Avars - the origin of the people, where and how they live, photo

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.

History of the Avars. History, traditions and customs of the Avars - the largest nation in Dagestan

The Avars are one of the numerous peoples of the North Caucasus, living in Dagestan, eastern Georgia and northern Azerbaijan .
The total number of people in the world is about a million, more than 900 thousand of them live in Russia. The ancestors of the Avars inhabited the territory of modern Dagestan since ancient times: one of the Georgian chronicles generally names the ancestor of the Dagestan highlanders as a certain Lekos, the great-great-grandson of Noah himself.

The first mentions of the territory of Serir, inhabited by the ancestors of the Avars, appear in the 6th century, and the heyday of the so-called Avar Khanate occurred in the 15th – 17th centuries. Neither the invasions of the Tatar-Mongol hordes, nor the countless attacks of the Iranian shahs could budge the brave Avars: to this day, representatives of this people live on the lands of their ancestors. For more than two hundred years it has been part of the Russian state.

General way of life and folk crafts of the Avars

Today, Avars mostly profess Sunni Islam. Although, it is possible that at one time the inhabitants of Serir, the ancient Avar state, adhered to Orthodoxy: in the mountainous regions of Dagestan, ruins of buildings similar to ancient Christian churches and chapels have been preserved. There is also an assumption that the cruciform foundation preserved on the territory of the Derbent fortress is the skeleton of a Christian temple.

The life of the Avar people has long been determined by the rural community, where close relatives united in the so-called tukhums. Every Avar from childhood knows close relatives included in his tukhum, cousins, old-timers-aksakals and kunaks of the clan, as well as other people who are ready to support them in difficult times. Each Avar tukhum has a name, often coinciding with the surname of the founder: grandfather, great-grandfather or more distant ancestor. The head of the tukhum, as a rule, is the eldest relative in the clan, whom the rest of the clan must obey unquestioningly.

The features of the area had a great influence on Avar culture and traditions. The Avars have long been engaged in cattle breeding and arable farming. They live in rural villages, consisting on average of 30–40 houses, on the banks of some mountain stream. However, in Dagestan there are also large settlements with 500–600 houses. The center of the village is considered to be a small square with a mosque rising on it.

Among folk crafts, weaving, knitting and felt making are still popular among women. Since ancient times, men have been engaged in leather processing, wood and stone carving, blacksmithing and chasing crafts. A special place was given to the weaponry: craftsmen forged unique silver-plated daggers, gazyrs (containers for gunpowder charges), and sets for horse harnesses. At the same time, various women's jewelry and amazingly beautiful metal utensils were made.

At the end of the 19th century, folk crafts brought world fame to the mountainous Dagestan village of Untsukul, most of whose inhabitants are Avars. Remarkable in appearance pipes and cigarette cases, boxes and ink sets, and dogwood canes with thin, skillful copper or silver notching were made here.

The national clothing of the Avars is interesting and unique. Men wore a shirt in the form of a special tunic, pants, and leather belts. Outerwear - Circassian coat, beshmet or sheepskin coat. Women's Avar clothing includes a strict closed dress, trousers and chokto - a special headdress in the form of a long cape with an elegant trumpet-shaped forehead. Silver jewelry - earrings, bracelets, pendants and chains - often formed independent elements, sewn directly to clothing.

Life of the Avars

Like other Caucasian peoples, the Avars have a very respectful attitude towards older people - especially the elderly, to whom the central place was unconditionally assigned in any company.

Traditions of hospitality are observed in a special way in Avar society. Thus, in each house there is a special room for male guests - kunatskaya, a special place in which there are all conditions for receiving a traveler at any time of the day or night. It is curious that before entering the house, an Avar guest must give up all the weapons he has with him (except for the dagger). This custom contains a special symbolic meaning: a person entering a kunatskaya completely entrusts himself to the owner, who is responsible for his safety.

Guests are seated in places of honor, following the rule of seniority: it is not customary to sit next to each other, even father and son, father-in-law and son-in-law, older and younger brothers. At the table there is always a pleasant, polite conversation on general topics, while the owner does not have the right to ask the visitor “head-on” about the true purpose of his visit. The guests themselves are also bound by certain rules of etiquette: they cannot tell the hosts about their food preferences, they cannot refuse a gift, or leave the table without asking the host’s permission.

Particular attention is paid to the guest when he leaves the house: a ritual that has developed over many centuries requires the owners to insist on a magnificent and lengthy farewell, and for the guests to politely refuse them. In response, the guests sincerely invite the people who have sheltered them to visit their home on occasion, and are very offended if a return visit does not occur: neglecting the invitation is tantamount to a personal insult to the head of the family.

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.

Origin

The origin of the Avars is still very vague. According to the Georgian chronicle, their family descends from Khozonikhos, a descendant of the progenitor of the Dagestan people. In the past, the Avar Khanate - Khunzakh - was named after him.

There is an opinion that in fact the Avars descended from the Caspians, Legs and Gels, but this is not supported by any evidence, including the people themselves do not consider themselves to be any of the above tribes. Currently, research is being conducted to find a connection between the Avars and the Avars who founded the Kanagat, however, so far these attempts have not brought the desired result. But thanks to genetic analyzes (maternal line only), we can say that this nationality (Avar) is closest to the Slavs than to other peoples of Georgia.

Other versions of the origin of the Avars also do not clarify, but only confuse due to the existence of two different tribes with almost the same name. The only thing that historians mention is the likelihood that the name of this nationality was given by the Kumyks, to whom they caused a lot of trouble. The word “Avar” is translated from Turkic as “anxious” or “warlike”; in some legends, this name was given to mythical creatures gifted with superhuman strength.

Those whose nationality is Avar often call themselves as they themselves consider appropriate: maarulals, mountaineers and even “supreme”.

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.

How to choose

Parents are extremely careful when choosing a future bride or groom for their child. Close relatives also took part in this, and when searching for a girl, they primarily took into account her hard work, restraint, good manners and health. After all, by their definition, a wife must not only be an excellent housewife, capable of keeping it clean and always properly receiving guests, but also strong enough to bring healthy children, future heirs, into the world. Of course, her origin was also taken into account, so they usually looked for her among her class.

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 other national languages, it is one of the state languages of the Republic of Dagestan.

Language of the people

Avars are a nationality with their own separate language, which belongs to the Avar-Ando-Tsez subgroup of the Caucasian group. The southern and northern regions of the territory of residence are characterized by two dialects of their own, differing in some phonetic, morphological and lexical characteristics. Both dialects have a number of dialects characteristic of individual regions of the republic. The literary Avar language was formed by the merger of two main dialects, although the influence of the northern one still became significant. Previously, Avars used an alphabet from the Latin script; since 1938, the Avar alphabet has been letters based on Russian script. The majority of the population speaks Russian fluently.

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.

History of the people

Land occupied by Avars from the 5th to the 6th centuries. BC e., was named Sarir. This kingdom extended to the north and bordered the settlements of the Alans and Khazars. Despite all the circumstances playing in Sarir’s favor, it became a major political state only in the 10th century.

Although this was the period of the early Middle Ages, the society and culture of the country were at a very high level, various crafts and cattle breeding flourished here. The capital of Sarir was the city of Humraj. The king who especially distinguished himself by his successful reign was called Avar. The history of the Avars mentions him as an extremely brave ruler, and some scientists even believe that the name of the people came from his name.

Two centuries later, on the site of Sarir, the Avar Khanate arose - one of the most powerful settlements, and independent “free communities” emerged among other lands. Representatives of the latter were distinguished by their ferocity and strong fighting spirit.

The period of existence of the Khanate was a turbulent time: wars constantly raged, the consequences of which were devastation and stagnation. However, in times of trouble he united, and his unity only grew stronger. An example of this was the Battle of Andalal, which did not stop day or night. However, the mountaineers achieved success thanks to their knowledge of the area and various tricks. This people was so united that even women, driven by the desire to preserve their home, took part in hostilities. Thus, we can say that this nationality (Avar) really received the correct name, well deserved by the belligerence of the inhabitants of the Khanate.

In the 18th century, many khanates of the Caucasus and Dagestan became part of Russia. Those who did not want to live under the yoke of tsarist power organized an uprising that grew into a rebellion that lasted for 30 years. Despite all the disagreements, in the second half of the next century, Dagestan became part of Russia.

Period of wars

In the 18th century, a new threat loomed over the Avars: the invasion of Nadir Shah, the ruler of the 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.

Origin and history

In the scientific literature there are many hypotheses about the origin of the Avar population, let’s consider the main ones:

The Avars are a nomadic people of Eastern Iranian origin who invaded the territory of Central Asia and conquered this territory, creating the Sino-Caucasian macrofamily.
Avars are the ancestors of the proto-Mongols.
The Avars are the ancestors of the Eurasian Varkhonite Avars - a nomadic people who moved from Central Asia to Central Europe, creating the state of the Avar Kaganate in the 6th century.

However, today there is no reliable information about the genetic origin of the Avars; scientists have determined that according to the genetic code, the Avars were similar to the Poles, Iranians, Ossetians, Chechens, Kurds, and Abazas.

The rise of the Avar state

The state of the Avars was called Sarir, it was located between the territory of the Alans and the Khazars, this data was recorded in the sources of the Arab traveler al-Masudi.

According to historical data, the Arab researcher Ibn Ruste, the state of Sarir, was located on the territory stretching from southern Circassia to the northern part of Azerbaijan, the heyday of the state was under the reign of King Avar, who entered into a political alliance with the Alans, concluding a dynastic marriage between peoples, against the fight against border states.

From the Mongols to the wars with the Persians

In 1222, the Mongol khans led by Jebe and Subudai made two attempts to conquer the mountainous region of Dagestan - the Avar state, but the Avar population courageously withstood all the battles, thus, a political alliance was concluded between the Horde and Avars, based on the dynastic marriages of the heirs of the khans.

Expansion of the 16th-17th centuries

The Avar khans began to actively expand their territories to Northern Azerbaijan, subjugating the tribes: Bagvalians, Chamalins, Tindins.

Omar Khan of Avar is a great man in the history of the Caucasian people, who reached the pinnacle of his power through the seizure of new territories. Thus, the successful foreign and domestic policies of Khan Omar of Avar contributed to the creation of a strong and powerful state.

The Caucasian War and the Imamate of Shamil

As a result of the annexation of the Caucasus to Russia in 1803, part of Georgia and the Avar Khanate became part of the Russian Empire. The Avars are a freedom-loving, warlike and strong people who did not want to tolerate foreign power and heavy monetary extortions.

End of the Holy War

Shamil had to fight on two fronts: against the Russian Empire and in an internal internecine war, spending energy on solving internal and external problems, the leader’s authority began to gradually fall, the people were tired of constant military operations and human casualties, which contributed to a change in the balance of military-political forces, part of the Avar army began to support the Russian Empire.

As a result of the liquidation of the Avar Khanate, the Avar circle was organized - an administrative unit of the Republic of Dagestan, part of the people emigrated to the Ottoman Empire. To maintain peaceful relations and alliance, the Avar people received privileges and honors, the opportunity to serve in units of the royal convoy.

As part of the USSR

After the formation of the USSR, the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created.

In the 1930s, the Avar language was translated into Latin and Cyrillic, the native language began to be actively taught in schools and universities, and the population of the region became more educated and intelligent.

Army photos on Shutterstock: Army and military photos.

Appearance

Avars are classified as the Caucasian anthropological type, which belongs to the Balkan-Caucasian race. The main external features of this group include:

white skin;
eyes of green, brown or blue, 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 of the face;
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 cherkeska, a longer, fitted caftan with a cutout on the chest, was also widely used. 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.

Nationality Avar

Thus, we can say that the Avars are an extremely interesting people with a rich centuries-old history and fascinating customs, which are not fully described in this article. These are very open people who do not know irony, but love farce. They are extremely emotional, so in personal communication you should not make an Avar angry by hurting his sense of patriotism or hinting at physical weakness.

PEOPLES OF RUSSIA

A wolf with a standard is a symbol of the Avar khans

"Our environment online"

— Avars — self-name maarulal (magIarulal), literally “highlanders” — are one of the most significant peoples of Dagestan in terms of numbers. In total there are 912,090 people, including 850,011 in Dagestan. The Avar language belongs to the Avar-Ando-Tsez group of the Dagestan branch of the Caucasian languages. The area of distribution of the Avar language stretches from north to south in a strip dividing Dagestan into two parts. The length of this strip is about 170 km to the south, and its greatest width is about 70 km.

The structure of the Avar language is characterized by a complex system of consonants, the presence of nominal classes, numerous local cases, and ergative construction. Phonetics is characterized by movable stress, which plays a meaningful role. The Avar-Ando-Tsez group, in addition to the Avar language itself, also includes Andean and Tsez languages. The population of Avaria speaking them is related to the Avars not only in language, but also in the main features of culture and way of life, and is currently united with the Avars themselves. The literary Avar language is based on the so-called military language - Bolmats, which has long been used in oral communication between the Avarians and Ando-Tsezians.

The first version of Avar writing on a Cyrillic basis was created by Baron Pyotr Karlovich Uslar in 1861 in Tiflis. In 1928, a decision was made to translate the Avar language into the Latin alphabet, and in 1938 a new alphabet was introduced on a Russian graphic basis.

The village of Khunzakh, once the capital of the Avar Khanate

The history of the appearance of the Avars is complex and has not yet been fully elucidated. One of the ancient Georgian chronicles tells the biblical version of the birth of this people: it names the great-great-grandson of Noah, Lekos, as the first ancestor of all the highlanders of Dagestan. One of the sons of Lekos, Khozonikh, founded a city in a mountain gorge and named it by his own name, Khozanikheti. It is believed that this is a distorted word Khanzakh - the ancient capital of the Avar khans.

If you do not delve into the complex vicissitudes of the history of numerous nomadic peoples who lived on the territory of Eurasia thousands of years ago and constantly formed new ethnic groups, then the history of the Avars can be briefly told as follows. Thousands of years BC, the ancestors of the Avars were nomads, but around the third millennium BC. they began to lead a sedentary life, raise livestock and engage in agriculture. The life of the Avar tribes (ancient sources mention the Savar tribes, who, most likely, were the ancestors of modern Avars) took place in the mountains, in relative isolation from other tribes and peoples, which made it possible to preserve not only the language and distinctive external features of the people, but and many traditions and customs.

In the first millennium AD, the kingdom of Sarir is mentioned in Arab chronicles, and in its place a little later the Avar Khanate was formed. It was a union of independent tribes and societies that united under the leadership of the khan only in case of military necessity. The Avar Khanate existed until the 18th century, being dependent on neighboring Iran for the last several centuries. By the time the Khanate annexed Russia in 1813, the Avars had their own written language, similar to Arabic, and professed Sunni Islam. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Avars took part in the war, in which, under the leadership of Shamil, the mountaineers tried to defend their freedom. However, the Avars began to actively consolidate as a people after the formation of the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1921.

The leading sectors of the Accident economy in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. were in the highlands - cattle breeding, lower in the mountains, as well as in river valleys - agriculture (field cultivation and horticulture).

From the second half of the 19th century. Trade is especially developing in Avaria. In every village of any size there was a local merchant - bazargap, who bought goods from fellow villagers and resold them in Temir-Khan-Shur, Petrovsk, Kizlyar and other cities. The usual house of Avar peasants was a quadrangular building with a flat roof. Its walls were made of untreated stone of various shapes, and a solution of local soil was sometimes used as a fastening material. The house was built either on a foundation or on rocky ground. One or more beams were placed on the steppes, on top of which boards or poles were laid, and brushwood, hay were laid on them, and a thin layer of earth and clay was poured. The main beams of the ceiling were supported by special pillars. The earthen flooring was carefully compacted with a roller. This roof needed to be rolled down after every rain.

On the lower floor of the house there were utility rooms - a barn, a hayloft, a storage room - and a winter living room. An external stone staircase led to the upper floor. There were living rooms there - in the houses of wealthy Avars there were usually three, in the poor - one, less often - two. From each room there was access to a gallery hanging over the first floor or overlooking the roof of the lower house. The roof of the gallery was supported by several pillars. The gallery usually contained a wooden carved sofa and several small benches.

In some houses, in the middle of the room, on a clay floor, there was an open hearth, above which hung a chain for the boiler. The place near the hearth was considered the most honorable in the house; there was a wooden carved sofa - the place of the eldest in the family, on which the guest was usually seated. The hearth divided the room into four parts: men were placed on the right side, women were placed on the left, children were placed between the pillar and the hearth during meals; the space between the hearth and the outer wall of the house was intended for storing firewood and brushwood. In the old days, such a house was the home of a large family, which was designated by the same term tso ruk'alul gIadamal as a group of related families. At the beginning of the 20th century. it already housed a small family.

Today, the absolute majority of Avars are Sunni Muslims. It is interesting that the already mentioned medieval state of Sarir in the Caucasus chose Orthodox Christianity as its official religion. There is an opinion that before the adoption of Islam, a small part of the Avars’ ancestors professed Judaism, but there is no sufficient evidence for this. Be that as it may, Islam began to penetrate the territory of modern Dagestan already in the 7th century AD, and finally settled here around the 15th century.

The centuries-old history, as well as the freedom-loving nature of the Avars, allowed them to preserve their own customs and traditions. In many ways they are similar to the traditions of other Caucasian peoples. But there are also some features that are unique to them, relating, first of all, to ethics of behavior.

Addressing elders with respect is the main ethical tradition of the Avars. Moreover, elders still play a dominant role at public gatherings when making any decision. The more authoritative the elder, the more opportunities he has to make his vote decisive.

In addition, the customs include strict adherence to etiquette when communicating. For example, if Avar men talk to each other, they comply with certain age requirements. The younger person, having greeted the older one, must take two steps back and maintain this distance throughout the conversation. If a woman communicates with a man, then this distance becomes even greater and reaches two meters.

Avar traditions are quite chaste in everything related to communication, and the representatives of the ethnic group themselves are courteous. At the same time, folk traditions do not bypass the celebration of various holidays - here the already mentioned chastity and politeness are emphasized by the brightness of costumes and festive rituals.

The most common outerwear for men is the beshmet; in winter it is insulated with a lining. A shirt is worn under the beshmet, and a large hat serves as a headdress. As for women's costumes, they are quite diverse. Avar women wear clothes decorated with local ethnic elements - by the decorations, colors of the scarves, and patterns, you can guess what village the woman comes from. At the same time, married and older women prefer clothes in muted colors, but girls are allowed to dress up in more bright colors.

It’s worth visiting an Avars’ wedding to be convinced that this is one of the most colorful spectacles. Traditionally, residents of the entire village gather here. During the first day, the fun takes place in the house of one of the groom's friends, and the guests must organize the table. Only on the second day does the wedding take place in the house where the groom lives, and in the evening the bride, wrapped in a wedding veil, is brought here. On the third day, gifts are given and traditional dishes are eaten, which includes the obligatory porridge.

By the way, the Avars have a wedding custom of kidnapping, but here they kidnap not the bride, but the groom. This is carried out by the bridesmaids, so the groom's friends must be vigilant to ensure that he is not kidnapped.

Like other Dagestanis, Avars still adhere to the custom of blood feud. Of course, today this tradition is becoming a thing of the past, but in remote mountain villages it can still be practiced today. In the old days, blood feud captured entire families, and the reason could be kidnapping, murder, or desecration of family shrines.

At the same time, Avars are hospitable people. The guest here is always the main person in the house, and they are always ready for the arrival of even unexpected guests, leaving them food for lunch or dinner.

The Avars made a great contribution to the culture of the Caucasus and Russia. First of all, this is folk art. Performances of national groups are always a great success among the audience. The songs of the Avars are very poetic and melodious. The rich possibilities of the language and the national musical flavor are equally widely used here. Therefore, a lot of listeners always gather to listen to them sing.

National holidays are no less colorful. Each such festival becomes a brilliant spectacle. Here there are songs, dances, and bright costumes - everything merges together. It is worth mentioning that the Avars, like other local peoples, know how to amuse themselves and others. They are quite sharp-tongued and well aware of the peculiarities of their mentality. Therefore, according to experts, jokes about the Avars are composed by representatives of this people themselves.

Their language, which belongs to the Nakh-Dagestan group of languages of the North Caucasus, is bright, melodious and full of poetic phrases. At the same time, it contains many local dialects. In many ways, this phenomenon reflects the peculiarities of Avar history, when free societies of mountaineers arose.

However, even though they live in different parts of the world, they can always understand each other. There are also common linguistic and cultural traditions that are identical for the entire Avaria. For example, many are interested in why Avars treat wolves with special reverence. This is because among them the wolf is considered a symbol of courage and nobility. Therefore, the image of the wolf is repeatedly sung both in folklore and in literature.

Rasul Gamzatov

Famous Avar writers made a great contribution to the culture of Russia. Among them, of course, is Rasul Gamzatov, one of the most famous poets of Dagestan. It was he who created a kind of anthem, composing the poem “Song of the Avars.” Since then, this work has become the unofficial anthem of the people. The poetess Fazu Aliyeva also brought glory to the Avars.

The achievements of athletes are also known - first of all, Jamal Azhigirey, a master of sports in wushu, 12-time European champion, as well as Khabib Nurmagomedov, a professional UFC fighter (he is a world champion).

Today, the Avar nationality speaks volumes. They are a proud and independent people who, over the course of many centuries of their development, have repeatedly proven that they know how to fight for their own freedom. Despite the fact that they were once considered warlike, the Avars developed cattle breeding, agriculture, and various crafts. At many national festivals, exhibitions of traditional carpets, boxes, dishes, and jewelry are created.

Sources and photos: tanci-kavkaza.ru/avarcy/, www.anaga.ru/avarcy.htm, etokavkaz.ru/nacionalnosti/avarcy

Avars today live on the territory of Dagestan and are the largest ethnic group in this republic. These lands were inhabited during the late Neolithic (4-3.5 thousand years BC). The Avars are direct descendants of these peoples, who spoke a common Dagestan-Nakh language.

At the end of the 3rd millennium BC. The ancestors of the Avars switched to a sedentary agricultural and pastoral type of economy. The ethnogenesis of the Avars took place in conditions of mountain isolation, which contributed to the conservation of certain features of the economy and culture, the anthropological appearance of the population, and linguistic features. Already ancient sources of the 1st-2nd centuries. n. e. mention "Savars", who are most likely the ancestors of modern Avars. Those known from the 2nd half of the 1st millennium BC are also associated with the Avars. tribes of Legs, Gels, Caspians, Utians.

In the 1st millennium AD, the Avars achieved great success in terrace farming. Arabic sources (9th-10th centuries) contain data about the kingdom of Serir, on the site of which the Avar Khanate arose. The Avar Khanate is depicted by sources as a union of free societies that united under the central authority of the khan only for military purposes. Later, the Mehtuli Khanate arose here, which included about forty “free societies”.

In the 15th century Sunni Islam established itself in the 16th century. There was a written language based on Arabic graphics. Until the 18th century. The Avar Khanate was dependent on. After the annexation of Dagestan to Russia in 1813, the Avars took part in the liberation struggle of the highlanders of Dagestan and Chechnya under the leadership of Shamil. In the second half of the 19th century. Commodity-money relations began to penetrate the Avars. The national consolidation of the Avars accelerated with the formation of the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1921, since 1991 - the Republic of Dagestan).

In the 14th-15th centuries, the invasions of nomads stopped, much attention was paid, and the Avars began to grow commercial grain. In the lowland areas, the Avars grew barley, wheat, hulless barley, rye, oats, millet, legumes, corn, potatoes, flax, and hemp. In the mountainous regions and foothills, agriculture was combined with cattle breeding; in the highlands, the leading role belonged to cattle breeding (mainly transhumance sheep breeding).

Traditional sheep breeds are coarse-wooled; in Soviet times, fine-wooled sheep breeds appeared. The existing state entities usually maintained friendly relations with each other, which ensured the unhindered movement of livestock from the mountains to the plain and back. The herd usually consisted of 2/3 sheep and goats and 1/3 cattle, horses and donkeys. At all times, Avars were engaged in gardening and viticulture, practiced terracing of mountain slopes, fallowless crop rotation, alternation of crops, and three-tiered use of plots. There was an irrigation system.

The Avars used wooden and metal tools: a wooden plow with an iron share, a hoe, a pick, a small scythe, a sickle, threshing boards, drags, pitchforks, rakes, and a wooden shovel. Among the main trades and crafts are weaving (cloth making), the production of felt, carpets, copper utensils, and wooden utensils. The Avars were engaged in leather processing, jewelry, blacksmithing, weapons making, stone and wood carving, metal chasing (silver, copper, cupronickel).

The traditional occupations of the Avars are cattle breeding and arable farming. Agriculture played a leading role until the XIII-XIV centuries, from the XIV-XV centuries. The main focus of the economy in most areas is horticulture, although in many villages, primarily in the Koisu valleys, gardening occupies a significant place.

The lowland villages were built according to the modern type. The traditional dwellings of the Avars are stone buildings of 1, 2, 3 floors with a flat earthen roof or 4-5-story tower-like buildings with a separate entrance on each floor. Often houses were built on such a principle that the roof of one served as a yard for the other. A characteristic feature of the dwelling was the central support pillar, decorated with carvings. Currently, the Avars have houses made of stone, one or two floors with a glazed terrace, covered with iron or slate.

The traditional costume of the Avars is a tunic-like shirt, trousers, a beshmet, a hat, a bashlyk, a sheepskin coat, a burka, and a leather belt. Women wore pants, a shirt dress, a long dress with double sleeves, a “chokhto” headdress, which was a cap or hood with a bag for braids, colored bedspreads, factory-made scarves, and sheepskin coats. The costume was decorated with embroidery, silver, and complemented with silver jewelry. The Avars had leather, felt or knitted shoes.

Family relationships were formed on the basis of Sharia, public life was regulated by the customs of mutual assistance, hospitality, and blood feud. Remnants of pre-Muslim beliefs have been preserved (veneration of natural phenomena, holy places, rituals of causing rain and sun, and others).

Many epic and lyrical tales, songs, fairy tales, proverbs and sayings have survived to this day. The Avars played various musical instruments: chagchan, chagur, tamur-pandur, lalu (a type of pipe), zurna, tambourine, and drum. There are a variety of dances: fast, slow, men's, women's, pairs.

In the high mountainous regions, the Avars lived in small settlements of 30-50 houses, in the mountainous regions - in settlements of 300-500 houses. The houses formed a continuous wall along narrow streets, which were often covered with a canopy and formed tunnels. Battle towers were erected in many villages.

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.

Respect for a woman

Many researchers emphasize the degraded and powerless position of women in the Muslim East, but among them, Dagestan girls are relatively free. Women did not wear a burqa or veil, and female seclusion was not common here.

Respect for women in society is expressed in customs and rituals. For example, when a Dagestan girl passes by a group of men, they stop laughing so that she does not think that they are laughing at her. When an adult woman appears in society (both in the past and now), it is customary to stand up as a sign of respect for her. The dignity and honor of girls and women is strictly protected. An attack on a woman’s honor has served and continues to serve as a reason for blood feud. At the same time, punishment, revenge, murder are not committed in the presence of a woman.

If a woman without a headdress and with her hair down rushed into the center of the fighting, the Dagestanis instantly stopped the bloodshed and the warring parties dispersed.

It should be noted that Dagestan men’s attitude towards women was formed based on two historical prerequisites. On the one hand, from birth boys were taught a respectful attitude towards their mother; they were aware of the need to take care of their own women: mother, sister, wife, daughter or other relatives. Caring for and protecting a woman is a man’s sacred duty.

But on the other hand, the woman has always occupied a subordinate position in the family, that is, the last word has always remained and remains with the man. There is still a division of housework into male and female; most often, women do not work, but do household chores (cooking, washing, cleaning, raising children). Men earn money and provide their family with everything they need.

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 a new house for their son and after the wedding 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.

Religiosity

The peculiarity of the people is their adherence to spiritual tradition, despite the fact that the population of Dagestan is very diverse. Almost 90% of the residents profess Islam, the remaining 10% are Judaism and Christianity. Religion began to spread in Dagestan back in the 7th century. Initially it appeared in Derbent, then on the flat territory. But it became the dominant religion only in the 13th century. Such a long spread of it is associated with and only after the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, Islam became the religion of all nationalities of the republic. The residents include both Shiites and Sunnis.

Everything is good in moderation. Among Dagestanis there are also ardent religious fanatics. They believe they are acting in the name of God. Before starting a family with a Dagestan man, you should clarify some points: his attitude towards a woman and her role in the family, his attitude towards religion, his attitude towards children. In many ways, religiosity is reflected in other aspects of a person’s life. For example, strict adherence to religious customs and traditions in everyday life, the subordinate position of women, having many children, and so on.

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.

Farewell to parents

And, of course, like any important celebration, the Avar wedding was magnificent and fun and required lengthy preparation. Almost all the women of the village are involved in this, because it is impossible to stock up on food for so many guests, and therefore everyone starts cooking a few days in advance. However, even if an Avar wedding in the mountains is fun, noise and joy, its final stage - bringing the bride into the groom's house - is the culmination and saddest moment of the entire holiday. As the newlyweds take their steps, they are showered with candies and coins so that their further journey will be sweet and comfortable. And this peak means that the girl leaves her parents’ house forever and moves into her husband’s family.

Life

Since the Neolithic era, the ancestors of the Avars were actively engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. Most of the herds were sheep, about 20% were 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. From early childhood, boys were 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.

What does history say?

In the first mentions in historical manuscripts, these North Caucasian tribes are presented as warlike and powerful. Their settlement high in the mountains contributed to a number of successful victories over the Khazars, who settled on the plains. The small kingdom was called Serir, later renamed Avaria after the king respected in the area. The accident reached its peak in the 18th century. Subsequently, the Muslims created the theocratic state of the Imamate, which existed in this form before joining Russia. Nowadays it is an independent Republic of Dagestan with its own cultural, political and religious characteristics.

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. A large number of traditional musical instruments were used to accompany the singers and dancers. Among them:

String instruments: chagur and komuz.
Reed: zurna and balaban yasty.
Percussion: tambourine and drum.
Bowed: chagana.
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.

Cultural values

Every Avar, whose people are very attached to their national traditions, honors their ancestors. Cultural traditions go back centuries. In the mountainous expanses, unique melodic songs, fiery dances and wise tales of the Caucasian centenarians were born. Musical instruments of the Avar people are chagchan, chagur, lapu, tambourine, drums. Traditional Avar culture is the source and fundamental basis for modern Dagestan art and painting. Living in a remote location, far from trade routes and centers, the residents of Avaria made household items, clothing, and decorations for themselves and their homes with their own hands, from scrap materials. These handicrafts have become real masterpieces, the basis for today's masters.

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. The totem animals of different ethnic groups 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.

Housing, clothing, culture of the Avars

The traditional costume of the Avars is a tunic-like shirt, trousers, a beshmet, a Circassian coat, a hat, a bashlyk, a sheepskin coat, a burka, and a leather belt. Women wore pants, a shirt dress, a long dress with double sleeves, a “chokhto” headdress, which was a cap or hood with a bag for braids, colored bedspreads, factory-made scarves, and sheepskin coats. The costume was decorated with embroidery, silver, and complemented with silver jewelry. The Avars had leather, felt or knitted shoes.

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:

By agreement of the parents. They practiced “cradle marriages,” but more often they wooed cousins, preferring to marry within the tukhum.
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.
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.
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 - at the home 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.

Customs and traditions

In countries where Islam is the leading religion, the entire life of society is subject to Sharia law, which in most cases is enshrined in law. Caucasians, which include the people of Dagestan, refer to the customs and traditions that regulate almost all aspects of social life as “adat”. The way of family life, relationships with neighbors, rules of matchmaking and marriage, hospitality - everything is taken into account in the set of unwritten rules of the highlanders, intertwined with some dogmas of religion, but does not always correspond to legal norms. If the rules of receiving guests and honoring elders deserve respect and praise, then the adat of blood feud already runs counter to state laws. Many traditions in modern Dagestan are gradually losing their relevance, but the laws of the ancestors are still strong in the local society.

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.

Features of Dagestan appearance

More than 30 nationalities live in Dagestan, half of which are indigenous people. Therefore, it is incorrect to characterize all Dagestanis according to a single standard. For example, the image of rural residents differs from the image of urban residents, mountain representatives of the people differ from lowland residents.

The main features of Dagestan appearance are:

Tall (more than 170 centimeters).
Straight, coarse hair from black to light brown.
Eye color - gray, black, brown.
The location of the eyes is “Anterior Asian”, or horizontal, the palpebral fissure is narrow.
The eyebrows are straight, very often fused.
In men, the hairline is developed normally, the beard and mustache are sparse.
The face is long and narrow. The facial features are somewhat angular, with prominent cheekbones.
The forehead is long, straight, narrow, the tip is sometimes raised. Often the forehead and nose form one line.
Lips are plump.
The chin is not protruding, but high.
The back of the head is convex. The ears are high with long lobes.

The beauty and external characteristics of Dagestanis are often discussed on the Internet. It is very difficult to say unequivocally whether Dagestan men are beautiful or not. Beauty is a very relative concept. It should be noted that many representatives of this people have quite bright oriental features that give a certain charm.

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.

Avars who glorified their people

Khabib Nurmagomedov (nationality – Avar) is a boxer, champion of Russia, medalist of the World Boxing Championship, holder of the WBA belt, champion of the International Boxing Organization.

Amir Amayev is a Dagestan nuclear scientist, the founder of a new scientific direction in the development of nuclear reactors.

Jamal Azhigirey is an international master of sports in wushu, ten-time Russian champion, twelve-time European champion.

Fazu Alieva - Dagestan folk poetess, was the editor of the magazine “Women of Dagestan”.

Rasul Gamzatov is an Avar poet, a member of the Writers' Union, the author of many famous and popular songs today.

The list of Dagestan celebrities with world-famous names takes up more than one page. They are the true glory of their small but stubborn people.