What is "tarkhan"

n. (context historical English) An ancient Central Asian title used by various Turkic (Hunnic, Xiongnu, Khazar), Mongolic and Indo-European (Scythian and Tokharian) peoples, especially in the medieval era, and prominently among the successors of the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol%20Empire; it generally conferred exemption from taxation.

Tarkhan ( Old Turkic Tarqan; Mongolian: Darqan or Darkhan; ; ; ; alternative spellings Tarkan, Tarkhaan, Tarqan, Tarchan, Turxan, Tarcan or Turgan) is an ancient Central Asian title used by various Indo-Europeans (i.e. Iranian and Tokharian), Turkic peoples, and by the proto-Mongols and Mongols. Its use was common among the successors of the Mongol Empire.

The Tarkhan is a kin-based group commonly found in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. They are traditionally carpenters by occupation.

Tarkhan is an Ancient Egyptian necropolis, located around 50 km south of Cairo on the west bank of the Nile.

The cemetery was excavated in two seasons by Flinders Petrie. Tombs of almost all periods were found, but most importantly many belonging to the time of Egyptian state formation, the Early Dynastic period around 3100 BC. Petrie found more than 2,000 tombs, most of them simple holes in the ground belonging to common people. However, there were also several mastabas of the First Dynasty, decorated with a palace facade.

The most important finds include a tomb with many seal impressions belonging to king Narmer and one of the oldest dresses found in Egypt. The cemeteries of the later periods are called Kafr Ammar, although lying side by side with the earlier tombs. From a Roman period tomb came a Fayum portrait.