History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus
History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus | Peer-review research journal
All the Copyright statements for authors are present in the standart Publishing Agreement (Public Offer) to Publish an Article in an Academic Periodical 'History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus'. Standart Publishing Agreement (Public Offer) to Publish an Article in an Academic Periodical ''History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus' The Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences, hereinafter referred to as the Publisher, on the one hand, hereby offers to the public at large, hereinafter referred to as the Author, on the other hand, hereinafter collectively referred to as the Parties, to enter into this agreement, hereinafter referred to as the Agreement, regarding publication of scholarly materials, hereinafter referred to as the Article, in the Journal named 'History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus’, hereinafter referred to as the Journal, under the following terms. General Terms and Conditions 1.1. Pursuant to Clause 2 of the Article 437 of the Russian Federation Civil Code, this Agreement shall be recognized as the public offer, hereinafter referred to as the Offer. Subject to Article 438 of the Russian Federation Civil Code, this Offer shall be deemed to have been completely and irrevocably accepted after the Author had submitted his/her materials by uploading those onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the respective section of the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Information and Communication Network known as the Internet, hereinafter referred to as the Internet. 1.2. Pursuant to the Russian Federation effective law as applicable to compliance with the copyright to electronic information resources, no materials from any site, electronic journal or project may be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form, either in a hard or soft copy, without a prior consent from the Journal's authors and editorial staff, which may be expressed by posting a respective consent (open license Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 CC-BY) in the relevant section of the Journal's site on the Internet. Whenever any published materials are used within the context of other documents, a reference to the original source needs to be specified. 1.3. The Journal is registered by the Federal Oversight Service for Communications, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (RosKomNadzor). Terms Used in This Agreement The Author is an individual (or individuals) whose creative labor has produced the Article. The Offer Acceptance means a complete and irrevocable acceptance of the Offer under the terms specified in Clause 3 hereof (the Author accepts the Offer by submitting an application to the Publisher, i.e. by uploading the Article along with support materials onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the respective section of the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet). The Journal means an academic periodical named ' History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus. The Application means an electronic request of the Author addressed to the Publisher for publishing the Article in the Journal by uploading the Article and support materials onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the relevant section of the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet). The Publisher is The Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences, being the Journal's founder and publisher. The Article's Metadata means any materials in Russian and English intended to be included into the Science Citation database as per the original version of the Article such as the Article title; authors' details (full last name, first name, patronymic, present employer of each author with indication of the postal code, contact details (e-mail) of each author; abstract; keywords; topical classifications: UDC or any other bibliographic and library classification, and subject indices; bibliography (list of references). The Offer means this document (offer to the Author) to publish an Article by uploading it onto the site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet. The Publication means the act of publishing the Article in the Journal. The Journal's Editorial Staff means a creative team engaged in preparing the Journal for publication. The Editorial Board is an advisory body of the Journal's Editorial Office. The Article means a result of fundamental and applied scholarly efforts in the form of a scholarly material, scientific review material, scientific message, bibliographical review on specific topics of the scholarly study, and background information on Russian and foreign scientists submitted by the Author for publication in the Journal. The Parties mean the Author and the Publisher. The Article Requirements mean requirements to the materials published in the Journal's section named "To Authors" of the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet. The Service means publication of the Article in the Journal as per the Author's application. Subject Matter of the Agreement (Offer) 3.1. Subject to this Agreement, the Author shall provide the Publisher at no expense for the copyright duration as stated by the Russian Federation legislation with a non-exclusive license for use of the Author-created Article for the purpose of its publication in the Journal. 3.2. The rights to use this Article as assigned hereunder shall include but not limited to: - reproduction of the Article or any part thereof, as well as its metadata in Russian and English in any material form whatsoever, including soft and hard copy forms, as an individual work product in periodicals and/or databases (whether local or web-based) owned by the Publisher and/or any other persons at the discretion of the Publisher; - dissemination of the Article or any part thereof, as well as its metadata in Russian and English on any media as part of the Journal and/or databases owned by the Publisher or any other persons, at the discretion of the Publisher, or as an individual work product, worldwide via open access or by subscription without payment of any fee to the Author; - making public the Article or any part thereof as well as its metadata in Russian and English so that any person could access the Article from any location and at any time of his/her choice (including via the Internet); - issuing permissions to use the Article or any part thereof as well as its metadata in Russian and English to any third parties while notifying the Author by publishing the respective information on the Journal's site without payment of any fee to the Author; - processing, including translation of the Article (including translation into foreign languages), and use of the processed (translated) Article in any manner specified above; - any other rights, not expressly assigned to the Publisher hereunder, including patent rights to any processes, techniques or methods, and other means, described by the Author in the Article, as well as trademark rights, shall be retained by the Author. 3.3. No territorial restrictions will be applied to the use of rights to the Article. 3.4. This Agreement shall become effective from the time the Article is submitted to the Journal, i.e. uploaded along with support materials onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review available at the relevant section of the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet, hereinafter referred to as the Article Upload. 3.5. The rights shall be assigned by the Author to the Publisher at no expense, and the Article publication in the Journal shall not result in any financial contribution to the Author. 3.6. If the Publisher decides to refuse to publish the Article in the Journal, this Agreement shall cease to be in force. A decision to refuse publication shall be sent to the Author via the e-mail address specified in the Application. 3.7. The Publisher undertakes, throughout the currency of this Agreement, to provide to the Author the services associated with publication of the Article on the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet. General Terms of the Services Provision 4.1. The Publisher shall provide the services to the Author only if: - the Author submits all materials compliant with the Offer requirements by way of the Article Upload; - the Author Accepts the Offer. 4.2. The services shall be provided to the Author free of charge. 4.3. If any materials submitted by the Author are found in breach of rules and requirements of this Offer, the Publisher shall have a right to refuse to publish those. 4.4. The Publisher shall not be responsible for any third-party unauthorized use of the data provided by the Author during the currency of this Agreement. Rights and Responsibilities of the Parties 5.1. The Author warrants that: - he/she is the valid holder of exclusive rights to the Article; rights granted to the Publisher hereunder were not earlier assigned and will not be assigned to any third parties prior to publication of the Article by the Publisher in the Journal; - the Article contains all the references to cited authors and/or sources (materials) that are required by the effective copyright law; - the Author has obtained all required licenses to results, facts and other borrowed materials used in the Article where the Author is not a copyright holder; - the Article does not contain any materials that may not be published in public sources in accordance with the effective Russian Federation statutory instruments, and the Article publication and dissemination will not involve any disclosure of classified (confidential) information, including state secrets; - the Author has advised other Co-authors of the terms of this Agreement and has received consents from all the Co-authors to conclude this Agreement under the terms hereunder. 5.2. The Author undertakes to: - submit a manuscript of the Article as per the Requirements to articles; - avoid using the soft copy of the Article produced by the Publisher for commercial purposes and in other periodicals; - while preparing the Article for publication, the Author undertakes to: a) make edits specified by readers and approved by the Journal's Editorial Office in the text of the Article and/or revise the Article following the Publisher's request, where necessary; b) proofread the Article within the timeframes specified in the Journal publication schedule; c) make only such edits in the proof that are minimally required to correct errors made in the Article original and/or introduce factual and momentary changes. 5.3. The Author is entitled to: pass to - any third party a soft copy of the published Article provided by the Publisher pursuant to Clause 5.4 hereof for the Article to be incorporated, in whole or in part, into a scientific information database or repository in order to promote academic or scholarly investigations or for informational and educational purposes subject to the Author, Journal and Publisher being properly referenced. 5.4. The Publisher undertakes to: - publish the Author's Article, in soft or hard copy form, in the Journal in accordance with the terms hereof; - provide the Author with the proof of the Article and make reasonable edits as requested by the Author, where required, following the Journal's Editorial resolution; - provide the Author with the soft copy of the published Article by sending it to the Author's e-mail address within 15 business days of the Journal issue's publication; - respect the Author's rights established by the effective law, protect those and use best endeavors to prevent any copyright infringements by third parties. 5.5. The Publisher is entitled to: - carry out technical and literary editing of the Article such that its basic content would remain unchanged; - review the Article and suggest appropriate changes to the Author, and elect not to publish the Article if the Author fails to introduce such changes; - require from the Author and/or other persons that the Journal, Publisher, Author and any other copyright holder, as well as the title of the Article, Journal issue identification and a year of publication as specified in the Journal be properly referenced whenever the Journal and/or the Article, including any individual part or fragment thereof, are used by any of the above-mentioned individuals thereafter; - publish preliminary and/or advertising information on the forthcoming publication of the Article in mass media and any other information sources; - establish rules (conditions) for acceptance and publication of materials in the Journal. The Journal's Editorial Board, headed by the Editor-in-Chief, shall enjoy an exclusive right to accept and/or reject any materials submitted to the Journal's Editorial Office for publication purposes. No manuscript (tangible medium) submitted by the Author to the Journal's Editorial Office will be subject to return. The Journal's Editorial Staff will not enter into any correspondence regarding the rejection of the Article by the Journal's Editorial Board; - suspend provision of services to the Author hereunder temporarily for technical, technological and other reasons preventing the services from being provided for the duration of remedial activities; - suspend services hereunder in accordance with civil procedures if: a) the Article does not correspond to the topics covered by the Journal or by any part thereof, or the submitted material is found insufficient for the individual publication, or the Article design is found at variance with the requirements imposed; b) the Author is in breach of any other obligations assumed under the Offer arrangement; - introduce changes to the Offer as per the procedure established by the Offer. 5.6. Unless otherwise provided or stated herein, the Parties shall refer to the effective legislation of the Russian Federation. Offer Acceptance and Conclusion of the Agreement. The Term of the Agreement 6.1. This Agreement shall become effective when concluded, i.e. when the Author Accepts the Offer by sending an application to the Publisher, that is, by uploading the Article (Article Upload), and remain in effect for five years. 6.2. The Offer Acceptance constitutes an Agreement made in writing (Articles 438 and 1286.1 of the Russian Federation Civil Code) under the Offer terms. 6.3. Unless any of the Parties sends to the other Party a written notification of the Agreement termination no later than two months prior to the end of the specified five-year period, the duration of the Publisher's copyright to the Work shall be automatically extended by the similar period. The number of extensions is not limited. 6.4. The term of the Agreement may not exceed the duration of exclusive rights to the Article pursuant to the Russian Federation legislation. 6.5. Whenever the Author assigns (disposes of) its exclusive rights to the Work to any third party, this Agreement shall remain in effect. Agreement Modification and Termination Procedure 7.1. The Publisher shall have a right to unilaterally modify the terms of this Agreement by giving a prior notice to the Author, at least ten (10) calendar days before such modifications become effective, to the Author's e-mail address specified in the Author's application or via the Journal's site. These modifications shall become effective from the date specified in the respective notice. 7.2. If the Author disagrees with any modification in the terms of this Agreement, the Author shall have a right to submit a written notice of his/her withdrawal from this Agreement by uploading it onto the network electronic system of the article acquisition for review, available at the relevant section of the Journal's site at URL: http://www.caucasushistory.ru on the Internet. 7.3. This Agreement may be terminated early: - at any time by mutual agreement of the Parties; or - otherwise as stipulated herein. 7.4. The Author shall have a right to cancel this Agreement unilaterally by sending the Publisher a respective notice in writing at least sixty (60) calendar days prior to the intended date of the Author's Article publication in the Journal. 7.5. The termination of this Agreement for any reasons shall not release the Parties from responsibility for breach of any Agreement terms during the currency hereof. Liability 8.1. A Party which has failed to perform its obligations under this Agreement, either in full or in part, shall be held liable pursuant to the Russian Federation legislation in force. 8.2. All the data provided by the Author shall be trustworthy. The Author shall be responsible for completeness and reliability of the data provided to the Publisher. The use of untrustworthy information obtained from the Author shall not entail any responsibility upon the Publisher for any adverse effects resulting from its actions based on such untrustworthy information. 8.3. The Author shall take full personal responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Russian Federation law on advertising, protection of copyright and related rights, protection of trademarks and service marks, and protection of consumer rights. 8.4. The Publisher shall not be held responsible hereunder for: - any actions resulting directly or indirectly from the actions of the Author; - any loss incurred by the Author whether or not the Publisher was in a position to predict such loss. 8.5. The Publisher shall be relieved from any responsibility for non-compliance with the terms of this Agreement if such non-compliance is a result of a force-majeure event such as an act of state authorities, including adoption of legal instruments, fire, flood, earthquake, other natural calamities, loss of power and/or computer network failure, strikes, civil commotions, riots, and any other similar events. Dispute Resolution Procedure 9.1. Any disputes and disagreements shall be resolved by the Parties by negotiations, and if the Parties fail to reach an agreement, these shall be resolved in accordance with the effective law of the Russian Federation. 9.2. If any disagreements remain unresolved, the Parties shall settle those at the location of the Publisher in accordance with the effective law of the Russian Federation. Miscellaneous 10.1. Any notifications, messages, requests etc., excluding documents which need to be forwarded in original form pursuant to the Russian Federation legislation, shall be deemed to have been received by the Author, if delivered (sent) by the Publisher via the Journal's site, including by publishing those, by fax or e-mail specified in the Application, or using other communication facilities. The Parties acknowledge validity of notifications, messages, requests etc. delivered (sent) using the above-listed methods. 10.2. Where the Publisher becomes subject to any claims related to non-compliance with an exclusive copyright or other intellectual property right of any third party during the writing of the Article or in connection with conclusion of this Agreement by the Author, the Author undertakes to: - immediately upon receipt of a Publisher's notification, take measures to settle disputes with such third party, and, where necessary, join the litigation in favor of the Publisher and use its best endeavors to exclude the Publisher from the defendants; - reimburse the legal cost, expenses and loss incurred by the Publisher as a result of application of a pre-award relief and measures for execution of a judgment, and damages paid by the Publisher to any third party for the infringement of exclusive copyright and/or other intellectual property rights, as well as other expenditures incurred by the Publisher as a result of infringement by the Author of any warranties provided hereunder. 10.3. Subject to Article 6 of the Federal Law On Personal Data No. 152-FZ dated July 27, 2006, for the period from the conclusion of this Agreement and until the discharge of Parties obligations hereunder, the Author expresses his/her consent to processing of the following personal data by the Publisher: last name, first name, patronymic; taxpayers identification number (TIN); place and date of birth; citizenship details; ID document details; registration and actual location address; e-mail address; mailing address with postal code; contact phone numbers; fax numbers; and details of the employers. 10.4. The Publisher is entitled to process the above personal data for the purpose of this Agreement performance, including for provision of information and reference services to the Author. The processing of personal data shall be understood to mean any handing (operations) with personal data, including collection, systematization, accumulation, storage, refinement (update, alteration), use, distribution (including transfer to third parties), depersonalization, blocking and deletion of personal data in accordance with the effective Russian Federation legislation. 10.5. Where permitted by the Russian Federation legislation, the Author is entitled to withdraw his/her consent to processing of personal data as listed in Clause 10.3 by forwarding a respective notice to the Publisher. Upon receipt of such notice, the Publisher has a right to suspend services. 10.6. The Author will, on a goodwill basis, submit his/her details (and details of each Co-Author subject to their prior consent) to the Journal's Editorial Office consisting of his/her: last name, first name, patronymic, academic rank, academic degree, job title, employer details (name and mailing address), work phone number and e-mail address for the purpose of its general publication in the Journal along with the Article. Registered Address and Particulars of the Publisher The Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences. Address: M. Yaragskogo st. 75, Makhachkala, Republic of Daghestan, 367030, Russian Federation. Tel./fax: +7 (872) 262-4571, +7 (872) 262-9097 E-mail: caucasushistory@yandex.ru Web: http://caucasushistory.ru
A MUSCOVITE PRINCE IN KHAN UZBEK’S CAMPAIGN: RECONSTRUCTING YURI DANILOVICH’S SOJOURN IN THE HORDE
The presence of Russian princes and their retinues at Khan Uzbek’s headquarters during the winter of 1318–1319 remains unresolved. However, an examination of contemporaneous events indicates that, at that time, the Horde’s forces were engaged in a campaign in Transcaucasia. Indirect evidence suggests that the retinues from the appanage principalities of the Grand Principality of Vladimir had assembled at the Horde ruler’s headquarters, including the warriors of the executed Prince Mikhail Yaroslavich of Tver, commanded by his twelve-year-old son, Konstantin. This concentration of military units can be attributed to strategic military necessities. Consequently, it is plausible that the forces of the Grand Principality of Vladimir, under the leadership of the grand prince, Yuri Danilovich of Moscow, participated in Uzbek’s Transcaucasian campaign, engaged in combat operations, and incurred losses. Horde troops, potentially incorporating Russian retinues, clashed at the crossings of the Kura River and sustained casualties during the retreat through Derbent. It is highly probable that Prince Yuri’s ally and patron, the noyon/emir Kavgadyi, perished in these engagements. Moreover, Arabic sources from the East document the presence of Russian units at Khan Uzbek’s headquarters in 1318–1319. The alignment of the timeline for the Vladimir forces’ stay at the khan’s headquarters with these source accounts enables us to equate Yuri Danilovich’s troops with the “host of Circassians, Russians, and Jasz.” A thorough synthesis of the available direct and indirect evidence allows for a tentative reconstruction of the chronology of Russian troops’ involvement in Khan Uzbek’s Transcaucasian campaign.
Copyright (c) 2025 Seleznev Y.V. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ENGELBERT KAEMPFER’S MAP AS A NEW SOURCE ON EARLY RUSSIAN FISHING SETTLEMENTS (UCHUGS) IN THE VOLGA DELTA IN THE LATE 17TH CENTURY: INTERPRETATION OF TERMS
This study aims to identify toponyms denoting uchugs – the earliest Russian fishing settlements established in the Volga Delta during the 17th century – on Engelbert Kaempfer’s map of 1697 and to conduct a comparative-historical analysis using other cartographic sources. Specific objectives include translating and identifying the toponyms on Kaempfer’s map; comparing them with those appearing on Adam Olearius’s maps (1647), seventeenth- and nineteenth-century drawings of Russian uchugs, and modern place names; and determining the precise locations and ownership of these uchugs. Detailed analysis of Engelbert Kaempfer’s map demonstrates that it is a unique seventeenth-century cartographic source. It complements existing knowledge of the socio-economic development of the Volga Delta, accurately reflects the geographical configuration of the Caspian lowland in that period, and illustrates European interest in the region’s resources. Toponyms designating fisheries in the delta portion of the map have been identified, and their correspondence to the names of the rivers or channels on which the uchugs were located has been established. The primary reason for the abandonment of uchugs was the rise in Caspian Sea level during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which flooded settlements and altered hydrological conditions. The results broaden our understanding of historical cartography, the economic history of fishing in the region, and its cultural geography.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kotenkov S.A., Lobacheva D.M. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
YUSUF AFANDI AL-YAHSAWI: BIOGRAPHICAL INSIGHTS FROM THE KLYCHEV FAMILY MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION
This article explores certain aspects of the life and work of Yusuf Afandi Klychev (al-Yahsawi), a distinguished Dagestan scholar, political figure, theologian and poet from the mid-nineteenth century. These details have come to light through the examination of his manuscripts, now preserved by his descendants in Khasavyurt, Republic of Dagestan. Famous as one of Imam Shamil’s ideological opponents, Yusuf Afandi al-Yahsawi held significant respect among Dagestani scholars. At the same time, he was also marked by his broad outlook, cultivated by his time in the Life Guards Caucasian-Mountain Half-Squadron and his contacts with religious leaders from the Volga region and the Middle East during his Hajj pilgrimages. By studying the marginalia of Yusuf Afandi’s copy of al-Hariri’s Maqāmāt – which he made while stationed in Tsarskoye Selo and brought home to his village of Aksay after returning – it has been possible to determine the exact dates of his service in the imperial convoy and other key events in his life. In addition, this work has greatly expanded what is known about Yusuf al-Yahsawi’s family: the precise number of Yusuf Afandi’s children, their full names, and birth dates have been identified, and a family tree for the well-known Klychev kin in Zasulak Kumykia has been created.
Copyright (c) 2025 Khanmurzaev I.I., Osmanova M.N. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE TRANSFER OF THE KARANOGAI PRISTAVSTVO FROM THE STAVROPOL GOVERNORATE TO THE TEREK OBLAST: REFORMING ADMINISTRATION IN THE TEREK AND KUBAN OBLASTS, 1883–1888
This study examines the causes, objectives, and consequences of the administrative reform implemented by the Caucasian administration in March 1888, which entailed the transfer of the Karanogai Pristavstvo (district) from the Stavropol Governorate to the Terek Oblast. Analysis of newly identified archival sources from the Russian State Historical Archive and the State Archive of the Stavropol Krai reveals that this specific administrative change was a component of a broader initiative to reorganize the administrations of the Kuban and Terek Oblasts. The primary objective of this larger reform was to preserve the Kuban and Terek Cossacks as a distinct military estate. Consequently, the reform planned to subject all social and ethnic groups within both regions to the control of the Cossack military administration. The integration of the Karanogai Pristavstvo into the Terek Oblast under this framework was necessitated by the close economic and land-use relationship between the Karanogais and the Terek Cossacks. The reform, devised by the Caucasian administration under Prince A. M. Dondukov-Korsakov, entirely disregarded the interests of the Karanogai people. Its implementation in March 1888 compelled the administrations of the Stavropol Governorate and Terek Oblast to address the division of “the total Mohammedan capital of nomads in Stavropol Governorate” into two parts. In 1889, the issue of apportioning pasturelands and delineating a precise administrative boundary between the Terek Oblast and Stavropol Governorate arose. The latter question remained unresolved until 1917. Overall, the reform proved unsuccessful. First, it exacerbated conflicts over pastures and watering places among the nomads of the Nogai Steppe – namely, the Karanogais, Edishkul and Yedisan Nogais, and Turkmens – who were divided between the two administrative units by the reform. Second, it exerted a profoundly negative influence on the socio-economic development of the Karanogai people.
Copyright (c) 2025 Volkhonsky M.A., Yarlykapov A.A. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE NORTHEAST CAUCASUS IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
This article examines the socioeconomic development of the peoples of the Northeast Caucasus during the first half of the nineteenth century. Employing a comparative historical method, the study highlights both commonalities and regional specificities in economic organization and social stratification. The analysis demonstrates that while the regional economy was fundamentally agrarian, distinct zonal specializations emerged: livestock farming dominated the mountainous regions, whereas arable agriculture prevailed in the plains. Artisanal production reached varying degrees of sophistication, particularly in wool processing—yielding cloth, carpets, rugs, felt, and saddlebags—and metallurgy, with highlanders renowned for manufacturing bladed weapons and firearms. Commercial activity evolved primarily through barter, characterized by the exchange of agricultural surplus for handcrafted goods. Key trading centers included Terek for Dagestani populations and Vladikavkaz for the Ingush. In Dagestan, commercial expansion was further supported by road construction and the establishment of exchange houses, with Derbent playing a pivotal role as a maritime trade link to Astrakhan. The analysis further delineates the heterogeneous social structures of the region. In Dagestan, established feudal relations created a hierarchy comprising rulers (shamkhals, khans), free uzdens, dependent peasantry, and slaves. In contrast, Chechen and Ingush societies were characterized by the disintegration of traditional clan systems, consisting primarily of free community members with a limited slave population. The study also addresses the consequences of Tsarist military expansion, which subjected the local population to intensified oppression through land confiscation, the destruction of settlements and agriculture, and economic blockades. These punitive measures severely disrupted regional economic development and precipitated armed resistance. The article concludes that while the peoples of the Northeast Caucasus shared a common economic foundation in agriculture and handicrafts, their social trajectories diverged significantly, ranging from the feudal stratification of Dagestan to the transforming tribal structures of the Chechens and Ingush.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dalgat E.M. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
CONTRACTUAL RELATIONS IN A DAGESTANI AUL: THE JOURNAL OF THE UNCHUKATL RURAL COURT (1898–1900)
This study focuses on the source and textual analysis of a unique historical document—the journal (daftar) of the village court of Unchukatl, Kazikumukh District, Dagestan, for the period from November 1898 to May 1900. This manuscript, covering fifteen months of life in a Dagestani village at the turn of the 20th century, is an invaluable source for studying legal, economic, and social relations in a rural community under the influence of the Russian Empire while simultaneously preserving elements of traditional ways of life. Given the lack of direct written sources reflecting the daily life of a Dagestani village during this period, this journal provides exceptional evidence for reconstructing the mechanisms of local legal proceedings, identifying the main types of business transactions, analyzing the involvement of various segments of the population, including women, in economic activity, and determining the specifics of debt obligations, purchase and sale, rental, and family relations. The purpose of this work is a comprehensive analysis of the structure and content of the Unchukatl village court journal, including a source study of the manuscript, a textual examination of key documents, a statistical analysis of the thematic distribution of transactions, and a critical assessment of the socioeconomic processes reflected in these records. Particular attention is paid to identifying the specifics of legal practice, the interaction of traditional norms and external influences, and the role of women in legal relations. The presented data, along with detailed tables and their interpretation, are intended to expand our understanding of the history of Dagestan and the specific functioning of rural communities on the periphery of the Russian Empire in the late 19th century.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alibekov K.G., Abdulmazhidov R.S., Anikeeva T.A. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE SCHOLARLY PERSONA IN DAGESTANI ARABIC BIOGRAPHICAL LITERATURE
This article explores the construction of scholarly personae in 20th-century Arabic biographical and hagiographical literature from Daghestan. Drawing on the conceptual framework of persona as formulated by Mineke Bosch and further developed by Herman Paul, the study treats persona not as a fixed social role or stereotype, but as a culturally embedded repertoire of scholarly virtues, practices, and dispositions. Paul’s tripartite model – micro, meso, and macro levels of scholarly identity – serves as a useful heuristic, though this article privileges the meso-level: the articulation of time- and place-specific ideals of scholarly subjectivity. However, the Daghestani case reveals that such models are often shaped less by institutional norms than by ethical preferences, such as the valorisation of Sufi piety, legal expertise, or rational inquiry. Through close textual analysis of four key Arabic works – Nuzhat al-adhhān by Nadhīr al-Durgilī, Tarājim ‘ulamā’ Dāghistān by ‘Alī Kaiaev, Ṭabaqāt al-khwājagān by Shu’ayb al-Bāghinī, and Sirāj al-sa’ādāt by Ḥasan al-Qaḥī – the article demonstrates the plural and contested nature of scholarly ideals in Daghestani Islam. Al-Durgilī constructs a harmonised model of the ideal Muslim scholar, while Kaiaev adopts a critical stance, selectively praising or censuring figures based on rationalist or ethical criteria. Sufi authors such as al-Bāghinī and al-Qaḥī frame scholarly legitimacy around spiritual charisma, ecstatic experience, and miracles.
Copyright (c) 2025 Shikhaliev S.S. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
CHARITABLE SOCIETIES OF MUSLIM TATARS AS INSTRUMENTS OF SOCIAL MOBILITY: ORENBURG MOHAMMEDAN SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY DISTRICT AND THE NORTH CAUCASUS, EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY
This study examines the mechanisms by which Muslims in Russia were integrated into the all-Russian state, educational, and cultural elite, thereby contributing to the consolidation of Russian statehood. Its primary aim is to assess the role of Muslim Tatar charitable societies under the Orenburg Mohammedan Spiritual Assembly (OMSA) and similar organizations in the North Caucasus during the early twentieth century as social mobility that facilitated the emergence of a modern Russian elite drawn from Russia’s Muslim populations. The specific objectives are to examine the educational systems and scholarship programs operated by these charitable societies and to evaluate their impact through the subsequent careers of beneficiaries in politics, education, literature, the humanities, and healthcare. Geographically, the analysis focuses on Orenburg province within the OMSA jurisdiction and, for the North Caucasus, on societies active in the territories of present-day Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, and North Ossetia–Alania. Key institutions considered include those in Vladikavkaz, Temir-Khan-Shura (now Buinaksk), and Orenburg, which established schools to prepare Muslim children for entry into state secondary educational institutions. The article employs comparative-historical and problem-chronological methods, together with synchronous and diachronic analysis, periodization, and classification. The principal findings demonstrate that graduates and scholarship recipients of these societies included prominent public figures (among them at least three members of the All-Russian Constituent Assembly and one key minister of the Mountain Republic), as well as figures in education, literature, the humanities, and healthcare among the Muslim peoples of the North Caucasus, Tatars, and Bashkirs. Thus, early twentieth-century Muslim charitable societies in the Omsk region and the North Caucasus played a critical role in forming a modern Russian elite from among Russia’s Muslim communities.
Copyright (c) 2025 Khabutdinov A.Y., Denisov D.N. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
APPLICATION OF 3D TECHNOLOGIES IN REVEALING ANTROPOMORPHIC BAS-RELIEFS ON CHUMAKI GROUP OF DOLMENS, GREATER SOCHI
This article presents the findings of a study on a bas-relief composition adorning the facade slab of a dolmen from the Chumaki dolmen group, situated in the Tsushvadzh River basin within the Lazarevsky district of Greater Sochi. The bas-relief depicts three anthropomorphic figures engaged in a dance. The two flanking figures are depicted in symmetrical, mirror-image poses, with one arm extended toward the central figure and the other bent at the elbow and lowered. The central figure has both arms hanging downward. This compositional motif bears resemblance to the bas-reliefs of the Kapibge-1 dolmen (Greater Sochi) and to the pecked images on the blocks of the dolmen courtyard in the village of Dzhubga. Analysis of the poses of these “twins” reveals parallels with petroglyphs and engravings on dolmens across the Caucasus, as well as with Bronze Age monuments spanning a broad region from Transcaucasia to Crimea – evidence suggesting the persistence of shared mythological narratives in antiquity. This discovery augments the inventory of dolmens in the Greater Sochi region featuring anthropomorphic and geometric motifs executed in bas-relief, potentially indicative of a distinctive stylistic “signature” associated with a local “school.” Identification of the composition was enabled by digital technologies, including photogrammetry and subsequent 3D modeling that leverages shadow and highlight patterns under simulated oblique illumination via gradient procedural textures. Such methods enhance the visibility of bas-relief imagery and uncover poorly preserved elements. In turn, these techniques afford novel opportunities for revealing previously undetected motifs on well-documented monuments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Glazov K.A., Kudin M.I., Kizilov A.S. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
JAR VESSELS FROM THE KURA-ARAXES SITES IN DAGESTAN: A TYPOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL STUDY
This article presents a typological and technological analysis of jar vessels from Early Bronze Age sites in Dagestan associated with the Kura-Araxes cultural-historical community. The jars are classified according to key morphological features: body shape, rim form, and the presence of handles. This classification yields six types, with Type II further divided into two subtypes (A and B). Analogies and parallels for these jars are drawn not only from regions of the Caucasus adjacent to Dagestan but also from more distant areas, including Eastern and Central Anatolia and Northwestern Iran, where Kura-Araxes sites have produced similar vessels. Applying the technical and technological analysis method developed by A.A. Bobrinsky, we obtained data on the recipes (compositions) of the molding pastes used for these jar vessels. Vessels from sites in Mountainous Dagestan were produced using a single primary recipe: clay + chamotte + organic solution. In contrast, vessels from Primorsky Dagestan employed two recipes: clay + chamotte + manure (77.8%) and clay + chamotte + organic solution (22.2%). These findings enabled the reconstruction of pottery traditions in jar production, which proved to be distinct between the two regions. This distinction suggests the persistence in Mountainous Dagestan of an older, possibly Eneolithic, technological tradition in pottery-making, alongside influences from the Kura-Araxes potters of Primorsky Dagestan. The results of this study can contribute to investigations of Kura-Araxes pottery across the Caucasus and the Middle East.
Copyright (c) 2025 Budaichiev A.L., Saypudinov M.S. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
DIACHRONIC CHANGES IN LONG-BONE DIMENSIONS AND RECONSTRUCTED STATURE FROM THE EARLY IRON AGE TO THE EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD: EVIDENCE FROM THE ZAYUKOVO-3 CEMETERY (KABARDINO-BALKARIA)
This study investigates changes in skeletal long-bone dimensions in North Caucasus populations over a span of approximately 1,500 years (from 8th century BC to 7th century AD), using materials from the Zayukovo-3 polycultural cemetery (Kabardino-Balkaria Republic, Russia) as a case study. The research aims to reconstruct stature and assess morphological variability among individuals from three key cultural-chronological phases of the site: the Western Koban culture of the pre-Scythian period (8th–5th centuries BC), the Podkumok-Khumara cultural group of the Late Sarmatian period (1st–3rd centuries AD), and the Early Alanian period (5th–7th centuries AD). Methods employed include paleoanthropological analysis, reconstruction of fragmented skeletal remains, osteometric measurement, stature estimation, and statistical processing of the resulting data. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences and similarities among the compared groups. Males from the Koban and Alanian stages displayed morphological similarity, while female stature showed no significant difference between the Koban and Sarmatian samples. The Koban population exhibited pronounced sexual dimorphism in skeletal proportions. Sarmatian males had the lowest mean stature (163 cm) and were morphologically distinct from the other groups. Reconstructed stature was 169 cm for Koban males and 168 cm for Alanian males. These results align with recent paleogenetic studies suggesting biological continuity between Koban and Alanian populations. The findings underscore the value of osteometric analysis in paleoanthropological research and highlight the complex biological dynamics of ancient North Caucasus populations. They indicate both long-term continuity across certain archaeological cultures and the potential impact of external components during the Sarmatian period. These patterns warrant further verification through interdisciplinary studies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Perevozchikova A.A., Goncharova N.N., Berezina N.Y. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE SEARCH FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY IN AZERBAIJAN DURING THE LATE 19th CENTURY
Contemporary scholarship distinguishes various forms of identity – ethnic, national, religious, and others. Among these, the issue of “national identity” has attracted the widest discussion, since both the nation and nationalism are products of modern era in which national states are born and formed. For this reason, the history of national identity search in Azerbaijan and the formation of the Azerbaijani nation are of great relevance. Historical-comparative analyses conducted based on archival, source and literary materials reveal that until the 1870s, Azerbaijanis did not have a clear idea about the nation they belonged, the language they spoke, and the religion they had been carriers for centuries. The founding in 1875 of Hasan Bey Zardabi’s newspaper Ekinchi – published under considerable hardship – together with later outlets such as Ziya, Kashkul, and Kaspi, introduced Enlightenment thought and stimulated the search for national identity. Led by a small group of Russian– and European-educated democratic intellectuals, this movement advocated the use of the native language and alphabet, the development of national education, and the establishment of a domestic press, thereby igniting an ethno-cultural revival in Azerbaijan. By the end of the nineteenth century, through the efforts of intellectuals such as M.Shahtakhtli, A.b. Huseynzadeh, A.b.Aghaoglu, M.A.Rasulzadeh, A.b.Topchubashi and others, this movement had evolved into a mature national ideology with clearly articulated political goals and objectives. Finally, first democratic republic established in the Turkic-Muslim East against the backdrop of political, ideological, and national upheavals that began in the Russian Empire at early twentieth century – the Azerbaijan People’s Republic – can be considered the logical conclusion of the national identity search that began in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Copyright (c) 2025 Shahbazov T.S. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE PROCESS OF SHAPING NEW URBAN CULTURE IN LENINAKAN DURING THE EARLY SOVIET PERIOD
In the USSR, an entity largely isolated from the global sphere due to its distinctive formation and evolution as a multinational yet cohesive state, unique processes, unparalleled in their scope and vigor, unfolded, which outlined the novel paths for traditional cultural development. These dynamics manifested in different ways across rural and urban settlements, shaped by emergent political, ideological, socioeconomic, and cultural imperatives. Within the Armenian context, such transformations manifested most vividly and idiosyncratically in Leninakan, propelling the city by mid-century to become a major industrial hub not only in Soviet Armenia but across the broader USSR. This article aims to delineate the principal factors that profoundly shaped the city’s emergent cultural complex, while demonstrating the interplay between Alexandropol’s entrenched urban traditions and the evolving Soviet ethos of Leninakan, reflected in every facet of civic life. Although the traditional culture of Alexandropol has received considerable scholarly attention and documentation, the multifaceted cultural milieu of Soviet Leninakan demands deeper, more detailed approach, which constitutes the core ambition of this study. Employing historical, ethnographic, and ethnocultural methodologies, the research centers on comparative analysis framed within a systemic paradigm. The contemporary periodical press was widely used as a reliable source for studying the dynamics of historical and cultural processes and transformations. Particular attention was paid to the analysis of previously unpublished archival materials.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bazeyan K.R. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
MODERN LIFE-CYCLE RITUALS OF THE RUSSIANS OF THE KIZLYAR REGION: TRADITION AND INNOVATION
The article explores the traditional and contemporary life-cycle rites of ethnic Russians in the Kizlyar region of Dagestan. It employs general scientific and specialized historical and ethnological methods, supplemented by ethnographic fieldwork conducted in villages across the Kizlyar and Tarumovsky districts. These rites were significantly reshaped by globalization and the sociocultural shifts that occurred between the second half of the 1980s and the first quarter of the 21st century. Initially, some of these processes detrimentally affected the economic activities and family life of ethnic Russians in Dagestan, resulting in a decline in their overall standard of living. However, the subsequent economic stabilization of the 2000s positively impacted both their economic and family spheres. This stabilization particularly fostered the widespread expansion of the wedding industry, which, in turn, led to a shortening of the duration and stages of the wedding ceremony and the loss of some traditional elements. Furthermore, Christianity has exerted a profound influence on these life-cycle rites, an influence evident across all their constituent elements. The influence of globalization is evident in several contemporary practices, such as the use of digital devices and social media for young men and women to meet, the increasingly common organization of professional photo sessions during the wedding procession, and the growing popularity of the “Tooth Fairy” ritual associated with the loss of a child’s first tooth. Despite these global influences, traditional Slavic rituals remain integral to the family and everyday life-cycle rites of Russians in the Kizlyar region. These traditions are evident in the structured stages and specific content of the wedding ceremony, the composition of its participants, and in measures dedicated to preserving the life and health of both mother and child. Furthermore, a significant layer of beliefs and customs, including remnants of oneiromancy (divination by dreams) and ancestor worship, persists. A study of the life-cycle rituals among Dagestan’s rural Russian population thus reveals the successful preservation of a substantial portion of their traditional culture. This enduring heritage plays a crucial role in maintaining their ethnic, national, cultural, and religious identity in the face of widespread globalization.
Copyright (c) 2025 Seferbekov R.I. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
BOOK REVIEW: Vinogradov A.Yu. Essays on the architecture of Byzantium and the Caucasus. Moscow: Publishing House of the Higher School of Economics, 2023. – 488 р., ill. + 32 p. with colour photos. ISBN 978-5-7598-2372-8, ISBN 978-5-7598-2408-4 (e-book).
The new book, dedicated to the Christian architecture of Byzantium and the Caucasus, will undoubtedly attract the attention of a wide range of specialists and everyone interested in the culture and architecture of Byzantium and the Caucasus, and the entire Christian East. Despite the fact that a lot of monographic studies on the Christian architecture of the Caucasus and Byzantium have been published in recent years, this book is an original, large-scale and scientifically significant work on the Christian architecture of the Caucasus and Byzantium, which highlights little-researched and debatable problems and issues. The book, against a wide background (more than a thousand monuments of church architecture of the 5th-12th centuries were involved), considers a wide range of topical and problematic issues of Christian architecture of Byzantium and the Caucasus.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gadjiev M.S. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0