The scenario of the folklore holiday "Dagestan is my epic" in the preparatory group. Dagestan - Mysteries of the most romantic science
Doctor's desk historical sciences, professor, deputy Chairman of the Dagestan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, head. Department of Archeology of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the DSC RAS Murtazali Hajiyev is a real museum archaeological artifacts. Behind every little thing lies a whole era, history. I am looking at a coin found in the “house” of Peter I, and he takes out a unique find from the safe - an ivory knife handle with a Persian inscription, as much as the 11th-12th centuries. And how can you not fall in love? After studying, these values will replenish the collection of the Derbent Museum-Reserve. I wonder how the outgoing year turned out for Dagestan archaeologists?
- Tense. Expeditionary research was carried out for almost a year. Recently completed work in Derbent, which began in March. Since February, excavations have been continued on the territory of the future reservoir of the Gotsatlinskaya HPP, which have been ongoing for about two years. Expeditions worked in the Akushinsky district on the monuments of the early Stone Age, in the basin of the Rubas River on the Palasa-Syrt burial mound of the Great Migration era. The most large-scale work this year was carried out in Derbent, at several sites. For 45 years of stationary research, for the first time in the city, security and rescue archaeological excavations were carried out, and they exceeded all our expectations in their results, showed the extraordinary scientific and social importance of such work. negative situation in conditions when the city began to build up and architecturally change especially rapidly in the last two decades, including in the buffer zone, has developed due to the improper attitude of the city administration to the monuments of Derbent and the inaction of the Dagestan Committee of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, which is headed by the city's leadership.
Expeditions worked in the Akushinsky district on the monuments of the early Stone Age, in the basin of the Rubas River on the Palasa-Syrt burial mound of the Great Migration era.
In March-May, and then in August-December, the Derbent expedition of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted excavations in the lower, coastal part of the city, which late middle ages was called Derbent pers. Sheher Yunan (" Greek city”), and in the XVIII-XX centuries. - pers. Dubara ("Two Walls"). This area of the city was inhabited in the IX - early. 13th century and after the Mongol invasion, it almost did not settle down until the 19th century, i.e. for 500 years. In the course of the excavations, powerful cultural strata of the IX - beg. XIII century, architectural and household remains associated with them - mosques and platforms for ablution, residential and domestic premises, grape presses, large household vessels installed in the ground, bread ovens, tendirs, numerous finds. This is, first of all, magnificent specimens local glazed and unglazed pottery, fragments of imported Iranian ceramics, glass bracelets, copper coins… Putin, given to the Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Republic of Dagestan and the Russian Academy of Sciences, major work was carried out on the cult Muslim monument X- early XIII in., identified on the street. Mammadbekov in Derbent.
— Is there an artifact that aroused your greatest interest?
- Yes! Among the finds of this year, I would like to single out a unique, unparalleled ivory knife with elegant ornamental carving and a 4-line Persian inscription of the 11th-12th centuries, representing an unknown love rubaiyat. Part of the text has already been translated by our Iranian specialist Patimat Alibekova. There is also this line: "Let me be enveloped in flames because of separation [from you]."
- Murtazali Serazhutdinovich, a dugout of Peter I was discovered in the lower part of the city, what is its further fate?
- Or rather, what is left of the dugout. Excavations were carried out in September-November on the territory of the columned pavilion, which in the 19th century was erected over the dugout of Peter I. civil war it was destroyed, in the Soviet period the column building itself was used for household needs, then it was turned into a residential building. As a result of the work, we discovered the impressive remains of a semi-dugout with two rooms and a series of interesting finds. Among them, I will single out two copper coins - half a penny or a quarter of a kopeck, which were minted in 1718-1722 during the reign of Peter I. And these finds document its existence during the Persian campaign of 1722, when Peter I stayed in Derbent for several days. Excavations and work on the creation of the museum of Peter I in Derbent are financed by the Summa group and Charitable Foundation"Peri". The revealed dugout will take central location in the exhibition, will be covered with a glass ceiling. By the way, during excavations in the lower part of the city, burials of soldiers of the Derbent garrison, dating back to 1722-1735, were also revealed. Their bone remains have already been studied by anthropologists and soon they will be solemnly reburied on the territory of the military unit of the FPS of the FSB of the Russian Federation.
- According to my friend, in with. Jaba, where archaeological research has never been carried out, literally on the surface you can find broken ceramics, bones ... By what principle is an object chosen for archaeological research?
- On the territory of almost every village in Dagestan or near it there are archaeological sites. Dagestan is very rich in archaeological heritage sites. Now more than 2 thousand archeological monuments are registered and every year their number increases. In this case, the institute's archaeologists are big job along with the Office of Monuments Preservation cultural heritage Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Dagestan. Not all monuments have been identified. One can imagine how many there can be if the chronological range covering the history of Dagestan is almost 2 million years. There is a question about the preservation of archaeological heritage sites. And archaeological excavations are carried out in two directions. These are works on grants from the Russian Humanitarian Science Foundation and the Russian Foundation fundamental research on several basic, paramount monuments. And the second direction is security and rescue work on new buildings, in places where construction is planned, earthworks that can damage or destroy monuments. These works are sometimes large-scale. So, to study the monuments in Derbent and in the zone of the Gotsatlinskaya hydroelectric power station, we invited archaeologists, anthropologists, soil scientists and other specialists from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Vladikavkaz.
— The work planned for 2014 has been completed in full. Regarding field work, next year, Dagestan archaeologists will continue research on grants in the Akushinsky district, Derbent and at the Palasa-Syrt burial mound. Obviously, security and rescue work will be carried out at a number of facilities. In addition, each archaeologist conducts a desk analytical work, planned research topics are being carried out, articles and books are being written. As a result, the history of the "Country of Mountains" is reconstructed literally bit by bit.
Many legends, tales and legends are associated with the Caucasus. amazing finds over which the most venerable archaeologists and historians puzzle.
noah's ark
This is probably the oldest mystery of the Caucasus, because according to the Bible, Noah moored to Mount Ararat, when the water Flood started to subside. And it turns out that all people are descended from the first inhabitants of Ararat. Many archaeologists dreamed of exploring the mountain, but back in 1974, the Turkish authorities forbade exploring the slope on which the ancient ship lies. According to the testimony of the Armenian Georgy Khagopyan, the ark, made of strong gopher wood, is still on the mountain. Allegedly in 1905, George, being an eight-year-old child, found the ark together with his grandfather and even went inside it. In 1939, the American magazine New Eden published the memoirs of Russian pilot Vladimir Roskovitsky, who saw the Ark from an airplane in 1916. Moreover, allegedly the Russian tsar even sent an expedition to Ararat, which visited the ark, but all its results and photographs were burned in the fire of the revolution. The Chinese were the last to see Noah's ark: allegedly in 2009 they climbed the mountain, found the ark in the ice, visited it and even took samples that showed that the wood was 4800 years old.
Scientists believe the video and photographs of the Chinese are fake. But even if this is so, the ark must still be somewhere there, on top of the forbidden Ararat.
Colchis
In the west of the Caucasus Mountains, on the territory of Abkhazia, Georgia and Turkey, there was a beautiful kingdom of Colchis, inhabited by Colchians. In these parts stood the legendary city of Dioscurias and there was a huge city of barbarians, in which the mythical Medea was born. It was here that the head of the Argonauts Jason came for the Golden Fleece. It is the Greek myths that chained the titan Prometheus to the great Kazbek in the "mountains of Scythia" and it is his "blood oozing on the rocks of the Caucasus." An Abkhazian legend says: “At the very top of Elbrus, a terrible abyss is open, from which lamentations are heard - a giant is chained there. The giant's beard is down to his feet, his whole body is overgrown with gray hair, and there is a heavy chain on his arms and legs.
Great Abkhaz wall
In the Caucasus there is a grandiose Kelasuri wall. Its length is 160 kilometers. The wall is ancient, partly in ruins, but it can still be seen on the territory of Abkhazia. There are about three hundred towers up to 12 meters high on the wall. From whom or from what the peoples who built the wall defended themselves is unclear. Some believe that the Prince of Megrelia Levan II Dadiani built the wall in the 17th century to protect against the Abkhazians, others believe that the Greeks erected it in antiquity, defending themselves from local peoples, and others believe that the Byzantines erected the wall to protect against the Mingrelians (Georgians).
Dolmens
The Caucasian dolmens are probably the most mystical mystery of the Caucasus Mountains. No other artifacts cause such a flurry of conjectures and assumptions as these megaliths. Officially, these are tombs. For example, not far from the village of Shepsi, a dolmen was found, in which there was a round ball and the remains of a man buried a thousand years before Pharaoh Cheops lived.
Usually dolmens date back to 3-2 centuries BC. You can meet them in the mountains Krasnodar Territory, in Adygea, near Ochamchira in Abkhazia and in the valley of the Laba River. More than 3,000 dolmens have been found, but no more than 6% of the structures have been studied. It is believed that the culture of domains came from the territory of ancient Spain or even North Africa. Dolmens in the Caucasus are different - some are made of huge stone slabs, others are hollowed out in the rock. Some even have their own names: Khan, Tenderness, Thor.
Fountain of youth
This legend appeared in the Caucasus not by chance, because it is here that there are so many healing springs. The legend tells that somewhere far away in the mountains there is a source of eternal youth. Many heroes searched for her, but if they did not find her, they did not say. And many simply did not return - after all, with water that gives youth, it is so easy to overdo it. He drank too much - and became a baby who will not tell anyone anything.
The Mystery of El-Tyubu
“City of the Dead” is the name of the cemetery near the village of El-Tubyu in the Chegem Gorge of Kabardino-Balkaria. This place is also called the "Nest of Eternal Youth". Ground crypts are like small houses. It is generally accepted that they began to build around the XIII century. There are many legends associated with the cemetery. One says that during the excavations, the remains of two giants guarding the valley were found here (the height of men was a little more than two meters, which was rare in ancient times). The question remains - who did they protect?
Legends say that the village itself is famous for its centenarians, and this is allegedly due to the fact that it stands on top of a huge hidden pyramid.
Towers of Svaneti
Another mystery of the Caucasus is the towers of Svaneti (Georgia). Towers can be seen in many villages. It is not clear what role they played. It is known that they were built from the 8th to the 13th centuries, then they stopped building them. Svan towers have three floors: the first is monolithic, the second has an entrance to which a wooden staircase leads. The walls are vertical and the roof is crenellated. Each tower has only one narrow window, and it faces south. There is no hearth or stove. Their purpose is still unclear: it is difficult to defend in them, they do not protect against avalanches. The current population often uses them as storage facilities.
In our country, there are many official holidays and days dedicated to a particular profession.
Dibir-Ali Khazamov at the excavations of Kentoaf
Every year on August 15, archaeologists around the world celebrate their professional holiday. On this day, archaeologists who are in the field, at the excavations, especially like to receive guests, jokingly calling this day “Kurban Bayram” - “the holiday of the mound”. One of these expeditions is working today in the Karabudakhkent region, on the territory of the future largest cement plant in Dagestan.
Cement factory
The investment project for the construction of a plant in the vicinity of Karabudakhkent for the production of cement using modern German technology was developed several years ago. Dagestan is the leader in Russia in terms of residential construction, and its own Dagestan cement, of course, will replace supplies from other regions of Russia and neighboring countries.
The territory of the plant, on the one hand, is not so close to the necessary communications. Electricity, gas and water still need to be brought here 20 km away. On the other hand, the plant will be located practically on a clay deposit with the best performance for the production of cement. The construction site is a huge field surrounded by hills and small mountains, which also contain the materials necessary for production. In addition, the plant will be built in the central part of the plains of Dagestan, the export of products - to Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash, Derbent, regions of Dagestan, from where large expenses will not be required.
Before starting a large construction, according to Russian laws, ecological and archaeological expertise of the area is required. If there is a possibility of finding cultural monuments in this territory, it should be examined by archaeologists, all monuments should be excavated and investigated. Unfortunately, state funding for archaeological excavations has decreased utterly, and only such large investment projects how a new cement plant can become the basis for archaeological excavations and new discoveries.
It was in this way that the expedition led by the archaeologist Rabadan Magomedov, Candidate of Historical Sciences, discovered the Ortokolo settlement in the flood zone of the Gotsatlin hydroelectric power station. Expedition of Rabadan Magomedov with the participation of Vladimir Erlikh, Doctor of Historical Sciences, representing the Maikop branch State Museum East, began surveying the territory of the future cement plant.
Mounds in the steppe
In order to guess that ancient burial places may be located on the territory of the vast steppe, in order to find the alleged places of these burial places, to unmistakably identify ancient burial mounds, you probably need to be a magician or a seer. An ordinary person cannot understand why this particular area, where the earth is a little darker or, conversely, a little lighter than the earth around, contains many mysteries underneath, and a small elevation that is nearby, resembling a man-made hill, is a natural formation. Apparently, only a specialist of such a level and having such experience as Rabadan Magomedov can find burial places in the endless steppe by signs known to him alone.
When examining the territory of the projected cement plant, a burial mound consisting of several burial mounds was identified. The main barrow is 3.5 meters high and 30 meters in diameter. A barrow of this size was not built in one go. “Initially, one grave was installed, then a hill was poured, the core of the hill is visible on the cut, then more than 10 burials added to the burial ground,” said Rabadan Magomedov. “In addition, a stone ring of large boulders densely arranged next to each other limits the burial site with the letter C on the sides.” It is interesting that the stone ring is not closed, it is open towards the north. On the northern side of the barrow, no stones were laid. It is possible that this framing structure of the mound has a sacred meaning, it may be an image of the sun, some stones depict an offshoot from the main semicircle of stones, like cilia or prominences in the sun.
Big Mound Mystery
The most mysterious thing about this mound is that there are no actual burials in the ten burials found here. That is, there are empty stone graves without people buried there. In each grave, the researchers found two vessels, one large jug and a small scoop. Some were looted - the archaeologist Dibir-Adi Khazamov was able to determine the size of the vessels in it only by the traces at the bottom of the grave. And the fragments of these vessels themselves remained in the thickness of the barrow. Apparently, the vessels were broken by unfortunate robbers who expected to find untold riches here.
In the history of Dagestan, and indeed of the entire North Caucasus, this is the first case of such a "burial" - without buried people. Only two animal skeletons have been found. The analysis showed that these were foxes that somehow got into the burial ground, but failed to get out of it.
Vladimir Erlikh and Rabadan Magomedov put forward several versions of the reasons for the appearance of such a "burial ground". Perhaps this is not a burial mound itself, but a kind of memorial site for people who died in a foreign land, or went missing somewhere. The second version: the mound was used for some ritual or calendar holidays- the day of the vernal equinox, for example, and jugs and scoops - for ritual libations. The third version: the real burial is located somewhere nearby, and this mound was poured to divert the eyes of potential robbers.
Indeed, there have been many grave robbers since ancient times. On the side section of the mound, by the density and color of the earth, it is clearly seen that once a hole was dug in its center to central burial ground. And the slab itself, covering the main, central “grave” of the mound, was broken into several large fragments. In the large cenotaph - the central "burial" - everything was covered with massive slabs and smeared with clay, even air did not penetrate there. The robbers clearly identified the center and knew where the central grave was located, and penetrated into it, breaking the top slab. They pulled out the vessels that were in the "grave", archaeologists discovered these shards in the thickness of the earth. Not all fragments of the vessel have been found, but what has been reconstructed makes it clear the size and appearance of the vessels.
Middle bronze
According to archaeologists, the age of the mound is 3.5-4.2 thousand years. It belongs to the so-called Middle Bronze Age. Archaeologists judge this on the basis of the collected artifacts - clay jugs and shards, which are typical for that time. More precisely, the age of the mound will help to establish the radiocarbon analysis of the remains of foxes found in the thickness of the mound.
“The time of the Middle Bronze Age - the time of paganism, before the appearance of all monotheistic religions - there was neither Islam, nor Christianity, nor Judaism, in those years there was no Zoroastrianism, - Vladimir Erlikh said. - It was the time of the pyramids. The time when megalithic structures were created. From big stones truly cyclopean structures were built. Of course, what we see is far from Stonehenge, but it takes a lot of effort and effort to build such a large mound. a large number of of people".
Indeed, the steppe stretches around the mound, where there are no rocks, no stones that were used to lay the edge of the mound. There are no big or small stones here at all. This means that the locals brought stones on their carts from afar.
The very procedure of excavations - the opening of the mound - is quite complicated and requires a lot of methodical, painstaking work. Stripping equipment is brought in, then primary processing is done by local workers involved, and, finally, the most delicate work is done by archaeologists. It should be noted that all the work, each stage of it, is recorded by archaeologists with video recordings, photographs, each cut is recorded by the artist, and the location of each artifact found is recorded with the help of a level. Everything found is put on the plan. Reports on the expedition are received not only by customers - the builders of the plant, but also by the Academy of Sciences of Russia and the Ministry of Culture.
After the next fixation of the state of the burial ground, excavations continue. The stones with which the burial ground is strewn are disassembled, only the stones of the fence remain, and the documentary fixation of the excavations made is repeated.
At the bottom of the mound, archaeologists discovered a ravine filled with humus soil, this is, in fact, the trace of an ancient stream. The bottom layer of earth is called buried earth. And if this layer is broken, its color and texture are changed, it means that there is something to look for in this place.
In addition, a bonfire was found in the central part of the mound - traces of ash are visible. Coal can be used to determine the age of the burial ground using radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon analysis can show, with an accuracy of 60 years, when the tree burned in this fire was cut down.
As Rabadan Magomedov said, “ceramic fragments were found in the thickness of the mound, which are 2,000 years younger than the mound itself. These are shards of very beautiful red-engobed jugs. Unfortunately, this method of engobing, covering an earthenware vessel with a thin layer of the purest clay of a different color, has been lost. This pottery from the beginning of our era is very reminiscent of antique black-glazed and red-glazed pottery.”
Other burial mounds
The second mound is located almost a kilometer from the first, and by now only a few stones on the surface of the earth and an elevation almost invisible to the eye have survived from it. In a small mound, archaeologists discovered the grave of a child. According to the remains of the skeleton, it can be seen that a child of 10 years old was buried in the fetal position on its side, and at its head there was a small jug, which was once crushed by the thickness of the earth. The third mound did not bring archaeologists anything. And this, unfortunately, happens too ...
According to the findings of the expedition of the Dagestan Archaeological Service led by Rabadan Magomedov, nomads lived in this steppe. The results of soil tests taken from several pits dug in the search area indicate a small cultural layer. In the spring, nomads brought cattle here, set up their mobile wagons, and stopped at the banks of the river, which in ancient times flowed through this steppe. There was no permanent city or settlement, as evidenced by a small number of potsherds and other traces of a person from the Middle Bronze Age.
The excavations of the three burial mounds will be completed by the end of this hot summer. The result of these excavations will be, according to Rabadan Magomedov, 3d models of the found mounds. A few more mounds are outside the future construction site. Who knows what other finds and discoveries are waiting for researchers... After all, it often happens with archaeologists that the most interesting and unexpected is discovered at the last hour.
DAGESTAN - LAND OF MOUNTAINS AND MYSTERIES
Marina ANDREEVA
The pearl of Russia.... Since ancient times, people have called the Caucasus so. From time immemorial, it has attracted countless travelers, artists, poets and writers. How many the most beautiful legends came to us from these places, how many worthy people glorified not only their family, but also Russia as a whole ...
However, today, speaking about the region, we most often use negative vocabulary and operate with such expressions as “persons of Caucasian nationality”, “national people”. There are also slogans such as "Russia for Russians" and "Russians get out" from both sides. Disunity, mutual rejection, the desire to do something to spite each other, to provoke an illegal act... Some people get furious when the driver suddenly turns on national music in a minibus. Others, on a working day and on the roadway, suddenly decide to dance a lezginka for the sake of boredom. What happened to us?
The answer is simple. It was behind this useless bravado that we, having achieved nothing, lost respect for each other. Taking provocations as genuine culture and traditions, equating all Caucasians and Russians with the same brush, we have nurtured inter-ethnic hatred. And don't say it doesn't exist. Still no one will believe.
And even now we need not to convince each other of the opposite, but to change the situation radically, telling what the Caucasus really is. That is why we are opening a new column in our newspaper, Kavkaz.RF, where we will talk about the true traditions of the region, the people living here.
Let's start with Dagestan. Land of mountains and mysteries. Mysterious land, which since ancient times was famous for its hospitality, richness of customs, peaceful beauty of picturesque mountain scenery.
ECONOMY OF DAGESTAN
Now Dagestan is the most South Region Russia, located on the spurs of the ridges of the North Caucasus. In the west, Dagestan borders on the Chechen Republic, in the northwest - on the Stavropol Territory, in the north - on the Republic of Kalmykia, in the south - on Azerbaijan, in the southwest - on Georgia. The total area is more than 50 thousand sq. km. highest point Dagestan is Mount Bazarduzi, which has a mark of 4466 meters. The largest rivers are Terek, Sulak and Samur. The administrative center of the republic is the city of Makhachkala.
Profitable geopolitical position at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes Dagestan a strategically important transport hub for Russia. Since ancient times, major trade routes connecting the East with the West have been laid here. In the Middle Ages, the legendary trade route, the Great Silk Road, passed through Dagestan. Now the most important railway, automobile, air, sea and pipeline routes of federal significance run through the territory of the republic.
For example, the Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port, the only Russian ice-free port on the Caspian Sea, provides Russia with a direct access to international trade routes through the Caspian Sea and is one of the key transport infrastructure facilities in the North Caucasus.
However, despite all the advantages of its location, the food industry, electric power industry, oil production and mechanical engineering are of priority importance for the industry of Dagestan.
Plant growing is also developing in Dagestan. Winemaking is one of the traditional sectors of the republic's economy. A third of Russia's gross grape production falls on Dagestan, where more than 90 percent of cognac products are produced Russian Federation. State Unitary Enterprise "Kizlyar Cognac Factory", OJSC "Derbent Cognac Factory"... Probably, I will not be mistaken if I say that all lovers of the "drink of the gods" are familiar with these names. Noble Dagestan cognac is appreciated at its true worth international exhibitions and fairs and is the basis of the Kremlin alcohol fund.
The republic is also famous for its decorative and applied products. Here are such centers of applied arts as Kubachi ( jewelry, decorated with niello, engraving, enamel), Gotsatl (copper chasing, jewelry), Balkhar (painted ceramics), Untsukul (wooden products with silver notch, bone inlay, mother-of-pearl). The most common type of handicraft is carpet weaving. The secrets of the craftsmanship of carpet weavers are passed down from generation to generation. Dagestan carpets can be found in the museums of New York, Paris, Montreal, Milan, Tokyo. They cost from $150 to $700 per sq.m.
SIGHTS OF THE REGION
But still, the main wealth of Dagestan lies not in material wealth and opening prospects, but in its history, in a unique and original culture and the art of the peoples. modern civilization neighbors with unique monuments of antiquity, stone fortresses, functioning mosques, minarets and towers.
Do you know, reader, that one of the ancient cities Russia - Derbent, whose history goes back 5000 years. Founded in the 4th millennium BC, Derbent was an important center of civilization, a meeting point for roads from the south, north, west and east, one of the largest cities on the Great Silk Road. Architectural ensemble Derbent is impressive, it is impossible to describe all its monuments. Already Peter I drew attention to their value and ordered the first descriptions of especially significant objects of the city to be compiled. Of particular note is the Naryn-Kala fortress, whose age today exceeds 2 thousand years, and the walls have been preserved almost completely. The famous citadel is recognized by UNESCO as a monument of world importance.
Other beautiful place in the republic - Gunib mountains. By climatic conditions it is not inferior to the Swiss Davos and surpasses Teberda. And at the foot of the Kumtorkalinsky ridge there is a real miracle of nature - the largest sand dune in Europe, Sary-Kum. About 300 species of plants, including rare ones, live here. Despite the fact that the sand of Sary-Kum is a valuable and easily accessible building material, people were able to save this reserved corner of the Caucasus from destruction.
Addala-Shuhgelmeer is the third highest peak of Dagestan, having a height of 4151 m and covered with glaciers. It seems that the top of the mountain pulls six ridges towards itself, so from a bird's eye view the entire array resembles a star. Even on the territory of Southern Dagestan there is a unique complex, which is of great interest to climbers of any rank. This - Mountain peaks: Shalbuzdag (4149 m), Bazarduzi (4466 m) and Yarydag (4100 m), where the Russian mountaineering championships are held.
How many famous and talented people gave Russia and the world Dagestan! Among them are the poet Rasul Gamzatov, who told the world in his works about the Land of Mountains and its people, and the Hero Soviet Union, submariner Magomed Gadzhiev, five-time world champion in freestyle wrestling Ali Aliyev, the first Dagestani to be awarded the title of Hero of Russia, Magomed Tolboev, artist Khalilbek Musayasul, who was awarded many prizes and awards during his lifetime, whose marble cast of the hand is kept in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and many others.
POPULATION AND TRADITIONS
Dagestan is a unique constellation of peoples: Avars, Aguls, Azerbaijanis, Dargins, Kumyks, Laks, Lezgins, Nogais, Russians, Chechens-Akkins, etc. There is no other place in the world where more than a hundred nationalities would live in such a small area! It is no coincidence that even in ancient times the region was called not only the "country of mountains", but also the "mountain of languages". Three religions are traditional for the country: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
As for everyday life, here it is surrounded by centuries-old traditions and customs, some of which are still relevant today. For example, hospitality. Perhaps this is one of distinguishing features Dagestanis. A well-known proverb here says: “May such a day not come that a guest does not come to the house!” Therefore, since ancient times, the peoples had such a custom: when they sat down to have lunch or dinner, the food was divided equally between family members and an extra portion was separated in case a belated guest suddenly came. The guest should not need anything - this is the unwritten law of the highlanders.
What dishes are national for the Land of Mountains? For example, in every national region they prepare khinkal, which is served as a first or second course. Common dishes are "kurze", "chudu", which are prepared from various herbs, cottage cheese, vegetables, eggs.
Another obligatory rule, by which people not only live, but also try to educate the younger generation, is to always be honest and truthful. Folk wisdom teaches: the first dignity of a person is the mind, the second is friendship, the third is conscience, the fourth is good education, the fifth is happiness. Dagestan sages consider a person's birthday to be the day when he performed the first good deed in his life. The highlander swears: "I was born a man - I will die a man!"
In the village of Khodota there is a spring with surprisingly cold water. There are always a lot of jugs, buckets, cans around him. The dishes are not guarded day or night, and no one will ever encroach on the wealth of the housewives.
Meanwhile, a good and proper upbringing is possible only in a full-fledged family. Dagestan family rests on good traditions humanity. The most important of them is the respect of parents. Children should always be attentive to their parents. For example, the father comes home from work, the son takes the load from his hands, brings water, pours water on his hands, gives soap, a towel. At the table, it is customary to serve tea and food first to the grandfather, then to the father, then to the rest in seniority.
With parents and old-timers, you can’t keep your hands in your pockets, stand half-bent, you can’t scratch your head, nose, ear, smoke, chew, drink alcohol, prop your cheek or forehead with your hand. It is not customary for a son to sit down in front of his father without an invitation, you cannot speak loudly and laugh. Children answer questions modestly, briefly, respectfully. Only if these rules are observed, children in Dagestan are considered educated.
OH, THIS WEDDING, WEDDING ...
However, the most interesting in Dagestan are wedding ceremonies! And although the ceremony itself is not much different from the European one - the same trip to the registry office, a feast, songs and dances - the pre-wedding rituals can be very surprising.
For example, in some villages of Dagestan, during the engagement period, the groom's relatives can arrange a "holiday of women." They come to the bride's house with suitcases full of gifts. Mostly jewelry and dresses. The bride and her bridesmaids have the opportunity to try on many different outfits without any shops.
Many girls, observing tribute to traditions and honoring their elders, marry in national costume. True, a wedding dress is usually worn at a certain stage. wedding ceremony, the same dance of the bride or for ransom. For example, today, like two hundred years ago, 5 headscarves are thrown over the Gunib bride. The first is filmed at the parents' house when it is handed over to the groom. The second scarf is removed at the entrance to the groom's house, the third scarf - in the groom's house. The fourth handkerchief is taken off by the girlfriends to show the bride to the groom and relatives. The groom takes off the fifth handkerchief. For each removed handkerchief, it is customary to give a ransom. When the ritual is over, the newlywed can put on the now traditional European costume - with a white veil and a fluffy white dress.
Meanwhile, it is generally accepted that Dagestanis are reluctant to marry people who are not of their own nationality. This is not entirely true. Today, about 20 percent of families are marriages between people. different nationalities. As for creating a family with Russian people, about 85 percent of marriages of this kind are families in which the husband is Dagestan and the wife is Russian. Dagestan women marry Russian men much less often: such marriages make up only 15 percent of all marriages with Russians.
But, if you plan to connect your life with a representative Dagestan people, the following should be taken into account. Firstly, the groom's relatives may not be quite ready for an interethnic marriage. In Dagestan, marriages between equals are considered the strongest, and so far many of the relationships are arranged by parents. So a marriage between a Russian woman and a Dagestani can ruin their plans. And although in last years morals have become freer, it is important to take into account this feature and not be nervous if the parents at first try to arrange the marriage of their son with the bride that they themselves like. If they see that this is impossible, most likely they will not interfere with the choice of their son.
Secondly, there is one more unpleasant nuance... If your chosen one is the youngest son in the family, it is possible that you will have to wait a long time for the wedding. Relations between family members in Dagestan are built on respect for elders. And if your fiancé's older brothers are not yet married, then his family may ask you to wait until they arrange their lives.
BLOOD REVENGE...
Perhaps, only the lazy one does not know about this tradition of the Dagestanis. However, today it is no longer so relevant, and people try to solve all problems by legal methods. Bloodshed can be stopped if the killer repents and experienced negotiators are found. The act of reconciliation itself looks like this: on the appointed day, relatives from the guilty party in mourning go to the house of the relatives of the murdered. The culprit, who let go of his beard as a sign of sorrow and regret for his deed, hides under a cloak. The meeting of the parties begins with the reading of prayers. If the apology is accepted and the blood lover is forgiven, then the next of kin of the slain must shave the face and head of the culprit. This is a symbol of forgiveness for him. After all, peace is better than war. If people forgive each other, then God will forgive them. After forgiveness, the offender has a duty to help further family killed.
Here they are, our closest neighbors. Proud and steadfast, loyal and fearless, hospitable and hardworking. Heirs of a unique centuries-old culture, who have always been an example of courage, honor and valor. And, given this factor, is it so scary and unbearable to live next to each other?
Archeology is not just a science, but the key to the past of all mankind. From the smallest fragments of some objects, archaeologists recreate a picture of the past. But, in addition to romantic and alluring secrets, archeology is a serious and painstaking task. treatise. We were convinced of this by visiting two historical monuments of Dagestan - Mukhkai-1 and Mukhkai-2 in the Akushinsky district, where Dagestan and Moscow archaeologists have been working since 2006.
SEE AKUSHA AND…
A trip to the Akushinsky district of Dagestan for journalists of the republican media was organized by the Dagestan science Center Russian Academy Sciences, headed by its leader, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a well-known Russian archaeologist Khizri Amirkhanov. The trip took place on August 14, on the eve of Archaeologist's Day, which is celebrated annually on August 15. A group of 10 people gathered early in the morning near the DNC building on the street. Hajiyeva and, sitting comfortably in the Gazelle salon, headed towards the Akushinsky district. A faithful iron horse and a flat strip of asphalt under the wheels - what else can an avid travel lover dream of? However, sometimes you can even close your eyes to the absence of the second, when the beauty of the nature spreading around covers all the inconvenience from road bumps.
Probably, more than once each of us had to see a selection of photographs of beautiful landscapes different countries world, where mentally we have all been. But few people realize that we have a truly picturesque, mysterious and in some places completely untouched by man nature in Dagestan. Some of my fellow travelers, like me, traveled to this region of their native republic for the first time. We were surprised, admired and perplexed. We tried to capture the beauty on the camera along the way. But… is the lens capable of conveying emotion?
We were immediately warned that it would take about 3 hours to reach our destination, but, being impressed by what we saw, we did not notice how the time had passed. I take the liberty of speaking for all my colleagues, because I am sure that no one was left indifferent from this trip.
Having passed the village of Levashi, and then Akusha, we found ourselves in the area of Ainikab (Akushinsky district). Here at local residents archaeologists stop every year. When we arrived, there were no archaeologists at home - they go to the mountains from early morning, where they are located cultural monuments. But in the yard and inside the house we saw some finds.
STONE AGE TOOLS
Khizri Amirkhanov acquainted us with these finds: - It was a long time ago ... about 1.5-2.5 million years ago. So far, no one knows what they (the ancient inhabitants) were called, because their remains have not yet been discovered, but much can already be said from the signs discovered by archaeologists. The extracted archaeological finds consist of numerous stone tools, traces of a fire and animal bones. The main tool of the inhabitants of the studied sites was a chopper - a massive stone chopping tool. Well, various silicon products were used by ancient people as knives for cutting animal carcasses, processing animal skins and other purposes.
To make it clear to the readers of MI, I will tell you a little about the background of the excavations.
Archaeological excavations and research in the Akushinsky region began in 2006. The monuments belong to the Paleolithic - Stone Age. The reason for the start of the research was the results of the work that was carried out in the Ainikab area in connection with the construction economic object- Antennas for a telephone tower in 2005.
– Ancient man, like modern man, was looking for places rich in resources for his dwelling. The resource of life in those days was the availability of raw materials for tools, the availability of water, animals. And the area is rich in silicon, which in ancient times people used to make various tools. The presence of flint outlets prompted us to start excavations. As it turned out, our professional instinct did not let us down, Amirkhanov says. (Back in the 50s of the last century, the Dagestan archaeologist Vladimir Kotovich found in Akushinsky district whole line monuments of the Stone Age, but this era was singled out and widely accepted by researchers only in the 60s. - Note. auth.).
From the Ainikab locality to the Shaikhla-gIiniz locality, a ridge stretches, on which several points saturated with archaeological materials have been identified. This is Ainikab - 1, 2, Mukhkay -1, 2, and then "Gegala Shur" -1, 2, 3.
MUHKAY MONUMENTS
To get to Mukhkai-1 and Mukhkai-2, we had to transfer to off-road vehicles that took us to the mountain. These two cultural monuments are located on a mountain hill, but each is in different directions. Currently, active excavations are underway at Mukhkai-2.
The significance of these monuments lies primarily in the fact that they are the oldest not only for the central part of Dagestan, the North Caucasus, Russia, but also for the whole of Eurasia. The uniqueness also lies in the fact that the thickness of the geological deposits, which contain archaeological finds, exceeds 70 meters. For all this thickness there are 34 cultural layers (the concentration of the remains of the activities of ancient people).
– These monuments represent the historical, geological chronicle of human life and this territory for 1.5-2.5 million years. It is simply impossible to find other monuments that would allow us to consider the development of culture over such a long period in the same place, Amirkhanov says.
Along with Dagestan and Moscow archaeologists, geologists, paleobotanists, paleobiologists, paleontologists, paleozoologists and other specialists work at the Mukhkai-1 and Mukhkai-2 sites. For example, paleobiologists are engaged in the restoration of vegetation from pollen residues. They found that 60-meter trees and vegetation once grew in this territory of Dagestan, which are not typical for Dagestan today.
According to the results research work many articles are written on the Mukhkay monuments, scientific publications. The results of the work were included in school textbooks. And, as the scientists themselves say, thanks to these finds, the history of Russia has been lengthened by about 1 million years.
SILICON VALLEYS OF DAGESTAN
We were lucky to get acquainted with the head of the excavations at Mukhkai-1 - a researcher, candidate of historical sciences at the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow Alexey Seleznev. He said that the study of Muhkai-1 began in 2007. First, they dug a trench along the entire monument, it took 4 years, and then they began to selectively explore the cultural layers. Seleznev explained that the monuments are mostly named after the nearest settlement, such as Ainikab. And Muhkay is such a lesson ( ancient place human habitation), which appeared several thousand years ago. The local residents themselves do not know the literal translation of the word Muhkay. And the archaeologists have not yet reached the monument "Gegala-shur" 1, 2, 3. The Moscow archaeologist said that the Mukhkay monuments are identical in terms of culture and age. But only bones of fauna were found at Mukhkai-2, which was not found at Mukhkai-1. Scientists explain this by the fact that the natural conditions for these areas were different. As a result, animal bones were preserved on one monument, but not on the other. And silicon finds were found both in the first and in the second site.
– Silicon nodules (raw flint in a calcareous crust) lie just in the upper part of this ridge, one and a half million years ago these mountains were lower. Ancient man witnessed the formation of the Caucasus Mountains. Now we are at an altitude of 1.5 km above sea level, then the mountains were much lower, Seleznev said.
TWO MILLION YEARS BACK HOMO ERECTUS "Wandered" IN DAGESTAN...
The scientist told one story he heard from local residents.
Behind the ridge is locality Tsulikana, which in translation from the Lak language means "fiery stone". During Caucasian war there they made gunpowder for guns and carved fire from flint. This fact once again proves how rich these areas are in silicon deposits.
The fact that this territory was once inhabited by people, namely, bipedals (homo erectus - as scientists call them), is also evidenced by the presence of a river nearby. According to Seleznev, people of this period were mainly engaged in hunting, they knew how to make tools from silicon. And in the Ainikab area, an ancient fire was also discovered, that is, people already then dealt with fire.
Judging by the animal bones found at the Mukhkai-2 site, it can be concluded that this territory of Dagestan once had a savanna character - ancient elephants, giraffes, zebra-like horses, hyenas, antelopes, and deer lived here. As Seleznev says, small rodents are of great interest to scientists, rather than large animals. From the skeletons of small rodents, one can determine the exact age of the period, because they constantly evolved.
Alexey Seleznev also shared his impressions of Dagestan. He first came to the republic in 2003 with an expedition led by Khizri Amirkhanov. Before arriving in Dagestan, the expedition visited Kalmykia, the Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, and only then arrived in Dagestan. According to the results of this expedition, according to Seleznev, the most interesting monuments were found just in Dagestan.
In 2006, he came to Dagestan for the second time in order to thoroughly engage in excavations. For the past 10 years, every year in the summer he comes to excavations, and the rest of the time he studies the finds in the laboratory.
– Dagestan is a magnificent land both in terms of culture and nature. The history of archeology of Dagestan itself is very interesting. We almost got to the resort. Last year, I was personally lucky to participate in the excavations of Derbent, where sensational discoveries were made. And basically we are in the Akushinsky district, we already feel like a part of this area. And once again we were convinced how hardworking, kind and hospitable the Dagestanis are, - Seleznev shared his impressions.
P . S . Nothing in history disappears without a trace. Primitive tools were lost in caves and covered with earth. The sands of the deserts were carried by cities destroyed by conquerors or destroyed by earthquakes. Over time, the outlines of the shores changed, coastal areas of the earth went under water, and mountains appeared somewhere ... Archaeological excavations help to reveal the secret of the universe - how our ancestors lived in ancient times, when there was no written language and there was no evidence of those times, except material items. An example of this is the excavations of world significance in the Akushinsky district, where archaeologists every year unravel more and more new mysteries of history.
