The Argyn (Kazakh: Арғын, romanized: Arğyn) tribe (or clan) is a constituent of the Kazakh ethnicity. The Argyn are a component of the Orta jüz (Орта жүз; "Middle Horde" or "Middle Hundred"). Kazakhs historically consisted of three tribal federations: the Great jüz (or Senior jüz), Middle jüz, and Little jüz (or Junior jüz). Karakhanid scholar Mahmud al-Kashgari glossed Arghu as "ravine between two mountains", because the Arghu country was located between Tiraz and Balasagun.[3]
Арғын | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location of the Argyns c. late 19th–early 20th century, according to M. S. Mukanov[2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Akmola, Karaganda, Kostanay, North Kazakhstan, and Pavlodar Regions | |
| Languages | |
| Kazakh | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Middle jüz |
Origin
Argyns are of mixed origin. A historical bilingual, yet steadily Turkicizing, people, Basmyls,[4][5] likely contributed to the ethnogenesis of Argyns because both Basmyls and Argyns occupied roughly the same geographic location,[6] in Beiting Protectorate, where Basmyls made their first recorded appearance[7][8] and which is now in western China, and still home to a Kazakh minority. Kara-Khanid scholar Mahmud al-Kashgari wrote that Basmyls spoke their own language besides Turkic.[5]
They are handsomer men than the other natives of the country, and having more ability, they come to have authority; and they are also capital merchants."[9] Kashgari mentioned an urban Argu people who spoke Middle Turkic with "a certain slurring (rikka)", like people of Sogdak and Kenchek;[10] Golden proposes that the Arghu were Iranian speakers undergoing Turkicization.[11]
A 2013 study on Argyns' genetics identifies twenty Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups: of these, G1a-P20 constitutes 71% of 2186 samples; R1a*-M198(xM458) 6%, C3c-M48 5%, C3* - M217(xM48) 3%; and other haplogroups represent less than three percent. The authors noted that "Tribe Argyn took on graph an isolated position, demonstrating the absence of genetic links with other Kazakh tribes."[12]
Etymology
The name of the Argyns probably corresponds to that of the "Argons" mentioned by Marco Polo in a country called "Tenduc" (around modern-day Hohhot) during the 13th century.[9] Polo reported that this clan who had "sprung from two different races: to wit, of the race of the Idolaters of Tenduc and ... the worshippers of Mahommet.