Ancient people of Ossetia. Ossetian people

In Georgia, Turkey and other countries. The Ossetian language belongs to the Iranian group of the Indo-European family of languages; Almost all Ossetians are bilingual (bilingualism - Ossetian-Russian, less often - Ossetian-Georgian or Ossetian-Turkish.

Total number- about 700 thousand people, of which in Russian Federation- 515 thousand

Ethnonym

Ossetians are the name of the people, derived from the Georgian name Alan - oats (Georgian ოსები), which in turn came from the self-name Alan - ases. The self-name of Ossetians is “iron”. According to one version, this word goes back to “aria” (آریا, ārya, aryien - noble). However, the famous Iranian scholar Vaso Abaev denies this assumption. In Byzantine sources, Ossetians were called Alans, in Armenian Ossetians, in Russian Yasy.

Origin

Ossetians are direct descendants of Alans, hence the name of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.

In a broader sense, Ossetians are the descendants of the oldest Indo-European population of Europe and the only surviving northern Iranians.

For the first time, the hypothesis of the Iranian origin of the Ossetians was put forward by J. Klaport in the first half of the 19th century and was soon confirmed by the language studies of the Russian academician of Finnish origin Andreas Sjögren.

Already in the middle of the 19th century, the Russian scientist of German origin V. F. Miller wrote: “We can now consider it a proven and generally accepted truth that the small Ossetian nation represents the last descendants of a large Iranian tribe, which in the Middle Ages was known as Alans, in ancient times as Sarmatians and Pontic Scythians »

Story

Approximate map of Scythia in 1st millennium n. e.

Bordering on the Khazars, the Alans were a serious military and political threat to the Kaganate. Byzantium repeatedly played the "Alan card" in its ongoing imperial ambitions towards Khazaria. Using the geographical location of her fellow Alans, she imposed her political plans on the Khazars.

Religion

The majority of Ossetian believers profess Orthodoxy, adopted in the 7th century from Byzantium, later from Georgia, and from Russia since the 18th century. Some Ossetians profess Sunni Islam (adopted from the Kabardians in the 17th-18th centuries); Local traditional beliefs have been largely preserved.

Language

Ossetian architectural monuments

Dialects and ethnic groups

Ossetians living in Russian North Ossetia are divided into two ethnic groups: Irontsev (self-name - iron) and Digorians (self-name - Digoron). Ironians predominate numerically, the Ironic dialect is the basis of Ossetian literary language. The Digor dialect also has a literary form: in it, as in Iron, books and periodicals are published, and a drama theater operates. The ethnonym “Digorians” (ashdigor) was first mentioned in “Armenian History and Geography” (VII century). The Digor and Iron dialects of the Ossetian language differ mainly in phonetics and vocabulary.

Descriptions of Ossetians

Descriptions of Ossetians written by the first researchers who visited Ossetia have been preserved:

“Ossetians are quite well built, strong, robust, they are usually of medium height; men are only five feet two to four inches tall. They are rarely thick, but usually dense; they are simple-minded, this especially applies to women. They stand out among their neighbors with their appearance, which is very similar to appearance Europeans. Ossetians very often have blue eyes and blond or red hair; there are very few dark-haired people; they are a healthy and fertile race.” I. Blaramberg.

“In general, the anthropology of Ossetians differs significantly from the anthropology of other peoples of the Caucasus; Blonde hair and gray or blue eyes are common. Ossetians are tall and lean... The body of Ossetians is healthy and strong.” E. Zichy.

“Ossetians are a fairly slender people, robust and strong, usually of average height: men reach 5 feet 2-4 inches. Ossetians are not fat, but wiry and wide, especially women. They differ from their neighbors mainly in their facial features, hair and eye color, which are reminiscent of Europeans. Among Ossetians, blue eyes, blond and brown hair are often found; black hair is almost never seen. They healthy people and have many offspring." Y. Klaport. 1807-1808

“Once talking in Tiflis with an Ossetian, I told him that among German scientists there is a widespread opinion that we Germans are of the same race as the Ossetians and our ancestors in former times inhabited the Caucasus Mountains. In response, the Ossetian made fun of me; he was a very handsome man with a Circassian aquiline profile; An educated Russian standing next to me agreed with him. A Württemberg peasant from the Marienfeld colony was just passing by. The awkward figure of this German, his wide face with a sleepy expression and swaying gait were sharply different from the flexible, beautiful figure of the Caucasian. “How can it be,” exclaimed the Russian, “that you could be so reckless and recognize two peoples of such various types belonging to the same race? No, the ancestors of these two people could just as easily have flown from the same nest as a falcon and a turkey. You see, this Ossetian and that German are engaged in the same work, they cultivate the fields and graze the herds. Send your peasants to the high mountains and dress everyone in Caucasian clothes, yet they will never turn out to be Ossetians... Even after a thousand years, you can tell their great-grandchildren from a mile away.” M. Wagner. 1850

Settlement

Ossetian cuisine

The main dishes of Ossetian cuisine are Ossetian pies (Ossetian chiritæ), beer (Osetian bægæny). As throughout the Caucasus, kebab is common in Ossetia (Ossetian fizonæg).

Research

The first to describe in detail the economic life, traditional life and culture of the Ossetians were the expeditions of S. Vanyavin (), A. Batyrev (,) and I.-A. Gyldenstedt (-). Even then, scientists noted both the “Caucasian features” of the Ossetians and their obvious dissimilarity with neighboring peoples. This explains the special interest in the scientific study of Ossetia.

Important contribution to the study Ossetian people contributed by the prominent Russian scientist P. S. Pallas: he established the similarity of the Ossetian language not only with Old Persian, but also with the Slavic and German languages. Thus, already in the 18th century it was noticed that the Ossetian language belonged to the Indo-European language branch.

The works of Russian and foreign scientists, along with scientific expeditions, served as the beginning of a comprehensive study of Ossetia and the Ossetian people.

Some prominent Ossetians (in alphabetical order)

Abaev V.I. - linguist, academician, researcher of Iranian languages and, in particular, the Ossetian language.
Andiev S.P. - outstanding freestyle wrestler. Two-time Olympic champion (1976, 1980), four-time world champion (1973, 1975, 1977, 1978), World Championship silver medalist (1974), World Cup winner (1973, 1976, 1981), European champion (1974, 1975, 1982) , winner of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR (1975), champion of the USSR (1973-1978, 1980), winner of the absolute championship of the USSR in freestyle wrestling (1976). Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1973), Honored Trainer of Russia (1988).
Baroev Kh.M. - Honored Master of Sports of Greco-Roman wrestling. Champion of Russia (2003, 2004, 2006). World champion (2003, 2006). World Cup winner (2003). Winner of the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens (2004) up to 120 kg.
Beroev V.B. (1937 – 1972) - Famous actor of Soviet cinema. Starred in the films: The Plane Didn't Land (1964), Our House (1965), Major Whirlwind (1967), There is No Ford in Fire (1967), Leningradsky Prospekt, Caesar and Cleopatra, Fleet Officer, Masquerade.
Berezov T. T. - Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor; Chairman of the Moscow Ossetian Diaspora.
Bolloev T.K. is a famous Russian businessman, president of OJSC Baltika Brewing Company (1991-2004).
Gagloev V. M. (1928-1996) - Ossetian writer, playwright
Gazzaev V. G. is a famous Soviet striker, a member of Grigory Fedotov’s scorers club (117 goals), a football coach who managed to collect almost full set awards that can be won in Russia. Honored Coach of Russia, “Coach of the Year” according to UEFA (season 2004-05).
Gergiev V. A. - artistic director of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. People's Artist of Russia, twice laureate of the State Prize of Russia, "Conductor of the Year" (1994), First Class Cross "For Merit" (Germany), Order of the Grand Ufficiale (Italy), Order of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France); repeatedly he, as the best conductor of the year, was awarded the country's highest theater prize, the Golden Mask (from 1996 to 2000). In 2002, he was awarded the Presidential Prize of Russia for his outstanding creative contribution to the development of art. In March 2003, the maestro was awarded the honorary title " UNESCO World Artist."
Varziev Kh. P. - the first certified choreographer of Ossetia (GITIS-1968) and the state academic folk dance ensemble "ALAN", Honored Artist of the Russian Federation.
Dzagoev A.E. - CSKA midfielder. Best young football player of the Russian Premier League (winner of the “First Five” award): . The main opening of the Russian football season: .
Dudarova V.B. - famous female conductor; Dudarova's name is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the name of a woman who has worked with major orchestras for more than 50 years.
Isaev M.I. - Russian linguist, sociolinguist, researcher of Iranian languages and head of a number of works on the study of Esperanto.
Karaev, Ruslan - professional kickboxer. Winner of the 2005 K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas and the 2008 K-1 Grand Prix in Taipei. World champion among amateur kickboxers (2003). European champion among amateur kickboxers (2003).
Kantemirov, Alibek Tuzarovich (1903-1976) - founder of the Soviet equestrian circus and the famous Kantemirov dynasty of equestrians, People's Artist of Russia.
Kuchiev Yu. S. - Arctic captain, first to reach the North Pole, Hero Soviet Union, recipient of many USSR awards.
Mamsurov, Khadzhiumar Dzhiorovich (1903-1968) - Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General, legendary intelligence officer.
Pliev, Issa Aleksandrovich - Soviet general who distinguished himself during World War II, twice Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic.
Taymazov, Arthur - two-time Olympic champion(2004 and 2008), silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics, world champion 2003, 2006. freestyle wrestling
Tokaev G. A. - Soviet scientist, leading specialist in the field of aviation and missile developments of the USSR. World famous specialist in the field of thermodynamics and space research, who worked on Concorde and NASA's Apollo program, professor at the British City University, honorary member of many Academies and scientific societies.
Fadzaev A.S. - two-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion, multiple European champion, winner of the Super Cup in Tokyo - 1985 and the Goodwill Games 1986, the first winner of the "Golden Wrestler", awarded to the best wrestler on the planet.
Khadartsev, Makharbek Khazbievich - two-time Olympic champion, five-time world champion, four-time European champion, multiple winner of World Cups, Goodwill Games, etc.
Khetagurov K.L. - founder of Ossetian literature, poet, educator, sculptor, artist.
Tsagolov, Kim Makedonovich (1903-1976) - Major General, awarded 28 state awards and honorary badges of the USSR, Russia, Afghanistan, Poland. He was awarded the highest insignia of the Soviet Committee for the Struggle for Peace - the medal "Fighter for Peace" and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences - "Knight of Science and Arts", several honorary nominal awards of the Minister of Defense of Russia and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia.
Khetagurov, Georgy Ivanovich (1903-1976) - army general, Hero of the Soviet Union.
Tsarikati, Felix - Honored Artist of Russia, People's Artist of North Ossetia, popular performer of modern pop songs.
Cherchesov S.S. - Russian football coach, formerly Soviet and Russian football player, goalkeeper, Honored Master of Sports of Russia. Winner of the Goalkeeper of the Year prize (Ogonyok magazine prize): 1989, 1990, 1992, 2nd place in the list of the best football players of the USSR in 1989 according to a poll by the Football weekly. Cherchesov is the oldest football player to play for the Russian national team.

Photo gallery

Ossetian people is the result of a mixture of the ancient Iberian population of the Caucasus and the Alans - descendants of the inhabitants of the Eurasian steppe.
In the X-III millennia BC. Europe was settled by Iberian peoples bearing the Y haplogroup G2. They were brown-eyed (blue-eyed people appeared later), had brown hair and did not digest dairy foods. By occupation they were goat herders - they ate goat meat and dressed in goat skins.
After the invasion of Europe by the Indo-Europeans, the Iberians, who had previously been attached to the mountainous and foothill regions due to the presence of goats there, remained mountaineers. Nowadays their descendants are common only in the Pyrenees and on the islands of the Mediterranean. The only place where Iberians have survived in large numbers is the Caucasus. As arable land, due to the mountainous terrain, it was of no use to anyone except the carriers of haplogroup G2 themselves, who were precisely tied to mountain pastures.
It is this haplogroup that predominates among Ossetians. However, it is not only among them that it prevails. It is most widespread among the Svans (91%) and Shapsugs (81%). Among Ossetians, 69.6% of men are its carriers.
Many of our readers ask why Ossetians, whose language is considered a descendant of Alan, have a Caucasian haplogroup, while Alans- descendants of the Scythians and Sarmatians - should have had haplogroup R1a1. The fact is that Ossetians are descendants not so much of Alans, but of Alans - carriers of mitochondrial haplogroup H. The male part of the Alans was completely exterminated by Tamerlane, and the remaining women entered into marriages with Caucasian autochthons. They gave the Y-haplogroup G2 to the Ossetians.
As you know, children speak the language of their mothers. That's why Ossetians and preserved the Aryan language. The Ossetian language belongs to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European family, more precisely, to the northeastern group of Iranian languages, which includes the Khorezmian, Sogdian and Saka languages, as well as the languages of the ancient Scythians and Sarmatians. True, now this language is clogged with borrowings from the Adyghe, Nakh-Dagestan and Kartvelian languages.
The Ossetian language, especially its vocabulary, was significantly enriched by the influence of the Russian language. The modern Ossetian language is divided into two main dialects: Iron (eastern) and Digor (western). According to linguists, the Digor dialect is more archaic. The literary language is based on the Ironic dialect, which is spoken by the vast majority of Ossetians. The Digor and Iron dialects of the Ossetian language differ mainly in phonetics and vocabulary, and to a lesser extent in morphology. In Digor, for example, there is no vowel [s] - Iron [s] in the Digor dialect correspond to [u] or [i]: myd - mud "honey", sirkh - surkh "red", tsykht - tsikht "cheese". Among the words that are completely different in the two dialects, one can name gædy – tikis “cat”, tæbæg – tefseg “plate”, ævær – læguz “bad”, rudzyng – kærazgæ “window”, æmbaryn – lædærun “to understand”.

Ossetian wedding
In 1789, a writing system based on the Church Slavonic alphabet was adopted in Ossetia. Modern Ossetian writing was created in 1844 by Russian philologist of Finnish origin Andreas Sjögren. In the 1920s, the Latin alphabet was introduced for the Ossetians, but already at the end of the 1930s, the northern Ossetians were again transferred to the Russian script, and the southern ones, administratively subordinate to the Georgian SSR, were imposed the Georgian alphabet, but in 1954 the southern Ossetians achieved the transition to the alphabet used in North Ossetia.
All Ossetians speak Russian. Education in primary school is conducted in Ossetian, and after the fourth grade - in Russian with continued study of the Ossetian language. In everyday life, many families use Russian.
The self-name of Ossetians is upon, and they call their country Iristoi or Ir. However, residents of the Digor Gorge and people from it call themselves Digoron. These self-names reflected the former tribal divisions of the Ossetian people. In the past, residents of individual gorges also called themselves by special names (based on the names of the gorges) - Alagrntsy, Kurtatpntsyi, etc.

Orthodox worship in an Ossetian church
The majority of Ossetian believers are considered Orthodox, having adopted Christianity in several stages from Byzantium, Georgia and Russia. Some Ossetians profess Sunni Islam, adopted in the 17th–18th centuries from the Kabardians. Many Ossetians retain elements of traditional beliefs. Thus, among the Ossetians, under the guise of St. George, the god of war Uastirdzhi is revered, and under the guise of Elijah the Prophet, the thunder god Uacilla is revered.

Dzheorguyba is a traditional holiday dedicated to Saint Uastirdzhi, celebrated only by men.
In the old days Ossetians lived in rural settlements called kau (khӕgu). The mountainous zone was dominated by relatively small villages, often scattered along mountain slopes or along river banks. The location of the villages along the steep slopes of the mountains was explained by the fact that convenient lands were used for arable land and hayfields.
The buildings were erected from natural stone, and in gorges rich in forests, dwellings were built from wood.

Remains of an Ossetian watchtower in South Ossetia
Stone houses were built with one or two floors. In a two-story house, the lower floor was intended for livestock and utility rooms, the upper floor for housing. The walls were laid dry, filling the voids between the stones with earth, less often with clay or lime mortar. Wood was used for interfloor ceilings and doors. The roof was flat and made of earth; the walls were often raised higher than the roof, so that a platform was created that was used for drying grain, wool, and for recreation. The floor was made of earthen, less often - wooden. The walls of the living quarters inside were coated with clay and whitewashed. Instead of windows, small holes were made in one of the walls of the house, which were closed with stone slabs or boards during the cold season. Often, on the facade side of two-story houses there were balconies or open verandas. In conditions of large families, houses usually had many rooms.

Ossetian house-fortress ganakh in section

The largest room, “khadzar” (khӕdzar), was both a dining room and a kitchen. This is where the family spent most of their time. In the center of the hadzar there was a fireplace with an open chimney, causing the walls and ceiling to become covered with a thick layer of soot. Above the fireplace, a chain for the boiler was suspended from a wooden beam in the ceiling. The hearth and chain were considered sacred: sacrifices and prayers were performed around them. The hearth was considered a symbol of family unity. Wooden pillars, richly ornamented with carvings, were installed at the hearth, supporting the ceiling crossbar. The hearth divided the Khadzars into two halves – male and female. In the men's half, weapons, turkish horns, and musical instruments were hung on the walls. There was a semicircular wooden chair decorated with carvings, intended for the head of the house. The women's quarters contained household utensils. For married family members there were separate rooms in the house - bedrooms (uat). In the houses of wealthy Ossetians, the kunatskaya (уӕгӕгdon) stood out.

Ossetian village
Homemade food, from bread to drinks, was prepared in the Ossetian village by a woman. In the distant past, bread in the mountains was baked from millet and barley flour. In the 19th century they ate barley, wheat and corn bread. Corn chureks were baked without yeast; wheat bread was also mostly unleavened. Currently, wheat bread is the most commonly used. Among the national flour products, pies with meat and cheese, filled with beans and pumpkin, are especially common.
Of the dairy products and dishes, the most common are cheese, ghee, kefir, milk soups and various porridges with milk (especially corn porridge). It is prepared from cheese mixed with flour National dish Ossetian – Dzykka.

Modern Ossetians

At home, cheese is made old and in a simple way. It is not boiled: freshly milked, unskimmed milk, still warm or heated, is filtered and fermented. Sourdough is prepared from dried lamb or veal stomach. The fermented milk is left for one to two hours (until it curdles). Casein is thoroughly crushed by hand, separated from the whey and churned into a lump, after which it is salted and cooled. When the cheese hardens, it is placed in brine. In the same way Ossetians they make cottage cheese.
The production of kefir became widespread in Digoria. Kefir is made from fresh milk that is fermented with special fungi. Ossetian kefir has healing properties and is very useful for tuberculosis patients.
The national drink of Ossetians is mountain beer bӕgӕny, made from barley and wheat. Along with beer, southern Ossetians produce wine.
Back in the Middle Ages Ossetians, who lived south of the Caucasus ridge, fell under the power of Georgian feudal lords. The bulk of the South Ossetian peasants were dependent on them as serfs. The mountains of South Ossetia were ruled by the princes Machabeli and the Eristavis of Ksani. The best lands in the flat area, the princes Palavandishvili, Kherkheulidze and Pavlenitvili ruled.

Ossetian agricultural tools
With the annexation of Georgia to Russia, many southern Ossetians moved to the north.
The overwhelming majority of Ossetian workers adhered to monogamy. Among feudal lords, polygamy was common. It existed to a certain extent among the wealthy peasantry, despite the struggle of the Christian clergy against it. Most often, a peasant took a second wife when the first was childless. Landowners, along with legal wives who were of equal social origin, also had illegal wives - nomylus (literally “wife by name”). Nomylus were taken from peasant families, since the peasants themselves could not marry them - there was no money for bride price, which the Ossetians called irӕd. Children from nomylus were considered illegitimate and from them the feudal-dependent class of Kavdasards (in Tagauria) or Kumayags (in Digoria) was formed. In the remaining regions of North and South Ossetia, the Kavdasards did not form a specific social group and, in their position, were almost no different from other highlanders.

The capital of North Ossetia, the city of Ordzhoikidze (present-day Vladikavkaz) in Soviet times

The traditional clothing of Ossetian men was tsukkhaa - Ossetian Circassian coat. To sew tsukhya, dark cloth was used - black, brown or gray. Under the Circassian coat they wore a beshmet made of satin or other dark fabric. The beshmet is significantly shorter than the Circassian and has a stand-up stitched collar. In terms of cut, the beshmet, like the Circassian jacket, is a swinging garment, cut at the waist. The beshmet sleeves, unlike the Circassian sleeves, are narrow. Bloomers were made from cloth, and for working in the field - from canvas, very wide. There were also trousers made from sheep skins. In winter, they wore a sheepskin coat, tailored to fit the figure and gathered at the waist. Sometimes they wore sheepskin coats. On the road they wore a burka.
The winter headdress was a sheepskin or astrakhan fur hat with a cloth or velvet top, and the summer headdress was a light felt hat with a wide brim. On the feet they wore home-knitted woolen socks, leggings and felt shoes made of morocco or cloth with lining. The soles of the chuvyak were made of smoked cowhide. In winter, hay was placed in the boots for warmth. The tops were leggings made of morocco or cloth. Very often they wore boots, Caucasian or Russian. The dagger was an invariable accessory and decoration of the national costume. The Circassian style was decorated with gazyrs.

Male choir of the North Ossetian Philharmonic
Women's festive long dress (kaaba), reaching to the heels, was cut at the waist with a continuous front slit. Usually it was made from light silk fabrics: pink, blue, cream, white, etc. The sleeves of the dress were very wide and long, but sometimes straight narrow sleeves were made, beveled at the wrist. In the latter case, velvet or silk armlets, wide and long, descending down from the elbows by about a meter, were put on a straight sleeve. Under the dress they wore an underskirt of silk of a different color than the dress, which was visible from the front thanks to the continuous slit of the dress. Gilded decorations were sewn onto the breastplate, made of the same material as the petticoat. The waist was tied with a wide belt (most often made of gilded gimp) decorated with a gilded buckle. For a dress with sleeves in front, a short apron was fastened under the belt.
A round, low velvet cap embroidered with gold thread was placed on the head. A light tulle or knitted scarf made of white silk threads was thrown over the cap, and often they were limited to one scarf. On their feet they wore morocco shoes or factory shoes.

Look

On the territory of the countries of South and. However, they live in Russia and other countries. In total, there are about 700 thousand Ossetians in the world, 515 thousand of whom live in Russia.

Residents speak Russian, Georgian and Ossetian, all three are state languages. If we talk about religions, the most widespread in these lands was the Ossetians who adopted Christianity from Byzantium in the period of 4-9 centuries. There is not most of population professing Islam. Ossetians are classified as the Caucasian type of the Caucasian race. They are characterized not only by dark hair, but also fair-haired and red-haired people. The shape of the head of the people of Ossetia is elongated, the color of the eyes is brown, sometimes gray or blue.

National composition of South Ossetia in 1926-2008:

Ossetians - 46,289 (64.3%)

Georgians - 18,000 (25.0%)

Russians - 2,016 (2.8%)

Armenians - 871 (1.21%)

Jews - 648 (0.9%)

others - 4,176 (5.8%) (Armenians, Tatars, Gypsies, Kyrgyz, Tajiks)

According to South Ossetia, now (in 2009) the majority of the population are Ossetians (80%)

Speaking about architecture, it is worth noting that the most interesting monuments created by Ossetians are fortresses, towers, castles, barrier walls, etc. They built such structures in all the gorges they inhabited. Since ancient times, such buildings have represented a reliable guarantor of freedom of childbirth and provided shelter for the owners. However, during hostilities a large number of architectural monuments were destroyed.

The main dishes of South Ossetian cuisine are local pies, meat stew with potatoes, meat stewed in sour cream, boiled beans and corn, sauce made from pepper leaves with cream or sour cream. Among the drinks, it is necessary to highlight beer, kvass, as well as the local alcoholic drink araka, which is similar to whiskey. Of course, as in any Caucasian country, in South Ossetia they love and know how to cook shish kebab.

Since ancient times, the main occupation has been cattle breeding and agriculture. Also, at earlier stages, local residents were engaged in hunting.

On the farm, the greatest development was in the preparation of cheese and butter, the production of cloth, the manufacture of wood and metal products, and Ossetians were engaged in wool processing. The costume of the inhabitants of Ossetia had the following form: tight trousers that reached the shoes, and a beshmet. In the mountains, a kind of footwear was used - archita; a sheep fur hat was used as a headdress, and in the summer - a mountain hat. Women in Everyday life dresses were worn with gatherings at the waist, having a stand-up collar and a straight slit on the chest to the waist.

The applied and fine arts of the Ossetian people are extremely rich. Thus, local craftsmen were engaged in wood carving, ornament embroidery, metal processing, stone carving, etc. Ossetian musical instruments are basically similar to Caucasian musical instruments. Among these are the shepherd's pipe, the harp, and the two-stringed violin. Only men played them. A little later, the double-row accordion was brought to Ossetia from Russia.

Ossetians are a very hospitable, tolerant and friendly nation.

Back in 1822, Klaproth expressed the opinion that Ossetians are descendants of Alans (they are also Os and Yas, depending on the sources). Further research confirmed the assumption that the ancestors of the Ossetians were among the Alans, and clarified the Iranian origin of the latter, as well as their relationship with the Asian Sarmatians. The Ossetians constitute the remnant of the once numerous Iranian tribe, which occupied a significant area in the northern Caucasus, on and in the Black Sea region. All the way to Elborus and further in the region of the upper Kuban, Ossetian names of rivers, gorges, passes, mountains, etc., are still preserved, indicating that these places were inhabited by their ancestors.

Observing the type of Mountain Tatars, studying their legends and customs leads to the conviction that the Tatars found the indigenous Ossetian population here. The ancestors of the Ossetians lived even further to the west, on the lower reaches of the Kuban and Don, which has still retained its Ossetian name (don means water, river in Ossetian). The antiquity of Iranian settlements in southeast Russia dates back to the times of the Greek Black Sea colonies. In the Greek inscriptions of Tiras, Olbia, Panticapaeum and especially Tanais, among the non-Greek personal names there are many Iranian ones, indicating the presence of a significant Iranian element in the local population. Linguistic analysis of these names made it possible to understand some phonetic laws of the Sarmatian language and establish its special relationship with Ossetian.

Historical data about the fate of the ancestors is provided by the few written evidence about the Asian Sarmatians, Alans, as well as the scant indications of the Russian chronicle about the yas. The closest southern cultural neighbors of the Ossetians, the Georgians, also preserved in their chronicles several evidence of Ossetian raids in Transcaucasia. The Armenian historian Moses Khorensky knows the Ossians under the name Alans, under which they were also known to Byzantine historians. In the Georgian chronicle, the Oss are portrayed as a strong, numerous people, who deployed several tens of thousands of horsemen for raids. The Ossetian kings and family alliances between the royal house (Bagratids) and the Ossetian are mentioned.

The power of the Ossetians, weakened in the north of the Caucasus by the Russians, (Kasogs) and Cumans, was finally undermined by the Tatar pogrom during the time of Genghis Khan. Ossetians were forced to pay tribute to the Tatars. In the north, the Tatars occupied part of the Ossetian territory, and finally locked Setin in the mountains. The Digorians, Tagaurs and part of the Kurtatins were tributaries of the Kabardins at the beginning of the 19th century. The South Ossetians, previously so formidable for Transcaucasia, submitted to the influence of the Georgians and became serfs dependent on the Georgian feudal lords Eristovs and Machabelovs. The establishment of Russian rule in the Caucasus was favorable for O., who found support in the Russian government on the one hand against the Kabardians, on the other against the oppression of the upper class and Georgian princes. As a result of incitement by the latter, unrest sometimes occurred among the South Ossetians, but government measures and the activities of missionaries brought the Ossetians closer and closer to the Russians. In 1866-67. The liberation of the serf classes from the power of the landowners took place in Ossetia.

After the revolution, there was a massive resettlement of Ossetians to the plain. In 1922, the South Ossetian Autonomous Republic was formed, which became part of the Georgian SSR, two years later the North Ossetian Republic was formed, which in 1936 was transformed into the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1990, the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Republic of North Ossetia (now North Ossetia-Alania) was adopted. South Ossetia became part of.

Ossetians are a people in Russia, the main population of North and South Ossetia, they also live in Kabardino-Balkaria (10 thousand people), in Karachay-Cherkessia (4 thousand people). The total number of people in Russia is 402 thousand. Before the conquest of the Kabardians by the Russians, Ossetians lived exclusively in the mountains. Having pushed the Kabardians away from the mountains, the Russian government allowed them to settle on the plain.

The Ossetians are a viable tribe, rapidly increasing in number since they were placed in more favorable economic conditions. According to 1833 data, there were only 35,750 Ossetians; According to information from the 60s, there were 46,802 northern Ossetians, 19,324 southern Ossetians. In 1880, there were already 58,926 people in northern Ossetia, and 51,988 in southern Ossetia.

According to the observations of Dr. Gilchenko, the majority of North Ossetians (almost 64%) are dark-haired and dark-eyed; their skin color is darkish, their forehead is straight, wide, with well-developed frontal tubercles and poorly developed brow ridges; the nose is quite large, prominent, straight; the mouth is small, with straight, thin lips. The majority are tall; shoulders and pelvis of considerable width.

On the plane, Ossetians live in mud huts or whitewashed huts; in the mountains, where there is no forest or where it is difficult to access, Ossetian sakli are made of stones without cement and, for the most part, stick one side to the rock. Sometimes part of the side walls is also formed by a mountain.

The main part of the national Ossetian house is a large common room, kitchen and dining room together. Cooking takes place all day long, since Ossetians do not have a specific time for eating, and family members do not eat together, but first the older ones, then the younger ones. In the middle of the room there is a fireplace, above which a copper or cast iron cauldron hangs on an iron chain. The hearth is the center around which the family gathers. An iron chain attached to the ceiling near the smoke hole is the most sacred object of the house: anyone who approaches the hearth and touches the chain becomes close to the family. Insulting a chain (for example, taking it away from home) was considered the greatest offense for the family, which was previously followed by blood feud.

As the family grows (divisions between married brothers during the lifetime of their parents are a rare occurrence), new huts and outbuildings are added to the house. All buildings are covered with flat roofs, on which bread is often threshed and grain is dried.

The clothes of the Ossetians do not differ from the general Caucasian, mountain clothes: men have the same shirts, beshmets, Circassians, trousers made of cloth or canvas or burkas; for women - long shirts up to the toes, trousers and cotton or nankee caftans with a narrow neckline on the chest. The winter headdress is a high lambskin cap (papakha), the summer one is a felt hat. Women's headdress consists of caps different types and scarves. Men prefer dark brown and black in clothes, women prefer blue, light blue and scarlet.

The main food of the Ossetians, who are generally distinguished by moderation, is bread - made from barley, corn, wheat, millet, as well as dishes made from milk and cheese. They eat meat only on holidays and when guests arrive. The main occupations of Ossetians in the mountains, where there are rich pastures, are cattle breeding and agriculture; crafts are poorly developed.

The main ethical principles guiding the life of Ossetians are respect for elders, blood vengeance and hospitality. Every Ossetian considers it his duty to stand up when an elder enters and greet him, even if he is of lower origin; adult sons do not have the right to sit in the presence of their father, the owner cannot sit in front of the guest without his permission, etc. In general, family and social relationships are determined by strict etiquette and peculiar concepts of decency, often extremely shy.

The custom of blood revenge, sacredly observed before, but now almost eradicated, led to constant wars between individual families and significantly reduced the number of the Ossetian tribe. Hospitality is still an outstanding feature. It is observed with greater sincerity and cordiality in places less touched by European culture. Until recently, marriage was based solely on the payment of bride price (ireda) for the bride, which the groom had to purchase personally. The size of the bride price was determined by the dignity of the bride and the related families. In some places, part of the bride price, and sometimes the entire bride price, goes to the girl’s dowry. Ossetian weddings are accompanied by many rituals that retain interesting traces of antiquity.

Between funeral rites The so-called dedication of the horse to the deceased, performed at the grave, and the wake deserve attention. The purpose of the first rite is for the deceased to have a horse in the afterlife and be able to ride safely to his appointed place. The wake consists of a rich treat not only for relatives, but for all fellow villagers and strangers, in honor of the deceased, and the so-called great wake is sometimes accompanied by horse racing and shooting at a target for prizes given by the family of the deceased. Ossetians look at wakes as feeding dead ancestors, believing that the food eaten at the wake reaches them. Converting to Christianity, Ossetians perform some rituals, observe fasts and holidays, attend church, mention the name of Christ and some saints, but at the same time they also celebrate former pagan rituals, say prayers to their village and family shrines, and on certain days they make sacrifices - rams, goats , bulls. In the rituals of the Ossetians, traces of extinct Christianity, mixed with ancient paganism, are also visible.

Of considerable interest is the folk literature of O., especially their tales about heroes called Narts. Some types and plots of the Ossetian Nart epic are found in the tales of Kabardians and. The latter, apparently, borrowed some stories from the Ossetians, who themselves received something from the Kabardians. Some stories connected with the Persian hero Rustem, a hero almost universally known in the Caucasus, also penetrated into the Ossetian Nart epic from Transcaucasia, through the mediation of Georgians. In addition to epic tales, Ossetians have many songs, especially satirical and humorous ones, which are just as easily formed as they are forgotten and replaced by new ones. Singing and playing musical instruments are widespread among the people.

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Ossetians have long been a people who live on opposite sides of the Caucasus ridge, which has left a noticeable imprint on its past and present. The mountains became an insurmountable barrier that divided the ethnic group into two parts.

For a very long time, communication between the southern and northern regions was carried out exclusively along mountain paths. Only in 1984 was a highway finally built, connecting Yuzhnaya and, and to this day this road remains the only one.

History of the Ossetian people

The ancestors of the Ossetians are warlike nomads - Iranian-speaking tribes, about which written sources speak as early as the 1st century. It was then that these numerous and powerful Scythian-Sarmatian tribes mastered the Ciscaucasia and had a serious influence on the entire region.

In the 6th century, the number of Alans decreased significantly - most of the tribes left, like many other peoples of the world, taking part in the Great Migration of those years, initiated by the invasion of the warlike Huns. Those who remained formed their own state, merging with the local tribes.

The Alans are mentioned under the name “Yasy” in the Russian Nikon Chronicle - Prince Yaroslav made a successful campaign against them in 1029 for the Russian squad. The Mongols, who captured the fertile Ciscaucasia in the 13th century, forced the Alans to retreat to, where modern Ossetia is now located. Here they led a typical life, adopted some of the customs of their neighbors, but also carefully preserved their own.

Nothing was heard about this ethnic group for a long time, until in the 18th century the North, and in the next century they became part of Russian state. When annexing the southern territories, the tsarist administration rejected the claims of the Georgian princes to serfdom of the Ossetian population. The benefits of joining were mutual. The land-poor people gained access to the fertile plain, and Russia gained control over important passes.

After joining Russia, the history of Ossetia and the history of the Russian state became common. In the 20s of the last century, an event took place with colossal consequences for the future: there was an official division into southern and northern zones for more convenient administration. The northern territory became a separate republic, the southern became part of.

In the Great Patriotic War, both Ossetias suffered heavy losses - almost all the men were drafted into the army, more than half of them died in battle. There are dozens of names on the list of Ossetian Heroes of the Soviet Union, and in terms of the number of representatives of the people per hero, it is the descendants of the warlike Alans who are in first place!

How Alans became Ossetians

The Alans did not become Ossetians of their own accord - that is what their neighbors, the Georgians, called them, and they were also recognized by this name in Russia. The Georgian words “ovsi” and “eti”, put together, formed “Oseti”. It is worth clarifying that by Ovsi the Georgians meant the Aesir, who were part of the Alans.

What religion do they profess?

Orthodox and Muslim communities coexist here long time, taking joint participation in rituals based on the ancient beliefs of their ancestors. Moreover, according to a survey conducted in 2012 by the Sreda service, about 30% of the population considered themselves to perceive exclusively. Another feature is that Ossetians (about 12-15% according to local authorities) live mainly in the Northern zone.

The Sarmatians and Scythians played a dominant role in the formation of ancient beliefs. After resettlement to mountainous areas, religious traditions were supplemented with elements of local beliefs. This system includes the supreme god Khuytsau, under whose subordination are the deities who are the patrons of the natural elements. The religious system is tolerant, capable of accepting new spiritual ideas, so Ossetian Christians and Muslims have not become a foreign phenomenon for it.

Orthodoxy came to the local mountains from Byzantium already in the 5th century through the Orthodox Church, and in the 10th century Christianity was recognized as the official religion of the country. Islam originated in the country during the Golden Horde period, when some of the Alans who served the khans converted to Islam. Timur's invasion led to the loss of Christianity's position, but after annexation to Russia it gradually recovered.

Culture, traditions and customs

Many cultural traditions of Ossetians are rooted in the Scythian-Alan past. The long isolation in the mountains, which came after the invasion of the hordes of the Mongols and Timur, became the reason for the preservation of cultural norms almost in their original form, although neighboring peoples influenced the rituals, and general culture. That is why learned historians and philologists show genuine interest in the language of this people and that part of their culture that is associated with the Alan period.

Famous Ossetians

In “Hero of Our Time,” Lermontov expressed himself about the Ossetians in the words of one of the characters: “...a stupid, pathetic people.” Although there is nothing to suggest that he thought the same, people still resent him for it. Although they are sure that in our time Lermontov’s opinion would change dramatically. This nation has given the world community many outstanding people, and one of them is Kosta Khetagurov, a writer, the founder of Ossetian literature, who also wrote in Russian.

The conductor Valery Gergiev and the famous wrestler Andiev Soslan are known throughout the world. Evgeny Vakhtangov, a famous theater figure, after whom the Moscow theater is named, was born and lived for a long time in Vladikavkaz. – the birthplace of Valery Gazzaev, a famous football coach, one of the most titled in Russia. Fifteen Shotaev cousins and their sister took part in the battles of the Great Patriotic War. Only four wounded Shotaevs returned home.

Ossetians consider Stalin half of them, since according to some sources, the father of the leader of the Communist Party was an Ossetian. The list of famous representatives of the Ossetian people can be continued for a long time. It’s simply amazing how many famous cultural figures, athletes, warriors, and politicians this small nation has produced - the number of Ossetians is only 700 thousand people in the world, and only about half a million live in their native places.

This original people, who remembers his history well. Its traditions and customs have deep roots going back centuries. Culture is extremely interesting and deserves not only attention, but also development. Its best representatives are the pride of the entire Caucasus and all of Russia, an example for young people - work and talent allow you to achieve any heights!