(Opinion) Albanian Toponyms in Sandzak and Bosnia

Albanian Toponyms in Sandzak and Bosnia
By ISmet Azizi
When talking or debating with a Serb, the first thing he says for Sandzak, is that this place is called Raska and not Sandzak.  Serbs say that the word  Sandzak derives from Turkish. Right. "Sandzak" is a Turkish word, as well as 8742 other Turkish words that are adopted by Serbian language, such as: Sat, soap, pare (money), rakija, delija, çekiç (hammer), makaze (snips), jorgan (quilt), jastuk (cushion), hajduk etc. "Sandzak"  in Turkish means flag or banner high (alb: bajrak).

 But, a little is known that the word Raska (Latin Rascio) is not of Serbian origin, namely Slavic. Raska name is derived from ancient Illyrian fortress Arsa, near Novi Pazar. So Serbs converted Arsa in Ras (old Rasi) and later transformed the Raska. With the same word is named a town 20 km east of Novi Pazar and Raska river which springs not far from the ancient Illyrian castle of Arsa.

For Raska river and the town, the academik Ejup Musheviq says the river's name is derived from the Albanian word "rrasë", flagstone. Even for Ibër river he says derives from Albanian: white or foams.

Bosnians are Illyrians by origin, while "sanxhakasit" are assimilated Albanians, that is genetically proven. Illyrians are the first people who inhabited these areas. Evidence for these statements make the names of many settlements, rivers and mountains, such as Tutin (city of Teuta), Pruzhanj - Prush-i - (Ember-i), the rivers Tara, Ibri - i bardhë - (white), Raska, Lim (river), heat (heat-a), the Pester plateau (entirely, dry-as), etc.

Also, the name Bosna (boson) derives from the Illyrian language. Bosone in Illyrian means river. Anton Mayer says that the world Bosnia has  ancient Indo-European roots, which means "water flow".

So, Bosnia has the same meaning as the river. Some Roman sources in this regard mention the word 'Bathinus flumen' or 'Bassinus ilir', that means "running water". Based on Appian data, a Greek historian of our century, Prof. Imamovic said that in today's Bosnian territory has lived the Illyrian tribe of Posen, respectively Bosen. This name later is inherited by medieval Bosniaks, respectively Bosanci - Bozanacët - (Bosanac). Some other researchers, make a connection between the name of Bosnia and the name of the famous leader of the armed Illyrian resistance against Roman invaders, known as Baton or Bato.

The word "Slaven" comes from the Latin word "Sclav" which means slave (Eng.slave).

The composition of ancient people lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Illyrians 40%
Romans 20%
Celtics 15%
Slavs 15%
Huns 6%
Thracs 4%

Ancient peoples in Croatia:
Illyrians 34%
Slavs 20%
Celtics 18%
Romans 12%
Phoenicians 8%
Hellenic peoples 8%

These are all facts that shows that the Illyrians donated they culture to Bosnian, ethnic and political characteristics.

If this isn't true then a question arises: where are the Illyrians who lived 4000 years in these areas within a single great kingdom?

Alluding to the Illyrian origin of Bosniaks, Ostoviq Pavlo, a member of the Yugoslav Committee during the First World War, in a case said to Bosniaks: "You are Bosnian, but you've neglected your pre-Turkish HIstory. If you don't want this story as yours, then Serbs and Croats will adopt it. " These words are marked also by H.Crnovrshanin and N. Sadikovic in their work "Sandzak, enslaved country."

Sandzak has an area of 8.687 square kilometers and there live about 530,000 inhabitants. Is divided into northern (Serbian) and southern (in Montenegro). The capital is Novi Pazar (Novi Pazar). It borders with Serbia, Montenegro, the Republic of Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. Is composed by these  municipalities: Tutin, Sjenica, Prijepolje, Nova Varos, Bijelo Polje, Rozaje, Plav, Pljevlja and Berane.

Sandzak is a special administrative territory. In military terms the name "Sandzak" means "flag". Under Ottoman rule meant military territory. Later this name represented a second degree territory after Vilayet or Patriarchy.

According to 1905-1906 data in Sandzak lived 37.775 inhabitants. These notes provide information on religious affiliation of 27,980 Muslim residents (Albanian) and 19.795 Christians (Orthodox - Serbs and Albanians). During World War II Novi Pazar was under the protection of volunteer forces of the region. On November 4, 1941 Chetnik's armed forces attacked the locals, where in their help came about 3,200 volunteers from Kosovo Valley, Drenica and Dukagjin Plain led by Shaban Polluzha.

Source: Illyria
Translated by Oculus News
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