İye (sometimes İne or Eğe, Chuvash: Ийĕ, Tatar: Ия or İyä, Sakha: Иччи, Turkmen: Eýe, Tuvan: Ээ, Uzbek: Ega, Ottoman: اي or ٳي, Russian: Ийе) is a deity or spirit who is a guardian, patron or protector of a place, person, lineage, nation, natural assets or an animal.
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Master spirits
The term means owner, master, lord, possessor in Turkic languages. Ezen (familiar spirit, protector spirit) has the same meaning (owner, possessor) in Mongolian language.
A İye guides, helps, or protects animals, individuals, lineages, nations, and even inanimate assets such as mountains or rivers. According to the shamanic worldview, everything is alive, bearing an inherent virtue and power. In this context power animals represent a person's connection to all life, their qualities of character, and their power. They are the helping or ministering spirit or familiar which empowers individuals and is essential for success in any venture undertaken. It is believed that most persons have power animals, or tutelary spirits, which empower and protect them from harm – this is comparable to guardian spirits or angels. In these traditions, the İye may also lend the wisdom or attributes of its kind to those under its protection.
Also each town or city had one or more İye, whose protection was considered particularly vital in time of war and siege. An İye is spirit who is regarded as the tutelary spirit or protector of a nation, place, clan, family, or person.
Well-known İyes
- Su iyesi: Spirit of water.
- Od iyesi: Spirit of fire.
- Ev iyesi: Household spirit of house.
- Yel iyesi: Spirit of wind.
- Dağ iyesi: Protector spirit of mountains.
- Orman iyesi: Protector spirit of forest.
- Irmak iyesi: Owner of river.
- Abzar iyesi: Owner of courtyard.
- Yer iyesi: Sacred spirit of earth.
Other spirits
These are at the orter of other İyes.