Abstract
SEVEN IN THE CONTEXT OF NUMBER SYMBOLISM: MYTHOLOGICAL ORIGINS AND REFLECTIONS IN TURKISH CULTURE
Numbers, beyond their widespread use in everyday life, possess an epistemic function in the processes through which individuals interpret and solve the problems they encounter. Due to their abstract nature, numbers permeate every aspect of life, forming the basis of the positive sciences while also playing a significant role in various disciplines of the social sciences. In addition to their functional characteristics, numbers have become indispensable elements of social life through the metaphorical, mystical, and esoteric meanings attributed to them; with their symbolic aspects, they are frequently employed in many ritual practices.
The traces of Turkish beliefs regarding numbers date back to the shamanistic belief system that existed before the adoption of Islam. These beliefs can be clearly observed in oral cultural products such as tales, epics, legends, proverbs, and idioms. In Turkish culture, certain numbers have been regarded as sacred according to the meanings attributed to them, and they have gained a prominent place in the beliefs and rituals of communities within the realms of mythology, religion, and faith. Among these numbers, seven stands out as a significant one and has been associated with various symbolic meanings in different civilizations throughout historical and cultural continuity.
This article examines the importance of the number seven in the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Asia, and Anatolia, as well as its reflections in Turkish culture, belief, and literature. The study aims to reveal the symbolic meanings attributed to the number seven in different cultures and belief systems and to evaluate its use in Turkish culture. The examples of the number seven in mythology, belief, and oral cultural products are analyzed through literature review and comparative analysis.
Keywords
Numbers, number nymbolism, the number seven, folk beliefs, mythology, Turkish mythology.