The Folklore of Khorezm and Its Historical Roots

Abstract

Understanding folklore from an epistemological perspective requires a multidisciplinary approach that extends beyond just linguistic theories to include the historical, anthropological, and sociocultural development of human thought. This paper explores the origins, structural types, and evolutionary path of Uzbek folklore, with a special emphasis on the Khorezm region. By integrating historical chronicles from ancient scholars like Al-Biruni and Herodotus, archaeological discoveries from the Khorezm civilization, and ethnographic data ranging from early rituals to the 19th century, this research traces the lineage of traditional oral and performative arts. The results reveal how primitive hunting mimicry and Zoroastrian fire rituals transformed into the Lazgi dance and later into the highly formalized street theater (maskharaboz and kizikchi) of the 18th and 19th centuries. The study concludes that the combination of music, dance, and oral storytelling in Khorezm formed the foundation for today's modern Central Asian oral musical drama.