Original article in Albanian by Ismet Azizi

Will the hitherto hidden history of Sandzak be illuminated and will it be argued that the roots of this people are not as shallow as they have been presented so far? For decades, the falsifiers of the history of Sandzak have been falsifying and hiding historical facts. However, the history of this region and its people will be illuminated through the works of researchers such as: Alia Xhogovic, Ibrahim Pashiqi and Sulejman Aliqkovic.

The countless testimonies about the spread of Illyrian tribes in today’s Sandzak make us understand that it is no coincidence that Sandzak has been inhabited by Illyrians throughout history and then continuously by Albanians. In the village of Pruzhanj on the Peshter Plateau, in Sandzak, archaeologists have discovered embers (from which this settlement takes its name) of burnt bodies, dating back thousands of years before Christ, which certainly belong to the Illyrians. This fact testifies to the autochthonous and Illyrian origin of this population.

Let us return to onomastics and history, which some historians have not used in their works. Among the first to rely on onomastics and history data are Alia Xhogoviqi and Ibrahim Pashiqi. Xhogovic and Paschici show how to approach onomastic materials, how to record them during fieldwork and how to be courageous in drawing linguistic conclusions in order to achieve good results, writes the ethnologist from Tutin, Sulejman Aliqkovic.

Let me return to Sulejman Aliqkovic’s research conducted in the vicinity of Tutin. According to him, numerous toponyms of Illyrian origin have been preserved in this territory, as well as cults of the Illyrian mythical system: for example, those from the cult of the sun, Mithraism, from some cosmic cults. The onomastic content of this toponym provides reliable data that in the alpine relief of this region there lived a people who cultivated the cult of Mithras, that is, primarily the cult of the sun, and in this case also the cult of cosmic space. We have considerable evidence for the cult of Mithras in ancient Dardania.

According to Aliqkovic, in the vicinity of Tutin we also find interesting places such as: Gradina – near Tutin, where the remains of an old city have been found. Also Bander which associates us with the Illyrian lord Bando. Velepole (from the Greek. Velepo = view, viewpoint.), Biohane, Jelicë, Dedilovë – villages in the municipality of Tutin, then the names of many orononyms (mountains, hills) and place names in Peshter.

Aliqkovic is surprised by forgeries of the type as in the case of the settlement Sjenica, allegedly taking its name from the word sena (sana) which, according to him, is not only a secular forgery but a perfidious intention with political aspirations and profit with nationalist purposes. An onomastic absurdity is that the name of the place Misa was allegedly created by Stefan Nemanja when he stroked the hair of the little Rastka, saying “My muscle” (Misicu moj).

These forgeries warn today’s historians, archaeologists, ethnologists and linguists to approach new studies in the Sandzak region and beyond with caution. There is a popular belief that Tutin was named after the onomatopoeia of the neighing of horses. Supposedly, Husein Gradashkevich had “ridden” to Peshter on his way to Tutin, to continue to Kosovo, the neighing of his riders’ horses was heard as far as the Ibar valley.

Of course, the Tutin region and its surroundings, which are geographically suitable for shelter, can be a sure argument that it was the residence of Queen Teutë. Then, Queen Teutë may have been secretly buried somewhere in these lands (as was the case with the secret burial of Attila, – which is common among some ancient peoples and civilizations). Archaeologists are left to research these localities and possible literature.

Ethnologist Sulejman Aliqkovic hopes that his assumption that this place was the residence of the Illyrian Queen Teuta will be argued in the future. Regarding the names, he stated that it is not impossible that some other memories such as Baton, son of Queen Teuta, can be found in some toponyms in the territory of Sandzak and beyond, such as: Batinci (near Skopje), Batusha (village near Gjakova), Batrage (village near Tutin), Batun (above the village of Ribaric on the road to Novi Pazar), Batnjik, Batinci (in Vushtrri), Batoçina, Batajnica.

“I think that Bosniaks should start studying their culture, their history and they should not be separated from European culture. They have the right to participate in the heritage of all European peoples and cultures,” says ethnologist Sulejman Aliqkovic.

The Peshter Plateau (also known as just Peshter) is a karst plateau with an altitude of 1250 m in the northwest of Kosovo, namely in the north of Albanian lands. The Peshter Plateau is rich in pastures and the population is mainly engaged in livestock farming. Dairy products are known, especially Sjenica cheese, as well as dried meat. Within the Peshter Plateau is also the Peshter Plain (whose altitude is 1150 m), with an area of 65 square kilometers.

The population of Peshter, in ancient times inhabited by the Dardanians, is mainly Bosniaks who are descendants of Albanians, but most of them unofficially declare themselves Albanians. The name Peshter derives from the Albanian word peshte – heavy, ter – dryness, tersi, tersi e gebër.
The valley of the Rashka River with its surroundings, which belongs to the municipality of Pazar i Ri, represents one of the most interesting Balkan areas for the science of medieval history.

The process of colonization of the Slavs in this area has not been sufficiently researched by our historians. Colonization was carried out in stages. However, the main colonization was carried out along the river valleys. At the beginning of the 7th century, the Slavs penetrated these areas, since the rule of Byzantium was almost non-existent.

Before the arrival of the Slavs, these areas were populated by the Illyrians, as evidenced by numerous archaeological research: In Pazar i Ri, on the current site of the “Rashka” Textile Combine, as well as the remains of gold and amber found many years ago in the Church of Petrova.

The latter gives us knowledge about the possibility of the existence of a connection of Illyrian tribes, the headquarters of each of which was on the site of the aforementioned church.

The numerous toponyms in these areas preserve the memories of the Illyrians. The names: Ras, Ibër, Peshter, Bishevë, Vapa, Lim etc. are of Albanian origin (ras-rrasë, lim-River; Ibër- white; Vapë – vapa,-ë; Peshter: Pesh- weight; ter- terr (terësi), ter – dryness).

When the Serbs settled in the valley of the Rashka River, they forced the local population to retreat to the mountains and took their lands. Of course, not all the locals withdrew, but a number of them remained in the surrounding mountainous areas, continuing to engage in livestock farming. They continuously lived in these areas and this also informed us about their present-day presence in these areas.

While, regarding the existence of Serbian Stari Ras, namely Arsa, the old city of the Illyrian kingdom, the Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia, Muamer Zukorlic, at a conference, had stated: “We Bosniaks are of Illyrian origin. And that fortress above Novi Pazar, which they (Serbs) claim was the seat and cradle of the Serbian state, is in fact Arsa, the old Illyrian capital and has no connection whatsoever with Ras and the old Serbian state of Raška.