The Crimean Karaites, also known as ‘Karaim’, are an ethnicity of Turkic-speaking adherents of Karaite Judaism in Central and Eastern Europe, found primarily in the territory of the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and in Crimea.

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Turkic-speaking Karaite Jews have lived in Crimea for centuries. Their origin is a matter of great controversy. Most modern scientists regard them as descendants of Karaite Jews who settled in Crimea and adopted the Kipchak language. Others view them as descendants of Khazar or Kipchak converts to Karaite Judaism. Today, many Crimean Karaites reject ethnic Semitic origin theories and identify as descendants of the Khazars. Yet some specialists in Khazar history question the Khazar theory relating to the origin of the Karaim.

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This lecture is dedicated to a complex interdisciplinary study of the so-called "Khazar theory" concerning the origin of the Crimean Karaites. We will examine the theory as a historiographical concept and as an integral part of the national identity of the Crimean Karaites. We will look at the trajectory of the development of the Khazar theory in historical thought, from dominance in historiography to criticism, and, finally, to complete revision and denial.

The research used for this lecture is based on Khazar historiography as well as Karaite periodicals and historical journalism from the 20th and 21st centuries.

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Maksym Martyn is a Ukrainian historian from Lviv. Since 2003 Maksym has been employed in the Lviv museum of the History of Religion, in the Department of Judaism, at the position of junior researcher, senior researcher, and, finally, head of department. His exhibitions and catalogue based on the Jewish collection of the museum were granted with awards of Lviv city’s major and National Museum Contest. Also his sphere of academic interests include historiography of Eastern European Karaite’s, and Jewish epigraphic. Maksym received PhD in history in 2021 from Drohobych University, after he had finished PhD program of Jewish studies in Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv).

The Crimean Karaites, also known as ‘Karaim’, are an ethnicity of Turkic-speaking adherents of Karaite Judaism in Central and Eastern Europe, found primarily in the territory of the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and in Crimea.

‍

Turkic-speaking Karaite Jews have lived in Crimea for centuries. Their origin is a matter of great controversy. Most modern scientists regard them as descendants of Karaite Jews who settled in Crimea and adopted the Kipchak language. Others view them as descendants of Khazar or Kipchak converts to Karaite Judaism. Today, many Crimean Karaites reject ethnic Semitic origin theories and identify as descendants of the Khazars. Yet some specialists in Khazar history question the Khazar theory relating to the origin of the Karaim.

‍

This lecture is dedicated to a complex interdisciplinary study of the so-called "Khazar theory" concerning the origin of the Crimean Karaites. We will examine the theory as a historiographical concept and as an integral part of the national identity of the Crimean Karaites. We will look at the trajectory of the development of the Khazar theory in historical thought, from dominance in historiography to criticism, and, finally, to complete revision and denial.

The research used for this lecture is based on Khazar historiography as well as Karaite periodicals and historical journalism from the 20th and 21st centuries.

‍

Maksym Martyn is a Ukrainian historian from Lviv. Since 2003 Maksym has been employed in the Lviv museum of the History of Religion, in the Department of Judaism, at the position of junior researcher, senior researcher, and, finally, head of department. His exhibitions and catalogue based on the Jewish collection of the museum were granted with awards of Lviv city’s major and National Museum Contest. Also his sphere of academic interests include historiography of Eastern European Karaite’s, and Jewish epigraphic. Maksym received PhD in history in 2021 from Drohobych University, after he had finished PhD program of Jewish studies in Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv).