akrisha

Evreysko-Khazarskaya Perepiska. Pis'mo evreyskogo sanovnika Khasdaya Ibn Shapruta k khazarskomu tsaryu Iosifu.

Otvetnoye pis'mo khazarskogo tsarya Iosifa

Otvetnoye pis'mo khazarskogo tsarya Iosifa (Prostrannaya redaktsiya)

Otrivok iz pis'ma neizvestnogo khazarskogo evreya X veka (Fragment from anonymous letter of a Khazar Jew of 10th century)

OTHER RUSSIAN ESSAYS ABOUT THE KHAZARS

Excerpts from the works of Russian archaeologist Mikhail Artamonov and Russian historian Anatolii Novosel'tsev, as well as the authors E. A. Rabaev, A. V. Komar, and Oleg Sukhobokov, and others.

Astrakhan, Part 1, by Vasily Zimin

Khazary i Tyurki, Part 1, by Mikhail Artamonov

Khazary i Tyurki, Part 2, by Mikhail Artamonov

Khazarskoye gosudarstvo i ego rol' v istorii Vostochnoy Evropy i Kavkaza, by Anatolii Novosel'tsev

Istoriografiya xazar, by Anatolii Novosel'tsev

Istochniki na arabskom i persidskom yazikakh, Istochniki na drevnearmyanskom yazike, Drevnegruzinskie istochniki, Siriyskie istochniki, and Bizantiyskie istochniki, by Anatolii Novosel'tsev

K Istorii Evreyskikh Obshchin Severnogo Kavkaza, by E. A. Rabaev

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

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

Rusi i Bizantiya, by Igor Godovich Semenov

O Rannix Kontaktax Vostochnokavkazskix Evreev i Khazar, by Igor Godovich Semenov

Evreyskaya Diaspora i Rus', by Irma Khainman

K voprosu o meste polozheniya Semendera, stolitsy Khazarskogo kaganata, by B. Dargo

V Storonu Khazarii, by Denis Solobev

Vozvrashchenie v Khazariyu, by Denis Solobev

Tsarskie imenovaniya v drevnerusskom tezauruse problemi interpretatsii, by Dmitrii Kudryavtsev

Current Publications for Sale THE JEWS OF KHAZARIA by Kevin Alan Brook This 11-chapter 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 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. KUZARI translated into Russian by G. Lipsh In this classic philosophical work by Yehuda HaLevi, a Jewish sage explains the principles of Judaism to an inquisitive Khazar king. KHAZARSKO-EVREISKIE 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. OCHERKI KHAZARSKOY ARKHEOLOGII by Svetlana A. Pletnyova A 1999 survey of archaeological evidence for the Khazarian kingdom's history, culture, and economy. GRAFFITI KHAZARII by Valentina Ye. Flyorova Examination and presentation of graffiti art from the Khazar kingdom. OBRAZY I SYUZHETY MIFOLOGII KHAZARII by Valentina Ye. Flyorova Investigation of pagan religious artifacts from Khazaria and what they tell us about the pre-Judaic Khazar calendar and world view. Back issues of DONSKAYA ARKHEOLOGIYA JOURNAL Books about Eastern European Jews || Books about Khazars Jason Aronson Publishers || ArtScroll Jewishmusic.com's Books Turkic Books || Turkic Music || Turkic Videos Handmade Turkmen and Bukhara Rugs from Turkmenistan

Links to the Jewish World

Other Resources on Eastern Europe

Turkic Republics and Communities

1. To educate the general public about all aspects of the Khazar Kingdom - including religion, trade, agriculture, art, language, and many other topics - through the presentation of essays, quotes, maps, and illustrations and the distribution of a newsletter.
2. To provide suggestions for further research about the Khazars - including books, articles, and webpages.
   
3. To encourage further scholarship in Khazar, Volga Bulgar, Armenian Jewish, and Adiabenian studies by working with present and future authors, historians, geneticists, archaeologists, journalists, linguists, ethnologists, and genealogists to promote their research and assist in publishing endeavors.
   
4. To encourage college/university, theological, public, private, museum, high school, and Jewish/JCC/synagogue libraries around the world to purchase English, Hebrew, and Russian books having pertinence to research of the Khazars, so that current and future generations can learn more about the Khazars. To date, the Center has successfully introduced the Korobkin edition of Kuzari into 34 additional libraries (1 donated), Brook's The Jews of Khazaria into 139 additional libraries (11 donated), Pletnyova's Sarkel i "Shiolkovyi" Put' into 9 additional libraries, Pletnyova's Ocherki Khazarskoy Arkheologii into 5 additional libraries, Golb+Pritsak's Khazarsko-Evreiskie Dokumenty X Veka into 2 additional libraries, the Bedrosian edition of The Georgian Chronicle into 2 additional libraries, Flyorova's Graffiti Khazarii into 5 additional libraries, and Flyorova's Obrazy i Syuzhety Mifologii Khazarii into 1 additional library (1 donated).
   
5. To guide visitors to miscellaneous resources related to the Turkic and Jewish worlds, to further their appreciation of these cultures.
   
6. To encourage college courses on Jewish, Russian, Byzantine, Turkic, and medieval history to cover Khazarian history.
   
7. To encourage the print media to cover the Khazars.

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