DASHT-I |_PČA|: A Geographical and Historical Survey

Subject Areas : The Journal of Islamic History and Civilisation

مهدی عبادی ¹ (ندارد)
زینب فضلی ² (ندارد)

Received: 2011-11-05 Accepted : 2012-01-15 Published : 2012-02-20

Keywords: Historical Geography, Dasht-i , ip´aÎ, , ip´aÎ Turks/ , ip´aÎs.&#x0D, &#x0D, 1,

Abstract :

Dasht-i |ip´aÎ is a name used in the Islamic geographical andhistorical sources for the vast plains of northwest Asia, WestKazakhstan and southern present-day Russia (Eurasian steppes).Research in the Sources indicates that this name appears in variousforms. Despite the high frequency of the name in the sources,especially from the fifth/eleventh century onwards, because of theexisting brief and concise information, it is not possible to conceivethe geographical borers of this plain. However, it is clear that thisplains up to the Mongol domination in the early seventh/thirteenthcentury, inhabited and dominated by the confederation of the |ip´aÎ (Kipchak) tribes. Reasons such as non-existence of a State and thecentral power with known Territories and clear frontiers in Dasht-i |ip´aÎ, scattering of the |ip´aÎ tribes in the vast plains and thecontinuation of nomadic life of |ip´aÎ s during nearly two centuriesof their domination on the steppes, are the major obstacles that make itdifficult to determine exact borders of Dasht-i |ip´aÎ.