Chechens. Chechen people: culture, traditions and customs

Chechens are the most ancient people of the Caucasus. They appeared on the territory of the North Caucasus in the 13th century as a result of the division of several ancient cities and are the largest ethnic group living in this territory. These people made their way along the Main Caucasian Range through the Argun Gorge and eventually settled in the mountainous part of the Republic of Chechnya. This people has its own centuries-old traditions and original ancient culture. In addition to the name Chechens, the people are called Chechens, Nakhche and Nokhchi.

Where live

Today, most Chechens live on the territory of the Russian Federation in the Chechen Republic and Ingushetia, there are Chechens in Dagestan, Stavropol Territory, Kalmykia, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Tyumen, Saratov regions, Moscow, North Ossetia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

population

As a result of the 2016 census, the number of Chechens living in the Chechen Republic amounted to 1,394,833 people. About 1,550,000 Chechens live in the world.

History

In the history of this people, several settlements took place. About 5,000 Chechen families after the Caucasian War in 1865 moved to the territory Ottoman Empire. This movement is called Muhajirism. Today, the bulk of the Chechen diasporas in Turkey, Jordan and Syria are represented by the descendants of those settlers.

In 1944, half a million Chechens were deported to Central Asia, in 1957 they were allowed to return to their former homes, but some Chechens remained in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

After two Chechen wars, many Chechens left their homeland and went to Arab countries, Turkey and Western Europe, regions of the Russian Federation and countries former USSR especially in Georgia.

Language

The Chechen language belongs to the Nakh branch of the Nakh-Dagestan language family, which is included in the hypothetical North Caucasian superfamily. It is distributed mainly on the territory of the Chechen Republic, in Ingushetia, Georgia, some regions of Dagestan: Khasavyurt, Kazbek, Novolak, Babayurt, Kizilyurt and other regions of Russia. Partial distribution of the language falls on Turkey, Syria and Jordan. Before the 1994 war, the number of Chechen speakers was 1 million people.

Since the Nakh group of languages ​​includes the Ingush, Chechen and Batsbi languages, the Ignush and Chechens understand each other without an interpreter. These two nations are united by the concept of "Vainakh" which translates as "our people." But these peoples do not understand Batsbi, as it was strongly influenced by the Georgian language due to the Batsbi living in the gorges of Georgia.

The Chechen language has a number of subdialects and the following dialects:

• Shatoi
• Cheberloevsky
• planar
• Akkinsky (Aukhovsky)
• Sharoi
• Itum-Kalinsky
• Melkhinsky
• Kistian
• Galanchozhian

With the use of a flat dialect, the Chechen language is spoken by residents of the environs of Grozny, literature is created in it, including fiction, newspapers, magazines, Scientific research and textbooks. The works of classical world music were translated into Chechen fiction. Chechen words are difficult, but they sound very beautiful.

Writing until 1925 was based on Arabic. Then, until 1938, it developed on the basis of the Latin script, and from this year to the present, the Chechen script is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. There are many borrowings in the Chechen language, up to 700 words from Turkic languages ​​and up to 500 from Georgian. There are many borrowings from Russian, Arabic, Ossetian, Persian and Dagestan. Gradually, foreign words appeared in the Chechen language, for example: rally, export, parliament, kitchen, dance, mouthpiece, avant-garde, taxi and broth.

Religion

Most of the Chechens profess the Shafi madhhab of Sunnism. Among the Chechens, Sufi Islam is represented by the tarikats: the Naqshbandiya and the Kadiriya, which are divided into religious groups called vird brotherhoods. Their total number among the Chechens is 32. The most numerous Sufi brotherhood in Chechnya is the zikrists - followers of the Chechen Kadiri sheikh Kunta-Khadji Kishiev, and small species that descended from him: Mani-sheikh, Bammat-Girey Khadzhi and Chimmirza.

Names

Chechen names include three components:

1. Names borrowed from other languages, mainly through Russian.
2. Originally Chechen names.
3. Names borrowed from Arabic and Persian.

A large number of old names are derived from the names of birds and animals. For example, Borz is a wolf, Lecha is a falcon. There are names containing structure verb form, names in the form of independent participles formed from adjectives and qualitative adjectives. For example, Dika translates as "good". There are also compound names in the Chechen language, which are made up of two words: soltan and bek. For the most part, female names are borrowed from the Russian language: Raisa, Larisa, Louise, Rose.

It is important to remember the dialect and its differences when pronouncing and writing names, since a name pronounced differently can have different meanings, for example, Abuyazid and Abuyazit, Yusup and Yusap. In Chechen names, the stress always falls on the first syllable.

Food

Previously, the basis of the diet of the Chechen people was mainly corn porridge, shish kebab, wheat stew and homemade bread. The cuisine of this people is one of the simplest and most ancient. Lamb and poultry remain the main products for cooking, the main components of many dishes are hot spices, garlic, onions, thyme, and peppers. An important component of dishes is greens. Chechen dishes are very satisfying, nutritious and healthy. A lot of food is made from cheese, wild garlic, cottage cheese, corn, pumpkin and dried meat. Chechens love meat broths, beef, boiled meat, they don’t eat pork at all.

Meat is served with dumplings made from corn or wheat flour, and with garlic seasoning. One of the main positions in the Chechen cuisine is occupied by flour products with various fillings from potatoes, cottage cheese, pumpkin, nettles and wild garlic. Chechens bake several types of bread:

• barley
• wheat
• corn

Siskal cakes are baked from cornmeal, which used to be carried along with dried meat and taken on the road. Such food has always satisfies hunger well and saturates the body.

A life

The main occupation of the Chechens has long been cattle breeding, hunting, beekeeping and arable farming. Women were always responsible for household work, weaving cloth, making carpets, cloaks, felt, sewing shoes and dresses.

dwelling

Chechens live in auls - villages. Because of natural conditions housing areas are different. Chechens living in the mountains have houses built of stone and are called sakli. Such sakli were also built from adobe, they can be erected in a week. Unfortunately, many had to do this when the villages were often attacked by enemies. On the plains they built mainly turluch houses, neat and bright inside. Wood, clay and straw were used for construction. The windows in the houses are unframed, but fitted with shutters to keep out the wind and cold. At the entrance there is a canopy that protects from heat and rain. The houses were heated by fireplaces. Each house has a kunatskaya, which consists of several rooms. In them, the owner spends the whole day and in the evening returns to the family. The house has a fenced yard. A special oven is being built in the yard, in which bread is baked.

During construction, it was important to take into account safety and reliability, the ability to defend if the enemy attacks. In addition, hayfields, water, arable land and pastures were to be located nearby. The Chechens took care of the land and chose places for housing construction even on the rocks.

The most common in mountain villages were one-story houses with flat roofs. Chechens also built houses with 2 floors, towers with 3 or 5 floors. The dwelling house, tower and outbuildings were collectively called estates. Depending on the relief of the mountains, the building of estates was horizontal or vertical.

Appearance

In anthropology, Chechens are a mixed type. Eye color can be from black to dark brown and from blue to light green. Hair color - from black to dark blond. The nose of Chechens is often concave and upturned. Chechens are tall and well built, women are very beautiful.

Casual wear Chechen man consists of the following elements:

• chekmen, sewn from gray or dark fabric;
• arkhaluks, or beshmets, of various colors, were worn white in summer;
• harem pants narrowed down;
• cloth leggings and chiriki (shoes without soles).

Elegant dresses are sheathed with lace, special attention is paid to the decoration of weapons. In bad weather, they wore a hood or cloak, which Chechen women sewed very skillfully. Shoes were mainly made from rawhide. Many wore Caucasian soft boots. The rich wore chuvyaks and black morocco boots, to which buffalo leather soles were sometimes sewn.

The main headdress of a Chechen is a cone-shaped hat, which ordinary people made from sheepskin, and the rich from the skins of a Bukhara lamb. In the summer, they wore a hat made of felt.

In the form of decorations, bone gaztris were sewn onto men's suits, and a belt with silver plaques was put on. The image was completed with a dagger made by local craftsmen.

Women wore:

• long shirts to the knees, blue or red;
• wide trousers, which were tied at the ankles;
• on top of the shirt they put on a long dress with wide and long sleeves;
• young women and girls wore dresses gathered at the waist with a belt made of cloth. Dresses in older women without folds and belts, wide;
• the head was covered with a scarf made of silk or wool. Elderly women wore bandages under a scarf that tightly fitted their heads and descended on their backs in the form of a bag. It was covered with braided hair. Such a headdress was also very common in Dagestan;
• women wore chuvyaks as shoes. Wealthy families wore galoshes, shoes and boots of local or urban production.

Women's clothing from a wealthy family was distinguished by sophistication and luxury. They sewed it from expensive fabrics, sheathed it with silver or gold galloons. Rich women were very fond of wearing jewelry: silver belts, bracelets and earrings.

In winter, Chechens wore a beshmet on wadding with clasps made of metal or silver. The sleeves of the clothes below the elbow were split and fastened with buttons made of simple or silver threads. Beshmet was sometimes worn in the summer.

In Soviet times, Chechens switched to urban clothes, but many men retained the traditional headdress, which they rarely parted with. Today, many men and old people wear hats, Circassians and beshmets. In Chechnya, Caucasian shirts with a standing collar are found on men.

Female the National costume survived to this day much more. And now older women wear chokhta, dresses with harem pants and homemade dudes. Young women and girls prefer city-cut dresses, but they are sewn with long sleeves and a closed collar. Shawls and shoes today are of urban production.

Character

Chechens are cheerful, impressionable and witty people, but at the same time they are distinguished by severity, deceit and suspicion. These character traits were probably developed among the people in the course of centuries of struggle. Even the enemies of the Chechens have long recognized that this nation is brave, indomitable, dexterous, hardy and calm in the fight.

Important for Chechens is the ethical code of honor of Konakhalla, which is a universal code of conduct for any man, regardless of his religion. This code reflects all the norms of morality that a believer and a worthy son of his people possess. This code is ancient and existed among the Chechens in the Alanian era.

Chechens never raise a hand against their children because they don't want them to grow up to be cowards. These people are very attached to their homeland, to which various touching songs and poems are dedicated.

Traditions

Chechens have always been known for their hospitality. Even in ancient times, they always helped travelers, gave them food and shelter. This is the way it is in every family. If a guest liked something in the house, the hosts should give it to him. With guests, the host takes a place closer to the door, thereby showing that the guest is the most important in the house. The owner must remain at the table until last guest. It is indecent to interrupt the meal first. If a relative, even a distant one, or a neighbor has entered the house, the younger members of the family and young men should serve him. Women should not show themselves to guests.

Many people think that women's rights are violated in Chechnya, but in reality this is far from the case. A woman who was able to raise a worthy son, along with other family members, has the right to vote during decision-making. When a woman enters the room, the men present must stand up. When a woman comes to visit, special ceremonies and customs are also held in her honor.

When a man and a woman walk side by side, she should be one step behind, the man is obliged to take the danger first. The young wife must first feed his parents and then himself. If there is even the most distant relationship between a girl and a guy, marriage between them is prohibited, but this is not a gross violation of traditions.

The father is always considered the head of the family, the woman looks after the household. The husband and wife do not call each other by name, but say “my wife” and “my husband”, “the one in the house”, “the mother of my children”, “the owner of this house”.

It is humiliating and insulting for a man to interfere in women's affairs. When a son brings a daughter-in-law into the house, the main obligations fall on her household. She should get up before everyone else, do the cleaning and go to bed last. Previously, if a woman did not want to follow the rules of the family, she could be punished or kicked out.

The daughter-in-law is brought up by the husband's mother, who is called nana. A young wife should not freely talk with her mother-in-law, show herself in front of her with her head uncovered and in an untidy appearance. Nana can shift some of her responsibilities to her older daughter-in-law. In addition to the household, the husband's mother must observe all traditions and family rituals. The oldest woman in the family has always been considered the keeper of the hearth.

It is very uncivilized to interrupt the elder and start a conversation without his request and permission. The younger ones should always let the elder pass, politely and respectfully greet him. It is a great insult for a man if someone touches his hat. This is tantamount to a public slap in the face. If the children have a fight, the first thing parents will scold their child and only then begin to figure out who is to blame and who is right. If the son has started smoking, the father, through the mother, should inspire him that it is very harmful and unacceptable, and give up this habit himself.

This people has a custom of avoidance, which forbids showing feelings in public. It is extended to all family members. Everyone should behave with restraint in public. The Chechens still have the cult of fire and hearth, the tradition of swearing and cursing with fire.

Many rites and rituals are associated with weapons and war. It was considered a shame and cowardice to get a sword from the scabbard in front of an enemy or offender and not use it. At 63, men reached the age of untying their belts, they could go out into the street without weapons. And to this day, the Chechens have preserved such a custom as blood feud.

A Chechen wedding consists of many rituals and traditions. The groom was forbidden to see the bride before the wedding and for some time after the celebration. Wedding Dress is both a festive outfit for girls and young women. It is sewn from bright or white silk, there is a continuous slit in front of the dress. On both sides, an ornament in the form of silver buttons of Kubachi production is sewn in the chest area. The dress is complemented by a silver belt of the Caucasian type. A white scarf is put on the head, which completely covers the head and hair of the bride. Sometimes they wear a veil over a scarf.

culture

Chechen folklore is diverse and includes genres that are characteristic of the oral folk art of many peoples:

• everyday fairy tales, fairy tales, about animals;
• mythology;
• heroic epic;
• lyrical, labor, ritual, heroic-epic, lullaby songs;
• legends;
• puzzles;
• sayings and proverbs;
• children's folklore (riddles, tongue twisters, counting rhymes, songs);
• religious folklore (tales, songs, nazms, hadiths);
• creativity of tyulliks and zhukhurgs;

Chechen mythology, the names of deities who personified the elements of nature, have been preserved quite fragmentarily. The musical folklore of the Chechens is bright and original, they amazingly dance the national Chechen dance Nokhchi and Lezginka (Lovzar). Music is of great importance to this people. With its help, they express hatred, look to the future and remember the past. Many of the national musical instruments are still common today:

• dechig-pondar
• adhyokhu-pondar
• zurna
• dudka shiedag
• bagpipes
• vota drum
• tambourine

The instruments were used for ensemble and solo performance. On holidays, a joint game is played on different instruments.

Famous personalities

Among the Chechen people there are many prominent personalities in politics, sports, creativity, science and journalism:

Buvaysar Saitiev, 3-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling

• Movsar Mintsaev, opera singer;
• Mahmud Esambaev, People's Artist of the USSR, dance master;
• Umar Beksultanov, composer;
• Abuzar Aidamirov, poet and writer, classic of Chechen literature;
• Abdul-Khamid Khamidov, playwright, bright talent of Chechen literature;
• Katy Chokaev, linguist, professor, doctor philological sciences;
• Raisa Akhmatova, people's poetess;
• Sherip Inal, screenwriter and film director;
• Kharcho Shukri, calligrapher;
• Salman Yandarov, surgeon, orthopedist, candidate of medical sciences;
• Buvaysar Saitiev, 3-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling;
• Salman Khasimikov, 4-time freestyle wrestling champion;
• Zaurbek Baysangurov, boxer, twice European champion, world champion in light and welterweight;
• Lechi Kurbanov, European champion in Kyokushin karate.

The origin of any nation is a complex problem, which takes decades to solve. The problem is all the more difficult because the data of only one branch of the humanities, say, the data of linguistics, archeology or ethnography taken separately, are insufficient for its solution. To the greatest extent, what has been said applies to those peoples who did not have their own written language in the historical past, to which Chechen-Ingush people .
Chechens and Ingush, like other peoples, have gone through a complex and long path of development. This path is measured in millennia, and the only companion of the people, a witness to its past history that has survived to this day, is the language in which the past of the Vainakhs is imprinted.

"Language data," says Prof. V.I. Abaev - if they are correct interpreted, acquire , along with others evidence, of great importance in solving ethnogenetic questions." (V.I. Abaev “. Ethnogenesis of the Ossetians according to the language. Abstracts of the scientific session devoted to the problem of the origin of the Ossetian people. Ordzhonikidze, 1966, p. 3). Such branches of linguistics as toponymy and ethnonymy are called upon to render a special service in solving this problem. Great service in resolving issues of ethnogenesis are called upon to provide dialects in which, in mothballed form, the dead forms of the language are preserved, which served as the designation of objects, concepts and ideas of the people in the historical past.
Historical science does not have any convincing information about the social differentiation of Chechens and Ingush in the early and late Middle Ages. But according to some historians, the Chechens and Ingush had a tribal system, almost in the 18-19 centuries. The data of language and ethnography convincingly refute these arguments as bankrupt.
In the Chechen and Ingush languages, the terms ela (alla) - prince, lai - slave, yalkho - hired worker, vatsarho - exploited and others who speak of the existence of princes and slaves among the Chechens and Ingush, even in the distant past.
About the existence of Christianity among the Chechens and Ingush (and Christianity as monotheistic religion cannot exist among a people with a tribal system), also testify terms denoting the attributes of this ideology, for example: kersta - Christian (cf. Russian. Cross), j1ar - cross, bibal - bible, kils - church (cargo, eklisi) and others.
At the same time, it should be remembered that in the vocabulary of the language there are no words that arose on their own, that "neither thought nor language form a special kingdom in themselves ... they are only manifestations of real life." (K. Marx, F. Engels).
Making an attempt in this article to express our views on the issue of the ethnogenesis of the Chechens and Ingush, we, of course, rely mainly on the data of the language, but at the same time, if possible, we use data from other related sciences.
Chechens, Ingush and Tsovo-Tushins (Batsbians), being related in language, material and spiritual culture, constitute one of the groups of the so-called Iberian-Caucasian ethnic family, which includes the autochthonous peoples of Dagestan, Georgia, Adygea, Circassia and Kabardino-Balkaria Georgians, Adyghes, Circassians, Kabardians, Avars, Dargins, Laks, Lezgins and others. In this ethnic family, scientists include the Basques of Spain and the south of France.
All these peoples are related to each other in origin and language. This means that the once united people broke up into several nationalities. Each with its own language and other ethnic characteristics, although close. The multilingualism of the Caucasus is a consequence of the differentiation of a single ethnic monolith, which, according to most scientists, developed in the Ciscaucasian steppes and in Ancient Western Asia, which was cultural and historical commonality with the Caucasian Isthmus.
Scientists came to the conclusion that the Caucasian ethnic community presumably formed about 5 thousand years BC. in Asia Minor, begins a gradual migration movement towards the Caucasian Isthmus, to the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas. This migration flow did not subside until 2 thousand years BC. and, seeping into the mountain gorges in the direction from south to north, covers the entire Caucasian region.
According to anthropologist Prof. V.V. Bunak, the settlement of “the North Caucasus took place in two streams, one moving along the western outskirts of the Caucasus, the other along the eastern one ... In the center of the Caucasus, they met and formed their own peculiar type, found in various modifications south of the Main Caucasian Range.” (E.I. Krupnov. “Medieval Ingushetia“. M., 1971, p. 42).
This ethnic stream, representing a conglomerate of related tribal formations, with insignificant differences in language, material and spiritual culture. With the weakening of the migration movement (the turn of 3-2 thousand), there is a further differentiation of ethnic units and a deepening of differences between the once kindred tribes. By this time, the beginning of the disintegration of a single Caucasian ethnic array into three ethnic regions should be attributed - Dagestan-Konakh, Kartvelian and Abkhaz-Adyghe. Such a conclusion is based not only on the data of the language, but also of archeology. By this time, the first states of the Middle East had already taken shape (Sumer, Elam, Urartu, Mitania, etc.), whose languages ​​we find analogies in the languages ​​of the modern peoples of the Caucasus, in particular the Chechens and Ingush, as evidence of the former ethnic unity of the latter with the peoples who created these ancient civilizations of mankind. The heritage of this unity can also be traced in some features of the spiritual and material culture of the Chechens and other peoples of the Caucasus. The Caucasian languages ​​and culture of the peoples of the Caucasus also find analogies in the culture and language of the Hurrians, Hittites, Urartu, Albania, Greece, the Etruscans and other ancient peoples and state formations. So, for example, according to the unanimous opinion of scientists, the Greeks carried the myth known to mankind " About chained Prometheus" from the Caucasus. And in the folklore of many peoples of the Caucasus there are legends about chained heroes with a content similar to the Greek myth. The Chechen version of the myth is especially striking, which almost completely coincides with the Greek myth of the Aeschylus version. (See our: "The image of Prometheus in the folklore of the Chechens and Ingush." ​​Izvestia CHIIIIYAL, v.6. Grozny 1971).
“In Greek ... - said acad. M.Ya. Marr, - such simple words as soul, brother, sea are Japhetic (i.e. Caucasian - K.Ch.). The names of the gods, heroes, villages, mountains, rivers of Greece are Japhetic" (N.Ya. Marr. Armenian culture, its roots and prehistoric connections according to linguistics. In the collection "Language and History". M., 1936, p. 80 ).
GA. Melishvili in his work "On the History of Ancient Georgia". (Tbilisi, 1954) locates the alleged distant ancestors of the Vainakhs in the middle reaches of the river. Euphrates called Tsupani (2 thousand BC). According to the academician, the name Tsupani comes from the name of the supreme pagan deity of the Vainakhs Ts1u (hence Chech. Ts1u stag, Ing. ts1u and ts1ey - holiday) (A) no - a suffix with the meaning of the place (cf. the names of the villages Ersan (Ersenoy), Guna (Gunoy ), Vedana (Vedeno)). As can be seen, this suffix still exists in the Vainakh languages ​​in the same meaning indicated above. The stem C1u has no meaning but are known as theonyms in modern Chechen and Ingush; in the distant past, the state was called by the name of this cult.
It is known that in 783 BC. King Argishti of Urartu resettled 6,600 thousand soldiers from Tsupani and from the neighboring region of Khat and settled them in the area of ​​Arin-Berd, founding the city of Irpuni (present-day Yerevan). The name Arin-Berd in full and the second part of the toponym Irpuni (-uni) are clearly etymologized by means of the Vainakh languages ​​(Arin) cf. check-ing. ariye - space, form of the genus. arena case (a) -spatial, -n- format genus. case, bird - coast, rock, -uni - format denoting the area (see above: Vedena and others). In the language of Urartu (according to the cuneiform script), arin is a steppe, plain, berd is a fortress. More about the connections of the Vainakhs with Urartu below.
According to prof. R.M. Magomedov differentiation of the Caucasian peoples occurred already in the Caucasus (the turn of 3-2 thousand) (see R.M. Magomedov. Dagestan. Historical studies. Makhachkala, 1975).
But if the question of the time and place of the separation of the Nakh ethnos from the general Caucasian array is debatable, then the kinship of the culture and languages ​​of the Caucasian peoples with the culture and language of the Urartu-Hurrits is generally recognized in science.
Here is what the AU writes about this. Chikobava: “Already now it can be tentatively asserted that certain provisions of the Urartian language are explained using the data of the Iberian-Caucasian languages, primarily Nakh (Chechen, Batsbi).” (A.S. Chikobava. “Problems of kinship of the Iberian-Caucasian languages”. Abstracts of reports. Makhachkala. 1965, p. 7). Similar thoughts were expressed by other venerable scientists (Academician G.A. Melikishvili, Prof. Yu.D. Desheriev, I.M. Dyakonov and others). Today, the Nakh languages ​​are less studied than other groups of the Iberian-Caucasian family, and their further study will bring the final solution of the problem closer. Already today it can be stated that the solution of the issue has moved forward significantly, since the time that has elapsed since the above statements of scientists. It is not difficult to understand how promising is the in-depth study of the Nakh languages, especially their dialects.
Let us dwell on some similar points, including the Nakh and Urartian languages.
Arin-Berd (see above).
Tushpa was the name of the capital of Urartu. It is known that in ancient times main city, religious, Cultural Center states among many peoples, was called by the name of the supreme deity, So it was in Urartu. And in Urartian, the given name meant “the city of the god Tush”, pa - a city, a settlement.
In a similar way This name is also etymologized on the basis of the Nakh languages: Tush is one of the supreme deities of the Vainakhs during the period of paganism, later Christianity, the deity of childbearing and resurgent nature. Even in the last century, according to B. Dalgat, the Ingush performed rituals dedicated to this deity. The hoopoe is called by the Ingush tushol kotam or tusholig (chicken tushola) (l - determinant) and is considered sacred bird both the Chechens and the Ingush (you can't kill her, you can't throw stones at her).
The people living in Georgia, closely related to the Chechens and Ingush, the Tushins, are named after this deity, since the clan, tribe and nationality in ancient times bore the name of their totem (cf. the name than taipa Ts1ontaroy on behalf of the deity of fire Ts1u, etc.). Another component of this toponym is also clearly etymologized from the Nakh languages. Pa (phya) in ancient Nakh meant a settlement, a village, locality. Until now, in the closely related Tushino, in the language of the Chechens living in Georgia (Kists) and in the mountain dialects of Chechnya, the settlement is called by this word. This word is also found in many toponyms of the mountainous Chechen-Ingushetia as a relic: Pkheda, Pkhamat, Pkhakoch, etc. "Pkha" was also the name of the pagan deity of the settlement, humanity among the Vainakhs. This basis is also present in the name of the god-fighting hero of the Vainakh Folklore Pkharmat, with whom we associate the famous Greek god-fighting Prometheus, (see our “The image of Prometheus in the folklore of the Chechens and Ingush.” Proceedings of the CHI NIIIIYAL vol. 4. Literary criticism Grozny, 1971).
One of the leading tribes of Urartu bore the name of Biaina. The Urartians also called their country with this word, which was natural, given the fact that the country of many peoples was called by the name of the leading people. Compare the name of the numerous Chechen tribe Beni and the village of Bena. The same root is present in the toponym Beni-Vedana and in the Ingush name of one of the Georgian mountain tribes of the Mokhevs-Benis, from whom the Ingush Malsagovs are believed to originate.
In the language of Urartu, the protected fortified area, or fortress, was called - khoy. In the same sense, this word is found in the Chechen-Ingush toponymy: Khoi is a village in Cheberloi, which really had a strategic significance, because. blocked the way to the Cheberloev basin from the side of Dagestan and the plane of Chechnya. Hence the name of the river G1oy (х-г1), which flows through the village of Goity, the name of which (Chech. G1oyt1a) is also derived from Г1oy (khoy), -т1а-postposition with the meaning of place. The fact that the above parallels are not a coincidence is shown by the fact that the Chechen version is a plural form. numbers from ha - protection, -th - plurality format, and this root is found in many toponyms of Checheno-Ingushetia: Khan-Kala, Khan-Korta (Russian Khayan-Kort), etc. Urart. Durdukka (city near Lake Urmia). It is known that in the distant past the Nakh tribes were called Dzurdzuks. The case when the names of nationalities go back to the names of localities is a common phenomenon in science. In addition, the first part of this toponym-ethnonym is found in the Vainakh toponymy and anthroponymy: Dzurz-korta (locality in the Itum-kala region), korta - head, hill, mound; Dzuurza is a male name (the village of Ersenoy, Vedeno district), etc.
Urart. Tsudala (the name of the City, (Chech. Ts1udala) is a compound word consisting of two components - Ts1u - the god of fire, gave - the supreme god of the pagan pantheon).
Urart. Eritna is the name of the mountain, Chech. Ertina is the name of the mountain (Vedeno district), Urartu. Arzashka - the name of the area, Chech. Irzoshka (Vedeno district, near the village of Kharachoy). In Chechen-Ingush, Irzuo is a forest glade. Here, perhaps, there is an accidental coincidence in the basis of this word, but such an assumption is excluded in the ending - shka, because. this is a very common in Nakh toponymy, a living format of the directional case pl. numbers - w (plurality format), -ka - ha - the actual format (cf. s.s. Sema1ashka, Chovkhashka, Galashka, etc.).
by various scientists in different time It was noted that on the territory of modern Armenia and in the region of Lake Van, Urmi numerous toponyms with repeating elements -li, -ni, -ta (see in particular GA. Khalatyan. “On some geographical names of Ancient Armenia in connection with the data of the Van inscriptions”. VDI No 2, 1949). These toponyms are: Tali, Ardishtikh1inili, Naksuana, Kh1aldina, Mana, Kh1itina, Abaeni, Kh1ushani, Azani, Ardini, Missita, Mista and others.
The endings present in the given toponyms coincide with similar formats toponymic names the territory of modern Checheno-Ingushetia, especially its mountainous strip; see respectively:
Ch1ebil-la, nija-la, Sara-la, B1av-la, (names of villages and societies) Ersa-na, Gu-na, Veda-na, Belg1a-ni (ing.), Be-na, Sho-na and other names of villages; Gikh-t1a, ​​Poi-t1a Martan-t1a, ​​Ekhash-t1a (names of villages), and others.
Outside Checheno-Ingushetia, toponyms na – t1a (ta) are also noted in Tushetia (G.S.S.R.); see Etel-ta, Tsova-ta, Indur-ta and others, in which the format “ta” appears more clearly as a toponym-forming element of the Nakh languages.
In the science of language, it is customary to consider the most reliable, in the sense of the genetic relationship of languages, coincidences of the above type, when a number of toponyms with repeating formats of one region coincides with the same number of toponyms of another region.
There is a coincidence in the Nakh and Urartian cult names of the most ancient type.
Urart. Ma is the supreme god of the sun. In the same meaning, this name is also noted in the Nakh languages, although at present it appears only as part of derivatives and compound words with the meaning of the cult of the sun: malkh (lh - determinant) - the sun, see also the toponyms m1aysta (s, ta - determinants ), malhasta (producing stem "ma"); Mask - the name of the village (ma - the basis, ska - determinants), mascara (former village), Mesha-khi - a river, malsag - "man the sun", hence the surname Malsagov, Muosag - the name of a person in the same meaning, etc. .
Urart. Taishebi is one of the supreme deities; Chech., Ing. Tush ((Tushol - a deity of nature and childbirth; compare also Ing. Taishabaniye - a children's game). Cases when the names of deities turn into the names of children's games are known in science; see Chech. Galg1zhmekh lovzar - a game of towns from Gal - the name of one from ancient sun deities).
There are also cases of transformation of the names of deities into the names of people. So, the name of the Urartian deity Ashura in Chechen is found as woman's name Ashura, as well as Urart. Azani, Chech. Aizan (laskat. Aizani), Urart. Ashtu is the name of a deity, Chech. Ashtu female name, Urartian. Lagash, Chech. Lagash, Lakash - a male name, etc. Urart, Cybele - the god of spring, Chech. Kebila is a female given name, Urartian. Dika - the name of a deity, Chech. dika - good, Dika - a male name. There is a transformation of toponyms into proper names: Urart. Kindari-Sangara - the name of the area, Chech. Kindar-Sangara - male names. There is a coincidence of other vocabulary, for example:
urart. sure - army, Chech. sura - in the same meaning, hence the toponyms Suyr - Korta, Surat1a (for details on the word sura, see K.Z. Chokaev. “Geographical names of Checheno-Ingushetia”. Manuscript. Archive CHIIIIYAL. His own “Where the root of the Vainakhs leads.” Almanac ”Orga”, No 2, 1968).
urart. tires - two, Chech., Ing. shi - two,
urart. quiet, Chech., Ing. silence - old
urart. 1u - shepherd, Chech., Ing. 1y - in the same sense,
urart. Khaza, Chech., Ing. haza - to hear
urart. hello, chech. ala, ing. ala, cheb. ala - to say; see more
urart. Manua-s ale "Manua said", Chech. Manua-s ale (cheb.) in the same meaning. Here, as you can see, the whole phrase coincides with grammatical indicators (the format of the ergative case is c).
Lulabi - this is how the Urartians called their neighbors, which meant a stranger, an enemy. If we take into account the specific historical situation of the time when the Urartians were subjected to constant invasions and attacks by the neighboring state of Assyria, such semantics given word becomes understandable, since the meaning of the word changes depending on the living conditions of native speakers. In modern Chechen and Ingush, this word is clearly decomposed into its component parts and has the meaning of neighbors (lula - neighbor, bi - plural formant, preserved in the closely related Batsbi to this day; see bats - bi "those that are on the grass" from bats ( buts) - grass).
There is a convergence of grammatical forms, which is especially important when determining the genetic relationship of languages, because grammatical structure is the most stable section of the language. For example, cases of coincidence of forms of ergative (active), genitive, dative cases modern Nakh on the one hand and the Urartian language on the other; see urar. h1aldini uli ram Sarduri-si ale. The mighty God Khald Sardur speaks. Wed Chech. Kh1aldina (taroyolchu) sarduras ale (cheb). The forms of the dative and active case in these sentences are the same (-na, -s); see also: urart. They drank kara Ildaruni nor agubi; cf. Chech. Alari Ildaruni-ani agnedu. Canada led from the river Ildaruniani. We have given the Chechen version here only with particular regard to historical changes, omitting certain forms that were not in the ancient Vainakh, in particular, the postposition t1era. If we take into account all the changes, then we can accurately reproduce the Urartian version; So apari could be obtained from a drank - a ditch, agnedu (having discarded the formant -not- and replacing the class indicator d with b) can be restored in former form- agubi, etc.
In the Urartu language, scientists have discovered the plural format - already; cf. Chech., Ing. -ash - already in the same meaning. Such transformations among the Nakhs are legitimate, for example, yours is vazha.
In the work of M. Kaghankatvatsi "History of the Agvans", written 1300 years ago, it is said: "Uts, Sodas, Gargars are brothers and they come from a father named Ura." Ura is the basis of the word Urartu, Uts are the Udins (related to the Nakhs and other peoples of the Caucasus, but living in Azerbaijan), Sods are apparently Sodoytsy (once a strong Chechen taip, whose representatives still live in Vedensky and other regions of the CHIASSR; this tribe is noted in ancient Greek sources (II century AD), see about this: V. B. Vinogradov, K. Z. Chokaev, Ancient names and placements of the Vainakh tribes, Proceedings of the CHIIIIYAL, vol. II, Archaeological and ethnographic collection, Grozny, 1966); the ethnonym Gargars is clearly deciphered using the Chechen language as relatives, close ones. Most scholars tend to see the ancestors of the Nakhs in the gargars.
According to archaeological excavations carried out on the former territory of Urartu by Soviet and foreign scientists, many common points in the material culture of Urartu, on the one hand, and the Nakhs, on the other, have been noted.
As the archaeological study of the former territory of Urartu, as well as the folklore, language and ethnography of the Chechens and Ingush, such similar points will increase, since the relationship here is undoubted.
The state of Urartu was formed in the 9th century BC. and lasted 300 years. In the 6th century BC e. Under the blows of the states of Assyria and Media, Urartu ceased to exist as a state.
Urartu is the first state that arose on the territory of our country. The peoples of Urartu reached a high level of development of culture, technology and economy for that time.
After the collapse of Urartu as a state, the state of Albania appeared in Transcaucasia. According to sources, the Gargars were the leading people in Albania. The dominant religion in Albania at one time was Christianity. The language of religion and schooling was the language of the Gargars. (See A. Shanidze “The Newly Discovered Alphabet of the Caucasian Albanians and its Significance for Science,” Izvestiya IYaIMK, cargo of a branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, vol. 4, 1938, etc.).
As evidence of the stay of the distant ancestors of the Vainakhs in Transcaucasia, numerous toponyms are noted in the former territory of Albania, explained only from the Nakh and partially from the Dagestan languages ​​(see Ts1unda, Hereti, Artsakh, Artsian; cf. Chech. Ts1uoynta (ra), Ertan, Erga, Ersan, Ortsakh, etc.). Toponyms explained from Nakh and Dagestan are also noted in Eastern Georgia, Khevsureti, Pshkhavia, Mohevia, Tusheti.
For the first time, the modern ethnic name of the Nakhchi Chechens in the form of Nakhchamatian is noted in Armenian sources of the 4th century AD. The same ethnonym is found in the "Armenian Geography" of Moses Khorensky (7th century AD), which (ethnonym) is localized mainly in the foothill zone of the modern territory of the planar Checheno-Ingushetia (see the map from the specified "Geography"). However, at different times, the Nakh tribes in the sources are found under different names: sodas, gargars, dzurzuks, dvals (from dal), nakhchamatians, tsanars, gligvas, kists, kalkans, michigi ((michigiz (Chechens of Ichkeria), shibuts (shatois), mereji (merzhoy), Chechen, Chechen, Ingush, etc. d.
It would be erroneous to think that the Chechens and Ingush are, so to speak, ethnically "pure" peoples, without admixture of representatives of other nationalities. In its development, the Chechen-Ingush people have done long haul, during which, like any other people, it interbred with many peoples, as a result it absorbed many ethnic groups, but also lost some part of its ethnic group, covered by an objective process of assimilation with other peoples.
More N.Ya. Marr wrote: “I will not hide the fact that in the highlanders of Georgia, together with them in Khevsurs, Pshavs, I see Chechen tribes that have become Georgianized.” (N.Ya. Marr. "On the history of the movement of the Japhetic peoples from the south to the north of the Caucasus." Izvestiya AN, 1916, No. 15, pp. 1395-1396).
At a session devoted to the problem of the origin of the Ossetian people (Ordzhonikidze, 1966), it was stated through the mouths of the majority of Caucasian scholars that the Ossetian people are "true Caucasians in origin and culture and Iranians in language." The presence of a significant percentage of the Nakh ethnic group in the composition of modern Ossetians was noted. This is also evidenced by the toponymy of Ossetia (Ts1ush, Tsltq, Wleylam, Ts1eylon, etc.).
Among the Kumyks there are citizens who consider themselves to be from Chechens.
As part of the modern Chechens and Ingush, there is a significant percentage of representatives of the Turkic, Ossetian, Dagestan, Georgian, Mongolian, Russian peoples. Again, this is evidenced primarily by the Chechen and Ingush languages, in which a significant percentage of borrowed words and grammatical forms, and folklore.

Chokaev K.Z.
dr. phil. sciences, professor

Review

On the works of Doctor of Philology, Professor K.Z. Chokaev; "On the origin of the Chechens and Ingush". Manuscript, Grozny, 1990, p. 1-17.
The article is written on an actual topic, which, without exaggeration, is of interest to all conscious people. Chokaev is not new to historical science. His works on word formation among the Chechens provided significant assistance to ethnographers. Some of his articles are directly related to the history of the Nakhs. This article is also written in scientific level and using rich and versatile information. Scientific base and field material, first introduced into scientific circulation by the author, meet the requirements of the time. This article in no case can be compared with the lightweight "scientific" works of V. Vinogradov. But the presented article, as we believe, was written a very long time ago and is somewhat outdated. For example, K.Z. Chokaev writes: “This process (Strengthening friendship between peoples - I.S.) acquires special significance in the conditions of our country, when the friendly ties of the peoples of the USSR in the process of building a communist society are growing stronger and developing every day.”
The reviewer has edited these and other obsolete expressions. I believe that the author will not object to us for such liberties on our part. We also took the risk of shortening small repetitions (p.6,14,15,16, etc.); pointed out the desirability of moving links down, corrected typos (p.7, 8), made stylistic corrections (p.7); made a small reduction (p. 2) and changed the title to: “On the origin of the Chechens and Ingush”, as they believed that modesty in such matters does not fit us all. Being far from Grozny, we could not coordinate our actions with the respected author and, we hope, the author will understand us. We touched upon the author's thoughts very little. Our intervention does not detract from the dignity of this article, and the reviewer recommends that it be published in the scientific section of the journal Justice.

Ethnographer, Ph.D. Saidov I. M.

The question of the origin of the Chechen people is still debatable. According to one version, the Chechens are the autochthonous people of the Caucasus, a more exotic version connects the appearance of the Chechen ethnic group with the Khazars.

Difficulties in etymology

The emergence of the ethnonym "Chechens" has many explanations. Some scholars suggest that this word is a transliteration of the name of the Chechen people among the Kabardians - "shashan", which may have come from the name of the village of Big Chechen. Presumably, it was there in the 17th century that the Russians first met with the Chechens. According to another hypothesis, the word "Chechen" has Nogai roots and is translated as "robber, dashing, thieving person."

The Chechens themselves call themselves "Nokhchi". This word has no less complex etymological nature. Caucasian scholar late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, Bashir Dalgat wrote that the name "Nokhchi" can be used as a common tribal name for both the Ingush and the Chechens. However, in modern Caucasian studies, it is customary to use the term “Vainakhs” (“our people”) in the designation of the Ingush and Chechens.

IN Lately scientists pay attention to another variant of the ethnonym "Nokhchi" - "Nakhchmatians". The term is first encountered in the “Armenian Geography” of the 7th century. According to the Armenian orientalist Kerope Patkanov, the ethnonym "Nakhchmatians" is compared with the medieval ancestors of the Chechens.

ethnic diversity

Vainakh oral tradition tells that their ancestors came from beyond the mountains. Many scientists agree that the ancestors of the Caucasian peoples formed in Western Asia about 5 thousand years BC and over the next several thousand years actively migrated towards the Caucasian Isthmus, settling on the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas. Part of the settlers penetrated beyond the limits of the Caucasian Range along the Argun Gorge and settled in the mountainous part of modern Chechnya.

According to most modern Caucasian scholars, all subsequent time there was a complex process of ethnic consolidation of the Vainakh ethnos, in which neighboring peoples periodically intervened. Doctor of Philology Katy Chokaev notes that the arguments about the ethnic "purity" of the Chechens and Ingush are erroneous. According to the scientist, in their development, both peoples have come a long way, as a result of which they both absorbed the features of other ethnic groups and lost some of their features.

In the composition of modern Chechens and Ingush, ethnographers find a significant proportion of representatives of the Turkic, Dagestan, Ossetian, Georgian, Mongolian, and Russian peoples. This, in particular, is evidenced by the Chechen and Ingush languages, in which there is a noticeable percentage of borrowed words and grammatical forms. But we can also safely talk about the influence of the Vainakh ethnic group on neighboring peoples. For example, the orientalist Nikolai Marr wrote: “I will not hide the fact that in the highlanders of Georgia, together with them in Khevsurs, Pshavs, I see Chechen tribes that have become Georgianized.”

Ancient Caucasians

Doctor of Historical Sciences Professor Georgy Anchabadze is sure that the Chechens are the oldest of the indigenous peoples of the Caucasus. He adheres to the Georgian historiographic tradition, according to which the brothers Kavkaz and Lek laid the foundation for two peoples: the first is Chechen-Ingush, the second is Dagestan. The descendants of the brothers subsequently settled the deserted territories of the North Caucasus from the mountains to the mouth of the Volga. This opinion is largely consistent with the statement of the German scientist Friedrich Blubenbach, who wrote that the Chechens have a Caucasian anthropological type, reflecting the appearance of the very first Cro-Magnon Caucasians. Archeological data also indicate that ancient tribes lived in the mountains of the North Caucasus as early as the Bronze Age.

The British historian Charles Rekherton in one of his works departs from the autochthonous nature of the Chechens and makes a bold statement that the origins of Chechen culture are the Hurrian and Urartian civilizations. The related, albeit distant, connections between the Hurrian and modern Vainakh languages ​​are indicated, in particular, by the Russian linguist Sergei Starostin.

The ethnographer Konstantin Tumanov in his book "On the Prehistoric Language of Transcaucasia" suggested that the famous "Van inscriptions" - Urartian cuneiform texts - were made by the ancestors of the Vainakhs. As proof of the antiquity of the Chechen people, Tumanov cited great amount toponyms. In particular, the ethnographer noted that in the Urartu language, a protected fortified area or fortress was called "khoi". In the same sense, this word is found in the Chechen-Ingush toponymy: khoy is a village in Cheberloi, which really had a strategic significance, blocking the way to the Cheberloev basin from Dagestan.

Noah's people

Let's return to the self-name of the Chechens "Nokhchi". Some researchers see in it a direct indication of the name Old Testament patriarch Noah (in the Koran - Nuh, in the Bible - Noah). They divide the word "nokhchi" into two parts: if the first - "nokh" - means Noah, then the second - "chi" - should be translated as "people" or "people". This, in particular, was pointed out by the German linguist Adolf Dyrr, who said that the element "chi" in any word means "man". You don't have to look far for examples. In order to designate the inhabitants of a city in Russian, in many cases it is enough for us to add the ending “chi” - Muscovites, Omsk.

Are Chechens descendants of the Khazars?

The version that the Chechens are the descendants of the biblical Noah has a continuation. A number of researchers claim that the Jews of the Khazar Khaganate, whom many call the 13th tribe of Israel, did not disappear without a trace. Defeated by the Kiev prince Svyatoslav Igorevich in 964, they went to the mountains of the Caucasus and there laid the foundations of the Chechen ethnos. In particular, some of the refugees after the victorious campaign of Svyatoslav were met in Georgia by the Arab traveler Ibn Khaukal.

A copy of a curious instruction from the NKVD from 1936 has been preserved in the Soviet archives. The document explained that up to 30% of Chechens secretly profess the religion of their ancestors Judaism and consider the rest of the Chechens to be low-born strangers.

It is noteworthy that Khazaria has a translation in the Chechen language - “ Beautiful country". Magomed Muzaev, head of the Archives Department under the President and Government of the Chechen Republic, notes on this occasion: “It is quite possible that the capital of Khazaria was located on our territory. We must know that Khazaria, which existed on the map for 600 years, was the most powerful state in the east of Europe.”

“Many ancient sources indicate that the Terek valley was inhabited by the Khazars. In the V-VI centuries. this country was called Barsilia, and, according to the Byzantine chroniclers Theophanes and Nicephorus, the homeland of the Khazars was located here, ”wrote the famous orientalist Lev Gumilyov.

Some Chechens are still convinced that they are descendants of the Khazar Jews. So, eyewitnesses say that during the Chechen war, one of the leaders of the militants, Shamil Basayev, said: "This war is revenge for the defeat of the Khazars."

A modern Russian writer - a Chechen by nationality - German Sadulaev also believes that some Chechen teips are descendants of the Khazars.

Another interesting fact: actually ancient image of a Chechen warrior, which has survived to this day, two six-pointed stars of the Israeli King David are clearly visible.

Since ancient times, Chechens have been living on the territory of the Central and Northeast Caucasus. The territory of the Chechen Republic is 17200 sq. km. The population of Chechnya is over a million people. According to the researchers, approximately one and a half million Chechens lives all over the world. Most of them live in the Russian Federation. Historians call the Chechen nation "the root part of the Caucasian race" This is the most numerous of.

Nakhchoy - Chechen people

The ancestors of modern Chechens appeared in the 18th century as a result of detachment from several ancient clans. The name of the people is found in the sources - nahchoy(i.e. people speaking the Nokhchi language). The ancestors of the Chechens passed through the Argun Gorge and settled on the territory of the present republic. Basic language - Chechen, there are dialect groups (Itumkala, Akka, Melkhinsky, Galanchozhsky and others). The Russian language is quite common on the territory of the republic. Chechens profess the Muslim faith.

On mythology folk art influenced by other ancient civilizations. In the Caucasus, the paths of many nomadic tribes and peoples and Asia, the Mediterranean and Europe crossed. Tragic pages in Chechen history caused great damage to spiritual culture. During the period of the ban on folk dances and music, the holding of national rites, the creative impulses of the Chechens were fettered by fears of falling into political disgrace. However, no restrictions and prohibitions could break and stifle the Chechen identity.

Chechen traditions

Hospitality

Hospitality the Chechens elevated it to the rank of a sacred duty of every citizen. This tradition has historical roots. The passage through the mountainous terrain is not easy, at any moment an exhausted traveler could hope for help from outside. In a Chechen house, they will always feed, warm and provide an overnight stay free of charge. The owner of the house could give the guest any of the home furnishings as a sign of respect. In gratitude, the travelers presented the host's children with gifts. Such a cordial attitude towards the guest has been preserved in our time.

In the Caucasus, mothers are treated with special respect: they respect her, try to help in everything and listen to her advice. Men usually stand up when a woman enters the room.

With special trembling men keep your papa. It was a symbol of male honor and dignity. It is considered extremely humiliating if a stranger touches a hat. Such behavior of a stranger can provoke a scandal.

mountain education

The younger members of the family behave modestly, do not interfere in the conversations and affairs of the elders. To enter into a conversation, you need to ask permission. Until now, when discussing any issue, you can hear how a Chechen utters the phrase: “Can I say ...”, as if asking for permission to enter into a conversation. Such automatic behavior is an indicator of persistent and harsh upbringing from time immemorial. Excessive caress, concern for small children and anxiety associated with the whims of a child in public were not approved. If for some reason the child burst into tears, then he was taken to another room, where he calmed down. Crying, pranks of children should not distract adults from important matters and conversations.

In the old days, it was not customary to leave other people's things found in your house. In the presence of witnesses, the thing was given to the village mullah so that he could find the owner. In modern Chechen society, it is also considered in bad taste to take, though found, but someone else's thing.

In the Chechen house

Kitchen

One of the revered delicacies is zhizhig galnysh A simple but delicious dish. Wheat or corn dumplings are boiled in meat broth. Culinary chores are women's worries, with the exception of funeral dishes that are prepared for the funeral.

wedding traditions

When marrying, a woman received her husband's family with special respect and treated them with care and respect. The young wife is modest, quiet, incurious. Without special need, a woman should not start a conversation with older relatives. At a Chechen wedding, there is even a funny ritual of "untying the tongue of the bride." The future father-in-law tries to talk the young daughter-in-law with jokes and tricks, but she clearly adheres to the folk rules and is silent. Only after giving gifts to the guests could the girl talk.

Before the wedding, young Chechen women can communicate with grooms only in crowded public places. On a date, the guy always comes first and only then the girl. A girl's honor is the pride of the groom and the subject of protection by a young Chechen, in whom hot Caucasian blood boils.

CHECHENS, Nokhchi(self-name), people in the Russian Federation, the main population of Chechnya.

According to the 2002 Population Census, 1,361,000 Chechens live in Russia. According to the 2010 Census - 1 million 431 thousand also live in Ingushetia, Dagestan, Stavropol Territory, Volgograd region, Kalmykia, Astrakhan, Saratov, Tyumen region, North Ossetia, Moscow, as well as in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, etc.

Ethnonym

In Armenian sources of the 7th century, Chechens are mentioned under the name "nakhcha matyan" ("nokhchi speakers"). In the documents of the 16th-17th centuries there are tribal names of the Chechens ( Ichkerinians, okoks, shubuts, etc..). The name Chechens was a Russian transliteration of Kabardian "sheshei" and came from the name of the village of Big Chechen.

Language

Chechens speak the Chechen language of the Nakh group of the Nakh-Dagestan branch of the North Caucasian language family. Dialects: Planar, Akkin, Cheberloev, Melkhinsky, Itumkalin, Galanchozh, Kist. The Russian language is also widespread. Writing after 1917, first on the basis of Arabic, then Latin graphics, and since 1938 - on the basis of the Russian alphabet.

Religion

Believing Chechens are Sunni Muslims. Sufi teachings of two kinds are widespread - Nakshbandi and Nadiri. The main deities of the pre-Muslim pantheon were the god of the sun and sky Dela, the god of thunder and lightning Sela, the patron of cattle breeding Gal-Erda, hunting - Yelta, the goddess of fertility Tusholi, the god afterlife Estr. Islam penetrates Chechnya in the 13th century through Golden Horde and Dagestan. Fully Chechens converted to Islam in the 18th century. An important element of the Chechen society are the Sufi communities-virds, together with tribal clans (teips), although the priority social role currently playing regular civic institutions.

Traditional activities

Agriculture and cattle breeding. Chechens bred sheep, cattle, as well as thoroughbred horses for riding. There was economic specialization between the mountainous and lowland regions of Chechnya: getting bread from the plains, mountain Chechens sold surplus livestock in return. Jewelry and blacksmithing, mining, silk production, bone and horn processing were also developed.

Cloth

Traditional men's clothing Chechens - shirt, pants, beshmet, Circassian. Men's hats are high, widening hats made of valuable fur. The hat was considered the personification of manhood, knocking it down entailed blood feud.

The main elements of Chechen women's clothing are a shirt and pants.. The shirt had a tunic cut, sometimes below the knees, sometimes to the ground. The color of clothes was determined by the status of a woman, it differed among married, unmarried and widows.