ИЗВЕСТИЯ СОИГСИ

DOI  10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11465

The article is devoted to the history of the late Medieval Christian church (dzwar) Mady Majrӕm (Wӕlӕmӕsyg) in the Kurtat gorge of North Ossetia-Alania, traditionally considered as a place where the venerated icon of the Theotokos (later known as Mozdok icon) had been kept for centuries. Analysis of the existing sources indicates that the construction of the temple was undertaken during the Orthodox period of the Alanian Christian Church, and the feast days connected with the church (dzwary bon) – Sunday of the Prodigal Son and Pentecost / the Day of the Holy Spirit — reflect the liturgical practice of Medieval Alanian Orthodox Christian Church. These days marking the beginning and the end of the Easter cycle must have been of special importance for this church, which proves that liturgical life once flourished here, rather unexpectedly for such a remote place, far from the residential areas. Probably the building which could have hardly been a parish church, was the center of a small monastery. The records of several researchers contain information from folk legends about the existence of monasteries in the Alagir and Kurtatin gorges. Originally it could have been dedicated to the Holy Trinity, with Pentecost being Patron feast day, later with the loss of liturgical significance of the temple it was transformed into dzwary bon. The dedication of the church to Mother Mary (Mady Majræm) passed down to us is of relatively late origin and is associated with the venerated icon of the Theotokos.

Keywords: traditional calendar, church calendar, Orthodox Christianity, Alania, traditional culture, feast day.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11389

The article is devoted to the problems of construction and functioning of the Darial fortification. Analysis of various sources proves, that the first defensive fortifications of the Central Transcaucasian highway were built on its southern Transcaucasian section. Their construction and control refers to the activities of the Seleucids and the Roman rulers. Only after the submission of the Eastern Transcaucasia of Persia and with the aggravation of the situation for Transcaucasian possessions of Persia and Byzantium as a result of the invasions from the North Caucasus, the question about the joint construction and maintenance of the Daryal fortification arose. It was erected by the Persians during the reign of Ezdigerde I between 413–414 and 421 years. Later it was strengthened by Kavad I and Khosrow I Anushirvan. The name – «The Gate of Alans» –fortificarion got after the name of the place of its erection, and had been earlier given to it by the same Persians. Strengthening functioned at the expense of subsidies provided by both empires, and to the garrison, in addition to the Persians proper, local residents were recruited. Direct supervision of the fortification was carried out by the Persian governors, who could be appointed from among the rulers of the vassal possessions of Transcaucasia. In general, the Persians rationally managed local residents for the service in the garrisons and controlled the Darial Gorge. Darial strengthening served as the Northern defensive border of the Persian provinces, which included the Transcaucasian formations of Kartli, Albania and Armenia, and mountainous areas, where the population, for example, in the Darial Gorge remained independent of Kartli, in the end, eventually losing its own state status.

Keywords: Persians, Alans, written evidence, Gate of the Alans, defense line, Caucasus.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11422

The article is devoted to the problem of development of the animatic and animistic beliefs in the Narts’ epic. According to the majority of folklore scholars, the stages of the evolution of mankind from the primitive communal system to the feudal formation are reflected in Narts’ epos of the Ossetians. All forms of pre-Christian beliefs, beginning with animism and the preceding animatism are reflected in the epos. There are a lot of examples of remnants of animatism – the attribution of consciousness to inanimate objects and natural phenomena, person's non-ability to separate objects and phenomena from himself. They believed that the first Nart was created by heavenly fire. In the epic, all nature is animated: the forest, the mountains, the sea, and the plain lead a life patterned according to human’s life. To the sound of Atsamaz's pipe, the high walls of the castle rocked, the horned deer began to dance... The heroes are born in unusual ways. Similizing nature to a human being, the animatist discerns the soul neither in the person nor in the phenomena of nature. Over the time, Narts acquire the belief in the spiritualization of objects and phenomena of nature. The soul could be located both in the human body (breathing, pulse, heart), and beyond. Balsag’s Wheel, Batraz's sword, the horses of heroes are endowed with souls. Narts perceived objects of external nature acting premeditatively, having will and consciousness. The analyzed materials testify to the ancient roots of the formation of Narts’ legends of the Оssetians.

Keywords: animatism, animism, Narts, the spiritualization of nature, animate and inanimate objects, reincarnation, horse, sword.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11467

The article deals with the parallels to the Ossetian Narts’ saga about the creation of the harp by Syrdon in the folklore of Transcaucasia. First of all, these are numerous Svan legends about the creation of the changi harp from the bones of the arm and the hair of a human being. As in the Ossetian plot, the creation of the harp was ascribed to the old man, whose son had died. The body of the harp is the arm of this boy, the strings are his hair, and the sound of the instrument is the weeping of the grieving father. Sometimes this invention was attributed to the girl who had lost her lover, less often to the hunter punished by the goddess. It was believed that playing the harp relieves sorrow and sadness. The Svans, Pshavs and Rachians had similar stories about the creation of chianuri, a string musical instrument close to the Ossetian musical instrument khisyn fændyr. It is characteristic, that these stories entered the epic cycle, which was the Georgian version of the Shāhnāmeh. Hero Rostom made chianuri from the body of his son Zohrab, whom he had slain unaware of their kinship. The same legend was associated with the Abkhazian stringed musical instrument akhymaa. In it, a hunter named Kiagua made this instrument to mourn the son he had accidentally killed. Its sounds were also meant to alleviate sufferings. All these instruments were associated with the cult of the dead and were used in funerary and memorial rituals. They accompanied the burying of the deceased, and could be played during the calendar memorial holidays, they were used while searching for the drowned or avalanche victims. In addition, the motif, close to the Ossetian one, could be traced in the lyrical songs of the Kurds.

Keywords: fændyr, changi, chianuri, Nart sagas, Persian epos, folklore of Transcaucasia.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11425

Nart epic of Ossetians is the earliest example of genealogical traditions. In it the family trees of the main heroes, in detail showed their kinship relation. In the epic, there are three kinds of famous Narts’ clans: Alagata, Ahsartagkata and Borata, performing various social functions – religious and ritual, military and economic, respectively. Marriages of Nart's heroes could be concluded either between their three genera, or within their own kind, as well as with celestials or rulers of other lands. In the epic there are examples of an archaic system of kinship, not consistent with modern ideas about marriage, such as a brother marrying his sister or a father marrying his son's wife. In the stories there are plots about the epic heroes acquiring relatives through foster parenting, milk kinship, and sworn brotherhood. These peoples of the Caucasus attached the greatest importance to these forms of artificial kinship. Created for many centuries, the epic absorbed the vivid features of the tribal system. It also reflects the social structure of the Ossetian early feudal society. The popularity of epic heroes is reflected in genealogical legends of Ossetian surnames. Thus, some pedigrees of modern Ossetian surnames trace their ancestors to the characters of the Narts’ epic. The names of the main characters of the epic are notably popular these days. Some names have become household names. Inestimable tales came down to us thanks to the traditions of the people to pass down works of folklore from generation to generation through folk storytellers, from whom researchers and collectors of Ossetian folklore have recorded and preserved for future generations superb examples of epic creativity.

Keywords: Caucasus, Ossetia, folklore, Narts’ epic, genealogy, artificial kinship.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11468

The development of the factory industry is considered in the article. It is noted that inclusion of Dagestan into Russia contributed to the emergence of goods of the factory industry, replacement of some products of handicraft production of the Dagestan region. New industries arose in Dagestan by the end of the XIX century such as: distillery, fish, textile, mining, canning. Significant role in creating industrial enterprises of Dagestan belonged to Russian and foreign capital. Factory industry that emerged in the post-reform period was further developed in the early XXth century. Nearly all enterprises were small and poorly equipped technically, but among them there were enterprises equipped according with the technical requirements of their time. Rapid development of industry, transport links in the period from the 90s of the XIXth century by 1917 led to a significant increase in the number of workers of the region. The working class was formed in two ways: through the inflow of labor from the economically developed regions of the country, and also by forming local national cadres of workers. In addition, there was another source – seasonal workers from Northern Iran (mainly Iranian Azerbaijanis). Russians who worked mainly in industrial production were mostly qualified workers, while the percentage of skilled workers of local nationalities was low, about 15-20% of the total number of permanent workers. In the handicrafts industries: in the fruit-canning, leather and arms industries, indigenous Dagestanis dominated, among them a large number of skilled workers predominated. In addition to permanent workers in Dagestan, tens of thousands of temporary workers were employed every year - Dagestani, Russian and Iranian peasants hired for seasonal labour.

Keywords: Dagestan region, handicraft industry, factory industry, Russian and foreign capital, qualified workers, workers of local nationalities.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11426

The article highlights the activities of K.S.Gardanov in the field of the Ossetian language studies. His creative collaboration with the prominent Russian scientist V. F. Miller in the study of the language, Ethnography and folklore of the Ossetians is being considered. Special importance is attached to Gardanov’s assistance to Miller in creating his manuscript of the collection "Digor tales according to the records of Digorians I.T. Sobiev, K.S. Gardanov and S.A. Tukkaev, with translation and notes by Vsev. Miller", published in 1902, in "Papers on Oriental Studies published in the Lazarev Institute of Oriental languages". Particular emphasis is placed on six folklore materials (Narts’ tales, historical tales, fairy tales) submitted by Gardanov for this collection. Analysis of the scientific activities of Gardanov, one of the nine founders and an active member of Ossetic Historical and Philological Society is conducted. His article "On the high altitude climate stations and the mineral springs of the North Ossetian Autonomous Region", is reviewed as the first work on balneology in North Ossetia in the Soviet period, where the author gave deep analysis of the famous mineral springs Ossetia and advocated the use of Tsey glacier in treating tuberculosis patients. Gardanov’s leading role in founding the Soviet health care pattern in North Ossetia is being discussed, as well as his work as a head of the Health Department of the Revolutionary Committee of the Vladikavkaz district, which tackled the issues of medical care, epidemics of cholera, smallpox, malaria, and tuberculosis and venereal diseases. Gardanov did much in establishing midwifery schools in Vladikavkaz, which were meant to provide training for persons of the indigenous nationality. Of special significance is his contribution to the preparation for publication of three volumes of "Ossetian-Russian-German Dictionary" by Miller (1927, 1929, 1934). The article makes extensive use of the letters Gardanov wrote to Miller.

Keywords: K.S. Gardanov, V.F. Miller, folklore, Narts’ legends, doctor, medical and sanitary department, mineral springs.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11469

The article is devoted to reviewing the situation in the Stavropol region that resulted from the February bourgeois-democratic and October socialist revolutions. The analisys of events of the revoltionary past of our coutry is relevant because of centenary of 1917 October Revolution. Formation of new authorities such as public security committees and zemstvo (an institution of local government) is shown. Membership of new trade unions and councils of deputies is considered. The reasons for the further deepening of the crisis, which led to an establishment of the Soviet power are revealed. The peculiarities of a Soviet power victory in the Stavropol region are defined. The evaluation of an activity of the Bolshevik Party in the Stavropol region after October events in the capital is given. The Stavropol region example shows peculiarities of Bolshevik institutions in the hinterlands. On the basis of the regional archive and the local press the author analyzes the organization and realization of elections to the Constituent Assembly, and the role of political parties in this process. The results of the election campaign in the Stavropol region and in a whole country are summed up. Special attention is paid to the work of the General Provincial National Assembly which adopted a resolution on the organization of the Soviet power in the province. The author pays attention to the role of the Center in the revolutionary activity on the outskirts of the country.

Keywords: Stavropol region, Provisional government, commissar, the Consituent Assembly, election campaign, the General Provincial National Assembly, the Soviet power.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11466

The given article is part of comprehensive research on the history of Ossetian toponymy. The derivational types of Ossetian toponymy are analyzed in the article. The author discusses materials on North and South Ossetia, including unpublished files on Leningor region. This made it possible to illustrate the derivational patterns’ equivalence of every part of Ossetian toponymy. There is insignificant difference between derivational affixes of North and South Ossetia, which might be explained by the influence of either Caucasian or Turkic languages. From various types of Ossetian toponymy’s derivation, only unproductive suffixes were chosen for the present article, and most of them accord with the appellative lexis of the Ossetian language. The great number of reviewed affixes is originally Ossetian or Iranian. In some particular cases their Caucasian legacy can be traced (suffix -sk-, for example). The derivational bases of the majority of the considered toponyms are also original, and it is even possible to discern in them those Iranian stems, which were lost in the Ossetian language long ago. Sometimes these stems occur as part of Ossetian composite words (*zæræ ‘green, grass’, for example). In general, the toponymy of Ossetia is a good source for both the history of the Ossetian language and the ethnic history of the Ossetian people.

Keywords: toponymy, Ossetia, derivation, topoform.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11460

In the article the specifics of historical narration in the Ossetian prose of the 1930-s are analyzed from the point of view of levels of interaction of two art systems – folklore and literature, namely in the genre of historical and revolutionary novel, with which the actual development of large epic forms began.convergenceResearch objective is to reconsider the ideological and substantial and figurative structure of works of the reviewed period in the changed realia, to introduce amendments into a paradigm of the established estimates in searching genre and style characteristic of this type of novel and specifics of its interaction with oral and poetic tradition.

Of special importance are also the questions connected with the process of formation of a novelistic narration types. In the present article the axiological approach to studying features of structure of the historico-revolutionary novel in its initial phase is applied alongside with the use of traditional methods of the literary criticism. Study of the outlined circle of problems gives grounds to trace genetic succession of the first historical and revolutionary novels ("Storm Noise" by K. Farnion, "The Broken Chain" by B. Botsiyev, D. Mamsurov's "Akhsarbeg", T. Besayev's "Hope") from folklore. The folklore and ethnographic component as the spiritual and esthetic basis of the Ossetian mentality forms a style originality and the axiological and semantic sphere of novelistic texts, though the use of the elements of folklore – historicism and psychologism, an etnographism and a social life-recording – not always meets the requirements of artistic demand. The process of integration into the novelistic structure of traditional ethic and aesthetic ideals is interpreted in the aspect of discording with ideologems of the Soviet epoch, and which account sometimes for the behavioral stereotypes of characters.

Keywords:Keywords: Keywords: Ossetian prose, historical and revolutionary novel, genesis, type of the narration, folklorism, historical method, artistic, etnographism, ethnic and ideological

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11461

In the XIXth century in Ossetia a change of the feudal attitudes by the bourgeois ones took place. Aas a result a new, bourgeois type of artistic culture with particular artistic ideology was born, which claimed the slogan of individual freedom. In fact, however, the new "non-freedom" of the individual was born. Suddenly many of the imperfections and shortcomings of the capitalist society became obvious. And this "enlightenment" was clearly and vividly reflected in the artistic consciousness, in its powerful aesthetic and methodological tool, the artistic method of critical realism. Ossetian art of critical realism focused its attention on class roots of the social processes and phenomena. Realist artist showed qualities of a thinker, analyzing the laws of life, formulating their thoughts in images, obeying the objective laws of aesthetics. Generally the Ossetian art of critical realism reflected the inconsistency of the bourgeois society to the norms of humanism, protest against all norms of social and spiritual enslavement of a man. The art of critical realism sounded not only the social protest, the relationship of the public consciousness with the liberation movement of the working class in the South Ossetia and in Russia was also reflected. The Ossetian artistic consciousness of the late XIX – early XXth centuries developed new principles of social psychological works with their philosophical and ethical orientation; i.e. generating new ways of understanding human nature, its psychology and the inner world. Important in the development of the artistic consciousness of the Ossetians at this stage is the principle of realistic images of life "in the forms of the life itself". Critical realism united into a single contradictory whole a human, the nature and the society, i.e. wanted to see the world in its complex unity and contradictions, in their interdependence. After all, realism in the mature forms suggests featuring life in images that are relevant to the essence of the phenomena of the life itself, and are created through typification of the facts of the reality. All this constitutes functional peculiarities and historical role, the purpose of critical realism in the culture of the Ossetians in general and in the Ossetian literature in particular.

Keywords: realism, an artistic method, the nature and the circumstances, manner, knowledge, image, writer.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11470

The article represents the analysis of the individual variation of phraseological units in the poems of Irlan Khugaev. Phraseological units frequently and habitually used in speech tend to lose their primary expressivity, whereas their occasional and creative transformation forms stylistic devices that revive their novelty and originality. In modern linguistic researches it has repeatedly been noted that the individual author's transformation of phraseological units is an effective technique not only to revive their inner form, but to disclose the semantic potential of their constituent components. As such, the occasional usage of phraseological units intensifies their potential creative qualities. Identification of phraseological transformations, that accord to the author’s intentions, allows distinguish two forms of occasional use of phraseological units in the poems of Irlan Khugaev: their actualization and transformation, which create an emotional impact. The present analysis of phraseological composition in the poetry of Irlan Khugaev has revealed the writer’s stylistic idiosyncrasy that resists standardized phraseological semantics and aims at enhancing the expressiveness of phraseological units, and renovating and strengthening their philosophical meaning, therefore, a distinctive feature of the use of phraseological units in the poetry of Irlan Khugaev – a large number of modified phraseological units. It is possible to allocate a wide range of semantic and structural-semantic transformations of phraseological units, which in the poetry of Khugaev perform artistic and aesthetic functions and become vivid figurative-expressive means. Along with the above-mentioned functions the profound aphoristic nature of the poetry of Irlan Khugaev should be marked, which enriches his poetry with additional connotations and deep implications.

Keywords: phraseological units, individual authorial variation, phraseological transformations, transformation in context, actualization of semantics.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11462

The problems of social economic development of the North Ossetia during the so-called late Stalin period are among the most neglected in regional historiography. In this regard, the comrehensive study of the main areas of rehabilitation of the industrial and agricultural sector of the North Ossetian ASSR seems to be specially relevant. A compilation of the documents of the Cenral state archive of RNO-A is devoted to the consideration of violations of the Agricultural artel Charter. The documents provide opportunities for the readers to assess the extent of the violations of labour and financial discipline in the North Ossetian collective farms and the ways they were handled with by party and state bodies in the first post-war years. Archival documents show that many heads of collective farms disregarded democratic basis in managing agricultural artels and the mass theft of collective property flourished. At the same time it should be noted that among violators of the Agricultural artel Charter there were also some leading party members and soviet high-ranking officials of the North Ossetian ASSR. So, for example, manager of agricultural department of the Regional committee of VKP(b) B-ev for 5 years illegally used the collective farm house with the estate of 0,57 hectares with a garden. The former secretary of the Ordzhonikidzevsky district party committee for several years used collective farm houses for the needs of his privately owned cattle and was engaged in dispossessing collective farmers. All these facts testify to the crisis phenomena in the Stalin model of agrarian development in 1945–1953. According to the country leaders regional party and soviet workers had to be in vanguard of the campaign in fighting against violations of the Agricultural artel Charter started in 1946. They were most often charged with disciplinary responsibility for rejecting measures to eliminate violations of the Charter in collective farms of the area and for their liberal attitudes towards the collective farm property plunderers. Chairmen of Gizeldonsky, Alagir and Costa-Khetagurovsky district executive committees were among the regional leaders removed in 1945–1953 on such grounds.

Keywords: collective farm, elimination, violations, agricultural artel, Council of Ministers, Charter.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11463

Delicacy and mutual respect were always the basis of the behavioural etiquette of the Caucasians. The Caucasus is home for many peoples with unique culture, distinctive individuality and their own worldview. To figure peculiarities of mentality of the peoples, that reside in this region, one need to have perfect intuition, tact and appropriate education. Researches have always been fascinated by the diversity of the Caucasus. There is a certain number of common Caucasian issues that remain relevant notwithstanding the socio-political conjuncture. One of such issues is the Nartiada. The Ossetian-Balkar-Karachay Nart parallels stated in the title of the presented article are given in Khamid Khashimovich Malkonduev's monograph, who is a Balkarian scientist, Ph.D. in Linguistics, a folklorist and a turcologist. The title of his book is "Karachay-Balkar Nart Sagas. Theory. Historicism. Originality". Researchers usually tend to review their colleagues' works in a critical way. We will try to find in this work common ground and ideas that can unite us in the all-Caucasian space, but not to sow the seeds of division or incomprehension, since we are meant to live together here, in the Caucasus, in friendship and harmony. The monograph is reviewed from the point of view of a professional historian, not a folklorist. The author of the monograph must be credited for his objectivity and unbiased attitudes, which he maintains in spite of the pressures and volatility of the public opinion. It is common knowledge, that V.I. Abaev's work published in 1945 "The Narts’ Epos", in which he stated the international character of the epos, instigated active studying of the national versions of Nartiada. At the same time Abaev asserted, that the Alania epic cycle introduced to the Caucasus by the ancestors of the present-day Ossetians constitute the core of the Narts’ sagas". These words serve as a keynote of the present article.

Keywords: Narts, Uruzmag, Satana, Ossetians, Karachays, Balkars, Abaev.

DOI 10.23671/VNC.2018.66.11464

The article is devoted to the analysis of reconstruction such powerful reserve of the ethnic heritage as ethnic public peacemaking with its specific traditions, norms, institutions and regulations. In particular, we consider the contribution of the monographic research of T. T. Daueva “Conflict-generating Factors and Peacemaking Resources in the Ossetian Society (the end of XIX – beginning of XX centuries)” in the study of folk traditions of peace maintaining. The fact, that the author used the field material collected in the North and South Ossetia, as well as among Anatolian Ossetians, is highlighted as an undeniable advantage over other similar studies. The article emphasizes the relevance and timeliness of such studies, their theoretical value and an invaluable practical resource. The importance of scientific studies of peacekeeping practices is particularly evident in the conditions of multiethnic regions. In particular, in the North Caucasus, civilizational and cultural space, historically formed as a result of complex polylogue of traditional ethnic cultures of various peoples. The scientific study of historical and cultural, ethnic experience of establishing civil harmony, the diversity of composition systems, conciliation strategies, legal and communicative components of ethnic forms of legal proceedings, ethno-cultural traditions of peacemaking retains its social relevance. Another aspect of the significance of such research for today is the system of legal proceedings in Russia, which provides certain opportunities for turning to the historical experience of mediation. The country's existing programmes are implemented through public-justice partnerships, but the most successful model in the North Caucasus is the model of reconciliation based on a traditional and still viable mediation system. In this sense, the peacekeeping resource of ethno-cultural heritage can find its extremely positive application as an active tool of social, cultural and state building in such a multinational and multicultural country as Russia.

The author emphasises conviction in the promising prospects of historical and ethnographic research of law, on the Ossetian material as well.

Keywords: peacemaking traditions, ethnic heritage, national legal system, mediation, conciliation strategies, common law.