Togarmah

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In the Torah, Togarmah is listed in the genealogy of nations as the son of Gomer, and grandson of Japheth (Gen. 10:3). Traditionally he is regarded as the ancestor of the Turkic-speaking peoples. For example, in King Joseph's Reply, the Khazar monarch writes:

"You ask us also in your epistle: "Of what people, of what family, and of what tribe are you?" Know that we are descended from Japhet, through his son Togarmah. I have found in the genealogical books of my ancestors that Togarmah had ten sons. These are their names: the eldest was Ujur, the second Tauris, the third Avar, the fourth Uauz, the fifth Bizal, the sixth Tarna, the seventh Khazar, the eighth Janur, the ninth Bulgar, the tenth Sawir." (These are the mythical founders of tribes that once lived in the neighborhood of the Black and Caspian Seas).

In the Book of Ezekiel (27:14, 38:6), the descendants of Togarmah are described as trading horses and mules in Tyre and elsewhere in the Levant. Here Togarmah may refer to Armenians or Cimmerians.

According to traditional Armenian and Georgian accounts, both these peoples as well as several other Caucasian peoples are the descendants of Togarmah (Armenian: Thorgom, Թորգոմ; Georgian: Thargamos, თარგამოს). Furthermore, the local names for Armenia (Hayq) and Georgia (Kartli/Sakartvelo) come allegedly from sons of Thogarmas, Haik (Հայք) and Kartlos (ქართლოს), respectively.

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