People: Ossetians. History of Ossetia What Ossetians look like

Ossetian people is the result of a mixture of the ancient Iberian population of the Caucasus and the Alans - the descendants of the inhabitants of the Eurasian steppe.
In the X-III millennia BC. Europe was inhabited by the Iberian peoples who carried the Y-haplogroup G2. They were brown-eyed (blue-eyed people appeared later), had brown hair and did not digest dairy food. 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 tied to the mountainous and foothill regions because of the habitation of goats there, remained highlanders. Today, their descendants are common only in the Pyrenees and on the Mediterranean islands. The only place where Iberians survived in large numbers is the Caucasus. As arable land due to the mountainous terrain, it was not needed by anyone, except for the carriers of the haplogroup G2 themselves, who were just tied to mountain pastures.
It is this haplogroup that predominates among the Ossetians. However, it prevails not only among them. It is most widespread among the Svans (91%) and Shapsugs (81%). Among Ossetians, 69.6% of men are carriers of it.
Many of our readers ask why Ossetians, whose language is considered a descendant of Alan, have a Caucasian haplogroup, while Alans- the descendants of the Scythians and Sarmatians - should have had the haplogroup R1a1. The fact is that Ossetians are the descendants of not so much Alans as Alanks - carriers of the mitochondrial haplogroup H. The male part of the Alans was completely exterminated by Tamerlane, and the remaining women entered into marriages with Caucasian autochthons. It was they who passed on the Y-haplogroup G2 to the Ossetians.
As you know, children speak the language of their mothers. So Ossetians and retained 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 include 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.
Significantly enriched the Ossetian language, especially vocabulary, the influence of the Russian language. The modern Ossetian language is divided into two main dialects: Iron (Eastern) and Digor (Western). By definition of linguists, the Digor dialect is more archaic. The basis literary language the ironic dialect was established, which is spoken by the overwhelming majority of Ossetians. The Digor and Iron dialects of the Ossetian language differ mainly in phonetics and vocabulary, to a lesser extent in morphology. In Digor, for example, there is no vowel [s] - ironic [s] in the Digor dialect correspond to [u] or [and]: myd - mud "honey", syrkh - surkh "red", tsykht - tsikht "cheese". Among completely different words in two dialects one can name gædy - tikis “cat”, tæbæg - tefseg “plate”, ævzær - læguz “bad”, rudzyng - kyrazgæ “window”, æmbaryn - lædærun “understand”.

Ossetian wedding
In 1789, a written language based on the Church Slavonic alphabet was adopted in Ossetia. Modern Ossetian writing was created in 1844 by the 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 North Ossetians were again transferred to the Russian schedule, and the Georgian alphabet was imposed on the southern, administratively subordinate of the Georgian SSR, but in 1954 the southern Ossetians achieved the transition to the alphabet used in North Ossetia.
Everything Ossetians speak Russian. Education in elementary school is conducted in Ossetian, and after the fourth grade - in Russian with the continuation of the study of the Ossetian language. In everyday life, many families use Russian.
The self-name of the Ossetians is upon, and they call their country Iristoi or Ir. However, the inhabitants of the Digorskiy gorge and natives of it call themselves Digoron. These self-names reflected the former tribal divisions of the Ossetian people. In the past, the inhabitants of individual gorges also called themselves by special names (according to the names of the gorges) - Alagnrs, Kurtatpntsayi, etc.

Orthodox service in the Ossetian church
Most of the Ossetian believers are considered Orthodox, who 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. So, among the Ossetians, under the guise of St. George, the god of war Uastirdzhi is worshiped, and under the guise of Elijah the prophet, the god of thunder Uatsilla is worshiped.

Dzheorguyba is a traditional holiday dedicated to Saint Uastyrdzhi, celebrated only by men.
In the old days Ossetians lived in rural settlements called kau (hugu). Relatively small settlements predominated in the mountainous belt, often scattered along the slopes of the mountains or along the banks of rivers. The location of the villages on the steep slopes of the mountains was explained by the fact that convenient land was used for arable land and hayfields.
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 on one or two floors. In a two-story house, the lower floor was intended for livestock and utility rooms, the upper one for housing. The walls were laid dry with filling the voids between the stones with earth, less often with clay or lime mortar. Wood was used for intermediate floors and doors. The roof is flat and earthen, the walls were often raised above the roof, so that a platform was obtained, which was used for drying grain, wool and for rest. The floor was made 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 in the cold season with stone slabs or boards. Often, two-story houses had balconies or open verandas on the side of the facade. In the conditions of large families, houses were usually multi-room.

Ossetian house-fortress ganakh in the context

The largest room "hadzar" (khudzar) was both a dining room and a kitchen. The family spent most of their time here. In the center of the hadzar was a hearth with an open chimney, which caused a thick layer of soot to cover the walls and ceiling. Above the hearth, a chain for the boiler was suspended from a wooden beam in the ceiling. The hearth and the chain were considered sacred: sacrifices and prayers were performed near them. The hearth was considered a symbol of family unity. At the hearth, wooden pillars, which were richly ornamented with carvings, were installed, propping up the ceiling crossbar. The hearth divided the hadzar into two halves - male and female. In the male half, weapons, horns were hung on the walls, musical instruments... There was a semicircular wooden chair, decorated with carvings, intended for the head of the house. The ladies' 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 (uӕgӕgdon) stood out.

Ossetian village
Homemade food, from bread to drinks, was prepared in an Ossetian village by a woman. In the distant past, bread in the mountains was baked from millet and barley flour. In the XIX century. used barley, wheat and corn bread. Corn chureks were baked without yeast, wheat bread was also predominantly insipid. Wheat bread is most commonly used today. Of the national flour products, pies with meat and cheese, stuffed with beans and pumpkin are especially common.
Of dairy products and dishes, the most common are cheese, ghee, kefir, milk soups and various cereals with milk (especially corn porridge). Cheese mixed with flour is used to prepare National dish Ossetian - dzykka.

Modern Ossetians

At home, the cheese is made old and in a simple way... It is not boiled: freshly milked, non-skimmed milk, still warm or warmed up, is filtered and fermented. The 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 the brine. In the same way Ossetians make cottage cheese.
In Digoria, kefir production became widespread. Kefir is made from fresh milk, which is fermented with special fungi. Ossetian kefir has medicinal properties and is very useful for tuberculosis patients.
The national drink among the Ossetians is the 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 Caucasian ridge, fell under the power of the Georgian feudal lords. The bulk of the South Ossetian peasants were in serfdom from them. In the mountains of South Ossetia, princes Machabeli and Eristavs Ksan ruled. The best lands in the flat zone were owned by the princes Palavandishvili, Kherkheulidze and Pavlenitvili.

Ossetian agricultural implements
With the annexation of Georgia to Russia, many southern Ossetians moved to the north.
The overwhelming majority of Ossetian workers adhered to monogamy. Among the feudal lords, polygamy was widespread. It existed to a certain extent among the well-to-do peasantry, despite the struggle of the Christian clergy with it. Most often, the peasant took a second wife when the first was childless. Landowners, along with legal wives, who were of equal social origin, had illegal wives - nomylus (literally "wife by name"). Nomylus were taken from the families of peasants, since the peasants themselves could not marry them - there was no money for a kalym, called about by the Ossetians irӕd. Children from the nomylus were considered illegitimate and a feudal-dependent class of kavdasards (in Tagauria) or kumayags (in Digoria) was formed from them. In the rest of the regions of North and South Ossetia, the Kavdasards did not make up 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 tsukhkha - Ossetian Circassian. For sewing tsukh'hy, dark cloth was used - black, brown or gray. A beshmet made of satin or other dark fabric was worn under the Circassian. The beshmet is much shorter than the Circassian and has a stand-up stitched collar. In cut, the beshmet, as well as the Circassian, is a swinging garment tailored to the waist. Beshmet sleeves, unlike Circassian sleeves, are narrow. Wide trousers were sewn from cloth, and for work on the field - from canvas, very wide. There were also wide trousers made of sheep skins. In winter, they wore a sheepskin fur coat, sewn to the figure with gathering at the waist. Sometimes they wore sheepskin coats. They put on a burka on the way.
The winter headdress was a sheepskin or astrakhan fur hat with a cloth or velvet top, and the summer one was a light felt hat with wide brim. Woolen home-knitted socks, leggings and chuvyaki made of morocco or cloth lined were put on their feet. Chuvyak soles were made of smoked cowhide. In winter, hay was placed in the chuyaki for warmth. Leggings made of morocco or cloth served as the bootlegs. Very often they wore boots, Caucasian or Russian. The dagger was an invariable accessory and decoration of the national costume. Circassian was decorated with gazyrs.

Male choir of the North Ossetian Philharmonic
Women's festive long dress (kaba), reaching to the toes, was cut at the waist with a solid front slit. Usually it was sewn from light silk fabrics: pink, blue, cream, white, etc. The sleeves of the dress are very wide and long, but sometimes straight narrow sleeves were made, beveled at the wrist. In the latter case, velvet or silk oversleeves, wide and long, going down from the elbows by about a meter, were worn on a straight sleeve. A silk underskirt of a color different from the dress was worn under the dress, which was visible from the front thanks to the continuous cut of the dress. Gilded jewelry was sewn to the bib made of the same material as the underskirt. The camp was pulled together by a wide belt (most often made of gilded gimp), decorated with a gilded buckle. With a dress with sleeves in front, a short apron was strengthened under the belt.
A low round velvet hat embroidered with gold thread was put on the head. A light tulle kerchief or a scarf knitted of white silk threads was thrown over the cap, and was often limited to one scarf. They wore morocco shoes or factory shoes on their feet.

Look

The question of who the Ossetians are Muslims or Christians, and which religion is most widespread in North Ossetia, can be resolved only by considering the history of this people, starting from ancient times, when various tribes and ethnic groups lived on this territory.

History of the Ossetian people

Ossetians belong to the most ancient peoples of the Caucasus with a specific religious culture, a rather complex structure of customs and beliefs. Over the centuries, their religion retained pagan roots, and then, under the influence of Christianity, the characters of the pagan deities were firmly united with the Orthodox.

Therefore, the answers to the questions of who the Ossetians were before the adoption of Christianity and what religious beliefs they had should be sought in their historical roots, which originated from the Scythian-Sarmatians who founded the state of Alania here.

The inhabitants of the territory where North Ossetia is now located were the tribes of the Sarmatians and Alans, who back in the 9th-7th centuries. BC. settled here, creating a fairly developed "Koban" culture, the language of their communication was Iranian. Later, these settlements were raided by the Scythians and Sarmatians, who assimilated and formed new ethnic groups.

The appearance of the Sarmatian tribe of Alans happened in the 1st century. BC. and contributed to the emergence of the Alanian state in the V-VI centuries, the basis of which served as a military democracy. It included not only the present Ossetian territories, but also most of the North Caucasus.

The capital of Alania - the settlement Tatartup - was located not far from the modern village. Elkhotovo. On the territory of the Alanian state, 2 ethnic groups have developed:

• Protodigors (Asdigor) - the western territories of the Kuban, Pyatigorye and Balkaria, their population maintained economic and friendly relations with Byzantium;
• Proto-Ironians (Irkhan) - Eastern Alans (North Ossetia, Chechnya and Ingushetia), who were oriented towards Iran.

Christianization in the Alanian Empire

In the VI-VII centuries. Byzantine preachers appeared in Alanya, bringing the features of Orthodoxy into their life and religion. The process of Christianization was one of the forms of relations with Byzantium, which pursued its own political goals. With the help of Christian bishops and priests, the empire began to expand its spheres of influence and power in these lands, acting through local leaders through bribery and gifts, endowing them with various titles.

This happened in order to reduce the danger of an attack by nomadic tribes on the borders of Byzantium, which at that time inhabited the steppe and mountain regions from the North Caucasus and Meotida to the Caspian Sea. Therefore, the empire tried to provoke conflicts between them, and also tried to conclude an alliance with the steppe peoples in order to resist Iran.

The strategic position of the territories of the Alanian state contributed to the interest of the empire in its population, which, although they considered barbarians, with the help of Christianity, sought to strengthen relations with it. Until the middle of the 7th century. independent Alania was an ally of Byzantium in opposition to the Arab Caliphate in the Caucasus.

After the end of the Arab-Khazar hostilities, the political influence of the Khazar Kaganate was strongly strengthened, which was the tactic of Alania so as not to fall under the rule of the Arab conquerors.

The fall of Byzantium, friendship with Georgia

At the end of the X century. Alans enter into an alliance with the Rus, thus ensuring the victory of the Kiev prince Svyatoslav over the Khazars, which helped the state to free itself from the influence of the Khaganate and the Arabs. In independent Alania in the X-XII centuries. the period of the highest political, military and cultural flourishing begins.

The Christianization of the Alans during these years was greatly influenced by friendly relations with the Georgian kingdom, where King David IV the Builder and Queen Tamara ruled. They carried out an active educational, missionary and peacekeeping policy throughout the region. An important moment in the history of the consolidation of Christianity as the religious worldview of the Ossetians was the emergence of the Alanian Metropolitanate. Georgian missionaries who came to the Ossetian lands were engaged in the construction of small Orthodox churches, which later began to turn into pagan sanctuaries.

In the Alanian state in the 2nd half of the XII century. feudal fragmentation begins, and then after the raids of the Tatar-Mongols, it ceases to exist. In 1204, the crusader campaign and the capture of Constantinople led to the fall of Byzantium.

The era of the Golden Horde reign led to the isolation of the Ossetian population, which survived only in the areas of mountain gorges, isolated from other peoples and states. In the period XII-XIII centuries. there was a decrease in the influence of Orthodoxy in the North Caucasus region, the bulk of the population adhered to semi-pagan beliefs, remaining cut off from civilization.

Religion of Ossetians - a mixture of Christianity and paganism

Forming mountainous communities, the Ossetians preserved their pagan religion for many years. Even with the subsequent resettlement to the plains, they adhered to these ancient beliefs. According to the descriptions of travelers who visited them in the past centuries and were interested in what religion the Ossetians profess, it was noted that they adhered to mixed religious rituals.

In their religion, Orthodox traditions intertwined, the veneration of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary with semi-pagan holidays. Together with pagan deities (Ovsadi, Alardy, etc.), they worshiped Chiristi (I. Khristos) and Madii-Mairam (Mother of God), etc. Alans celebrated Orthodox holidays (Easter, Descent of the Holy Spirit, etc.), strictly adhered to fasts, went to the cemetery to commemorate the dead.

The Ossetian folk religion was created by a mixture of Christianity and paganism, in part - Mohammedanism. Moreover, the adherence to religious rituals was not always accurate, a lot was confused and mixed up, which is associated with the missionary movements of not only Christians, but also Muslims.

Influence of the Russian Empire

Since the 18th century. the next stage begins: Christianity comes from Russia. Orthodox missionaries preached religious dogma in the most remote mountain settlements, bringing with them goods for exchange and money to pay for baptism. Moreover, the highlanders managed to be baptized not only themselves, but also domestic animals in order to get more coins.

Ossetian Christianity took a peculiar form: they believed in Jesus Christ, but also in their pagan deities. The Ossetians did not go to the temples built by the Georgians. the service there was conducted in the Georgian language. And only at the end of the XIX century. local priests began to appear. After the foundation in 1880 of the Ardon Theological Seminary, where Ossetians studied, Orthodox churches began to be erected in settlements on the plains, which were supposed to resist the Muslim religion that had spread during those years.

Ossetians (Muslims or Christians) lived in mountain gorges in small groups, continued to celebrate their traditional holidays and pray to their pagan deities.

Islam in Ossetia

Information about the preaching and adoption of Islam by some families testifies to its spread on the territory of Alania in the 7th-10th centuries, after the Arab campaigns. According to some reports, even during the time of the Golden Horde, minarets were functioning, one of which - Tatartup - was destroyed in the 1980s.

However, in the official history of the Ossetians, it is generally accepted that the rich feudal lords (Digors, Tagaurs, Kurtatins) began to accept Islam from the Kabardian princes only in the 16th-17th centuries. Moreover, the poor mountaineers at that time remained Christians, but gradually they also adopted Islamic ideas. By the beginning of the 19th century. most of the families were Muslims, the only exceptions were the Alagir and Tual communities.

During the Caucasian War (1817-1864), the propaganda of the Muslim religion began to prevail and came from Dagestan: the arrival of the envoys of Imam Shamil helped spread Islamic ideas to 4 more mountain communities.

In the second half of the XIX century. The Russian government, following an anti-Islamic policy, is forcing Muslims to settle separately from Christians in order to prevent a further increase in the influence of this religion. In Islamic villages, their own imams appeared, who were educated in Dagestan and Kabarda, the spread of Arabic writing began, and religious publications were published. The Caucasian War, which lasted for almost 50 years, caused a partial resettlement of the mountaineers and Ossetians to Turkey.

Active anti-Muslim politics during the Russian Empire continued after the 1917 revolution by the communist government along with the propaganda of atheism. V Soviet time Islam was persecuted and prohibited.

Since the end of the 80s of the XX century, there has been an increase in the influence of the Muslim religion, which is expressed in the adoption of Islam by the Ossetians, who came from Muslim families.

Deities of folk religion

The native Ossetian religion believes in the existence of a God who rules the world (God of gods). There are other deities below him:

• Uatsilla - the god of thunder and light (Thunderbolt), the name comes from the biblical prophet Elijah;
• Uastyrdzhi or Saint George - the most important deity, is the patron saint of men and travelers, the enemy of all murderers and thieves;
• Tutir is the ruler of wolves, people believe that by respecting him, they prevent wolves from attacking livestock and people;
• Falvara is the most peaceful and kind deity, protector of livestock;
• Afsati - controls wild animals and patronizes hunters, looks like a white-bearded old man sitting on a high mountain, it is for him that traditional 3 cakes are baked, calling for good luck in life;

• Barastyr is a deity of the afterlife who cares for the dead in both heaven and hell.
• Don Battir is an aquatic ruler who owns fish and patronizes fishermen.
• Rynibardug is a deity who sends diseases and heals them.
• Alard - an evil spirit that sends massive diseases - a monster with a terrible face.
• Huytsauy Dzuar - patronizes the family and the elderly.
• Madii-Mairam - protects and patronizes women, the image is taken from St. Mary in Christianity.
• Sau Dzuar is the "black" patron of the forest, protecting from fire and felling, etc.

Religious holidays in Ossetia

Numerous holidays in Ossetia differ in their form and content, and in mountain villages they differ in their rules and customs. The main religious festivals of the Ossetians are as follows:

• Nog Az (New Year) is celebrated on January 1 by the whole family, when treats are put on the table: traditional 3 pies, fizonag, fruits and holiday dishes. A Christmas tree with toys is set up for children. The eldest, sitting at the head of the table, reads a prayer to God for the benefits expected in the coming year.
• Donyskafan - celebrated after 6 days, in the morning all women take basylt jugs and go to fetch water, where they pray for prosperity and happiness in the family, bring home water and spray all walls and corners, wash themselves with it. It is believed that such water helps to cleanse the soul, it is harvested for future use.
• Khairajity Akhsav - celebrated at night to appease the devils who, according to ancient legends, once lived with people. In "Night of the Devils" it is customary to slaughter a kid (chicken, etc.), and bury its blood so that no one finds it. The table set at midnight with refreshments was left first for the "unclean", and then they feasted with the whole family.
• Kuazan (corresponds to Easter) - the end of fasting is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon in April. All preparations are identical Orthodox holiday: paint eggs, prepare pies, meat. At the festive table, the eldest in the family prays, turning to Jesus Christ about everything that the Ossetians believe in: about the good for the family, about the remembrance of deceased relatives, etc. A holiday is arranged for the whole village (kuvd), general fun, dancing, visiting neighbors ...
• Tarangeloz is one of the oldest traditional celebrations, celebrated 3 weeks after Easter. Tarangeloz is the name of the deity of fertility, whose sanctuary is located in the Trusov gorge. A sacrificial lamb is brought to him, a holiday is celebrated for several days, horse races are arranged for young people.
• Nikkola, the name of an ancient saint known since the time of Alanya, is considered the deity of cereals, which helps to harvest. The holiday falls on the second half of May.
• Rekom - a men's holiday, named after the sanctuary, is especially revered among the highlanders of the Alagir Gorge. By tradition, a sacrificial lamb is slaughtered, national festivities and sports competitions are organized. For the duration (7 days), many families move to temporary buildings located near Rekom, ritual dances and processions are organized around the sanctuary, neighbors from other villages are invited to the tables with refreshments.

• Huatsilla - Thunderer God, taking care of everything that grows from the earth, a traditional farming holiday since the time of Alanya. His sanctuaries are located in different places, main in Dargavs on Tbau mountain. For festive table bake pies, slaughter a ram, offer prayers during the feast. Only a priest can enter the sanctuary, who brings offerings and a bowl of beer brewed specially for this day.
• Khetadzhi Bon is the day of Uastyrdzhi, which helped the Kabardian prince Khetag to escape from the enemies who persecuted him for adopting Christianity. Celebrated in the Holy Grove near the village. Suadag on the 2nd Sunday of July is a national holiday with a ram sacrifice ritual and a feast.

Religions in Ossetia: XXI century

The question of whether Ossetians are Muslims or Christians can be answered accurately by looking at statistics that confirm that 75% of Ossetians are Orthodox Christians. The rest of the population professes Islam and other religions. However, ancient pagan customs are still practiced and have become firmly established in the everyday and family relationships of representatives of the people.

In total, 16 religious confessions are now represented in Ossetia, among which there are also Pentecostals, Protestants, Jews, etc. last years Attempts are being made to create a "neo-pagan" religion, an alternative to traditional beliefs, but based on ancestral rituals and the way of life of the population.

Center of Christianity in the North Caucasus

North Ossetia is the only Christian republic in the North Caucasus; the dioceses of the Russian Federation are located in Vladikavkaz. Orthodox Church(ROC), which unite the believers of this region.

The native religion of the Ossetians has its own national identity and can become the basis for the existence of Orthodoxy in this country, which preserves the Christian values ​​and heritage of the Alans. The Russian Orthodox Church in Vladikavkaz begins work on the development of an Ossetian-language worship service, starting the translation of Christian texts into the Ossetian language. Perhaps, in the native language, traditions to conduct Orthodox services will return to the ancient churches scattered in mountain settlements.

The policy of the government of North Ossetia in the composition Russian Federation aimed at preaching and strengthening the Orthodox faith among Ossetians (Muslims or Christians).

The main population of North Ossetia (459 thousand people) and South Ossetia (65 thousand), also live in a number of regions of Georgia, Kabardino-Balkaria (9, 12 thousand), in the Stavropol Territory (7, 98 thousand), Karachay-Cherkessia (3, 14 thousand), Moscow (11, 3 thousand). The number of Ossetians in the Russian Federation is 528 thousand people (2010), the total number is about 600 thousand people. The main sub-ethnic groups: Ironians and Digors (in the west of North Ossetia). They speak the Ossetian language of the Iranian group of the Indo-European family of languages. The Ossetian language has two dialects: Ironian (which formed the basis of the literary language) and Digorian. Believers Ossetians are mostly Orthodox, there are Sunni Muslims.

The ethnogenesis of the Ossetians is associated both with the ancient aboriginal population of the North Caucasus, and with alien peoples - the Scythians (7-8 centuries BC), Sarmatians (4-1 centuries BC) and especially the Alans (from the 1st century AD). As a result of the settling of these Iranian-speaking tribes in the regions of the Central Caucasus, the indigenous population adopted their language and many cultural features. In Western European and Eastern sources, the ancestors of the Ossetians were called Alans, in Georgian - wasps (oats), in Russians - Yases. The alliance of the Alans, which formed in the Central Caucasus, which laid the foundation for the formation of the Ossetian nationality, was defeated by the Mongol-Tatars in the 13th century. The Alans were pushed back from the fertile plains to the south - into the mountain gorges of the Central Caucasus. On its northern slopes, they formed four large societies (Digorskoye, Alagirsky, Kurtatinskoye, Tagaurskoye), on the southern slopes - many small societies, which were dependent on the Georgian princes. Part of the Alans was carried away by the movement of the steppe tribes, settling in different countries of Eastern Europe. A large compact group settled in Hungary. She calls herself Yasi, but has lost her native language. From the end of the 15th century, the process of the formation of the Ossetian nationality (continued until the 18th century) and the development of the southern slopes of the Main Caucasian ridge resumed.

Most of the Ossetians professed Christianity, which began to penetrate into Alania from the 6th-7th centuries, the minority - Islam, adopted from the 17th-18th centuries from the Kabardians. Along with this, pagan beliefs and rituals associated with them were preserved and practically had a much greater significance. In the 1740s, the “Ossetian Spiritual Commission” began its activity, created by the Russian government in order to support the Christian Ossetian population. The members of the commission organized a trip of the Ossetian embassy to St. Petersburg (1749-1752), contributed to the resettlement of Ossetians to the Mozdok steppes. North Ossetia was annexed to Russia in 1774, and the process of the development of the northern plain regions by the Ossetians accelerated. Land transferred to Ossetians the Russian government, were assigned mainly to the Ossetian nobility. South Ossetia became part of Russia in 1801. After 1917, a massive resettlement of Ossetians to the plain began. In April 1922, the South Ossetian Autonomous Region was formed as part of Georgia. In 1924 - the North Ossetian Autonomous Region, which in December 1936 was transformed into the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the RSFSR.

For many centuries the Ossetians have been in close contact with the Georgians and mountain peoples, which is reflected in their language, culture and way of life. The main occupation of the Ossetians on the plains was agriculture, in the mountains - cattle breeding. The most ancient types of Ossetian applied art are wood and stone carving, artistic metal processing, and embroidery. Among the various genres of folklore, the Nart epic, heroic songs, legends, laments stand out. The most revered drink is beer, an ancient Ossetian drink.

In everyday life, the Ossetians retained elements of blood feud for a long time. The reconciliation ended with the payment by the guilty party of cattle and valuables (weapons, a brewing kettle) and the establishment of a "blood table" for treating the victims. The customs of hospitality, kunachestvo, twinning, mutual assistance, atalism differed little from other Caucasian peoples. In 1798, the first book in the Ossetian language was published ("Short Catechism"). In the 1840s, the Russian philologist and ethnographer A.M. Shegren compiled the Ossetian alphabet on the Cyrillic basis. It began to publish spiritual and secular literature, folklore texts, school textbooks.

In the second half of the 18th century, travelers North Caucasus European scientists first encountered Ossetians. Who are they? Where did they come from? These questions perplexed scholars who did not know much about the history of the Caucasus and its ethnographic genealogy.
The Ossetians were named by the Ossetian German, traveler and naturalist Johann Guldenstedt as descendants of the ancient Polovtsians. German scientists August Haxthausen, Karl Koch and Karl Hahn put forward a theory of the German origin of the Ossetian people. The French archaeologist Dubois de Montpere suggested that the Ossetians belong to the Finno-Ugric tribes.
According to the point of view of Doctor of Law Voldemar Pfaff, Ossetians are the result of a mixture of Semites and Aryans. The starting point for such a conclusion was the outward resemblance of the highlanders to the Jews, discovered by Pfaff. In addition, the scientist focused on some common features of the way of life of the two peoples. For example, there are such parallels: the son remains with the father and obeys him in everything; the brother is obliged to marry the wife of the deceased brother (the so-called "levirate"); with a legal wife, it is also allowed to have "illegal" ones. However, a little time will pass, and comparative ethnology will prove that similar phenomena were often encountered among many other peoples.
Along with these assumptions, the German orientalist Julius Klaproth put forward a theory of the Alanian origin of the Ossetians at the beginning of the 19th century. Following him, the Russian researcher, ethnographer Andrei Sjogren, using extensive linguistic material, proved the validity of this point of view. And at the end of the 19th century, the outstanding Caucasian and Slavic scholar Vsevolod Miller finally convinced the scientific community of the Alano-Iranian roots of the Ossetian people.
Long pedigree
The richest history of the Ossetian nation goes back at least 30 centuries. Today we have enough information to plunge into the study of the genealogy of this people, which reveals a clear continuity: Scythians - Sarmatians - Alans - Ossetians.
The Scythians, who declared themselves victorious campaigns in Asia Minor, the creation of grandiose mounds and the art of making gold jewelry, settled in the regions of the steppe Crimea and the regions of the Northern Black Sea coast, between the lower reaches of the Danube and Don, back in the VIII century BC.
In the 4th century BC. the Scythian king Atey, having completed the unification of the tribal unions, created a powerful state. However, in the 3rd century BC. The Scythians were attacked by related Sarmatian tribes and were partially dispersed, but a significant group of them was assimilated by the Sarmatians.
In the 3rd century A.D. the Goths invaded the Scythian-Sarmatian kingdom, and a century later the Huns came, who involved the local tribes in the Great Migration of Nations. But the weakening Scythian-Sarmatian community did not dissolve in this stormy stream. From it the energetic Alans emerged, some of whom, together with the Hunnic horsemen, went to the West and reached as far as Spain. Another part moved to the foothills of the Caucasus, where, having united with local ethnic groups, laid the foundation for the future early feudal state of Alania. In the 9th century, Christianity penetrated from Byzantium into Alania. It is still practiced by the majority of the inhabitants of North and South Ossetia.
In the 1220s. the hordes of Genghis Khan invaded Alania, defeating the small Alanian army and by the end of the 1230s captured the fertile plains of the foothills of the Caucasus. The surviving Alans were forced to go to the mountains. Deprived of their former power, the Alans disappear from the historical stage for five long centuries in order to be reborn in a new light under the name of Ossetians.

Ossetians are descendants of Alans - nomadic Iranian-speaking tribes of Scythian-Sarmatian origin. Language, mythology, archaeological and anthropological data prove that the Ossetians came about as a result of the unification of the Caucasian population with the Alans. This hypothesis was first put forward in the 18th century by the Polish scientist and writer Jan Potocki. In the 19th century, this assumption was developed by the German traveler and orientalist Julius Klaproth and subsequently confirmed by the research of the Russian academician Andreas Sjögren.

The ethnonym "Ossetians" originates from "Ossetia", which appeared in Russian from the Georgian name of Ossetia and Alania "Osseti". “Oseti”, in turn, was formed from the Georgian name of the Ossetians and Alans - “ovsi” or “axis” in combination with the Georgian topoformant - the ending “-ti”. Gradually, from the Russian language, the ethnonym "Ossetians" came to other languages ​​throughout the world. In Georgian and Armenian, Alans are called "wasps".

In Ossetia, at the request of the indigenous people, the question of renaming the Ossetians into Alans has been raised many times. At the Council of Elders of North Ossetia in 1992, it was decided to rename North Ossetia to Alania and the Ossetians to Alan. In 2003, the Alanian Diocese of the Greek Old Calendar Church advocated the renaming of the Republic of South Ossetia into the State of Alania, which happened after a referendum in the country in 2017. This decision was supported by 80% of the entire population of South Ossetia. Since ancient times, there have been several ethnographic groups of Ossetians: Digors, Ironians, Kudars and Tuals. Today Ossetians are divided into 2 ethnic groups - Digors and Ironians, where the latter prevail.

Where live

Ossetians live in the Caucasus and are the main population of South and North Ossetia, they also live in Turkey, Georgia, France, Canada and the United States. On the territory of Russia, Ossetians live in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Krasnodar Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia, Moscow and Rostov Regions.

Language

The Ossetian language belongs to the Iranian group, the northeastern subgroup, which is part of the Indo-European family of languages. This is the only surviving "relic" of the Scythian-Sarmatian linguistic world. There are two dialects of the Ossetian language - Iron and Digor.

Most of the Ossetians speak two languages. Bilingualism is mainly Ossetian-Russian and less often Ossetian-Turkish or Ossetian-Georgian.

Number of

The total number of Ossetians worldwide is about 755,297 people. Of these, about 530,000 live on the territory of Russia. In South Ossetia, the population is 53,532 people (2015). In North Ossetia - 701 765 people (2018).

Appearance

Ossetians are mostly dark-haired and dark-eyed, with a dark complexion. The forehead is wide and straight, the frontal tubercles are well developed, but the superciliary arches are poorly developed. The North Ossetian nose is straight, rather large and prominent, the mouth is small with thin straight lips. Often found among the Ossetians are blue eyes, brown and blonde hair. Most of the Ossetians are tall or of medium height, slender and beautiful. Ossetian women are famous for their beauty. Previously, they were even taken to Arabia for the birth of a beautiful generation.

Many scientists and travelers noted that Ossetians, both men and women, were distinguished by their strong constitution and good physical shape, the gift of speech, mental abilities and were perfectly oriented in the mountains.

Traditional Ossetian costume is used today as an element of festive ceremonies, especially at weddings. The national costume of a woman consists of the following elements:

1. shirt
2. corset
3. light dress Circassian with long sleeve blades
4. frustoconical cap
5. veil veil

There are many pairs of bird buckles on the chest.

The men wore a suit that consisted of the following elements:

1. trousers
2. Circassian
3. beshmet
4. leggings
5. hood
6. papakha
7. narrow ron - belt
8. dagger

Was very popular burgundy color, on top of which was embroidered with gold threads. In winter, Ossetians wore a burka as outerwear - a sleeveless cloak, brown, black or white sewn from felt.

V Everyday life Ossetian men wore beshmets, shirts, wide trousers and Circassians, sewn from a burka, canvas or cloth. In winter, the hat was a papakha - a high shearling cap; in summer, men wear felt hats. The color of the clothes is predominantly black and dark brown.

Women wore long shirts up to the toes, wide trousers, half-jackets made of nanki or chintz, with a narrow cutout on the chest. As a headdress, women used headscarves and various hats. The color of women's clothing is mostly blue, scarlet and light blue.

Religion

In Ossetia, the indigenous population adheres to Christianity and Islam. Among them there are those who respect traditional Ossetian beliefs.

The important religious rite "Three Pies" is associated with traditional Ossetian pies. The ceremony is held on large family or national holidays at weddings. Three cakes are served on the table and prayers are said. Three ribs of the sacrificed animal are served with the pies. If on a big holiday the animal was slaughtered at home, instead of ribs, you can serve the neck or head. The number 3 means heaven, sun and earth. 2 cakes are served at the memorial table.

Food

The cuisine of the Ossetian people was formed under the influence of the nomadic way of life of the Alans. The basis of the cuisine is meat cooked in a cauldron and seasoned with a spicy sour cream sauce. The dish was called tsakhton, or nury tsakhton. Since Ossetia is located in the Caucasus, shashlik occupies an important place in the national cuisine.

In early times, Ossetians lived mainly in the mountains, so their diet was rather scarce. Usually they ate churek bread and washed it down with milk, water or beer, prepared oat dishes popular among the people: blamyk, kalua and khomys. Meat was rarely eaten before, as there was not much of it in the mountains, and livestock was mainly sold to earn money for a living.

The most favorite drinks of the national cuisine of Ossetia are kvass, beer, braga, araka and rong. Ossetian alcoholic drinks: dvaino - araka double distillation, and "Tutyr's drink" - a mixture of kvass with arak. Ossetian beer is popular in the North Caucasus and in Russia. Celebrated special taste qualities this drink and many foreign travelers.

Ossetian pies are an important dish on the table in Ossetia. They have the most diverse filling and the name of the cake depends on it:

• potatojin - a pie with potatoes and cheese;
• walibah - rennet cheese pie;
• fydjin - meat pie;
• tsakharajin - a pie with beetroot leaves and cheese;
• dawongjin - pie with wild garlic leaves and cheese;
• kabuskagin - cabbage and cheese pie;
• nasjin - pumpkin pie;
• kadurjin - bean pie;
• kadyndzdzhin - a pie with green onions and cheese;
• baljin - cherry pie;
• zokojin - a pie with mushrooms.

Pies are made from yeast dough, the most popular is the Ossetian meat pie. At dinner parties, this is the main dish and is served separately. Round cheese pies are called walibah, or khabizjin, a cheese pie made in the shape of a triangle - artadzykhon. In an Ossetian pie, cooked for real national recipe, there should be only 300 dough and 700 g of filling.

Ossetian pies are known far beyond the borders of Ossetia, as Ossetian cheese and Ossetian beer. Today, pies are served in restaurants, cafes and cooked to order in bakeries. There are such bakeries in Russia, Ukraine and other countries.

It is worth noting that the arrival of Soviet power influenced the Ossetian cuisine, which subsequently underwent many changes and began to combine elements of European and Russian cuisine.

A life

For a long time the main occupations of the Ossetians were cattle breeding and agriculture. The plain was cultivated with corn, millet, wheat and barley. Gradually, people got acquainted with other crops, began to grow potatoes, and engage in gardening. Cattle were grazed in the mountains, goats, sheep and cattle were raised. Cattle breeding today provides the Ossetians living in rural areas with raw materials, food and draft power.

The Ossetians on the farm have long been engaged in the production of sheepskin and cloth, made various wood products: dishes, furniture, produced household items using stone carving, and embroidered. Wool processing is one of the most ancient occupations of the Ossetians.

Dwelling

The dwellings of the Ossetians are whitewashed huts or huts, which are located on planes. In the mountains, where there is no forest or there is practically no access to it, the Ossetian dwelling, or, as it is also called, saklya, is built without the use of cement, from stones and sticks with one side to the rocks. Sometimes the side walls are also united with the mountain.

The main part of the Ossetian house is a large common room, a kitchen combined with a dining room, where cooking is carried out during the day. This is because the Ossetians do not have a specific time for eating, and family members sit down at the table in turn: the elders eat first, then the younger ones.

In the middle of the room there is a hearth; above it, on an iron chain attached to the ceiling, hangs a boiler made of cast iron or copper. The hearth plays the role of a kind of center around which the whole family gathers. The iron chain on which the cauldron hangs is the most sacred object in the house. The one who approaches the hearth and touches the chain becomes a close person to the family. If you take the chain out of the house or somehow insult it, this will become a very big offense for the family, for which there was a blood feud before.

In Ossetian families, married sons were not separated from the family, therefore, gradually, when the sons got married and brought their wives to the house, new sakli and buildings were added to the house, including for household purposes. All buildings are covered with a flat roof, on which grain is often dried or bread is ground.

The culture

The architecture of Ossetia and its monuments, castles, fortresses, towers, protective walls and crypt necropolises are of great interest to scientists and tourists. They were built in various gorges that were inhabited by Ossetians. These buildings were reliable protection and shelter, provided freedom of family names and families.

Folklore of Ossetia is diverse, legends about sledges are especially popular. Many fairy tales, proverbs, sayings and songs have survived to this day. Songs reflecting the life of the Ossetians are distinguished, a special place is occupied by historical songs about heroes, which vividly reflect the struggle of the people against the landowners, known as the Tagaur Aldars and Digorsk Badelyats. Later, historical songs were composed about the heroes of the civil war in Ossetia, about the Ossetians who participated in the Great Patriotic War, and the heroes of modern times. Among the Ossetians there were many writers who had a tremendous influence on Ossetian creativity.

Traditions

Ossetians are very hospitable and treat their elders with special respect. In family and social relations, Ossetians have a strict etiquette.

Every family has rules that all its members adhere to:

• when an elder enters the house, regardless of origin, each Ossetian considers it his duty to stand up and greet him;
• adult sons have no right to sit in the presence of a father;
• the host does not sit down without the guest's permission.

The custom of blood revenge is now practically eradicated, but before it was strictly observed, which constantly led to wars between families and, as a result, significantly reduced the number of the indigenous population of Ossetia.

Hospitality is still an outstanding feature of Ossetians today, especially in places that are less affected by European culture. Ossetians are very hospitable and sincerely glad to guests, they always welcome and generously treat them.

Ossetian weddings include many old and interesting customs and ceremonies. Earlier and to this day, a bride must be given a kalym - a ransom. The groom acquires and collects the ransom on his own. The size of the kalym was determined by the dignity of the families who entered into kinship and the dignity of the bride herself. In some settlements of Ossetia, part of the kalym or all of the kalym went to the bride's dowry.

Matchmaking plays a very important role. Respected people who are relatives or close friends of the groom's family become matchmakers. They come to the house of the chosen one 3 times, and only then the parents give their consent to this marriage. Every time the matchmakers come home, the girl's father should be polite and hospitable; he discusses the size of the kalym with the matchmakers. The days of the matchmakers' visit to the beloved's house depend on how quickly the groom collects the ransom. At the last meeting, the father of the bride talks about his decision and the parties agree on the date of the wedding. It is believed that the matchmakers finally reached an agreement with the girl's parents when representatives of the groom's family give the bride kalym. From that day on, the bride is considered to be betrothed and her life begins to change. She can no longer visit various entertainment venues and especially meet there with the groom's family.

The next stage after matchmaking is a secret visit of the groom to the bride. The groom and his close friends must secretly come to the bride with a wedding ring, which is a symbol of engagement among all nations.

An Ossetian wedding is celebrated at the same time in the house of the bride and the groom. This event is very fun, with all kinds of treats and a large number of guests, usually at least 200 people. Neighbors, acquaintances who were not personally invited can come to the wedding. In this case, the owners are obliged to be hospitable.

A whole wild boar is traditionally fried on the festive table, homemade vodka and beer are brewed. There must be three cakes on the table, symbolizing heaven, sun and earth.

The holiday begins at the groom's house, his friends must organize an entourage, which includes the best man, boyfriend and named mother. They all go to the bride's house, where they are met, said a special prayer and invited to the house for the festive table. The bride and her friends go off to change into a wedding dress that deserves special attention. The bride's dress is very graceful and unique in its beauty. It is decorated with handmade embroidery, various stones, which makes it very heavy. The dress covers all parts of the bride's body, even the neck and arms. The bride's headdress is decorated with silver and gold threads, framed with a veil in several layers. The veil and veil envelop the bride's face and make it invisible to outsiders.

The bride's wedding hat with a veil is the subject of a funny wedding ceremony - ransom. Many guests try to steal her, but the bride's relatives are watching closely. In ancient times, it was considered a very bad omen if the bride's hat falls into the wrong hands.

When the bride is dressed in Wedding Dress, she sits in the wedding procession with her boyfriend and best man. The bride's road is covered with sugar so that her life is sweet. This should be done by the most close person bride, her mother. On the way, the wedding cortege visits special holy places for prayer.

After the official part of the wedding, everyone goes to the groom's house. So that there are many children in the house, and a boy is born first, the bride is allowed to hold the baby in her arms. Weddings in Ossetia are very funny, from the very beginning of the celebration to the end, guests do not stop dancing national dances.

Unlike other weddings, in Ossetian the main difference is the status of the bride. While all the guests are eating and drinking, the bride, with her eyes downcast, should silently stand in the corner of the festive table. She cannot sit down at a meal and eat, but relatives constantly secretly bring her treats.

The next important stage of the celebration is lifting the veil from the bride's face. This must be done by the most senior member of the groom's family. This ritual is held towards the end of the celebration. Before that, the groom's relatives must take turns lifting the veil and complimenting the bride. The bride should stand silently and modestly at this time.

When the bride's face is opened, she gives gifts to her father-in-law and treats them with honey. This suggests that living together will be sweet. Father-in-law, as a sign that they have accepted the bride, give her jewelry made of gold, which shows that they wish the young a happy and rich life.

Famous people

Soslan Ramonov, world champion and Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling in 2016

A lot of Ossetians became famous all over the world for their talents and outstanding deeds, became examples for posterity for pride and imitation:

• Khadzhiumar Mamsumov, twice Hero of the USSR, Colonel General, known as "Colonel Xanthi";
• Issa Aleksandrovich Pliev, twice hero of the USSR, general of the army.

During the Great Patriotic War the title of Hero of the USSR was received by 75 natives of the Republic of Ossetia.

The following personalities are known in science, art and culture:

• poet Kosta Khetagurov;
• writers Dabe Mamsurov and Georgy Cherchesov;
• director Evgeny Vakhtangov;
• conductors Valery Gergiev and Veronika Dudarova;
• film actors Vadim Beroev and Yegor Beroev;
• world famous scientist Vaso Abaev.

In sports, the Ossetians are very successful, especially in wrestling, which is why Ossetia was called a wrestling nation:

• Soslan Andiev, two-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion in freestyle wrestling;
• Baroev Khasan, Olympic champion and world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling;
• David Musulbes, winner of the 27th Sydney Olympic Games, World Heavyweight Freestyle Wrestling Champion;
• Arsen Fadzaev, the first winner of the Golden Wrestler award, 6-time world champion in freestyle wrestling, two-time Olympic champion;
• Soslan Ramonov, world champion and Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling in 2016;
• Artur Taymazov, silver medalist of the 2000 Olympics, two-time world champion, three-time Olympic champion;
• Makharbek Khadartsev, 5-time world champion, 4-time European champion, Olympic silver medalist, 2-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling in the 90 kg weight category.

And this is far from full list all the outstanding athletes of this sport. In 2008, 20 athletes from Ossetia took part in the Olympics.