Ancient Avars. Madlena Gadzhieva Avars. History, culture, traditions. General way of life and folk crafts of the Avars

Of interest is information about the origin of the name of the highlanders (maarulal) - Avars. Highlanders (maIarulal) is the self-name of the Avars. The modern name - Avaral, Avars - became widespread thanks to the literary tradition.

The term Avar is first found in a message by Ibn Rust (10th century), where it is said that the king of Serir was called Avar. It should be taken into account that, according to academician N. Ya. Marr, among N. S. Trubetskoy, I. Bekhter and others, the old name of the Avars, which they and neighboring peoples were called, was found as halbi, comparable to the Caucasian alban of Greek origin.

From written sources it is known that the Avars began to be called by a similar name at a rather late time, almost from the 19th century. According to some researchers, the appearance of the term Avars may be associated with the nomadic tribes of the Avars, who appeared from the depths of Asia in the steppes of the North Caucasus in 558. One of the Avar leaders, Kandikh, at the head of the embassy, ​​arrived, as sources note, in the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, and reported to the emperor: “The Avar people have come to you - the largest, most powerful of the peoples. He can easily repel and destroy the enemy, so it is beneficial for you to enter into an alliance with the Avars: in them you will find reliable defenders” (Artamonov M.I., 1962).

In the difficult political situation that developed on the eastern border of the Byzantine Empire with the penetration of various nomadic peoples, the Avars were beneficial allies for Byzantium, and it concluded an agreement with them, allowing them to settle on its territory. So they ended up on the territory of present-day Hungary, where they created a new public education— Avar Khaganate, the first ruler of which was their leader, a Khagan named Bayan. In their new homeland, the Avar Kaganate grew stronger and achieved enormous power, extending its power to the southern Russian steppes, subjugating many Slavic and other tribes. The Avar Khaganate grew so strong that it competed with Byzantium; its troops, led by Bayan, reached Constantinople, a city protected by powerful fortress walls. Two centuries later, the Avar Khaganate loses its power. The final blows to the Kaganate were dealt in 796 by the Frankish king Charlemagne.

According to the Byzantine chronicle, the last Avars were seen back in 828 at the imperial state meeting, where they represented the conquered Avar people. Of interest is the response of the captive Avar to the question of the Bulgarian Khan Krum: “Why were your cities and your people devastated?” He replied: “At the beginning, due to a quarrel that deprived the Kagan of his faithful and truthful advisers, power fell into the hands of wicked people. Then the judges were corrupted, who should have defended the truth before the people, but instead fraternized with hypocritical thieves; the abundance of wine gave rise to drunkenness, and the Avars, having weakened physically, also lost their minds. Finally, a passion for trade began: the Avars became traders, one deceived the other, brother sold brother. This, our lord, was the cause of our shameful misfortune.”

After the fall of the Avar Kaganate, the Russian chronicle (12th century) says: “The Yaks who died were obre (Avars), but they have no descendants.” Researchers, not without reason, note the possibility of a chronicler’s mistake, saying that this people disappeared without a trace. Maybe the Dagestan Avars are their descendants, especially since Dagestan is located near the route of movement of the Avars from Asia to Europe in the 6th century? And perhaps that is why they have the same names. The famous Russian historian of the 18th century wrote about the probable connection of the Dagestan Avars with the remnants of the nomadic Avars. V. N. Tatishchev.

M.V. Lomonosov also admitted a similar possibility. This version is popular in Eastern historiography. In this regard, the statements of Muhammad Murad ar-Ramzi (19th century) are noteworthy: “Small remnants of those nomadic Avars still exist in Dagestan. They are known for their courage and sincerity and retain the old name Avar."

This topic was touched upon by the famous orientalists J. Marquart and V.F. Minorsky, who believed that part of the nomadic Avars, passing near Dagestan around 600 during their advance from Asia to Europe, infiltrated the mountains of Dagestan, dissolved in the local environment and gave Their name is Avars. The Hungarian researcher I. Erdeli also admits that the nomadic Avars, moving west, temporarily stopped in the steppes of Northern Dagestan and politically subjugated or made the kingdom of Serir their ally. Another Hungarian researcher, academician Károly Czegledi, denies any connection between the Avars and the Dagestan Avars, since they spoke languages ​​that were extremely distant from each other.

The famous researcher M.A. Aglarov, who summarized all existing versions about the Avars, reasonably believes that it is impossible to talk about the Dagestan Avars as direct remnants of the nomadic Avars, because the dissolution of the aliens in the local ethnic environment only means the participation of the nomadic Avars in the ethnogenesis of the Dagestan peoples. It would be another matter if the local peoples were dissolved among the nomadic Avars, who would give them not only their name, but also their language. Then one could say that remnants of those nomadic Avars were preserved in Dagestan. The question arises whether the nomadic Avars gave their name to the Dagestan highlanders in the literal sense, since the highlanders (maarulal) had never called themselves Avars before. There are often examples in history when people call themselves differently than their neighbors. For example, Hungarians are known in history and to their neighbors as Hungarians, but they call themselves Magyars. Likewise, the mountaineers - not only themselves, but also their neighbors did not call them Avars, the Georgians called them Leks, the Laks - Yarussal, the Andians - Khyindalal, the Akhvakhs - Gyai-bulu (Albi), the Kumyks - Tavlu, etc., but Avars nobody. All this suggests that the nomadic Avars apparently did not give their name to the local people (Aglarov M. A., 2002). At the same time, today the maarulal (highlanders) are officially called Avars, and this fact requires explanation. A new original interpretation of this is offered by M.A. Aglarov, who notes that, according to the authoritative testimony of the Arab historian Ibn-Rust, the king of Serir was called Avar. Therefore, in the literary tradition, this name is increasingly used to designate the people who were once subordinate to King Avar. Since then, books rarely write leks, do not write maarulal at all, and more and more often they are called Avars (Avars). Such a transfer of a person’s name to an entire nation happens quite often: from the name of Khan Uzbek comes the name Uzbeks, Khan Nogai - Nogais, from the Qajar dynasty - the name of the Persians in Dagestan - Qajars, etc. So the name of King Serir Avar was used to designate the inhabitants Serira. It is reliably known that the people of Maarulal were called Avars by the historian of the 14th century. Muhammad Rafi in his essay “Tarihi Dagestan”, which was popular in the region as the official history of Dagestan.

Since then, the name of the Avars has wandered from book to book, ending up in archives, official documents, scientific publications, etc. Thus, the artificially formed name took the place of an ethnonym, more popular than the name maarulal, used only among the Avars (self-name). In this regard, it remains a mystery: why was King Serir named Avar? Is this name related to the name of those nomadic Avars or is it a coincidence? Probably not, because the border of the Serir state was in contact with the region inhabited by the nomadic Avars in the 6th century, and the very name Avars is alien to the Caucasian languages. And yet, the reason why the name of the nomads became the proper name of King Serir continues to remain a mystery, allowing various hypotheses to be put forward.

Most researchers do not exclude the possibility that some of the Avar nomads entered the mountains and established their own dynasty, and the ruler of Serir was named Avar or the king of Serir was called by the famous name of the warlike neighbors of the Avars. There are frequent examples when among the mountaineers a person is called by the name of neighboring peoples, for example Cherkess (Circassians), Oruskhan (Russian Khan), etc.

Thus, we can conclude that the modern name of the Dagestan maarulal (highlanders) - Avars - is one of the traces of a once powerful people that disappeared from the historical arena.

The Avars are a brave and independent mountain people who have maintained their independence throughout their history: no one has been able to conquer them. In ancient times, their totem animals were wolves, bears and eagles - strong in spirit and body, free, but devoted to their native lands.

Name

The exact origin of the name of the people is unknown. According to one version, it is associated with the ancient nomadic Avars people from Central Asia, who in the 6th century migrated to Central Europe and then to the Caucasus. This version is supported by archaeological finds on the territory of modern Dagestan: rich burials of people of the Asian type.

Another version is associated with the ruler of the early medieval state of Sarir named Avar. Some researchers agree that the ancestors of the kings of Sarir were the same Avar tribes. During the period of settlement throughout Europe, they traveled to the Caucasus, where they founded Sarir or, at least, had a significant influence on its formation.

According to the third version, the name of the nationality was given by Turkic tribes, who brought it to the Russians. In the Turkic language, the words “avar” and “avarala” mean “restless”, “anxious”, “warlike”, “bold”. The definitions correspond to the Avar character, but in the Turkic language these words were common nouns and could refer to any people, objects or groups.
The first reliable mention of the name dates back to 1404. Diplomat, writer and traveler John de Galonifontibus in his notes included the “Avars” among the peoples of Mountainous Dagestan, along with the Alans, Circassians and Lezgins.
The Avars themselves called themselves Maarulal (in the Avar language MagIarulal). The origin of the word is unknown, and most researchers consider it an untranslatable ethnonym. However, there is a version that the word is translated as “highlander” or “supreme”.
It’s interesting that the Avars themselves never called themselves that. They either used the word “magIarulal”, common to all Caucasian peoples, or introduced themselves by the name of the area or community in which they lived.

Where live

The vast majority of Avars live in the Republic of Dagestan, which is a subject of the Russian Federation and is part of the North Caucasus Federal District. They occupy most of mountainous Dagestan, where they lived historically. Some Avars live on the plains in the Kizilyurt, Buynak and Khasavyurt regions. 28% of the population lives in cities, but the main settlement area can be considered the basins of the Avar Koisu, Kara-Koisu and Andean Koisu rivers.
A significant part of the Avars live in other regions of Russia and foreign countries. Among them:

• Kalmykia
• Chechnya
• Azerbaijan
• Georgia
• Kazakhstan

The descendants of the Avars, who have significantly assimilated, but retained their national identification, live in Jordan, Turkey and Syria.

Although the Avars considered themselves a single people, they distinguished smaller ethnic groups within the community, called by the name of their place of residence. Those that have survived to this day include:

• Bagulals, Khvarshins and Chamalins - live in the villages of the Tsumadinsky district;
• Botlikhs and Andians - live in the Botlikh region;
• Akhvakhians - live in the Akhvakh region;
• Bezhta and Gunzib residents - villages of the Bezhta section.

Number

There are more than 1 million representatives of the Avar nation in the world. Most of the nation is located on the territory of the Russian Federation: 912,000 people. 850,000 of them live in their historical homeland - Dagestan.
About 50,000 people live in Azerbaijan - this is one of the largest foreign diasporas. The Avars diaspora in Turkey numbers about 50,000 people, but it is difficult to document this, since the laws of the country do not require indicating nationality.

Language

The language of the Avars belongs to the North Caucasian superfamily, distinguished within it by the Nakh-Dagestan family. There are pronounced dialect differences in different areas, but all Avars easily understand each other. 98% of the population speaks the national language.
Avar writing began to take shape during the Islamization of the region. It was based on the Arabic script, which was taught by educated church ministers to the children of wealthy Avars. Since 1927, the letters were changed to Latin, and at the same time they began to improve the level of education. The alphabet was finally formed only in 1938: it was created on the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet.
Today, the Avar language is taught in primary schools in the mountainous regions of Dagestan. From the fifth grade, teaching is conducted in Russian, and Avar is studied as an additional subject. Along with others national languages it is one of the official languages ​​of the Republic of Dagestan.

Story

The first people appeared on the territory of modern Dagestan as early as 8 thousand years BC. in the Upper Paleolithic-Mesolithic era. In the Neolithic era, they already had stone dwellings, and cattle breeding, animal husbandry and agriculture were actively developing. It is believed that the ancestors of the Avars were the tribes of Albanians, Legs and Gels, who were part of the most ancient state in the Eastern Caucasus - Caucasian Albania.

The first stage, which laid the foundation for the national identity of the Avars, dates back to the 6th century of the new era. During this period, the state of Sarir (also Serir) was born, which existed until the 13th century and was considered the largest and most powerful in early medieval Dagestan. Crafts and agriculture flourished here, and trade routes passed through. Neighboring states paid tribute to the rulers of Sarir in gold, silver, fabrics, furs, food, and weapons. The unification of the Avars during this period also occurred along religious lines: Orthodoxy replaced pagan mythology.
Starting from the 12th-13th centuries, Islamic preachers began to have an increasing influence on Sarir, who soon converted almost the entire population to the new faith. At the same time, Sarir is split into small feudal settlements, living independently and uniting only in case of war.
The Mongols repeatedly tried to capture the Avar lands, but they met serious resistance and changed their tactics. In 1242, during the Golden Horde's campaign against Dagestan, an alliance was concluded, supported by dynastic marriages. As a result, the Avars retained their own independence, but under the influence of their allies they formed a new Avar Khanate, which lasted for more than five centuries.

Period of wars

In the 18th century, a threat hung over the Avars. new threat: invasion of Nadir Shah, ruler of the most powerful Persian empire, which occupied territories from Iraq to India. The Persian army quickly captured all of Dagestan, but the Avars' resistance could not be broken for several years. The result of the confrontation was a battle in the fall of 1741, which lasted 5 days and ended in victory for the Avars. Nadir Shah's losses were enormous: out of 52 thousand, only 27 thousand soldiers remained alive. The battle was widely described in folk epics. It is also striking that the Persian army used the entire arsenal of weapons of those years, while the Avars used only muskets and sabers.

In 1803, the Avar Khanate ceased to exist, and part of the Avar territories became part of the Russian State. However, the Russians did not take into account the freedom-loving mentality of the people: they sharply taxed them, began to cut down forests and develop lands. As a result, a national liberation revolution took place, as a result of which the people regained independence. The Avars and other peoples of the Caucasus rallied under the banner of Sharia, and the supreme imams took on the role of leaders. One of the national heroes who started the holy war against the Russians was Shamil, who led the movement for 25 years.
Over time, his popularity began to decline, and the Avars again became part of Russia. Remembering past unsuccessful experiences, Russian rulers did their best to encourage the people and soften taxes for them. And a special Avar unit was even part of the elite guard guarding the chambers of the royal family.
After the revolution, part of the Caucasian peoples was united into the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Representatives of the republic bravely showed themselves on the battlefields of the Second World War and made a significant contribution to the development of industry and culture of the republic.

Appearance

Avars are classified as the Caucasian anthropological type, which belongs to the Balkan-Caucasian race. To the main external signs this group includes:

• white skin;
• eyes green, brown or blue color, as well as transitional shades, for example, green-brown;
• “eagle” or even high nose;
• red, dark brown, dark brown or black hair;
• narrow and protruding jaw;
• large head, wide forehead and middle part faces;
• high growth;
• large or athletic build.

Many Avars to this day have retained an appearance that is not similar to the appearance of other Caucasian peoples. However, the influence of neighboring Alans, Chechens, and Lezgins could not but affect the appearance of the Avars. Haplogroups I, J1 and J2 classify the ancestors of the Avars as Semitic peoples and “northern barbarians”, who later had a significant influence on the formation of the Croatian and Montenegrin nations.

Cloth

The clothing of Avar men is similar to the costumes of other Dagestan peoples. Everyday attire consisted of a simple undershirt with a stand-up collar and loose pants. The look was necessarily complemented by a beshmet - a quilted national fitted semi-caftan. The Circassian coat was also widely used - a longer, fitted caftan with a cutout on the chest. Burkas and sheep's coats served as winter clothing; in the off-season, a lining was attached to the beshmet. The look was complemented by a papakha - a tall fur headdress.

Women's clothing varied significantly depending on the region: it could be used to determine not only the place of residence, but also social and family status. Most often, the outfit consisted of a long, loose shirt, cut from straight pieces of fabric, with gathered sleeves and a round neckline.
In some areas, it was belted with a bright sash, the length of which reached 3 m. Rich Avarks used a leather belt with silver clasps for this, and wore flared silk capes over their shirts. Young girls preferred fabrics in green, blue, and red shades, while older and married women chose black and brown colors. The traditional headdress is chukta: a cap with bags for braids, over which a scarf was tied.

Men

The man occupied a dominant position and decided all social and financial issues. He fully provided for the family and was responsible for the children, including their upbringing, choice of bride and future profession. Only men had the right to vote, and the age of majority was 15.

Women

Despite the patriarchal structure, the Avars did not have the tyranny of women; they were revered and incredibly respected. Even touching a stranger was considered a disgrace for her, and rape meant blood feud, so it almost never happened.
A woman’s kingdom is the home, here she was in charge and decided all household issues without asking her husband’s opinion. Avar women were valued for hard work, submissive character, decency, honesty, cleanliness, and cheerful disposition. Avarks were distinguished by their slender figure and attractive appearance, which was noted more than once by foreigners who saw them.

Family life

The life of the Avars was based on veneration and respect for the older generation. Thus, the daughter-in-law, coming to her husband’s house, did not have the right to be the first to speak to her father-in-law. Usually the mother-in-law started a conversation the very next day, and the father-in-law's silence could last for years. However, more often the young people lived alone: ​​according to tradition, the husband’s parents built for their son new house and after the wedding they sent him to live there.
There has always been a clear gender division in Avar families. Boys and girls were not allowed to be alone, touch each other, or communicate closely. There was always a male and a female half in the house, and even after the wedding, the woman slept and lived in the same room with the children, and not with her husband. When the boys turned 15, they went to live in their father's bedroom. Children were loved, but from childhood they were taught to work and morality, they were taught military affairs, since the Avars themselves considered themselves a warrior people.

Housing

The Avars lived in houses made of processed stone, located crowded together, which was due to the lack of space in the mountains and for defensive purposes. The houses were quadrangular, one-, two- or three-story with a gallery-terrace equipped for relaxation.

In some villages, the house consisted of one room with an area of ​​80-100 m2, in the center of which there was a hearth and a pillar decorated with carvings, around which they ate and received guests. In multi-room houses, they had to equip a room with a fireplace, carpets and a carved sofa: this is where they rested and received guests.
The Avars settled in related communities - tukhums. They, in turn, united into large settlements - from 30-60 households in the highlands to 120-400 in the foothills and mountains. Each village was headed by an elder, decisions were made jointly in the council. All men took part in it; the heads of the tukhums had the decisive votes.
Most of the villages were fenced with walls and fortified with defensive towers. In the center of the village there was a central square where general meetings and celebrations were held.

Life

Since the Neolithic era, the ancestors of the Avars were actively engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. The majority of the herds were sheep, about 20% were large cattle. For auxiliary needs they kept horses, goats, and poultry.
Farming was terraced and arable. In the highlands it was much more difficult to cultivate the land than in the plains, and due to the limited territory it was more valuable. The main crops grown were wheat, barley, rye, millet, and pumpkin. Plums, cherry plums, peaches, apricots, corn, beans, lentils, and beans were planted in gardens and orchards.

Crafts flourished, among which blacksmithing, jewelry, weapons, pottery, and weaving stood out. The exquisite silver jewelry and handicrafts of Avar craftswomen were especially famous:

• warm wool socks
• shawls and scarves
• felt saddle bags
• clothmaking
• embroidery with gold threads
• woven carpets

Military training played a special role in the life of the Avars. Boys with early childhood trained in stick and saber fighting, close combat, and tactics. Later, all types of training moved into the direction of freestyle wrestling, popular throughout Dagestan.

Culture

Avar folklore is represented by legends, fairy tales, proverbs and sayings, as well as songs:

• love
• military
• crying
• heroic
• historical
• lyroepic
• lullabies

All songs, except love songs and lullabies, were sung by men in one voice, melodiously and soulfully. To accompany singers and dancers it was used big number traditional musical instruments. Among them:

1. String instruments: chagur and komuz.
2. Reed: zurna and balaban yasty.
3. Percussion: tambourine and drum.
4. Bowed: chagana.
5. Pipe type: lalu.

The art of chasing silver jewelry and weaving patterns was widely developed. Traditional ornaments and symbols were images of wolves and eagles, spiral swastikas, labyrinths, Maltese crosses, and solar signs.

Religion

Before the adoption of Christianity, Avars believed in white and black spirits. They asked the former for mercy, recovery, good luck, and from the latter they wore amulets. Totem animals of different ethnic groups there were wolves, bears and eagles. The wolf was called “God's watchman” and was respected for his courage, independence and desire to live by his own rules. Eagles were revered for their strength and love of freedom, and they said that, just as eagles do not fly away to winter in warm regions, so the Avars will never leave their homeland.
During the reign of Christianity, the people adhered to the Orthodox faith. The ruins of temples and Orthodox burials have survived to this day: one of the well-preserved ones is located near the village of Datuna and dates back to the 10th century. Today most of The Avars profess Sunni and Shafi'i Islam.

Traditions

Avars' weddings were always held on a grand scale and lasted from three to five days. There were the following options for choosing a bride:

1. By agreement of the parents. They practiced “cradle marriages,” but more often they wooed cousins, preferring to marry within the tukhum.
2. By the young man's choice. To do this, he came to the house of his chosen one and left his things in it: a knife, a hat, a belt. If the girl agreed, matchmaking began.
3. Against the will of the parents. If the young people fell in love with each other, but their parents did not approve of the choice, the bride and groom ran away and got married. They had to pray for parental blessings after the fact: although such a wedding was considered a shame, the new family received forgiveness.
4. At the insistence of society. Those who had spent too much time as girls and widows were taken to the central square and asked to name the free man she liked. The chosen one had to marry if he was not in cahoots with anyone else.

On the first day of the wedding, a noisy feast was held at the groom's friend's place, and only on the second day - in the house of the hero of the occasion. The bride was brought to the evening, wrapped in a carpet, and taken to another room, where she spent the evening with her friends. On the third day, the husband's relatives honored the newlyweds and gave them gifts.

The bride had a special rite of entry into a new family and was called the “rite of the first water.” On the morning of the 3-5th day, the groom's sisters and daughter-in-law gave the daughter-in-law a jug and, singing, went with her to fetch water. After that, she was obliged to get involved in everyday household affairs.

The Avars had a special attitude towards guests: they were received with honor, even if they did not know the purpose of the visit. Any stranger who came to an Avar village was assigned by the elder to stay. In the house he was placed in the best room, festive dishes were prepared, and he was not pestered with questions. The guest, in turn, was not supposed to speak negatively about the food or the host, get up from the table without asking and go to the women's half of the house.

Food

It is a mistake to believe that the main diet of the Avars was meat: it was only an addition to other dishes. The main one is khinkal, which is in no way similar to Georgian khinkali. The dish consisted of large pieces of dough cooked in meat broth with herbs and vegetables. In many villages, instead of khinkal, soups were cooked, the main of which was churpa based on sorrel, beans or lentils.
Every house had flatbread made from thin dough - botishalas. The fillings were meat, cottage cheese with herbs, and cheese with seasonings. The Avars also have an analogue of dumplings: kurze. They are distinguished by their drop-shaped shape, large size and the obligatory pigtail tuck, which allows the filling not to leak out.

Famous Avars

A famous Avar is the poet and prose writer Rasul Gamzatov, who composed a unique Avar hymn: “Song of the Avars.” His works have been translated into dozens of languages; for his special contribution to culture, in 1999 he was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree.

The Avars have always been famous for their excellent physical fitness and mastery of martial arts. These titles are confirmed by fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, the current UFC lightweight champion in mixed martial arts.

Video

Faces of Russia. “Living together while remaining different”

The multimedia project “Faces of Russia” has existed since 2006, telling about Russian civilization, the most important feature of which is the ability to live together while remaining different - this motto is especially relevant for countries throughout the post-Soviet space. From 2006 to 2012, within the framework of the project, we created 60 documentaries about representatives of different Russian ethnic groups. Also, 2 cycles of radio programs “Music and Songs of the Peoples of Russia” were created - more than 40 programs. Illustrated almanacs were published to support the first series of films. Now we are halfway to creating a unique multimedia encyclopedia of the peoples of our country, a snapshot that will allow the residents of Russia to recognize themselves and leave a legacy for posterity with a picture of what they were like.

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"Faces of Russia". Avars. "Wedding character"

General information

AVAR- the people of Dagestan, inhabiting the mountainous part of this republic. According to the 2002 census, 758,438 people live here. In total, according to the 2009 census, 912 thousand 90 Avars live in Russia. In addition, about fifty thousand Avars live in the Zagatala and Belokan regions of Azerbaijan.

The Avars are an ancient people; already in the 7th century they were mentioned in “Armenian Geography” by Anania Shirakatsi. The Avar language belongs to the Dagestan branch of the Iberian-Caucasian family of languages. Until 1928, the Avars used the Arabic alphabet, using some additional characters for specific Avar consonants. In 1938, the current alphabet was adopted based on Russian graphics, which differed favorably from its predecessors in that it uses the letters of the Russian alphabet with the addition of only the sign “I”.

The poet Rasul Gamzatov, famous throughout Russia, wrote his works in the Avar language. Many of his poems have folklore roots. For example, those included in the popular series “Inscriptions on Doors and Gates.” (“Don’t stand, don’t wait, passer-by, at the door. Come in or go away quickly.”)

Believing Avars profess Islam. For a long time it had to compete with local pagan beliefs. Gradually, some of them acquired a new Islamic coloring, while others survived only in the form of legends and superstitions. But they are also very interesting and can tell a lot about the Avar people. For example, bouduals are spirits who patronize hunting. During a hunt, a person who has committed some sinful act is stoned by spirits. On the contrary, they welcome and treat a normal hunter, that is, a righteous one.

Essays

The softness of a pencil overcomes the hardness of a saber

Avars are the people of Dagestan, inhabiting the mountainous part of this republic. According to the 2002 census, 758,438 people live here. In total, according to the same census, 814,473 Avars live in Russia. In addition, about fifty thousand Avars live in the Zagatala and Belokan regions of Azerbaijan. The Avars are an ancient people; already in the 7th century they were mentioned in “Armenian Geography” by Anania Shirakatsi.

Avars profess Islam. For a long time it had to compete with local pagan beliefs. Gradually, some of them acquired a new Islamic coloring, while others survived only in the form of legends and superstitions. But they are also very interesting and can tell a lot about the Avar people.

They brought the groom to the bride's relatives

There are legends about Avar wisdom. And in general, Avars know how to find a way out of very difficult situations. Let's listen to one Avar parable.

They brought the groom to the bride's relatives. He brought a lamb and sweets as a gift. The brothers of the bride ask the groom:

Why did you choose our sister as your bride?

And the groom answered them with a fairy tale-parable.

A long time ago, a huge and terrible dragon-azhdaha captured the only source in Avaria. People were left without water. Women cried, children moaned with thirst.

The bravest and strongest horsemen attacked the monster with sabers in their hands, but he swept away everyone with blows from his long tail.

Azhdakha built a huge beautiful palace at the source. He surrounded it with a palisade and planted the heads of the dead on it.

People were desperate. Who will defeat the terrible dragon?

At that time, a son was born to a poor widow. He went to drink water from the spring at night. And he gained unprecedented strength, courage and prowess. He saw how outrageous the dragon was at the spring, and he hated him. And he swore in front of all the people to free the country from the monster.

His mother, relatives, neighbors and friends tried to dissuade him for a long time:

You've just grown up. Still young. You will die in your prime. Have pity on yourself!

But the young man mounted his horse and went to fight the monster.

The dragon-azhdaha already sensed him from afar and roared in a terrible voice:

Who dared to approach the source?!

I want to fight you, you damned monster! — the young man answered proudly.

The dragon cackled:

Insane! Don't you know that I don't fight with weapons? You must know that there is no one in the world equal to me in strength. I ask all my opponents only one question. If he cannot answer it correctly, then I will kill him with one blow of my huge tail!

And if you answer correctly, then I myself will die right there!

Ok, I agree! - the young man answers. - Ask a question!

The dragon roared loudly, and two women appeared in the window of his palace. One is an incredibly dazzling beauty, the other is an ordinary, simple woman.

Which one is more beautiful? - asked the dragon.

The young man looked at the women and replied:

The one you like best is more beautiful!

You are right! - the dragon croaked and gave up the ghost.

Thus, Avaria was freed from the monster.

The groom finished the fairy tale and said: “I like your sister!”

You are right! - exclaimed the bride's brothers.

And they said the words of prayer for the newlyweds:

May Allah bless you, and may He send His blessings upon you, and may He unite you in goodness!

A wedding enriched with new customs

Since this Avar parable is about newlyweds, it’s time to talk about an Avar wedding. Marriage is one of the most ancient solemn and important events in a person’s life, which marks the creation of a new family. The Avars have their own wedding customs and traditions, which date back to ancient times. They are enriched with new rituals, fun, ideological content, in tune with modernity, the interests of different peoples and young people.

But the main thing remains unchanged: weddings serve as a means of transmitting cultural traditions, folklore knowledge, social experience and moral norms from generation to generation.

Until the last century, Avars mainly lived in mountain villages, so folk wedding rituals were formed mainly there.

In the past, when entering into a marriage, it was required that the bride and groom come from families of equal nobility, influence and power. Back in the 19th century, Avars, like many other Dagestan peoples, adhered to endogamy, that is, they tried to marry within their village. Among the Avars, such marriages were preferred to be concluded between close relatives and namesakes.

The strongest marriage was considered to be between fellow villagers. Inter-aul marriages of Avars were few.

As for international marriages, they were extremely rare until the mid-40s of the twentieth century. Previously, the prerogative of marriage mainly belonged to parents. And this concerned daughters first of all. Recently, these traditions are not preserved everywhere; for example, in cities there are much more liberties and innovations. But as before, when concluding a marriage, nationality, village, and region are taken into account.

Sharia marriage (magar) and divorce (talaq) continue to persist in our time and are complemented by civil marriage and divorce.

It is interesting to note that the collection of kalym for the Avars, as well as for some other Dagestan peoples, was not a characteristic custom. In modern conditions, the adat of dacha kalym is intensifying and spreading rapidly, which is explained by the improvement in the economic situation of people.

IN rural areas Many positive aspects of customs and traditions have been largely preserved, in particular, the etiquette emphasizing the status of elders. According to this adat, a younger sister or brother does not marry before the elder. Marriage between foster brothers and sisters is not permitted.

Currently, Avars have two types of weddings. The first type, which the majority of the rural population adheres to, is traditional. It is practiced with only minor innovations. In the second type of wedding, modern elements predominate and traditional rituals are partially observed.

And the men sing heroic songs

Well, where there is a wedding, there is music, there is singing. Avar music is distinguished by its bright originality. Experts have long noticed that natural minor modes predominate in the music of the Avars, most of all Dorian. Two- and three-part meter is common. One of the characteristic sizes is 6/8. There are also complex and mixed sizes.

Avar men sing epic-heroic songs. They are distinguished by a three-part melody structure. The extreme parts serve as an introduction and conclusion. And in the middle (recitative type) the main content of the poetic text is stated.

Typical female genre: lyrical song. The female style of vocal performance is characterized by “throat” singing. Solo singing with instrumental accompaniment also predominates.

There are also unison ensemble (female duet) and choral (male) singing. Old lyrical songs are characterized by a dialogical style of singing. Marching and dance melodies are used as independent works. Women's singing is often accompanied by a tambourine. In addition to national instruments, the Avars widely use the harmonica, button accordion, accordion, balalaika, and guitar. Traditional instrumental ensemble - zurna and drum. The first recordings of Avar folk music were made in the second half of the 19th century.

A few words about the Avar language. It belongs to the Dagestan branch of the Iberian-Caucasian family of languages. The Avars received their written language only after the establishment of Soviet power. Until 1928, the Avars used the Arabic alphabet, using some additional characters for specific Avar consonants. In 1938, the current alphabet was adopted based on Russian graphics, which differs favorably from its predecessors in that it uses the letters of the Russian alphabet with the addition of only the sign I.

Signs on doors and gates

As you know, the poet Rasul Gamzatov, famous throughout Russia, wrote his works in the Avar language. Many of his poems have folklore roots. For example, those included in the popular series “Inscriptions on Doors and Gates.”

Don't stand, don't wait, passer-by, at the door.
You come in or go away quickly.

Passerby, don't knock, don't wake up the owners,
You came with evil - go away,
I came with goodness - come in.

Neither at an early hour nor at a late hour
Don't knock on the door, friends:
And my heart is open for you,
And my door.

I am a horseman, and there is only one
I have a request:
Don't enter if you don't praise me
my horse.

But not only horse I want to praise us. I would also like to praise the anonymous author who composed the instructive Avar fairy tale “The Fox and the Snake.”

Somehow a fox and a snake became friends and decided to wander around the world. They walked for a long time through forests, fields, mountains and gorges until they came to a wide river where there was no ford.

“Let’s swim across the river,” the fox suggested.

But I don’t know how to swim at all,” the snake lied.

It’s okay, I’ll help you, wrap yourself around me.

The snake wrapped itself around the fox and they swam.

It was hard for the fox, but she didn’t show it and swam, exhausted.

Already at the very shore, the snake began to tightly squeeze the fox with its coils.

What are you doing? After all, you can choke someone like that! - the fox screamed.

Serves you right,” the snake answered.

Well, apparently, death cannot be avoided,” the fox groaned. - I only regret one thing. We've been friends for so many years, but I've never seen your face up close. Do me one last favor - let me have a good look at you before I die.

Fine. “Yes, and I also want to look at you one last time,” said the snake and brought its head closer to the fox.

The fox immediately bit off the snake's head and went ashore.

Here she freed herself from the dead snake and exclaimed:

Don't trust friends who squirm!

It is easy to guess that this thought very soon became an Avar proverb. Here are some more interesting proverbs of the Avar people that are worth remembering:

For a good man one word is enough, for a good horse one lash is enough.

A bee and a fly don't work together.

While the game is still in the mountains, do not put the pot on the fire.

An army cannot be made from one man, a tower cannot be made from one stone.

And here is a very interesting proverb, emphasizing the high role of education, as well as art in Avar society:

The softness of a pencil overcomes the hardness of a saber.

We will add on our own behalf, but only if this pencil falls into talented hands.

Household and life

Traditional occupations are cattle breeding and arable farming. Archaeol. and letters. sources testify to the antiquity of the origin and developed forms of agriculture in A. In the mountainous regions and foothills, agriculture was combined with cattle breeding; in the highlands, the leading role belonged to cattle breeding. They created art, terraced fields, reinforced with stone walls on dry masonry; terracing was combined with drainage. They practiced three-tiered use of plots (corn was planted under fruit trees, beans, potatoes, and vegetables were planted between the rows), fallowless crop rotation, and alternation of agricultural crops. crops The fields were fertilized with manure and ash. In the mountain valleys, an irrigation system was developed (canals, gutters, trees, self-pumping wheels).

Tools: wooden plow with iron share, hoe, pick, small scythe, sickle, threshing boards, drags, pitchforks, rakes, der. shovel; in gardening in the mountain valleys they used a special shovel for manual plowing. They cultivated barley, wheat, hulless barley, rye, oats, millet, legumes, corn, and potatoes.

From tech. flax and hemp were sown. The grain was ground in water mills with a horizontal wheel. In the mountain valleys they practiced gardening and viticulture; there were endemic varieties. Peaches, apricots, cherries, apples, pears, cherry plums, etc. were grown. Home drying of fruits was practiced, from the end. XIX century - processing them in handicraft canning factories, as well as exporting them outside of Avaria for sale and for exchange for grain. Wine was made from the best grape varieties for sale.

From the end XIX century began to grow onions, garlic, in the owls. period - cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes. In Sov. Over time, zonal specialization has increased; industrial branches operate in a number of districts. enterprises, canneries.

It is believed that already in the Bronze Age, cattle breeding in the territory. A. had a sedentary character. They raised small animals (sheep, goats), as well as cattle. cattle, horses, donkeys, mules. Sheep breeding predominated, especially in the high mountain regions, already from the 16th century. developed as a commodity industry with geographic division of labor.

Traditional coarse-wool sheep breeds (Andean, Gunib, Avar), in the Soviet Union. Over time, fine-fleece ones also appeared. In the high-mountain zone, transhumance cattle breeding prevailed, in the mountain zone - stall-pasture breeding combined with transhumance (sheep breeding), in the foothill zone - stall-pasture breeding. Ancillary activities include hunting (wild goats, deer, aurochs, foxes, etc.) and beekeeping (especially in horticultural areas).

Home arts and crafts: women. — weaving (cloth, carpets), wool knitting (socks, shoes), making felt, buroks, embroidery; husband. - leather processing, stone and wood carving, blacksmithing, copper chasing, weapons, jewelry, making wooden utensils. Cloths have been made since ancient times (there are medieval archaeological finds) and were considered the best in Dagestan; they were exported beyond its borders (especially white ones - to Tbilisi); cloth was replaced by factory fabrics only in the beginning. XX century There are archaeol. finds of the 8th-10th centuries. bronze openwork belt buckles, plaques.

Silversmithing stands out (masters worked for sale and to order), naib. cr. centers - Sogratl, Rugudzha, Chokh, Gotsatl, Gamsutl, Untsukul. They made daggers, gazyrs, sets for harnesses, men. and wives belts, women's jewelry (bracelets, rings, chains, plaques, pendants, necklaces, earrings, etc.), in the owls. time - also dishes, dec. Houseware.

Products of the 19th century often repeated older patterns. In Gotsatla in 1958 there was a foundation. arts, plant Metalworking techniques: engraving, blackening, filigree (especially invoice), notching, granulation; inserts made of natural stones, colored glass, chains and other typesetting parts were used. In modern In the art of Gotsatl, the technique of blackening plays an important role.

From the end XIX - early XX centuries Products from Untsukul are world famous: household items (pipes, cigarette cases, boxes, canes, sticks, ink sets, boxes, caskets, etc.) made of dogwood wood with fine notches (geom pattern) made of silver, copper, later and cupronickel; in Sov. time is open here. factory.

Basic centers of carpet production - Khunzakh, Tlyaratina districts, part of the village. Levashinsky and Buinaksky districts: pile and lint-free double-sided carpets, smooth double-sided rugs, patterned felt carpets, chibta mats (marsh sedge is added to wool yarn), small carpet products (khurdzhin saddlebags, mantles, blankets, pillows, etc. .).

Wood carving was practiced in almost every village; it was used to decorate window and door frames, columns, pillar supports, balconies, furniture, chests and other utensils and dishes. Basic types of carving - contour, flat-silhouette, trihedral pitted. Stone carvings decorated the facades of residential buildings, mosques, and gravestones. The carvers from it were especially famous.

Rugudzha, Chokha, Kuyadinsky farms (Gunibsky district). Traditional ornamental motifs - stylized images of animals, astral symbols, geometric, floral, ribbon patterns, wickerwork.

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Who are the Avars, Avars Wikipedia
avaral, magarulal

Number and range

Total: more than 1 million people
Russia, Russia
912 090(2010)
(+168 people with the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol)

• • Dagestan Dagestan 850 011 (2010)
    • Makhachkala: 186,088
    • Botlikh district: 51 636
    • Kizilyurt district: 51,599
    • Khasavyurt district: 44,360
    • Khasavyurt: 40,226
    • Kazbekovsky district: 36,714
    • Kizlyar district: 31,371
    • Kizilyurt: 31,149
    • Khunzakh district: 30 891
    • Untsukul district: 28 799
    • Buynaksk: 28,674
    • Shamilsky district: 27 744
    • Gunibsky district: 24 381
    • Tsumadinsky district: 23 085
    • Akhvakh district: 21 876
    • Tlyaratina district: 21 820
    • Gumbetovsky district: 21 746
    • Gergebil district: 19 760
    • Tsuntinsky district: 18 177
    • Buynaksky district: 17,254
    • Levashinsky district: 15,845
    • Kaspiysk: 14,651
    • Charodinsky district: 11 459
    • Kizlyar: 10 391

• • Stavropol Territory Stavropol Territory 9,009 (2010)
  • Moscow Moscow 5,049 (2010)
  • Chechnya Chechnya 4,864 (2010)
  • Astrakhan region Astrakhan region 4,719 (2010)
  • Rostov region Rostov region 4,038 (2002)
  • Kalmykia Kalmykia 2,396 (2010)

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan
49 800 (2009)

• Zagatala district: 25,578 (2009)
• Belokansky district: 23,874 (2009)

Georgia Georgia
1 996 (2002)

• • Kakheti
    1 900 (2002)
    • Kvareli municipality
      1 900 (2002)

Turkey Turkey
53 000

Ukraine Ukraine
1 496 (2001)

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
1 206 (2009)

Language

Avar language

Religion

Islam (Sunni)

Racial type

Caucasians

Included in

Caucasian family,
North Caucasian family,
Nakh-Dagestan group,
Avaro-Ando-Tsez branch,
Avar-Andean subbranch

Avars(Avar. Avaral, MagIarulal) - one of the many indigenous peoples of the Caucasus, historically living in mountainous Dagestan, eastern Georgia and Northern Azerbaijan, the most numerous people of modern Dagestan.

The Avars include related Ando-Tsez peoples, as well as Archins.

• 1 Ethnonym
• 2 Number and settlement
• 3 Anthropology
• 4 Language
• 5 Religion
• 6 Origin and history
  • 6.1 Hunz - Caucasian Huns of the "Land of the Throne"
  • 6.2 State entities
    • 6.2.1 From the Mongols to the Persian wars
  • 6.3 Coat of arms of the Avar Khanate
    • 6.3.1 Comparison with a wolf as a compliment
  • 6.4 Expansion of the 16th-17th centuries.
    • 6.4.1 Relations with Chechens
  • 6.5 Caucasian War and Shamil's Imamat
  • 6.6 End of the holy war
  • 6.7 as part of the USSR
• 7 Culture and customs
  • 7.1 Traditional lifestyle
  • 7.2 Traditional clothing
• 8 Avar cuisine
• 9 Notes
• 10 Literature
  • 10.1 References
• 11 Links

Ethnonym

There are several versions regarding the origin of the ethnonym Avar. The vast majority of scientists, in particular J. Marquart, O. Pritsak, V. F. Minorsky, V. M. Beilis, S. E. Tsvetkov, M. G. Magomedov, A. K. Alikberov, T. M. Aitberov and others, call the ancient Avars the ancestors of modern Avars, arguing that the latter had a great influence on the ethnogenesis of the Avar people.

In the pre-revolutionary period, the modern name of the people was used occasionally; the designation “Avar” dominated in the literature. The Encyclopedia of Efron and Brockhaus, speaking about the inhabitants of the Avar district, writes that these lands are “predominantly Avars, or Avars, one of the Lezgin tribes, once, especially in the 18th century, very strong, instilling fear in their neighbors. Apparently, over time, the Avar transformed into Avar, which is very typical for the Russian language.In many countries, due to the absence of the prefix “ets” in their languages, Avars are differentiated into Eurasian and Caucasian.

According to another version, the name of this people was given by the Turks, from whom the Russians adopted it. The Turkic words “Avar”, “Avarala” mean “restless”, “anxious”, “warlike”, etc. There is also an assumption that the Avars got their name from the name of the king of the medieval Avar state - Sarir, whose name was “Avar”.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, Avars were also known as Tavlinians and Lezgins. Vasily Potto writes that the Avar tribe:

He called himself by the common name maarulal, but was known to his neighbors under names alien to himself, either Tavlinians or in the south; on the other side of the mountains, in Georgia, there are Lezgins.

The ethnonym “Lezgins,” in addition to the Avars, denoted the entire mountain population of Dagestan. Some modern sources believe that this designation was erroneous. Since the 20s XX century, the general Dagestan ethnonym passed to the Kyurins - residents of South-Eastern Dagestan.

Number and settlement

They inhabit most of the mountainous territory of Dagestan, and partly the plains (Buinaksky, Khasavyurt, Kizilyurt and other areas). In addition to Dagestan, they live in Chechnya, Kalmykia and other constituent entities of the Russian Federation (total - 912,090 people). The main area of ​​settlement of the Avars in Dagestan is the basins of the Avar-or (Avar Koisu), Andi-or (Andean Koisu) and Cheer-or (Kara-Koisu) rivers. 28% of Avars live in cities (2002).

Avars also live in Azerbaijan, mainly in the Belokan and Zagatala regions, as well as in Baku, where, according to the 1999 census, their total number was 49.8 thousand people.

“The question of the size of the Avar diaspora outside Russia is very complex and contradictory today,” the Dagestan scientist B.M. Ataev was forced to state with annoyance in 2005. This is primarily due to the fact that in their countries of residence, for political and other reasons, population censuses indicating nationality are not conducted. Therefore, the data given in various sources on the number of descendants of the Avars are very approximate, in particular, in the Republic of Turkey. But if we take into account the statements of the Dagestan orientalist A.M. Magomeddadayev, that “in the territory of modern Turkey by the 1920s. XX century there were more than 30 Dagestani villages, 2/3 of which consisted of Avars” and, “according to the words of old-time Dagestanis living in this country, at present there are no more than 80 thousand Dagestanis here,” then by simple calculations one can deduce the number of descendants of the Avars, currently living in the Republic of Turkey - over 53 thousand people.”

Thus, the largest Avar diaspora outside the borders former USSR and, probably, outside Russia in general - represented in Turkey. At the same time, it should be taken into account that small islands of descendants of the Avar “Muhajirs” of the former Ottoman Empire were also recorded in Syria and Jordan, where, due to their small numbers, they experienced a strong cultural and linguistic influence of both the local Arab population and other North Caucasians, mainly Circassians and Chechens. As the author of the two-volume monograph “Emigration of Dagestanis to the Ottoman Empire” Amirkhan Magomeddadayev testifies: “Representatives of the North Caucasus, and in particular the Dagestan diaspora played and are playing a significant role in the socio-economic and socio-political, spiritual and ethnic life of Turkey, Jordan and Syria... Speaking of modern Turkey, it is enough, in our opinion, to point out that the Minister of State Security of the Turkish Republic in the government of Tansu Ciller was Mehmet Golhan, a descendant of the muhajirs from the village of Kuletsma, or Abdulhalim Mentes, the commander of the air regiment that suppressed the coup attempt in 1960 in Turkey.”

Areas of historical residence of Avars in Dagestan:

Avar Koisu

• Akhvakhsky,
• Gergebilsky,
• Gumbetovsky,
• Gunibsky,
• Kazbekovsky,
• Tlyaratinsky,
• Untsukulsky,
• Khunzakhsky,
• Charodinsky,
• Shamilsky.

Anthropology

Fragment of a tombstone of the 20th century (Gunibsky district, Sekh village)

Some scientists consider the Caucasian type to be the end result of the transformation of the Caspian type in conditions of high mountain isolation. In their opinion, the formation of the Caucasian type in Dagestan dates back to the 14th century BC. e. Considering the problem of the origin of the Caucasian type, Academician V.P. Alekseev noted: “Theoretical disputes around the problem of the origin of this type led to a more or less unambiguous solution to the issue among the local population of the central foothill Caucasian ridge no later than in the Bronze Age, and perhaps and more early time" However, there is another, more substantiated and widespread point of view, according to which the Caspian anthropological type is not directly related to the Caucasian one, being somewhat depigmented as a result of mixing with the Caucasian people, a branch of the Indo-Pamir race. It should be emphasized that from the Caspian coast, through the plains and foothills of Dagestan, and only along the valleys of Samur and Chirakh-Chay, representatives of this group penetrated high into the mountains.

Avar crosses and spiral swastika. Stone carving

G. F. Debets testified to the similarity of the Caucasian anthropological type with the ancient population of the East European Plain and further up to Scandinavia, while expressing the idea of ​​the penetration of the ancestors of the Caucasian type into the areas of their modern settlement from the north.

Despite all their originality, outside the Caucasus, the Caucasians are closest to the Dinaric anthropological type of the Balkan-Caucasian race, characteristic primarily of Croats and Montenegrins.

The anthropological type that is closest to the “classical” Cro-Magnon man is usually associated with the spread of the Corded Ware culture. The latter is often regarded as the original Indo-European. During the Late Neolithic and Bronze Ages, Corded Ware cultures are localized over large areas of the north-west of the European coast and the Baltic States, in Nadporozhye and the Azov region, as well as in some areas of Central Europe, where it comes into contact with the Band Ware culture. In the 2nd millennium BC. e. a branch of this culture spreads to the Upper Volga (Fatyanovo culture). On this occasion, Kuzmin A.G. writes the following: “It was the main anthropological type of population associated with the Corded Ware cultures that puzzled anthropologists with the extremely wide geography of its distribution, especially since the Caucasus (Caucasian population group) and the Balkans must be added to the above-mentioned areas (Dinaric type in the region of Albania and Montenegro). In the literature, there are different explanations for the noted similarities. One of the pillars of German nationalist archeology, G. Kossin, wrote about the “German” expansion from the north all the way to the Caucasus. In addition to German archaeologists, this point of view was supported by the Swedish scientist N. Oberg and the Finnish A.M. Thalgren. Our literature rightly pointed out the unscientific basis of Kossina’s concept. But the problem itself exists, and relatively recently this issue was raised again, and the opinion about population migration from northwestern Europe to the Caucasus was also supported by some domestic scientists. In relation to the Caucasus, this opinion was challenged by V.P. Alekseev. Recognizing that “the similarity of the Caucasian type with the anthropological type of the population of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia ... is undoubtedly,” he explained it by the uneven evolution of the same Paleolithic ancestor, that is, he pushed the common source deeper. at the same time, he admits a direct relationship between the Caucasian and Dinaric types.”

Language

Main articles: Avar language, Avar alphabet Map of the distribution of the Avar language (Avar language, Latin). Zhirkov L. I. 1934

The Avar language belongs to the Nakh-Dagestan group of the North Caucasian family, has dialects divided into northern and southern groups (adverbs), which partly reflects the former division of Ava into the Khunzakh Khanate and “Free Societies”. the first includes Salatav, Khunzakh and Eastern, the second - Gidatli, Antsukh, Zaqatal, Karakh, Andalal, Kakhib and Kusur; the Batlukh dialect occupies an intermediate position. There are phonetic, morphological and lexical differences between individual dialects and dialect groups as a whole. The Avar language is related to the Ando-Tsez languages. Avar (together with other languages ​​of the Nakh-Dagestan group) according to I.M. Dyakonov, is a living continuation of the ancient Alarodian linguistic world, which included such now dead languages ​​as Caucasian-Albanian (Agvan), Hurrian, Urartian, Gutian

The Avars of the Khasavyurt and Buinaksky regions of Dagestan, as a rule, speak fluently the Kumyk language. The ability to speak and understand Turkic among the Avars can be traced, in part, outside these regions, since the Turkic language in lowland Dagestan for many centuries acted as an intermediary language. Ethnic Avars living in Turkey and Azerbaijan speak Turkish and Azerbaijani at the native level, respectively.

Before 1927, writing was based on Arabic script (ajam); in 1927-1938. - in Latin.

There were national schools in Dagestan. From 1938 to 1955, education in schools in Western Dagestan up to grade 5 was conducted in the Avar language, and in high school in Russian. From the 6th grade, the Avar (“native”) language and literature were studied as separate subjects. In the 1955-56 academic year, teaching in Avaria schools from grade 1 was transferred to the Avar language. Since the 1964-65 school year, all urban national schools in the republic have been closed. Currently, on the territory of Dagestan, school education among Avars up to the third grade is conducted in Arabic, then in Avar. But this applies only to rural schools with a mono-ethnic population, while in cities teaching is conducted mainly in Russian. According to the constitution of Dagestan, the Avar language in Dagestan, along with other national languages, has the status of “state”

Since 2002, the North Caucasus studio of the American Radio Liberty/Free Europe, funded by the US Congress, has been broadcasting daily in the Avar language from Prague.

Religion

The vast majority of Avarian believers are Sunni Muslims of the Shafi'i persuasion. However, as is known from numerous sources, the Avar state of Sarir (VI-XIII centuries) was predominantly Christian (Orthodox). ruins are still preserved in the mountains of Avaria. A landmark is the Datun Mosque in the village of Datuna (Shamil district), built in the 10th century. Near the villages of Urada, Tidib, Khunzakh, Galla, Tindi, Kvanada, Rugudzha and others, archaeologists discovered typically Muslim burial grounds of the 8th-10th centuries. Starting in the middle of the 7th century. first steps on the territory of Dagestan, in the Derbent region, the Islamic religion slowly but systematically expanded its area of ​​influence, covering one possession after another, until it penetrated into the 15th century. to the most remote areas of Dagestan.

According to historical legends, some insignificant part of the Avars before converting to Islam. Dagestan scientists regard this vague and fragmentary information as echoes of memories of long-term contacts with the Khazars. Among the samples of stone carving in Avaria one can occasionally find “stars of David”, which, however, cannot serve as evidence in favor of the fact that the mentioned images were made by Jews.

Origin and history

Main article: Sarir

Hunz - Caucasian Huns of the “Land of the Throne”

A wolf with a standard is a symbol of the Avar khans on the cover of a book on Caucasian mythology. Coat of arms of Avaria/Leketi.

In the literature there is an opinion that the Avars descended from the Legs, Gels and Caspians, but these statements are speculative. Neither the Avar language nor the Avar toponymy contain any lexemes that could be associated with the Legs, Gels or Caspians, and the Avars themselves never identified themselves with the listed tribes. According to ancient sources, the Caspians lived on the plain, not in the mountains. In the 6th century, through the North Caucasus, Avars (“Varhuns”) invaded Europe - a nomadic people from Central Asia, probably of proto-Mongol-Eastern Iranian origin, who at an early stage absorbed a certain number of so-called “Sino-Caucasians”, ( and later - Ugrians and Turks), although complete unity on the issue of their ethnogenesis does not exist. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Eurasian Avars are a people of ancient origin. Apparently, some of them, having settled in Dagestan, gave rise to the Sarir state or made a significant contribution to its strengthening. Supporters of this “infiltration” point of view on Avar ethnogenesis and the formation of statehood include: J. Markvart, O. Pritsak, V. F. Minorsky, V. M. Beilis, M. G. Magomedov, A. K. Alikberov, T. M. Aitberov. The latter believes that the alien ethnic element contributed to the reorganization and consolidation of the Avar people not only by force of arms: “There is reason to believe that the rulers of the pre-Islamic “Avar”, located in the Dagestan mountains, apparently relying on their knowledge coming from Asia, understood the importance of a single a language within a state entity that claims to have existed for centuries, and, moreover, a specific language, quite isolated from the speech of its neighbors. Spending certain and considerable funds, the rulers contributed to its formation and development - at least within the Sulak basin. It is not without interest in this regard that the early medieval Christian propaganda in this territory, successfully carried out by the apparatus of the Catholicos of Georgia, was also carried out in a common language for all Avars. Later, in the 12th century, the Arab-Muslim intelligence officer al-Gardizi noted that in southern Dagestan and in the traditionally Dargin zone, contemporary culture was developing in several closely related languages, and in the Avar-Ando-Tsez mountains, where local dialects were and are - in only Avar. We see this circumstance as a direct result of the purposeful language policy of the Avar rulers.”

Doesn't see any serious reasons to doubt the correctness of supporters of the infiltration point of view and linguist Harald Haarmann, who also links the Dagestan ethnonym “Avar” with the heritage of the Eurasian Avars~Varkhonites. The Hungarian archaeologist and historian István Erdelyi (in Russian literature there is a common erroneous transcription - “Erdeli”), although he approaches this topic with extreme caution, still does not deny the possibility of a connection between the Eurasian Avars and the Caucasian Avars: “...According to the ancients authors, among the rulers of the Avars of Serir (the ancient name of Dagestan) there was one named Avar. Perhaps the nomadic Avars, moving west, temporarily stopped in the steppes of Northern Dagestan and politically subjugated or made Serir, whose capital until the 9th century, their ally. was in the village. Tanusi (near the modern village of Khunzakh).” A similar position is taken by the Dagestan historian Mamaikhan Aglarov. The outstanding German researcher Karl Menges considered the Avars to be the most ancient Kollontai proto-Mongols, “whose traces” are allegedly “found in Dagestan.”

Perhaps the situation with the existence of different “Avars” is perhaps somewhat clarified by the statement of G.V. Haussig, who believed that the “Uar” and “Huni” tribes should still be considered real Avars; as for the name “Avar” among other peoples, In this case, we are apparently dealing with something like a formidable nickname: “The word “Avar” was not primarily the name of a specific people, but was a designation of mythical creatures with superhuman abilities. The Slavic designation for giants is “obry” - Avars for so long terrifying both Western and Eastern Europe.

The Avars have not been sufficiently studied by geneticists (data presented on the paternal side - Y-DNA varies significantly from one study to another) to judge how genetically related they may be to the Eurasian Avars. No one has yet carried out any special archaeological research aimed at searching for the Avar (Varhun) heritage in Dagestan, although archaeologists have still found rich military burials of representatives of the Iranian-speaking nomadic world in the high-mountain Avar village. Bezhta, dated to the 8th-10th centuries. and conditionally classified as “Sarmatians”. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that all artifacts from excavations of burial grounds left by Iranian-speaking nomads on the territory of Avaria receive only a vague definition of “Scythian-Sarmatian”. Such sliding characteristics are devoid of specifics and do not in any way contribute to highlighting the actual Avar (Varhun) contribution to the ethnogenesis and culture of the Avars, if, of course, there was one. Data from genetic molecular analysis of the maternal line of origin (mtDNA) prove that the genetic distance between the Avars and the Iranians of Tehran, the Iranians of Isfahan is much less significant than between the first and almost all currently studied both Dagestan and Caucasian populations (the only exception - Rutulians). The results of mtDNA analyzes of the Avars confirm that the Poles are genetically closer to the Avars than the Karachais, Balkars, Azerbaijanis, Ingush, Adygeis, Kabardians, Circassians, Abkhazians, Georgians, Armenians, Lezgins of Dagestan (I. Nasidze, E. Y. S Ling and others. Mithochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome Variation in the Caucasus. 2004). At the same time, relatively close kinship is demonstrated by the indicators of Ossetians, Chechens, Kurds, Dargins, and Abazas. In terms of degree of kinship, Poles are second only to the Rutulians, Iranians of Tehran, and Iranians of Isfahan. Following the Russians (with a slight difference in distance) are again not Caucasian-speaking populations, but Poles and Ossetians-Ardonians.

State entities

The territory inhabited by the Avars was called Sarir (Serir). The first mention of this property dates back to the 6th century. In the north and northwest, Sarir bordered with the Alans and Khazars. The presence of a common border between Sarir and Alanya is also emphasized by al-Masudi.

Sarir reached its peak in the 10th-11th centuries, being a major political entity in the North-Eastern Caucasus. Under the reign of Surakat I, Sarir was subject to all the peoples from Shamakhi to Kabarda, including Tusheti and the Chechens. So, according to the notes of the Imperial Geographical Society,

The Avar nutsal Surakat commanded the peoples from Shamakhi to Kabarda, and the Chechens and Tushi were absolutely dependent on him.

Its rulers and the bulk of the population during this period professed Christianity. The Arab geographer and traveler Ibn Ruste (10th century) reports that the king of Sarir is called “Avar” (Auhar). From the 10th century close contacts between Sarir and Alania can be traced, which probably developed on anti-Khazar grounds. An agreement was concluded between the rulers of the two countries, and they mutually gave their sisters to each other. From the point of view of Muslim geography, Sarir, as a Christian state, was in the orbit of the Byzantine Empire. Al-Istakhri reports: “...The state of Rum includes the borders of... Rus, Sarir, Alan, Arman and all others who profess Christianity.” Sarir's relations with the neighboring Islamic emirates of Derbent and Shirvan were tense and rife with frequent conflicts on both sides. However, ultimately, Sarir managed to neutralize the danger emanating from there and even interfere in the internal affairs of Derbent, providing support, at his own discretion, to one or another opposition. By the beginning of the 12th century, Sarir, as a result of internal strife, as well as the formation of a broad anti-Christian front in Dagestan, which entailed an economic blockade, collapsed, and Christianity was gradually supplanted by Islam. The names of the kings of Sarir that have come down to us, as a rule, are of Syrian-Iranian origin.

From the Mongols to the wars with the Persians

The territory of Avaria and the western Dargin territories, unlike the rest of Dagestan, were not affected by the Mongol invasion of the 13th century. During the first campaign of the Mongol troops led by Jebe and Subudai to Dagestan (1222), the Saririans took an active part in the fight against the enemy of the Mongols, Khorezmshah Jelal ad-Din and his allies - the Kipchaks. The events associated with the second campaign took place as follows: in the spring of 1239, a strong detachment under the command of Bukday separated from the huge army that was besieging the Alan capital Magas in the foothills of the Central Caucasus. Having passed through Northern and Primorsky Dagestan, he turned into the mountains near Derbent and by autumn reached the Agul village of Richa. It was taken and destroyed, as evidenced by the epigraphic monuments of this village. Then the Mongols entered the lands of the Laks and in the spring of 1240 captured their main stronghold - the village of Kumukh. Muhammad Rafi notes “that the inhabitants of Kumukh fought with great courage, and the last defenders of the fortress - 70 young men - died in the Kikuli quarter. Saratan and Kauthar devastated Kumukh... and all the princes of Kumukh, descended from Hamza, scattered to different parts of the world.” Further, according to Rashid ad-Din, it is known that the Mongols reached the “Avir region” - this is the Avar land. However, there is no information about the hostile actions of Bukday’s Mongols towards the Avars.

In the fall of 1242, the Mongols undertook a new campaign in Mountainous Dagestan. Apparently, they got there through Georgia. However, the path to the conquerors was blocked by the Avars, led by the Avar Khan. All attempts of the Mongols to conquer Avaria were unsuccessful. Muhammad Rafi writes about the concluded alliance between the Mongols and Avars - “such an alliance was based on friendship, harmony and brotherhood” - also reinforced by the bonds of dynastic marriages. According to modern researcher Murad Magomedov, the rulers of the Golden Horde contributed to the expansion of the borders of Avaria, entrusting it with the role of collecting tribute from numerous peoples conquered in the Caucasus: “The initially established peaceful relationship between the Mongols and Avaria can also be associated with the historical memory of the Mongols. They obviously had information about the warlike Avar Khaganate, which formed in the 4th century. on the ancient territory of Mongolia... Perhaps the consciousness of the unity of the ancestral homeland of the two peoples determined the loyal attitude of the Mongols towards the Avars, whom they could perceive as ancient fellow tribesmen who found themselves in the Caucasus long before them... Obviously, the sharp expansion of borders noted in the sources should also be associated with the patronage of the Mongols states and the development of economic activity in Avaria... This can also be judged from the reports of Hamdulla Kazvini, who notes the rather extensive extent of Avaria at the beginning of the 14th century. (allegedly a one-month journey), uniting flat and mountainous regions.”

The first reliable mention of the population of Mountainous Dagestan under the name “Avars” dates back to 1404; it belongs to John de Galonifontibus, who wrote that in the Caucasus there live “Circassians, Leks, Yasses, Alans, Avars, Kazikumukhs.” in the will of the nutsalkhan (that is, “ruler”) of Avar - Andunik, dated 1485, the latter also uses this term, calling himself “emir of the Avar vilayat.”

In the subsequent period, the ancestors of modern Avars were recorded as part of the Avar and Mehtulin khanates; some united rural communities (the so-called “free societies”) retained a democratic system of government (like the ancient Greek city-states) and independence. In the South Caucasus, the so-called Jar Republic, a state formation of the Transcaucasian Avars in alliance with the Tsakhurs, had this status. The most famous republics in Dagestan were Andalal (Avar. - "Ẅandalal), Ankratl (Avar. - Ank'rak) and Gidatl (Avar. - Gyid). At the same time, the Avars had a unified legal system. The fighting spirit and military training of the representatives of the republics - "free societies" "Accidents were traditionally very high. For example, in September 1741 on the territory of Andalal, they, with the support of Dargin and Lak detachments, despite the significant numerical and technical superiority of the enemy, managed to inflict a crushing defeat on the Iranian conqueror Nadirshah Afshar, who did not know before clashes with the Avar “jamaats” (that is, “societies”), without a single military failure and at the zenith of its power.

Military clashes between the Avars and the Persians began back in the 30s. XVIII century. The Persians repeatedly made attempts to conquer the highlanders of Dagestan, but none of them were successful. One of these expeditions, undertaken in the fall of 1738, near the Avar village of Jar, a 32 thousand-strong detachment of Nadir Shah’s brother Ibrahim Khan was defeated, and he himself was killed. In this battle, the Persians lost about 24 thousand people killed. Thirsting for revenge for his brother, the Shah moved an army of 100 thousand to Dagestan. In Dagestan, he was joined by Khasbulat Tarkovsky and Mehdi Khan. Encountering resistance from local peoples here, Nadir Shah responded with atrocities: he burned entire villages, exterminated the population, etc. Having conquered all the peoples on his way, the Shah entered Avaria. As the English historian L. Lockhart correctly noted:

As long as Avaria remained unconquered, the key to Dagestan was out of reach of Nadir Shah.

After the battles in the Aimakin Gorge, as well as near the villages of Sogratl, Chokh and Obokh, the army of more than 100 thousand people of Nadir - Russia’s ally in the anti-Turkish coalition - thinned out to 25-27 thousand, with whom the Persian autocrat first retreated to Derbent, and in February 1743 and generally left the borders of Dagestan. According to a contemporary, Russian resident at the Persian court I. Kalushkin: “But even ten Persians against one Lezgin (that is, Dagestani) are unable to stand.”

The remnants of the Persian army scattered throughout Dagestan and Chechnya. The 19th century Chechen ethnographer Umalat Laudaev reports this:

The Persians, defeated by the Avars under Nadir Shah, scattered throughout Dagestan, some of them settled among the Chechens.

Coat of arms of the Avar Khanate

Coat of arms of the Avar khans (according to the Georgian historian and traveler Vakhushti Bagrationi, 18th century)

The Institute of Ancient Manuscripts of the Georgian Academy of Sciences named after K. Kekelidze houses a map of Georgia (1735), known as the “Map of the Iberian Kingdom or All Georgia,” which depicts 16 “coats of arms” and “signs” of the lands that make up Georgia, individual Georgian principalities and historical regions (Georgia, Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti, Odishi, Guria, Samtskhe, Svaneti, Abkhazeti, Oseti, Somkhiti, Shirvan, etc.), including Dagestan.

The author of the map is Prince Vakhushti Bagrationi (1696, Tbilisi - 1757, Moscow), son of King Vakhtang VI Bagrationi of Kartli, famous Georgian historian, geographer and cartographer. He received a traditional spiritual and secular education at his father's court, studied Latin and European languages, mathematics, astronomy, history, geography and other sciences with Catholic missionaries, and traveled a lot. 1724 due to severe political situation, created in the country, Vakhushti Bagrationi was forced, along with the numerous retinue of Tsar Vakhtang VI, to emigrate to Russia, where he continued his scientific work in Moscow. Along with Mikhail Lomonosov, Vakhushti Bagrationi was considered one of the founders of Moscow University (until the beginning of the 20th century, his name was indicated on a memorial plaque on the wall of the university building).

The main fundamental work of Vakhushti, written in Moscow in 1742-1745 on the basis of previously collected materials, is the “History of Ancient Georgia” and the attached “Description of the Kingdom of Georgia”, including historical events“from the creation of the world” to 1745 and a detailed description of the geography of the country. As a supplement to his work, Vakhushti compiled a geographical atlas with 22 maps. These maps were copied and translated into Russian and French languages back in the 1730s. The Vakhushti map was published in French translation in 1766 in Paris, and Russian copies were kept in the Manuscript Book Department of the Library of the Academy of Sciences.

Vakhushti compiled two atlases: “Kazan” in 1735 and “Petersburg” with clarifications and additions in 1742-1743. Both atlases were first published in 1997, on the 300th anniversary of the scientist’s birth, by the Georgian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Geography. Vakhushti Bagrationi in the publication “Vakhushti Bagrationi. Atlas of Georgia, XVIII century" (Tbilisi). Unfortunately, this event went unnoticed in Dagestan, although the Atlas of Vakhushti contains unique material on the historical geography of the North-Eastern Caucasus.

We are interested in the first atlas of Vakhushti, which contains the so-called “General Map of Georgia”. Academician M. Brosset wrote about this map back in 1852: “... in the library of Kazan University there are preserved five sheets of an eight-sheet Russian atlas of Transcaucasia, also compiled by Tsarevich Vakhusht. These maps entered the said library in 1807, among other books that once belonged to Prince G. A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky... The first of the surviving five maps of this atlas is a general map of Georgia... On a special shield there is a Georgian inscription with detailed calculations different countries included in the cards. This calculation ends with the words: “by me (described) with hasty desire. Your servant is the royal Vakhushti. The coats of arms or signs of all those parts are displayed separately above. 1735 Jan. 22“. Indeed, the same map depicts 16 coats of arms of all parts of the former Georgian kingdom.”

Vakhushti calls the images on his map “coats of arms” or “signs”; among these traditional symbolic designations, the Dagestan coat of arms is also known: on a light green cloth there is a wolf running out from behind the mountain ranges (part of its body is hidden between the mountains), between its front paws which contains a flagpole with a pommel. Above the coat of arms there is an inscription in Georgian: “lekIisa dagistanisa”, that is, “(coat of arms) leks of Dagestan”.

Comparison with a wolf as a compliment

If we talk about the wolf as the central plot of the coat of arms, then it is necessary to note the fact that this animal was traditionally used by the Avars and some other peoples of Dagestan (not all) as a symbol of bravery and courage. G. F. Chursin, in his work on the ethnography of the Avars, writes that the courage and bravery with which the wolf carries out its predatory raids “gave rise to respect for him among the Avars, a kind of cult. “The wolf is God’s watchman,” the Avars say. He has neither herds nor granaries; he obtains food by his prowess. Respecting the wolf for its strength, courage and bravery, people naturally attribute magical properties to various parts of the wolf's body. For example, a wolf’s heart is boiled and given to a boy to eat, so that he becomes a strong, warlike man.” P.K. Uslar, in a brief dictionary to his work on the Avar language, gives the following explanation for the perception of the wolf among the Avars: “Any likeness to a wolf among the mountaineers is considered praise, just as among us likening to a lion.” There he also gives five comparison expressions with a wolf, which have the nature of a compliment in everyday Avar speech (wolfish disposition, short-eared wolf, etc.). At the same time, even among the Avars themselves, the wolf did not enjoy such reverence everywhere; some Western Avar societies used the eagle in this role, and some used the bear. The cult of the wolf was noted by the same Chursin especially in the central Avar regions.

Expansion of the XVI-XVII centuries.

XVI-XVII centuries are characterized by processes of strengthening feudal relations in the Avar Nutsalstvo. territorially, it was quite extensive: the southern border ran along the Avar Koisu River, and the northern border reached the Argun River. During this period, intensive resettlement of Avars to Dzharo-Belokan continued. Taking advantage of the favorable moment of weakening, and then the collapse of the Shamkhalate, the Avar khans subjugated to their power the neighboring rural communities of Bagvalians, Chamalins, Tindins and others, due to which they significantly expanded their territory. The greatest success in this was achieved by Umma Khan of Avar (nicknamed “The Great”), who ruled in 1774-1801. Under him, the Nutsaldom expanded its borders both through the subjugation of the Avar “free societies” and at the expense of the neighboring Chechen territory (primarily the Cheberloy society). Umma Khan was paid tribute by the Georgian king Irakli II, the Derbent, Cuban, Sheki, Baku, and Shirvan khans, the Turkish vassal Pasha of Akhaltsikhe, as well as the Ichkerin and Aukhov Chechens. During hostilities, societies allied with the Khunzakh Khan were obliged to supply troops and provide them with everything necessary. Speaking about Umma Khan, Kovalevsky S.S. notes that he is a man of great enterprise, courage and bravery. His own possessions were small, but his influence on the surrounding peoples was “very strong, so that he represents, as it were, the ruler of Dagestan.” Describing Umma Khan, Lieutenant Colonel of the General Staff of the Russian Army Neverovsky writes,

That not a single ruler in Dagestan achieved such a degree of power as Omar Khan of Avar. And if the Kazikumyks are proud of their Surkhai-Khan, then the Avars, always the strongest tribe in the mountains, have even more right to remember with pride Omar-Khan, who was truly a thunderstorm for the entire Transcaucasia.

According to Y. Kostenetsky,

The accident was once the strongest society in the mountains of Lezgistan - the Khanate. She not only owned many societies that were now independent of her, but she was almost the only ruler in this part of the mountains, and all her neighbors were in awe of her khans.

Relations with Chechens

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the entire territory of greater Chechnya belonged to the Avar khans, “but about 80 years ago, when the Chechens who had previously lived in the mountains multiplied, due to a lack of land and civil strife, they came out of the mountains to the lower reaches of the Argun and Sunzha.” At the same time, the Chechens agreed to pay taxes to the Avar nutsal. Chechen ethnographer Umalat Laudaev tells in detail about this period:

Ichkeria was not yet inhabited by this tribe; it was owned by the Avar khans. With its green hills and lush meadows, it strongly attracted the semi-nomadic Chechens. Tradition is silent about the reasons that prompted half the names of the then Chechen tribe to move to Ichkeria. Many reasons could have prompted them to do this: 1) lack of land due to the increase in families and population; 2) disagreements and contentions over land plots and 3) they could have been prompted by political reasons. Georgia acquired power over these people and imposed difficult conditions on the country; those who did not want to comply with them could not remain in the country and had to move. Having pledged to pay the Avar khan yasak (tax), they began their resettlement; but since it was a material interest for the khan to settle more people at a tax rate, he contributed to the strongest resettlement with various benefits. The more fertile land of Ichkeria and the power of the Avar khans attracted half of the then surnames of this tribe; the endless fights and discord that took place in the Argun region further intensified the resettlement. The weak, hoping for the power of the khan, resorted to his protection, and the resettlement took place so quickly that territorial constraint and the subsequent consequences, inevitable among semi-savage people: fights, murders, were soon felt.

On behalf of the Avar khans, the Andean Avars were supposed to “collect taxes in favor of the khans,” the source also indicates “that this tax was not yasak, but a rayat (serf tax), since the Ichkerians were slaves of the Avar khans.” Towards the end of the reign of Umma Khan of Avar, power over the Chechens begins to fade. Chechen society multiplied so much that it was able to relinquish its allegiance to the Avar Khan. According to Laudaev at the end of the 18th century

“The state of the societies of the Chechen tribe at that time, that is, at the end of the 18th century, was as follows. The Aukh people, who were under the rule of the Avars, freed themselves from them... The Ichkerin people, who were under the rule of the Avar khans, rejected their power and took possession of the land... the Ichkerin people preserved their principles public life, instilled in them by the Avars, and they were less rude and dangerous.”

The Caucasian War and the Imamate of Shamil

In 1803, part of the Avar Khanate became part of the Russian Empire. However, initially, the tsarist administration made a number of serious mistakes and miscalculations. Heavy extortions and taxes, expropriation of lands, deforestation, construction of fortresses, widespread oppression aroused the discontent of the people, first of all, their most freedom-loving and warlike part - the “uzdenstvo” (that is, “free community members”), who had never before lived under such conditions. kind of government. They declared all supporters of Russia “atheists” and “traitors,” and the tsarist administration “conductors of a slave system, humiliating and insulting to true Muslims.” On this socio-religious basis in the early 20s of the XIX century. The anti-tsarist movement of the mountaineers began under the slogans of Sharia and Muridism. At the end of 1829, with the support of the generally recognized spiritual leader of the Caucasus, Lezgin Magomed Yaragsky (Muhammad al Yaraghi), the first Avar imam of Dagestan, Mullah Gazi-Muhammad from the village of Gimry, was elected. Gazi-Muhammad with a small detachment of his followers introduced Sharia law in Avar villages, often by force of arms. Having organized the fortified camp of Chumgesgen at the beginning of 1831, Gazi-Muhammad made a series of campaigns against the Russians. In 1832, he made a successful raid towards Chechnya, as a result of which most of the region came over to his side. Soon, during a battle in his native village, Gazi-Muhammad died.

After the death of Gazi-Muhammad, the Murid movement was localized within the societies of mountainous Dagestan and experienced far from the best times. On the initiative of Sheikh Magomed Yaragsky (Muhammad al Yaraghi), the “highest council of scientists” - the ulama - was convened, Gamzat-bek from the village of Gotsatl was elected as the second imam, who for two years continued the work of Ghazi-Muhammad - “gazavat” (“holy war” ). In 1834 he exterminated the Khan dynasty, which caused anger among the Khunzakh people. After they killed Gamzat-bek, Shamil, a student of Magomed Yaragsky (Muhammad al Yaraghi) and an associate of Ghazi-Muhammad, who led the national liberation movement of the mountaineers for 25 years, was elected imam. All these years, Shamil remained the sole political, military and spiritual leader not only of Dagestan, but also of Chechnya. He bore the official title - Imam. 1842-1845 on the territory of the entire Avaria and Chechnya, Shamil created a military-theocratic state - the Imamate, with its own hierarchy, internal and foreign policy. The entire territory of the Imamate was divided into 50 naibs - military-administrative units, headed by naibs appointed by Shamil. Based on the experience of the war, Shamil carried out military reform. Mobilization was carried out among the male population aged 15 to 50 years, the army was divided into “thousands”, “hundreds”, “tens”. The core of the armed forces was the cavalry, which included the “Murtazek” guard. The production of artillery pieces, bullets, and gunpowder was established. He held the rank of Marshal of the Ottoman Empire, and in July 1854 he was officially promoted to the rank of Generalissimo. The long war destroyed the economy, brought enormous human and material losses, many villages were destroyed and burned. He, due to the relative small number of the Avar and Chechen peoples, tried to find as many allies as possible among fellow Muslims, but was not at all eager to join Turkey. Avars, Chechens, Dargins, Lezgins, Kumyks, Laks and other peoples of Dagestan took part in the military operations.

The total number of Shamil's troops reached 15 thousand people. More than 10 thousand of them were provided by Avar tribes. Thus, the number of Avars in the army of the Imamat exceeded 70%.

Regarding the military training of the Avars, General of the Tsarist Army Vasily Potto wrote:

The Mountain Army, which greatly enriched Russian military affairs, was a phenomenon of unusual strength. This was by far the strongest people's army that tsarism had encountered. The purely military training of a Caucasian highlander seemed amazing. Neither the mountaineers of Switzerland, nor the Moroccans of Abd el-Kader, nor the Sikhs of India, ever reached such amazing heights in the art of war as the Avars and Chechens.

Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, who served in the Caucasus, writes about the Avars:

Avars are a free people. They do not know and do not tolerate any power over themselves. Every Avar calls himself an uzden, and if he has an esyr (captive), he considers himself an important master. Poor, therefore, and extremely brave; accurate marksmen with rifles - they operate well on foot; They go on horseback only for raids, and then very few. The faithfulness of the Avar word in the mountains turned into a proverb. The houses are quiet, hospitable, welcoming, they do not hide their wives or daughters - they are ready to die for the guest and take revenge until the end of generations. Revenge is sacred to them; robbery - glory. However, they are often forced to do so by necessity...
The Avars are the most warlike tribe, the heartland of the Caucasus.

End of the Holy War

Tsarism did not fail to learn from its mistakes and failures and radically changed its tactics, temporarily abandoning the policy of harsh colonial oppression. Under such conditions, Muridist slogans about the need to wage a “holy war” with Russia until the last teenager capable of holding a weapon in his hands, without taking into account any victims or losses, began to be perceived by the mountaineers as extravagant and disastrous. The authority of Shamil and his leaders began to fade. Shamil often had to fight not only with the Russians, but also with his “Frontiers”. Thus, part of the Avars (primarily the Khunzakhs and Chokhs) fought on the side of Russia in units of the mountain militia and the Dagestan cavalry regiment. After Shamil's capitulation, all Avar lands were included in the Dagestan region. 1864 The Avar Khanate was liquidated, and the Avar District was formed on its territory. In relation to the Avars in Dagestan, there are numerous facts indicating that they were endowed with such benefits and privileges that even the overwhelming majority of the Russians themselves were deprived of. in particular, this concerns the rapid provision of high military awards, noble titles, and officer ranks. The captured Shamil was given maximum honors by the Tsar. The tsarist administration and Russian military leaders spoke very highly of Shamil as a courageous and decent person, emphasizing his extraordinary talent as a commander and politician. Avars under Emperor Alexander II were part of the Life Guards units of the royal convoy, including serving as guards in the palace chambers of the royal family.

By the beginning of the Caucasian War, about 200 thousand Avars lived in Dagestan, and more than 150 thousand Chechens lived in Chechnya. The wars with the Russian Empire led to the fact that by the end of the Caucasian War less than half of the Avars and Chechens remained. 1897 - 18 years after the end of the war - the number of Avars reached only 158.6 thousand people. In 1926, there were 184.7 thousand Avars in Dagestan. One of the consequences of the Caucasian War was also the emigration of Dagestanis to the Ottoman Empire. At first, the tsarist administration even encouraged this phenomenon, but after emigration began to take on the character of a mass exodus of the Avar people to Turkey from year to year, they began to hinder it. Tsarism, on the one hand, could not populate the Avar mountains with Cossacks, and on the other hand, it witnessed the use of the North Caucasian ethnic element by the Ottoman Empire as shock military formations against its internal and external enemies.

As part of the USSR

In 1921, the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed. At the end of the 1920s, collectivization and industrialization began in the lands inhabited by Avars.

In 1928, the Avar alphabet was created on a Latin basis (translated into Cyrillic in 1938). Numerous Avar schools were opened, the language began to be taught in universities, and a national secular intelligentsia emerged.

In the 1940s-1960s, many Avars moved from the mountainous areas to the plains.

Culture and customs

Swastika and Maltese crosses from Avaria. Stone carving

Traditional way of life

The basis of the social organization of the people was the rural community, which consisted of consanguineous associations - tukhums; community members were private owners, but at the same time co-owners of community property (pastures, forests, etc.). The average community included 110-120 households. The head of the community was an elder (from the end of the 19th century - elder), elected at a village gathering (jamaat) by the entire male population over 15 years of age. By the end of the 19th century, the role of rural communities in the life of the Avars had noticeably decreased; the foremen were under strong pressure from the Russian authorities.

The traditional settlement of the Avars is a fortress, consisting of houses tightly adjacent to each other (stone, with a flat roof, usually two or three stories high) and battle towers. All settlements are oriented to the south. in the center of settlements there was usually a square, which was a public gathering place; Here, as a rule, a mosque was located. The life of an Avar family almost always took place in one room, which was significantly larger in size compared to other rooms. The most important element of the room was the hearth, located in its center. The decoration of the room was also a pillar with an ornament. Currently, the interior of Avars’ homes is close to city apartments.

The most popular and typically mountain symbols in Dagestan are swastikas, primarily spiral-shaped and with rounded curved edges, as well as Maltese crosses, labyrinths in large quantities found on carved stones, antique carpets and women's jewelry. It is also worthy of mention that the Khunzakh khans often used the image of a “wolf with a standard” as a state emblem (including on banners), and the Andians used an “eagle with a saber”.

Avarka from the village. Chokh in national dress. Drawing by Khalil-Bek Musayasul, Germany, 1939

The Avars are engaged in animal husbandry (on the plains - cattle breeding, in the mountains - sheep breeding), field farming (terrace farming is developed in the mountains; rye, wheat, barley, oats, millet, pumpkin, etc. are grown), gardening (apricots, peaches, plums, cherry plums and etc.) and viticulture; Carpet weaving, cloth making, leather processing, copper minting, stone and wood carving have long been developed. By the end of the 20th century, zonal specialization of agriculture increased; Thus, the importance of agriculture fell in the mountains. Avars are also employed in industry and the service sector.

The Avars had a developed folklore (fairy tales, proverbs, various songs - lyrical and heroic). Traditional Avar musical instruments - chagana (bowed); (Tlamur, pandur), (Zurma-kyili, zurna-kali); chagur (string), lalu (type of pipe), tambourine.

In the past, the entire Avar people, with the exception of the dependent class, were represented by “bo” (< *bar < *ʔwar) - вооружённое ополчение, народ-войско. Это обстоятельство предъявляло высокие требования к духовно-физической подготовке каждого потенциального «бодулав» (то есть «военнообязанного», «ополченца»), и, естественно, сказалось на культивировании среди аварской молодёжи таких видов единоборств без оружия как «хатбай» - разновидность спортивной драки, практиковавшей удары ладонями, «мелигъдун» (поединки с применением шеста, вкупе с ударной техникой ног) и борьбы на поясах. Впоследствии все они были вытеснены, в основном, вольной борьбой и восточными единоборствами, ставшими для аварцев подлинно национальными и весьма престижными видами спорта.

Traditional clothing

The traditional clothing of the Avars is similar to the clothing of other peoples of Dagestan: it consists of a shirt with a stand-up collar and simple pants, with a beshmet worn over the shirt. In winter, a cotton lining was attached to the beshmet. They put a shaggy hat on their head. Women's clothing among the Avars was very diverse. Clothing was essentially an ethnic sign, a distinctive element. By the way of wearing a dress and scarf, by the shape and color, by the type of fur coat, shoes and jewelry, especially by the headdress, it was possible to determine what society or village a particular woman was from. The girl wore a dress made of colored fabric with a red belt; older women preferred to wear plain clothes in dark colors.

Avar cuisine

Main article: Avar cuisine

Khinkal(from Avar. khinkIal, where khinkI ‘dumpling, boiled piece of dough’ + -al plural suffix) is a traditional dish of Dagestan cuisine, one of the most popular today. It consists of pieces of dough (actually “khinkalina”) cooked in meat broth, served with broth, boiled meat and sauce.

Khinkal should not be confused with Georgian khinkali, which is a significantly different type of dish.

Miracle- a traditional dish consisting of round thin dough flatbreads with various fillings. The flatbreads are filled with cottage cheese with herbs or mashed potatoes with herbs and fried in a flat frying pan. Serve greased with butter or sour cream and cut into 6-8 pieces in diameter. Used with hands.

Notes

1. Information materials about the final results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census. National composition of the population of the Russian Federation
2. Including the Ando-Tsez peoples related to the Avars: 14 peoples with a total number of 3,548,646 people
3. 1 2 3 4 Information materials about the final results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census. http://www.gks.ru/free_doc/new_site/population/demo/per-itog/tab7.xls
4. Including Ando-Tsez peoples related to the Avars: 13 peoples with a total number of 48,184 people
5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census for the Republic of Dagestan, volume 3 National composition
6. 1 2 3 4 Including Ando-Tsez peoples related to the Avars
7. Appendixes to the results of the VPN 2010 in Moscow. Appendix 5. Ethnic composition of the population by administrative districts of Moscow
8. Including the Ando-Tsez peoples related to the Avars: 7 peoples with a total number of 41 people
9. All-Russian population census 2002. Volume 4 - “National composition and language proficiency, citizenship.” Population by nationality and Russian language proficiency by constituent entities of the Russian Federation
10. Ethnic composition of Azerbaijan
11. 1 2 Ethnic composition of Azerbaijan 2009
12. Ethnic Groups of Georgia: Censuses 1926-2002
13. 1 2 Georgian Population Census 2002. Rural Population settlements(Census_of_village_population_of_Georgia) (Georgian) - pp. 110-111
14. 1 2 Ataev B. M. Avars: language, history, writing. - Makhachkala, 2005. - P. 21. - ISBN 5-94434-055-X
15. All-Ukrainian Population Census 2001 Nationality and native language
16. Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Statistics. Census 2009. (National composition of the population.rar)
17. In 1989, there were 2,777 Avars in the Kazakh SSR: Demoscope. Ethnic composition of the Kazakh SSR in 1989
18. http://www.irs-az.com/pdf/090621161354.pdf
19. Samizdat materials. - Ohio State University, Center for Slavic and East European Studies, 2010. - P. 114.
20. V. A. Tishkov, E. F. Kisriev MULTIPLE IDENTITIES BETWEEN THEORY AND POLITICS (EXAMPLE OF DAGESTAN)
21. Beilis V. M. From the history of Dagestan VI-XI centuries. (Sarir) // Historical notes. - 1963. - T. 73.
22. Magomedov Murad. History of the Avars. Makhachkala: DSU, 2005.
23. Studies in Caucasian history. - Cambridge University Press, 1957.
24. S. E. Tsvetkov. Historical moment: twelve centuries of our history in twelve months.
25. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron. Archived from the original on May 16, 2015.
26. Collection "Caucasian Highlanders". Tiflis, 1869.
27. E. I. Kozubsky. History of the Dagestan Cavalry Regiment. 1909 p.-9
28. Kisriev E. Republic of Dagestan. Model of ethnological monitoring / Ed. series Tishkov V. A., ed. books by Stepanov V.V.. - M.: IEA RAS, 1999. - P. 132.
29. Ataev B. M., 1996, Researchers consider “Avar” to be a territory that corresponded to the Khunzakh plateau. “The name Avar was given by foreigners and can refer exclusively to Khunzakh,” P.K. wrote at one time. Uslar.
30. Experience in analyzing the ethnonym of the tier “Avars” // Collection of articles on issues of Dagestan and Vainakh linguistics. - Makhachkala, 1972. - 338 p.
31. Tavlintsy // Small encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: 4 volumes. - St. Petersburg, 1907-1909.
32. Lezgins. Soviet historical encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ed. E. M. Zhukova. 1973-1982.
33. Kyurinians. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D. N. Ushakov. 1935-1940.
34. Great encyclopedia: Dictionary of publicly available information on all branches of knowledge. / Ed. S. N. Yuzhakova. 20 volumes. - St. Petersburg: Publishing house of the "Enlightenment" t-va.
35. The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Population by ethnic groups.
36. The author mistakenly translated the position “Emniyet Bakanı” as “Minister of Defense”, whereas it means “Minister of State Security”. We corrected this error, and informed the author of the monograph about it.
37. Magomeddadayev Amirkhan. "Emigration of Dagestanis to the Ottoman Empire. (History and modernity) Book II - Makhachkala: DSC RAS. 2001. P. 151-152. ISBN 5-297-00949-9
38. Debets G. F. Paleoanthropology of the USSR. - M., 1948. - T. IV. - (Proceedings of the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences).
39. Rizakhanova M. Sh. On the issue of the ethnogenesis of Lezgins // Lavrov (Central Asian-Caucasian) readings, 1998−1999: Kras. content report - 2001. - P. 29.
40. D. A. Krainov. Ancient history Volga-Oka interfluve. M., 1972. P. 241.
41. G. F. Debets. Anthropological research in Dagestan // Proceedings of IE. T. XXXIII. M., 1956; His: Anthropological types. // “Peoples of the Caucasus”. T. 1. M., 1960.
42. V. P. Alekseev. Origin of the peoples of the Caucasus. M., 1974. S. 133, 135-136
43. Dyakonov I.M. together with Starostin S.A. Hurrito-Urartian and East Caucasian languages ​​// Ancient East: Ethnocultural connections - M.: 1988
44. On April 3, 2002, Radio Liberty began regular broadcasting to the North Caucasus
45. Radio Liberty started speaking Chechen
46. How Radio Liberty broadcasts to the North Caucasus
47. Isalabdullaev M. A. Mythology of the peoples of the Caucasus. - Makhachkala: KSI, 2006
48. Vakhushti Bagrationi. Atlas of Georgia (XVIII century). - Tb., 1997.
49. Gardisi. Story.
50. Notes of the Caucasian Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. Book VII. Under. ed. D.I. Kovalensky. First edition. Tiflis, 1866. P. 52.
51. Magomedov R. M. History of Dagestan: Textbook; 8th grade - Makhachkala: Publishing House of the Scientific Research Institute of Pedagogy, 2002.
52. Magomedov Murad. History of the Avars. - Makhachkala: DSU, 2005. P. 124.
53. History of Dagestan from ancient times to the end of the nineteenth century. Part 1. CPI DSU. Makhachkala, 1997, pp. 180-181
54. Muhammad-Kazim. Nadir Shah's campaign in India. M., 1961.
55. AVPR, f. "Relations between Russia and Persia", 1741
56. Lokhart L., 1938. R. 202.
57. Umalat Laudaev. “Chechen tribe” Collection of information about the Caucasian highlanders. Tiflis, 1872.
58. Vakhushti Bagrationi. Geography of Georgia. 1904 Translation by M. G. Dzhanashvili. Tiflis, K. P. Kozlovsky Printing House.
59. Ethnography of the Caucasus. Linguistics. III. Avar language. - Tiflis, 1889. - 550 p.
60. Lieutenant Colonel Neverovsky. A brief historical look at northern and middle Dagestan before the destruction of the Lezgins’ influence in Transcaucasia. S-P. 1848 page 36.
61. Magomedov M. History of the Avars. Retrieved January 26, 2013. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013.
62. Lieutenant Colonel Neverovsky. Right there.
63. Ya. I. Kostenetsky. Avar expedition of 1837 // “Contemporary” 1850, book. 10-12 (separate publication: Notes on the Avar Expedition, St. Petersburg, 1851)
64. RGVIA. F. 414. Op. 1. D. 300. L. 62 ob; Totoev V.F. Social structure of Chechnya: the second half of the 18th - 40s of the 19th century. Nalchik, 2009. P. 238.
65. Laudaev U. “Chechen tribe” (collection of information about the Caucasian highlanders, published in 1872). pp. 11-12.
66. TsGA RD. F. 88 (Commission for the analysis of land disputes and the establishment of an undisputed border between the Dagestan and Terek regions (under the commander-in-chief of the Caucasian Army). Op. 1. D. 4 (Report of the chief of staff of the Caucasian Military District on the establishment of the border between the Dagestan and Terek regions. 1899) L. 6.
67. Laudaev U. Decree. slave. pp. 10, 22.
68. Yusuf-haji Safarov. The number of troops collected from different forces. SSKG. Tiflis, 1872. Issue 6. Dept.1. Section 2. pp. 1-4.
69. Potto V. A. The Caucasian War in selected essays, episodes, legends and biographies: 5 volumes - St. Petersburg: Type. E. Evdokimova, 1887-1889.
70. Bestuzhev A. A. “Caucasian stories”
71. Shapi Kaziev. Ahulgo
72. Avars. Dagestan truth.
73. N. Dagchen. Dialogues with Adallo. Part 23.
74. Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978.
75. Ataev B. M. Avars: history, language, writing. Makhachkala, 1996.
76. N. G. Volkov. Migration from the mountains to the plain in the North Caucasus in the 18th-20th centuries. SE, 1971.
77. Gadzhieva Madlena Narimanovna. Avars. History, culture, traditions. - Makhachkala: Epoch, 2012. - ISBN 978-5-98390-105-6.
78. Avars. Dagestan Truth.
79. Avar miracle or botishala.

Literature

• Avars // Peoples of Russia. Atlas of cultures and religions. - M.: Design. Information. Cartography, 2010. - 320 p. - ISBN 978-5-287-00718-8.
• Avars // Ethnoatlas of the Krasnoyarsk Territory / Council of the Administration of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Public Relations Department; Ch. ed. R. G. Rafikov; Editorial Board: V. P. Krivonogov, R. D. Tsokaev. - 2nd ed., revised. and additional - Krasnoyarsk: Platinum (PLATINA), 2008. - 224 p. - ISBN 978-5-98624-092-3.

References

• Aglarov M. A. Rural community in Nagorny Dagestan in the 17th - early 19th centuries. - M.: Nauka, 1988.
• Aglarov M. A. Andians. - Makhachkala: JUPITER, 2002.
• Aitberov T.M. And the Avar language needs state support // Magazine “Peoples of Dagestan”. 2002. - No. 5. - P. 33-34.
• Alekseev M. E., Ataev V. M. Avar language. - M.: Academia, 1998. - P. 23.
• Alekseev V.P. Origin of the peoples of the Caucasus - M.: Nauka, 1974.
• Alarodia (ethnogenetic studies) / Rep. ed. Aglarov M. A. - Makhachkala: DSC RAS ​​IIAE, 1995.
• Ataev B. M. Avars: history, language, writing. - Makhachkala: ABM - Express, 1996.
• Ataev B. M. Avars: language, history, writing. - Makhachkala: DSC RAS, 2005.
• Gadzhiev A.G. Origin of the peoples of Dagestan (according to anthropology). - Makhachkala, 1965. - P. 46.
• Gökbörü Muhammad. “O great Allah, show us the Gray Wolf...” // Magazine “Our Dagestan”. 1993. No. 165-166. - P. 8.
• Dadaev Yusup. Official language Imamat // Journal “Akhulgo”, 2000. No. 4. - P. 61.
• Debets G.F. Anthropological research in Dagestan // Proceedings of the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences. XXXIII. - M., 1956.
• Debirov P. M. Stone carving in Dagestan. - M.: Nauka, 1966. - P. 106-107.
• Dyakonov I.M., Starostin S.A. Hurrito-Urartian and East Caucasian languages ​​// Ancient East: ethnocultural connections. - M.: Nauka, 1988.
• John Galonifontibus. Information about the peoples of the Caucasus (1404). - Baku, 1980.
• Magomedov Abdulla. Dagestan and Dagestanis in the world. - Makhachkala: Jupiter, 1994.
• Magomeddadayev Amirkhan. Emigration of Dagestanis to the Ottoman Empire (History and modernity). - Makhachkala: DSC RAS, 2001. - Book II.
• Magomedov Murad. Campaigns of the Mongol-Tatars in mountainous Dagestan // History of the Avars. - Makhachkala: DSU, 2005. - P. 124.
• Murtuzaliev Akhmed. Marshall Muhammad Fazil Pasha Dagestanly // Magazine “Our Dagestan”. - 1995. - No. 176-177. - P. 22.
• Musaev M.Z. To the origins of the Thracian-Dacian civilization // Magazine “Our Dagestan”. - 2001-2002. - No. 202-204. - P. 32.
• Musaev M.Z. Afridi - Afghan Avars of Aparshahr - newspaper “New Business”, No. 18’2007.
• Mukhammadova Maysarat. Avarazul bikhinaz tsаar ragаrab Daghistan (Dagestan glorified by Avar men). - Makhachkala: Jupiter, 1999.
• Takhnaeva P.I. Christian culture of the medieval accident. - Makhachkala: EPOKHA, 2004.
• Khalilov A. M. National liberation movement of the highlanders of the North Caucasus under the leadership of Shamil. - Makhachkala: Daguchpedgiz, 1991.
• Cetinbash Mehdi Nyuzkhet. Trace of the Caucasian eagle: the last Shamil // Magazine “Our Dagestan”. - 1995. - No. 178-179-180. - P. 36.
• Nikolajev S. L., Starostin S. A. A North Caucasian Ethymological Dictionary. - Moscow, 1994.

Links

• AvarBo (Avars and Avars M. Shakhmanov)
• http://www.osi.hu/ipf/fellows/Filtchenko/professor_andrei_petrovitch_duls.htm
• Starostin S. A. Sino-Caucasian macrofamily
• http://www.philology.ru/linguistics1/starostin-03a.htm
• http://www.CBOOK.ru/peoples/obzor/div4.shtml
• Article by Harald Haarmann “Avar language” (in German, 2002)
• Kuzmin A. G. From the prehistory of the peoples of Europe
• Theorien und Hypothesen. Urheimat und Grundsprache der Germanen und Indogermanen oder Basken und Germanen können linguistisch keine Indogermanen gewesen sein
• Avars and the Caucasian anthropological type
• Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Variation in the Caucasus (2004)
• Istvan Erdelyi. Disappeared peoples. Avars
• For the phenotype of ancient Iranians - Aryans - and modern Persians - Persian Aryans - see.
• Iranian Huns
• History of Kashmir. The Aryan Huns invade the IVC
• For Avars as the last wave of Iranian nomads, see Scytho-Sarmatians
• Photo catalog of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after. Peter the Great (Kunstkamera) RAS
• John M. Clifton, Janfer Mak, Gabriela Deckinga, Laura Lucht, and Calvin Tiessen. The Sociolinguistic Situation of the Avar in Azerbaijan. SIL International, 2005

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Avars Information About

The Avars are the indigenous people of Dagestan, most of whom live on the territory of the republic; many representatives of this people also call eastern Georgia and Azerbaijan their home. Residential complexes of the Avars are mainly located in the mountainous part. The people were first mentioned by Ananie Shirakatsi in his work “Armenian Geography”. The Avars profess Islam, which explains many of the traditions in their behavior and way of life.

Wedding customs

1 day. By invitation, the entire village gathered at the house of the groom’s friend at the festive table, which was covered at the expense of the guests. Here the head of the feast and the toastmaster were immediately chosen: they had to lead the celebration and entertain the audience.

Day 2. All guests went to the groom's house and continued the celebration. In the evening, a procession led by the bride, who was wrapped in a veil over her wedding dress, headed to the groom's court. Several times the bride's retinue was blocked and ransom was demanded. The mother-in-law met the daughter-in-law first, gave her valuables, then took the girl and her friends to a separate room where none of the men dared to enter. At this time, the groom was closely watched by friends so that he would not be “stolen” by the bridesmaids, but if this happened, a ransom had to be paid. The wedding was fun, accompanied by dancing and music. Late at night, the bride met the groom in her room.

Day 3. The last day of the wedding is the day of gifts from the husband's relatives to the bride. After the donation procedure, the guests ate a traditional dish - ritual porridge.

Sacrament of birth

The birth of a child was considered the greatest happiness for an Avar family. The desire of every Avar woman was to give birth to a healthy first-born boy, because this event automatically increased her authority in the eyes of all her relatives and the village in which she lived.

Fellow villagers learned about the birth of a child by the sounds of gun shots: they came from the yard of the newborn’s parents. The shots served not only as a means of communicating the news, they were also supposed to scare away evil spirits from the baby's cradle.

The name of the child was chosen by all the relatives gathered at the festive table.

Blood feud

For such crimes as murder, kidnapping, adultery, desecration of a family shrine, one could fall out of favor with an entire family of Avars. Revenge knew no bounds and sometimes turned into endless bloodshed and enmity between clans.

Since the 19th century, the ritual of blood feud has been “adjusted” to the norms of Sharia law. These rules provide for a peaceful resolution of the issue by paying compensation to the affected family for the harm caused.

Some customs of hospitality

A guest is always a welcome person in an Avar’s home. Many houses have a special room for visiting male friends and relatives. At any time of the day, a guest could arrive and settle there, without even notifying the owner of his arrival.

Safety comes first. All guests, upon entering the house, handed over their weapons to the owner; they were allowed to keep only a dagger with them. This ritual in no way humiliated the visitors; on the contrary, the owner thereby indicated that he took full responsibility for the health and life of his guests.

Feast. It was impossible to seat younger and older brother, father and son, father-in-law and son-in-law at the same table. As a rule, guests were divided into two groups according to age. Relatives on the maternal side had more privileges at the table than relatives on the paternal side. During the feast there were polite conversations “about nothing.” According to the rules of Avar etiquette, the owner was forbidden to ask the visitor about the purpose of the visit; it was necessary to wait until the guest himself raised this topic.

Taboo for the guest. At the table, the guest was not supposed to express his wishes about the dishes. Visitors were not allowed to visit the women's rooms and kitchen, or influence the owner's family affairs. The guest had no right to leave without the permission of the head of the house. If a guest liked any thing in the house, the owner had to give it to him, so it was very tactless on the part of the guest to praise the items he liked.