ИЗВЕСТИЯ СОИГСИ

The article deals with the objects of imported origin found in the Dargavs’ catacombs of the early medieval times: among them glass bowl-cups of various shapes and colors, partially decorated with varied ornaments in the form of rosettes, circles and images of animals. A bottle and miniature jars of fine forms are marked among the found glass vessels. In addition glass bracelets and rings, boxwood combs, shells, pendants made of shells, copper mirror of oriental type, tip of the belt with Arabic inscription are found in the burial complexes. These items are presumed to be transmitted to the highlands of Alanya both through the trade routes that passed through the North Caucasus (bowls, cups, jars), and through the main Caucasus mountain range of Eastern Georgia (glass rings). Most likely boxwood combs were brought from the eastern shores of the Black Sea. Shells and pendants made of shells could find their way into the mountains via different routes. Most likely all imported items were purchased from the trading people who in the early medieval period provided stable and lasting trade and exchange connections among the local population, particularly in the VIII-IX cc.

Keywords: Alans, catacombs, import, glass, boxwood combs, rings, bracelets, trade routes, analogies, dating.

The article substantiates the necessity of historical and anthropological (ethnological) study of the moral concept of “honor” as an essential part of ethnic culture and social experience of each ethnic group. More promising for this purpose is synthesizing two research approaches: the axiological and institutional. Within the first one “honor” is viewed as a category of ethnographic analysis and an ethnic paradigm of thinking, which is appropriately learnt through a system of images, moral preferences and evaluative constructs of thinking, moral motivation, spiritual accumulations of the people, etc. In the second case the ethno-cultural aspects of the phenomenon of “honor” are analyzed in the context of historically formed legal, ethical and aesthetic attitudes, personal images, “primordial” types of social reactions, etc. In accordance with the principles of scientific objectivity the ethnographic nature of the phenomenon of “honor” is considered in the context of social and spiritual experience of the divided Ossetian people. Application of the historical-retrospective method enables to consider the highly abstract concept of “honor” as a specific factor of ethnic culture of Ossetians, hierarchy of values and kind of the people’s mental structure. On the basis of the ethnographic material a hierarchy of specific aspects of “fair name” is analyzed. Moral and psychological attitudes which historically developed  and merged in the ethnic (Ossetian) concept of “honor” are considered in two aspects: as a part of humanitarian culture (moral motivation of behavior) and as a social normative culture (moral regulations). The special attention is given to deep connection of ethnic notions of honor with the ethnic identity, ethnic consciousness as well as to the prospects of functioning of ethnicity of the divided Ossetian nation.

Keywords: ethnicity, moral concept, ethnocultural heritage, ethnic consciousness, socio-cultural experience and spiritual accumulations of the people, ethnic mentality, stereotypes and attitudes.

The article is devoted to the migration of the representatives of the privileged Tagaurian class of Ossetia to the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the XIX century. Among the reasons for the resettlement of the mountaineers to Turkey should be listed: serious internal problems of Russia, seeking to get rid of the "turbulent" part of the Caucasian population, which could hinder the extension of its political and economic influence in the region. Turkey, in its turn, also needed to strengthen its borders at the expense of brave and courageous fighting force, which the Caucasians represented, in order to manage and counterweight the non-Muslim population in some areas of the Empire, with this view the resettlement of the Muslims between the Christian Nations on the principle of “settlement layers” was implemented. Replenishment of its army by representatives of the Caucasian warriors, educated in the traditions of courage and loyalty, had a positive impact on the internal security of the Ottoman state. Another reason was the religious factor, because Russia was actively pursuing a policy of Christianization of the population in the Caucasus, and in these circumstances, propaganda and religious propaganda conducted by the Turkish envoys and supported by Russian agents reached their goal. Emigration in the nineteenth century took place in three stages: first minor resettlement took place in 1859, when mainly some privileged families moved with their serfs. The second wave of emigration occurred in 1860-1861. Then 300-350 families of Ossetians left for Turkey, including 13 families of tagaurian Aldars. In 1865 the most massive migration wave took place, when a significant number of Ossetians left their homeland and started for Turkey. Then 27 families of tagaurian Aldars left Ossetia. The paper presents biographic data of the Muhajirs, who had left their homeland, specifies their birth dates (death dates), lists representatives of the families, who moved with them to Turkey.

Keywords: Russia, Ottoman Empire, Caucasus, Muhajirs, aristocratic families, Caucasian war.

Chibirov L.A. E.G. Pchelina’s Scientific Heritage as a Model of Interdisciplinary Research

The article discusses the legacy of E.G. Pchelina who has extensively researched archaeology, history and ethnography of the Ossetian people. As a result of the expeditions to the mountains of North and South Ossetia she collected and studied rich data on ethnography and folklore. The works of this scientist are synthesizing related subjects: archeology, history, ethnography, folklore and serve an example of interdisciplinary researches. E.G. Pchelina is the author of such books as “The Nuzal chapel”, “Funeral complexes from Sokht, Ursdzuar and Ruk in South Ossetia”, and others, which allowed to expand yet little studied stages of the medieval history of the Ossetian people due to the folklore and ethnographic parallels to the archaeological artifacts undigged in the mountains of Ossetia. E.G. Pchelina’s works written on the basis of field ethnographic investigations (“A hospitality ceremony among Ossetians”, “Maternity customs among Ossetians”, “House and homestead in a mountainous band of South Ossetia”, “The Ossetian mill of K’ada kuyroy”, etc.) are included in the golden fund of ethnographic Ossetian studies. It is regretful that major part of her manuscripts is still inaccessible for the scientific studies.

Keywords: South Ossetia, North Ossetia, ethnogenesis, Ossetians, interdisciplinary approach, archaeology, ethnography, history, folklore studies.

A process of development of the health system in the city of Derbent – one of the major centers of the North Caucasus – is examined on the base of a wide range of sources. Since both already known and introduced for the first time archival sources are being analyzed, the author follows the development of the Russian medical system in the region. The issue of health care organization in Derbent, raised after it was joined to the Russian Empire, was resolved only by the end of the 1820s, when medical staff positions were introduced. The military doctors in the city were the first Russian doctors in the city when a military hospital was founded there. Besides, the civilian doctors and midwives also worked in Derbent. The duties for compilation of medical and topographic descriptions, city protection from epidemics, etc. were assigned to the Russian doctors. The vaccination was a special issue, its success was estimated by the number of children immunized, growing every year. Simultaneously, significant number of traditional healers continued practicing. It was connected with the wide spread of traditional medical knowledge in Daghestan. Using popular remedies, the healers treated a large spectrum of diseases. The health care organization in Derbent was representative and typical for the Caucasian periphery of the Russian Empire. At this time the health care system in Derbent combined military, civil and popular medicine, and their interaction and interpenetration took place.

Keywords: Derbent, Daghestan, health care history, traditional medicine, epidemics, vaccination.

The author refers to the history of sanitary-antiepidemic service in the Northern Caucasus. The article considers the problem of the forming of sanitary-hygienic culture as a basis for public health and the role of systematic preventive actions in this process. A special attention is given to the critical situation in the Northern Caucasus at the edge of the XIX-XX c., which was a consequence of epidemics. High level of death rate can be ascribed not only to social problems, but to climatic and geographical peculiarities of the region as well. The main directions of activities of the sanitary-executive departments at the city governments are examined as well as the role of the Terek Cossacks Army Administration in the forming of health care service. The health-care, prophylactic, anti-epidemic and emergency actions (organization of a quarantine line) carried out by these departments, helped to narrow the area of infectious diseases. It shows the role of the Terek Area Popular School’s Teachers Meeting (1882), were the issue of teacher’s role in prophylactic and antiepidemic actions at schools was discussed. The unpublished archival data on the League against Tuberculosis’ activities (Piatigorsk, 1911) is introduced into scientific usage, particularly the “White Flower” fest, which was one of the important charitable and prophylactic of the League’s actions. The efforts of medical intelligentsia, city governments and society for improving the situation in the region are highlighted. The organization of extraordinary prophylactic and antiepidemic measures, charitable actions facilitated preservation of the people’s health. However, paucity of medical staff, lack of funds significantly limited the opportunities and effectiveness of the health care activities.

Keywords: North Caucasus, sanitary and antiepidemic service, preventive actions, Terek Oblast Popular Schoo’sl Teachers Meeting, League against Tuberculosis, “White Flower” fest, sanitary-hygienic culture.

The article analyses modern social and cultural processes in the North Caucasus on the example of educational and professional-labor sphere. The special attention is given to realization of the Strategy of cultural policy and the Strategy of state youth policy. The programs realized within the Strategies are intended to respond to the system of state’s priorities and measures with the view of creating conditions and opportunities for successful socialization, self-realization and youth potential development in the state’s interests, strengthening the economic and national security. The subjects of the North Caucasian Federal District’s labor market data, tendencies and formed stereotypes of professional self-realization among young people in the region, high school graduates in particular, are highlighted in the research. Such indexes as high level of “labor culture” devaluation, falling prestige of productive labor, as well factors of low percent of youth employment are analyzed. The article discusses measures to provide workplaces for more socially vulnerable categories of the population. Socialization of people with disabilities is an important aspect at present that is within the sphere of responsibility of the public and government institutions.

Keywords: North Caucasian Federal District, national security, Strategy of cultural policy, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Karachay-Cherkess Republic, educational system, employment of the population service, “labor culture”, strategies of state youth policy.

The article deals with the characteristic features of voice grammatical category in the Ossetian language in comparison with the Russian language. It is compared the voice forms number, grammatical means of expressing voice category, voice relations with transitivity and intransitivity, peculiarities of the transitivity-intransitivity form in the Russian and the Ossetian languages. The authors state the existence of the causative in the Ossetian language, in Russian it is expressed only descriptively; simultaneously with the basic passive structure the Ossetian language has passive construction with participle -gæ , where its passive meaning can be combined with modal as well; passive construction in the Ossetian language is only participial, whereas in Russian imperfective aspect verbs form passive from personal verb is formed with postfix -sya; word hi in the Ossetian language is only designed for the reflexive voice and is a pronoun, while in Russian -sya is a postfix, former pronoun that forms either passive voice or indicates reflexivity; the distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs in the Russian language is expressed only syntactically whereas in Ossetian transitivity shows up semantically, syntactically and morphologically. The compared languages are differed in formal voice markers as well. It is ascertained that morphological system of the Ossetian language has more features of analytism.

Keywords: voice grammatical category, the Ossetian language, the Russian language, transitive and intransitive verbs, active and passive voice, causative, reflexive voice.

Quite recently the humanitarians were disquieted by negative effects of globalization, dismantling hierarchies and systems of traditional ethnic cultures (of the small peoples in particular), but today the world is facing an unprecedented threat of the existential contents – demoralization and dehumanization of humankind and reigning of post-humanistic humanoid: this is both an oxymoron and a real notion. The article is a discourse on metaphysical and eschatological content and meaning of the literary process (including literary criticism and academic literary studies) and role of philologist and writer in the present fight of ideas.

Keywords: enlightenment, obscurantism, writer, literature, literary criticism, fight of ideas, ideal society, good and evil, truth and lie, profit and beauty.

The article represents the first study of the image of childhood as an independent and esthetic issue in the stories by S.Z. Khugaev, which is one of the key constants of the writer’s artistic world. A brief historical survey of the literary practice of Russian (the concept of childhood in the works by L.N. Tolstoy, S.T. Aksakov, N.G. Garin-Mikhailovsky, F.M. Dostoevsky, in the culture of the Silver Age, in the “thaw” period) and Ossetian writers allowed to identify the link between the actualization of the problem and the stages of dominance of the ideas of the life renewal in the society. Literary parallels with the story “Today I finished my night classes...” by K. Khetagurov were drawn at the level of ideological and imaginative perspective; verbal, narrative and conceptual structures of the works allowed to outline the continuity in ideological and aesthetic quest of the author, who is our contemporary. The features of childhood image typified in S. Khugaev’s small prose were considered from the perspective of family and environment. The principles of hermeneutical interpretation revealed the dominance of the moral dimension in its specific manifestations (mother’s sacrifical love of a, boys’ friendship as a feasible way for a child to resist the hardships of orphan's fate, role of the society in the upbringing of the younger generation, etc.). Particular emphasis in the analysis of the theme of wartime childhood is made on its components such as “orphanhood”, “fatherlessness”, “bread shortage”, “memory scorched by war”; in the works with the peacetime theme – on actualization of the problem of regulatory-educational function of etiquette, value-regulatory milestones of the Ossetian mentality. The final part represents the conclusions reflecting the specifics of the development of the childhood theme by S. Khugaev, and national literary tradition as a whole.

Keywords: literary tradition, K. Khetagurov, Khugaev’s small prose, world of childhood, child and adult, mother and child, expressive detail, psychology, metaphorical motivation, type of narration.

At the present stage of development of Ossetian studies special importance is given to the development of theoretically and methodologically grounded typology of the historical development of art consciousness of Ossetians and their ancestors, the formation of the classification of the stages of its genesis, formation and quality of the dialectical development. The solution of this problem is the scientific purpose of the present article. The authors presume the attitude, coming from the most important methodological setup, according to which the bases for the development of artistic consciousness are the socio-economic conditions, historical and philosophical factors accounting for forms of functioning of artistic ideas and concepts of artistic consciousness in general. The logic and essence of the evolution of artistic consciousness is that this evolution contributes to the generation of “sensual”, emotional, epistemological and axiological beginnings in the contents of artistic consciousness. And thus seeks to adapt or adjust the objective reality to the interests and needs of its subject (the people, the ethnic group, nation). The logic of the evolution of artistic consciousness defines and explains ethno-national identity of artistic consciousness, its role in the relationship of real (“First”) and artificial (“Second”) reality, national and world culture. The artistic consciousness of Ossetians is a united, system integrity, with its own high-quality types in different historical periods and objectively dependent on the level of the dynamics of socio-historical development of its subject.

Keywords: art consciousness, folklore, mythology, epos of Narts, literature, typology.

A comparative textual analysis of  the Narts’ sagas, Ossetian tales and of the chronicles of Flavius Josephus from "Jewish Antiquities" enables to conclude, that a popular heroine of the Ossetic epic Satan had more than one prototype, one of her prototypes may be Helen / Ellen, the Queen of Adiabene, a vassal state of the Parthian empire. The coincidence of the number of motives suggests neither migration of the story nor its borrowing. Satan of the Narts is the 20-century-long preservation and development within Alano-Ossetian epic tradition stories about their compatriot Queen of Adiabene, the great ruler of the 1st century. While written in the Greek language the work of Josephus the history of the life and blessings of the royal family, whose members had converted to Judaism, and whom the author could know personally, are recorded directly in the time when these events took place. Accordingly, the emphasis in this work is different, highlighting the fact of proselytism. This presumption is based on the comparison of the proper names and data of archaeological research as well as on coinciding plot motives. This approach may not only be the key to unlocking the history of the character, but also helps to clarify the available historical data on location and migration of Alans in the 1st century AD, this approach allows to attract attention and to include in the discussion of the religious confrontations not only Zoroastrianism, paganism, early Christianity, but also Jewish monotheism.

Keywords: historical prototype, Narts, kadag, hunger, incest, proselytism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism.

The aim of this article is to study and show the forms of adaptation to France, to French culture, the attitude of Ossetia and Ossetian culture, illustrating these processes on the example of the history of one Ossetian family in France – the Abatsievs. The author bases her arguments on ethnographic field material and examines some aspects of the socio-political and national-cultural life of the North Caucasian emigrants in France. Mihail Abatsiev was friends with many famous Ossetians, including Gaito Gazdanov and Gappo Baev.

Keywords: France, Ossetia, Abatsievs, Ossetian culture, French culture, emigration, Anyer, Orthodox Church, Sikoev, Sosiev, Gaito Gazdanov, Milyukov, Gappo Baev.

The folklore of Ossetians in Turkey has been gathered for three years during two consecutive folklore and ethnographic expeditions and due to the established relations with the informants. Having generalized the material, one may conclude, that it is various in the sense of a genre. The fairy tale texts were written down by us, and turned to be unknown variants of plots famous in the Ossetian tradition. The analysis of one of such texts is presented in the article in comparative aspect. “The tale of Uastyrdzhi” is the narration, the sign symbol of which is celestial Uastyrdzhi, the most popular inhabitant of the heaven in the Ossetian spiritual tradition. During expedition of 2015 we determined the level of popularity of Uastyrdzhi’s image among the Ossetians in Turkey. As a result of the conducted survey the functioning of the Ossetian pantheon of the inhabitants of heaven, headed by Huytsau, has been determined. Huytsau appears in verbal formulas, good wishes, whereas Uastyrdzhi is replaced by the Muslim character of Hizir, having similar functions. The discussed “Tale of Uastyrdzhi” is an important link in an alternative chain and helps to place the correct accents in a question of realization of the considered plot.

Keywords: fairy tale, magic fairy tale, cumulative tale, tale˗ joke, inhabitant of heaven, genre, option, literary tale, tradition, Ossetians in Turkey.

In memory of T.A. Guriev

This essay is published in memory of the outstanding Russian scientist, leading linguist of the world, head of the Professional Philologists Union, Vise-President of the Russia – India Friendship Society,  head of the Ossetian linguistics, professor T.A. Guriev. An estimation of his scientific heritage is given, his interest to Caucasian studies is spotted, his role as compiler of some dictionaries and redactor of some important works of the Ossetian scientists is shown.

OUR AUTHORS

Babich Irina Leonidovna – doctor of historical sciences, head researcher, Ethnology and Anthropology Institute of RAS; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Chibirov Lyudvig Alekseevich – doctor of historical sciences, head of the ethnology department, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania

Dzattiaty Ruslan Georgievich – doctor of historical sciences, leading researcher, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania

Fidarova Rima Yaponovna – doctor of philological sciences, professor, head researcher, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Godizova Zara Iosifovna – doctor of philological sciences, associated professor, professor of the Russian language department, dean of the Russian philology faculty, K.L. Khetagurov Ossetian State University; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Gutieva Elmira Tamerlanovna – senior laboratorian, V.I. Abaev North Ossetian Institute of Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kaitova Irina Anatolievna – candidate of philological sciences, associate professor, K.L. Khetagurov North-Ossetian State University; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Khadikova Alina Khazmetovna – candidate of historical sciences, leading researcher, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Khugaev Irlan Sergeevich – doctor of philological sciences, leading researcher of the integrated research department of Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of RAS; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kokoeva Zarema Sergeevna – master student of the Russian philology faculty, K.L. Khetagurov North Ossetian State University

Mamieva Izeta Vladimirovna – candidate of philological sciences, associated professor, senior researcher, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Manyshev Sergey Borisovich – aspirant, Russian History Institute, Centre of History of the Russia’s peoples and interethnic interaction; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Marzoev Islam-Bek Temurkanovich – doctor of historical sciences, senior researcher, head of the sector for genealogical research of the ethnology department, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rubaeva Elma Muratovma – candidate of historical sciences, associate professor of the Russian history and Caucasology department, K.L. Khetagurov North Ossetian State University; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sokaeva Diana Vainerovna – candidate of philological sciences, senior researcher, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tuaeva Berta Vladimirovna – doctor of historical sciences, senior researcher, head of the social and political studies department, V.I. Abaev North-Ossetian Institute for Humanitarian and Social Studies of VSC of RAS and the Government of North Ossetia-Alania; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it