Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Who were the Orhon inscriptions built to honour?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Turkish literature
Map showing the expansion of the Ottoman Empire from about 1300 to 1700. The empire reached its greatest extent between 1683 and 1699.
The Orhon inscriptions were erected in the 8th century to honour the Turkish prince Kül (who died in 731) and his brother, the emperor Bilge (who died in 734).1
These monuments, which represent the oldest extant examples of Turkish language writing, were discovered in the valley of the Orhon River in northern Mongolia. The inscriptions are written in a script often referred to as "Turkish runes" and provide significant historical accounts regarding the origins of the Turks, their history, and their liberation under the leadership of Bilge.1