History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus
In 2005 the Caucasus’ oldest academic institution – the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Daghestan Federal Research Centre of RAS – established a scientific journal "Herald of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus". It became a place for publications of researches on relevant issues about history and archeology of the region. Over the years, the herald (Vestnik) has acquired its current and unique form and the editorial board has determined its profile and position in selecting of articles to publish. In 2018, the journal changed its name to "History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus". The editorial board was renewed and expanded. Now, the editor-in-chief is a full member of RAS and corresponding member of DAI, Doctor of History, Professor Khizry Amirkhanovich Amirkhanov. The editorial board, the involvement of foreign reviewers, as well as co-operation with the multicultural team of authors, define journal’s International status. The “History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus” publishes original theoretical and scientific researches on urgent topics, and articles regarding the personnel (anniversaries of famous scientists; obituaries). Key research guidelines are archeology, ethnography and history of the Caucasus region, as well as researches on historical demography and sociology, numismatics and paleography, oriental and other historical disciplines. Papers at the interface between different disciplines are also welcomed. The chronological coverage is from the ancient times to the present day. The journal considers unauthorized collecting of antiquities as an activity that contravenes the European Charter for the Protection and Management of the Archaeological Heritage, Russian legislation and general academic views on professional ethics. Regarding the above, the journal will only publish works based on results of legal archaeological research or analysis of the material, stored in the State Museum Foundation. The journal is published in both Russian and English with detailed abstracts in both languages. The quality of submitted manuscripts is determined by the double-blind peer-review, and then the Editorial Board decides whether to publish it or not. The journal reserves the right to reject articles, which are out of the journal’s scope, or those violating the journal’s policies and requirements. Authors will be notified about the decision on the compliance with the requirements as soon as possible. The reviewing process may take up to six months. TRANSLATE with x English Arabic Hebrew Polish Bulgarian Hindi Portuguese Catalan Hmong Daw Romanian Chinese Simplified Hungarian Russian Chinese Traditional Indonesian Slovak Czech Italian Slovenian Danish Japanese Spanish Dutch Klingon Swedish English Korean Thai Estonian Latvian Turkish Finnish Lithuanian Ukrainian French Malay Urdu German Maltese Vietnamese Greek Norwegian Welsh Haitian Creole Persian TRANSLATE with COPY THE URL BELOW <!--a id="TwitterLink" title="Share on Twitter"> <a-- id="FacebookLink" title="Share on Facebook"> </a--> Back EMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster Portal Back
All the Copyright statements for authors are present in the standart Publishing Agreement (Public Offer) to Publish an Article in an Academic Periodical 'History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus'. Standart Publishing Agreement (Public Offer) to Publish an Article in an Academic Periodical ''History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus' The Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences, hereinafter referred to as the Publisher, on the one hand, hereby offers to the public at large, hereinafter referred to as the Author, on the other hand, hereinafter collectively referred to as the Parties, to enter into this agreement, hereinafter referred to as the Agreement, regarding publication of scholarly materials, hereinafter referred to as the Article, in the Journal named 'History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus’, hereinafter referred to as the Journal, under the following terms. 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COMMON MANIFESTATIONS RITESOF PASSAGE AMONG THE ARMENIANS
This study examines the structural, symbolic, and functional parallels and contrasts among the rites of baptism, marriage, and burial within Armenian religious and folk traditions. Particular attention is paid to the ritual objects utilized in these ceremonies and their significance within the social and spiritual life of both the individual and the community. The object of research comprises the primary transitional milestones of human life – birth, marriage, and death – which symbolize an individual’s biological, social, and spiritual transitions between distinct states of being. Notably, these three pivotal life events employ a shared religious and ritual framework that clearly delineates a time-bound transition from one stage to the next, precisely aligning with the concept of a “rite of passage.” To comprehensively analyze these ceremonies within the Armenian tradition, this study employs a multidisciplinary methodology. Through historical analysis, the evolution of these rituals is traced by examining ancient texts– including the Bible and the works of Agathangelos, Grigor Tatevatsi, and Hovhannes Erznkatsi– alongside the Armenian Church's ritual collection, the Mashtots, thereby contextualizing their development across different religious and historical eras. Ritual analysis is utilized to investigate the symbolism of these transitional rites, revealing their historical and theological contexts and examining the underlying Christian doctrines of spiritual rebirth and purification, with reference to the religious texts that illuminate their symbolic meanings. Additionally, ethnographic observation provides insight into the cultural practices and customs associated with these rites, as well as the application and commonalities of related ceremonial objects (such as the narot, belts, garments, water, and stone), which convey concepts of sanctification, fertility, continuity, and universal order across various ceremonies. Finally, a comparative analysis identifies the shared elements and distinct variations across the three rites, highlighting their interconnectedness in marking life transitions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mkhitaryan A.R. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
АРАБСКАЯ НАДПИСЬ 1693–94 г. ИЗ ЮЖНОГО ДАГЕСТАНА О СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВЕ РИБАТА
В статье автором впервые вводится в научный оборот содержание ценной и информативной надписи на арабском языке, которая ныне хранится в музее высокогорного дагестанского (цахурского) селения Гельмец, а была обнаружена в соседнем цахурском селении Микик. Эта памятная надпись датирована 1105 г. хиджры (1693–94 г.). Она была составлена по случаю строительства сооружения, обозначенного в тексте термином рибат, что фиксируется в мусульманской эпиграфике Дагестана и России впервые. Установлено, что этот строительный объект по своему назначению носил, прежде всего, религиозный характер. Автор пришел к выводу, что под термином рибат следует понимать, в данном случае, суфийскую обитель, которая могла выполнять также функции караван-сарая и пристанища для путников и странствующих суфиев (дервишей). О фактах существования рибатов в Дагестане в послемонгольское время не было известно. Находка надписи показывает, что рибаты продолжали строить в регионе и в конце XVII в. Строительство такого сооружения было напрямую связано с глубокими суфийскими традициями в Самурском регионе, который был очень рано исламизирован. В частности, это следует увязать с широким распространением тариката братства Халватийа, суфийские практики которого проникли в Южный Дагестан в XV–XVI вв. из соседнего Ширвана. Надпись 1693–94 г. – одна из самых богатых в эпиграфике Дагестана по количеству приводимых в ней имен собственных (включая насаб). В надписи содержатся имена организатора строительства, его брата и отца, пятерых мастеров-строителей с указанием их происхождения. Отдельно указаны имена каллиграфа и резчика декоративной резьбы. Уникальный характер носит также информация надписи о том, что строительство рибата было осуществлено во время правления Амирхан-султана, который идентифицируется как правитель Цахуро-Илисуйского султаната – феодального владения, занимавшего верховья реки Самур в Южном Дагестане и смежную территорию Закавказья. О времени правления Амирхан-султана прежде не было известно. Перевод надписи снабжен научными комментариями.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zakariyaev Z.S. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EVIDENCE FROM A DISTURBED KURA-ARAXES BURIALIN SOUTHEASTERN AZERBAIJAN
This article examines a partially destroyed Early Bronze Age burial site located near the village of Gilar (Yardimli District, Republic of Azerbaijan). The study aims to analyze the archaeological and anthropological materials recovered from the site, which was accidentally discovered during construction work on private property. The skeleton was interred in a flexed position on its left side, with the cranium oriented toward the east. The remaining grave goods consist of a single ceramic bowl positioned at the head of the skeleton; a second vessel, unfortunately, did not survive. Based on the material culture and a probable stone-cist (tomb) typology, the burial is attributed to the Kura-Araxes cultural-historical community and dated to approximately the mid-fourth millennium BCE. The anthropological remains were analyzed using modern methods derived from both physical anthropology and forensic medicine. The skeletal material submitted for scientific processing included a cranium, a fragment of the mandible, and poorly preserved postcranial fragments. Osteological analysis indicates the remains belonged to a woman, approximately 45+ years of age, exhibiting a dolichocranial skull type. Notably, a perimortem traumatic injury – oblong-oval in shape, measuring 36×17mm and approximately 5 mm deep – was identified on the cranium. The fracture lacks any signs of osseous healing, indicating the blow was inflicted with immense force and that an axe was the likely weapon used to deliver the fatal wound. Observed paleopathologies include porotic hyperostosis, vascular reaction, cribra orbitalia, and a button osteoma. This find marks the first documented instance of a perimortem injury in Early Bronze Age anthropological material from Azerbaijan, as well as the first recorded case of a benign button osteoma of such a significant diameter (22 mm). Ultimately, the discovery of this burial significantly expands our understanding of the geographic extent and presence of the Kura-Araxes archaeological culture in the mountainous regions of southeastern Azerbaijan.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kirichenko D. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
RESQUE EXCAVATIONS AT THE ARKABASH FORTRESS
In 2024, rescue excavations were conducted at the Arkabash Fortress as part of the Caucasus Highway construction and reconstruction project. The site is situated in the eponymous tract south of Khasavyurt, on the elevated foothills of the eastern spurs of the Salatau Range. Originally discovered in the late 1970s and initially dated to the early medieval period, a 2009 survey recorded the fortress as a subsquare structure measuring 70 × 70 m with rounded corners, enclosed by a flooded moat and a rampart up to 2.5 m high. However, both the rampart and the cultural layer were illegally destroyed in 2013. A complete clearing of the fortress territory down to the subsoil revealed no surviving remnants of the cultural layer, utility pits, or other archaeological features. Given this severe state of degradation, research focused primarily on investigating the ditch surrounding the fortress. Six stratigraphic trenches were excavated across the defensive ditch: two each on the eastern and western flanks, and one each on the southern and northern sections. All trenches exhibited a uniform stratigraphic fill consisting of medium-density gray and dark-gray loam with carbonate inclusions. The ditch depth varied from 0.85 to 2.0 m, while its width ranged from 5.9 to 12 m. The ditch fill yielded only 21 fragments of ceramic vessels. Among these, fragments of dense, well-burnished gray-ware pottery with no visible inclusions allow for a tentative redating of the monument to the Albanian-Sarmatian period (the turn of the era to the first centuries AD).
Copyright (c) 2026 Gadjiev M.S., Budaychiev A.L., Abdulaev A.M., Taymazov A.I. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GENEALOGY OF JAR TUKHUMS – AS A SOURCE ON THE HISTORY OF JARO-BELOKAN
In this study, the author has attempted to reconstruct the genealogy of the famous Avar tukhum (clan) Nuhilal (Nukhievs) and other tukhums of the Jar society. The starting point of the study is the 17th century - when in the settlement of Gholada, representatives of the Nuhiyal clan, along with the tukhums of Chimchilal (Ch1imch1ilal), Tebel (Lebelal) made up the bulk of its population. The study concludes with the modern period, showing the family branches of the Nuhilal family. The study of the genealogy of the avars tukhums of Jar, in particular the most famous tukhum Nuhilal, is an important and integral part of the history of Jaro-Belokan, since representatives of this tukhum in different historical periods played an important role in the social, political and religious life of Jaro-Belokan It is only worth noting the role of Malla-Muhammad al-Ghuludi, a prominent representative of the Nuhiyal tukhum in the 17th century in the spread of Islamic sciences in the South and North-East Caucasus, in the 18th century, the descendants and students of Malla-Muhammad played an important role in religious and political life, were the qadis of Jaro-Belokan. In the 19th century after the inclusion of Jaro-Belokan into the Russian Empire, representatives of the Nuhilal clan (as well as other tukhums) were taken care of by St. Petersburg itself. The 3rd platoon of His Imperial Majesty's Own Convoy (HIMOC) was formed from representatives of the Nuhiyal Tukhum and other noble tukhums. In the 20th century, representatives of this tukhum also played a prominent role in the socio-political life of the region. A prominent representative of this tukhum in the twentieth century was the aforementioned Muhammad Nakkaev.
Copyright (c) 2026 Khalaev Z.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE MUHARRAM MYSTERYAS REFLECTED IN THE DRAWINGSOF V. KHODJABEKYAN AND V. VERESHCHAGIN
This article reconstructs the 19th-century Shiite mourning rituals and passion plays (ta'ziyeh) of Muharram through the analytical lenses of visual and verbal anthropology. Geographically focusing on the regional traditions that evolved within the Tiflis and Baku provinces of the Russian Empire as well as Persia, this study utilizes ethnographic accounts and fine arts data to conduct a comparative analysis of these practices. By examining textual descriptions published by S. Marr, I. Bertels, E. Berezina, and M. Gorky alongside sketches and paintings by V. Vereshchagin and V. Khodjabekyan, the authors demonstrate how disparate regional variations of the Muharram mysteries complement one another. Textual analysis decodes the structured ritual itinerary, mapping out chronological stages such as elegiac readings, mourning processions, flagellation rituals, lamentations, and formal ta'ziyeh theatrical performances. Concurrently, the visual documentation captures the multi-ethnic composition of the participating musicians, complex character mise-en-scènes, and the unexpected integration of wrestlers and acrobats into public processions. The study identifies three primary performative topographies utilized during the Ashura rituals: enclosed spaces, mobile street processions, and ritualized spaces along riverbanks. Furthermore, both verbal and visual data reveal distinct regional iconographic techniques used to represent the Imam Ali as a symbolic lion. A defining characteristic of these Ashura rituals is the vast proliferation of variant ta'ziyeh scripts, all bound by the foundational narrative commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (Shahsei-Vahsei). Specifically, this article analyzes four drawings by the Armenian artist V. Khodjabekyan documenting two distinct moments of the Muharram mystery in Tiflis (1880), alongside three works by V. Vereshchagin capturing the rituals in Shusha. Correlating these visual datasets with contemporary written narratives allows the authors to reconstruct historical performance scenarios, ultimately offering conclusions regarding the trajectory of secularization within these traditional religious mysteries in the modern era.
Copyright (c) 2026 Petrosyan E.K. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE ALTAR SCREEN OF THE CHURCHIN VESYOLOYE VILLAGE:AN ATTEMPT AT VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION
TThis study examines the principles of reconstructing the altar screen of a medieval church in the village of Vesyoloye, Adler District, Greater Sochi. Discovered and explored during archaeological excavations in the construction zone of the XXII Olympic Winter Games, the church ruins were preserved predominantly at the foundation level. The excavations yielded sixteen fragments of architectural decoration, including unique artifacts that offer critical insights into the screen’s original appearance. Notably, a fragment of a tyablo (architrave) depicting “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” suggests an altar screen typology characteristic of Greece and Asia Minor from the 10th to the early 11th century. This hypothesis is further supported by other architectural elements, including presumed pillar caps for hanging chancel doors, portions of octagonal columns from the upper registers of the altar screen pillars, and a square-section lower fragment decorated with braided ornamentation. To reconstruct the screen’s appearance, ten fragments of carved decoration were selected and digitized using photogrammetry and direct 3D modeling, serving as the foundation for the final digital reconstruction. The overall proportions of the screen were determined based on a scaled plan of the building, statistical data on Middle Byzantine altar screens from Greece and Asia Minor, and anthropometric indicators. Integrated into a previously developed 3D model of the Vesyoloye church, the resulting reconstruction demonstrates a unique symbiosis of Byzantine design and distinct regional Caucasian features, as exemplified by the specific placement of the “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” motif on the lower edge of the architrave’s trapezoidal cross-section.
Copyright (c) 2026 Endoltseva E.Y., Glazov K.A., Glazov K.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ANTI-RELIGIOUS PROPAGANDA AND THE VISUALIZATIONOF EVERYDAY RELIGIOSITY IN GEORGIAIN THE 1920S AND 1930s
The article examines the visualization of everyday religiosity in Georgia within the framework of the aggressive anti-religious campaigns orchestrated by the Union of Militant Atheists during the 1920s and 1930s. Given the resiliently high level of religious devotion among the local populations of Transcaucasia, and Georgia in particular, Soviet propagandists during the “Cultural Revolution” were forced to develop highly specialized tools for agitational visual policy. These strategies included the compilation of “religious-everyday maps” during regional ethnographic expeditions, the curation of photographic collections documenting Caucasian religious cults for display in anti-religious museums, and the production of targeted anti-religious cinema. As primary case studies of this visual strategy, the article analyzes field materials recovered from a 1931 anti-religious ethnographic expedition to Georgia, alongside David Rondeli’s silent film Ugubziara (1930, State Film Industry of Georgia) – a work largely overlooked in contemporary research. The instructional and methodological guidelines accompanying this film demonstrate that early Soviet anti-religious cinema was systematically leveraged to disseminate natural-scientific education and public health/medical views. The ultimate objective of this visual atheist campaign was to systematically dismantle and violate the perceived sanctity of local religious imagery through deliberate “exposure.” The author concludes that these state-produced sources – religious-everyday maps, expeditionary photographs, and archival film documents derived from local materials – constitute highly valuable visual anthropological data. While they were historically engineered to demonstrate the ostensible absurdity of religious belief, they ironically preserved a vivid, realistic, and highly granular record of the diverse and unique religious practices of the Transcaucasia under the pressures of “militant atheism.”
Copyright (c) 2026 Golovneva E. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
PLANT MACROREMAINSFROM MEDIEVAL ZOOGENIC DEPOSITS:RECONSTRUCTION FOR SHEPHERDAND ANIMAL DIET AND FUEL USE
The study of medieval zoogenic (dung) deposits offers valuable insights into local vegetation dynamics, livestock farming practices, and land use over centuries. Among the most informative sources embedded within these deposits are plant macroremains – including charcoal, seeds, grains, chaff, and cereal straw – preserved with exceptional quality, particularly beneath rock shelters. This article investigates multiple dimensions of shepherd subsistence and animal husbandry, as well as patterns of wood fuel use, across nine shelters situated at varying altitudes (880–2500 m a.s.l.) within the Kislovodsk Basin and its immediate surroundings. Through integrated archaeobotanical and anthracological analysis, 9 species of grain and legume crops were identified alongside 12 wild food taxa and 19 woody taxa. The distribution of cultivated crops is examined in relation to shelter canopy position, and for the principal agricultural species, an attempt is made to correlate findings with the chronological sequence of individual stratigraphic horizons, as well as to distinguish between cereals used for human consumption and those serving as animal fodder. Millet, wheat, barley, and rye emerged as the most prevalent species. For wild food plants, evidence points to both local collection and deliberate transport from other altitudinal zones. The composition of charcoal spectra reflects opportunistic fuel procurement strategies focused on readily accessible resources, particularly riparian species such as birch, willow, alder, and poplar. A clear altitudinal gradient is demonstrated in the declining representation of broadleaf taxa (oak, hazel, hornbeam, and ash), while coniferous species appear to have been largely unavailable to shepherds in any meaningful quantity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sergeev A.Y., Kupriyanov D.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE PROBLEM OF THE ORIGINOF DAGESTANI DYNASTIES AND THE POTENTIALOF GENETIC GENEALOGYNEALOGY
Despite decades of historiographical debate regarding their origins, the ruling elites of key Dagestani polities, such as the Kaitag Utsmiate, the Kazikumukh Shamkhalate, the Avar Nutsalate, and the Derbent-Quba Khanate, have long lacked systematic, independent genealogical verification. This scholarly lacuna stems primarily from the absence of traditional documentary records, such as population censuses, parish registers, or tax cadasters. Furthermore, much of the anecdotal evidence currently available to historians remains unverified, precluding its deployment as reliable source material and necessitating alternative interdisciplinary methodologies. Recent advancements in mapping the global human gene pool, the expansion of population-genetic databases, and the widespread commercialization of DNA testing have established a robust framework for collaborative research between historians, genealogists, and geneticists investigating regional ethnogenesis. These technological developments offer a new avenue to resolve long-standing debates surrounding the origins of Dagestani dynasties. Accordingly, this article substantiates the integration of genetic genealogy methods to investigate the origins of these ruling lineages and outlines a practical fieldwork strategy utilizing specific historical necropolises. Utilizing a comparative historical approach alongside rigorous source criticism, the authors assess the reliability of existing dynastic origin theories and verify the identity of specific burial sites. The paper systematically evaluates the viability of conducting archeogenetic analysis on the skeletal remains of Dagestani rulers. Applying a representative sampling strategy, the authors compile a comprehensive index of documented burials suitable for genetic testing. Ultimately, this study provides an actionable methodological foundation, encompassing the precise identification, localization, and selection of representative dynastic graves, to guide forthcoming DNA research on these four historical Dagestani lineages.
Copyright (c) 2026 Polchaeva F.A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT FOR MINORITY ETHNICITIESOF DAGESTAN: FEASIBILITY VS. POSSIBILITY(HISTORICAL AND SOCIOLINGUISTIC ASPECT)
This article explores some challenges and methodologies of developing writing systems for the minority peoples of Dagestan who historically possessed unwritten cultures. Analyzing the interplay between available sociolinguistic resources and programmatic progress, the research focuses on the fourteen “unwritten languages of Dagestan” (including Andi, Archi, Akhvakh, Bagvalin, Bezhta, Botlikh, Ginukh, Godoberi, Gunzib, Karata, Tindin, Khvarshi, Tsez, and Chamal), whose speech communities range from 21,000 to 635,000 speakers. The study thoroughly reviews historical precedents, tracing the major stages of script development for literary Dagestani languages across the Arabic-based Ajam, Latin, and Cyrillic alphabets. By addressing contemporary graphic and orthographic challenges, this paper systematizes the primary modern approaches to script implementation. It notes that even without formal literary status, these languages have partially assumed written functions through the compilation of dictionaries, academic grammars, textbooks, folklore collections, and local newspaper publications. Consequently, current efforts represent less of a pioneering enterprise and more of a practical standardization of existing alphabets for minority ethnic groups. The authors acknowledge that the socio-cultural expectations of codification are rarely fully met; while implementing constitutional language rights expands opportunities for popularization, it cannot entirely counteract the pressures of globalization, linguistic homogenization, or shifting demographics. Given the linguistic attrition caused by migration and urbanization, the authors emphasize the urgent need to preserve these distinct linguistic ecosystems. Ultimately, they argue that maintaining these languages safeguards a unique cultural landscape and enhances the socio-cultural and material vitality of the ethnic groups’ traditional regions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ataev B.M., Ibragimova M.O., Magomedkhanov M.M. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMOF ASTRAKHAN AND ITS INFLUENCE ON EASTERN TRADEIN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY
This article analyzes the administrative and judicial apparatus of Astrakhan during the late 18th century, evaluating its structural influence on Russia’s eastern trade. Utilizing newly discovered manuscript sources from the Russian State Historical Archive (RGIA), the author introduces fresh documentary evidence into scholarly circulation to illuminate the operational realities of these regional administrative and judicial bodies. The core case study centers on an incident of cross-border merchant friction: the investigation into the seizure of goods belonging to the Karabakh Armenian Melik, Jamshid Shahnazarov, by the Sheki ruler, Muhammad Husayn Khan. By applying a comparative historical analysis to these archival manuscripts and the concurrent legislative acts of the Russian Empire, the study reconstructs the intricate specificities of imperial bureaucracy. The findings demonstrate the rigorous, granular involvement of the Governing Senate, which directly adjudicated individual trade disputes. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that the Russian government’s overarching regional strategy was systematically oriented toward resolving complex “litigation brought by Asians.” Crucially, imperial administrators had to account for the fact that the frontier city of Astrakhan functioned as a highly diverse, multinational commercial hub with a pronounced ethno-confessional demographic profile. Recognizing the unique administrative and legal friction generated by this diversity, the Senate devised a pragmatic compromise for international litigants at the close of the 18th century. Imperial decrees authorized the establishment of ad hoc arbitration courts supervised by provincial authorities, which were mandated to conduct proceedings in alignment with Russian statutory law while accommodating the multi-ethnic realities of frontier commerce.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mkhitaryan G.Z. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
SECULAR FINE ART SUBJECTS OF ISLAMIC ART OF DAGESTAN IN THE 13TH–15TH CENTURIES
The article describes various works of decorative and applied art made in the Dagestani villages of Kubachi and Kalakoreish in the 13th-15th centuries: stone architectural details in the form of window and door tympanums that once decorated important public buildings in Kubachi (mosques, madrasahs, the building of the supreme local government body), a cast bronze cauldron of the 14th century (Kubachi), carved wooden doors of a mosque and a stone tombstone in the form of a sarcophagus (Kalakoreysh). Most of them, with the exception of one tympanum and a sarcophagus-shaped tombstone, are kept in the National Museum of the Republic of Dagestan named after A.A. Takho-Godi, the State Hermitage Museum, the Dagestan Museum of Fine Arts named after P.S. Gamzatova, and the Metropolitan Museum. The monuments under consideration are decorated with various pictorial subjects in combination with Arabic inscriptions (the door tympanum and the bronze cauldron from Kubachi) or their imitations – pseudo-inscriptions (the tympanum from Kubachi). The listed monuments, both in terms of their artistic analysis and their epigraphy, were studied in the 20th-21st centuries by many scholars (A.S. Bashkirov, V.A. Krachkovskaya, I.A. Orbeli, A. Salmony, E.M. Schilling, E.V. Kilchevskaya, L.I. Lavrov, L.T. Gyuzalyan, U. Scerrato, A.A. Ivanov, P.M. Debirov, A.R. Shikhsaidov, M.M. Mammaev). Their publication and descriptions are presented in various domestic and foreign editions. In this work they are systematized, united into a group of monuments of Muslim art with secular pictorial subjects. It should be noted that during the Soviet period, during the years of dominant atheism, they were not considered works of Islamic art. In this article, they are considered precisely as works of Islamic art with secular pictorial subjects.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mammaev M.M. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EUROPEAN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY SOURCESON NADIR SHAH AFSHAR
The article offers a comprehensive examination of eighteenth-century European representations of the personality and reign of Nadir Shah Afshar as they emerged within the intellectual and political milieu of the Enlightenment. Drawing on a wide range of diplomatic, memoir, missionary, and historiographical sources, it analyzes the mechanisms through which the image of an Eastern ruler was constructed in European culture of the period. The study identifies the key narrative strategies that shaped the representation of Nadir Shah– from the heroic portrayal of a “liberator” and reformer to the formation of a stable image of the “Oriental despot,” embodying the concept of unrestrained and destructive power. The article demonstrates that European interpretations of Nadir Shah’s rule took shape within broader Enlightenment discourses: critiques of despotism, the growing interest in universal history, the consolidation of a colonial gaze, and emerging attempts to conceptualize the East as a cultural and political “Other.” As a result, the figure of Nadir Shah became embedded in binary oppositions that contrasted the “civilized” West with the “barbaric” East, reinforcing the fundamentally ambivalent character of his portrayal in European historiography. Critiques of ‘Eastern despotism,’ fascination with ‘exotic’ societies, and the affirmation of a Eurocentric model of historical development contributed to the emergence of a contradictory and multifaceted image of Nadir Shah. The analysis underscores the need for a critical reassessment of this European corpus with close attention to its textual origins, rhetorical functions, and wider political-intellectual context. Such an approach makes it possible to uncover the mechanisms through which Enlightenment thinkers constructed and instrumentalized the figure of Nadir Shah in debates on political authority, legitimacy, and civilizational development. It also enables the reconstruction of a more complex, multilayered picture of the reciprocal perceptions and cultural projections that shaped interactions between East and West in the early modern period.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gozalova N.R. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE ALLIANCE OF MURTAZALI-SHAMKHAL OF TARKIAND FATALI-KHAN OF QUBA IN THE CAUCASIAN POLICYOF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE IN THE SECOND HALFOF THE 18TH CENTURY
This article analyzes how the alliance between the Tarki Shamkhals (Murtazali and his successor, Bammat) and the ruler of the Quba Khanate, Fatali Khan, influenced the calibration of Caucasian policy by the Russian Empire’s high officials and regional representatives during the 1760s–1780s. Utilizing a critical analysis of primary sources and specialized literature, the authors demonstrate that this alliance, forged to counter mutual political rivals, mitigated external pressures on both principalities, enabling them to pursue active geopolitical strategies across the Western and Southern Caspian regions. The study’s methodological framework is grounded in the core principles of objectivity and historicism, examining historical facts and events within their specific contemporary contexts. Based on these principles, the authors conclude that for over twenty years, Shamkhal Murtazali served as Fatali Khan’s most reliable ally and a skilled mediator in the khan’s relations with the Russian Empire. In turn, strategic engagement with the Murtazali-Fatali alliance allowed the St. Petersburg court and its regional representatives to achieve several key diplomatic and geopolitical objectives. First, it enabled Russia to defend its interests in Transcaucasia while avoiding direct military confrontations with the Ottoman Empire and Persia. Second, it prevented Russia’s Caucasian policy from becoming hostage to the expansionist ambitions of the Georgian King Erekle II and other regional potentates. Finally, by fostering a deeper comprehension of local dynamics and expanding Russia’s economic footprint, this cooperation effectively laid the groundwork for the region’s subsequent integration into the Russian Empire.
Copyright (c) 2026 Huseynov Y.M., Idrisov Y.M. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
PETROVSK UNDER BRITISH OCCUPATION:POLITICAL SITUATION AND THE DAILY LIFEDURING THE CIVIL WAR
This study elucidates the history of the British occupation of Petrovsk (modern-day Makhachkala) and analyzes the interactions between British forces, local political factions, and the civilian population. Grounded in historicism, historical-genetic and historical-comparative methodologies, and inductive reasoning, the paper demonstrates the systemic link between British policy in Dagestan and broader geopolitical interests in the Near and Middle East. Additionally, it provides a distinct analysis of the strategic factors underlying the British withdrawal from the city. The primary novelty of this work lies in its simultaneous macro- and micro-level examination of the British intervention in Dagestan. This dual approach offers a more nuanced evaluation of the Russian Civil War as a complex phenomenon wherein personal motivations, sympathies, and individual choices often superseded institutional external conflict dynamics. Furthermore, this study introduces newly uncovered English-language and regional sources into scholarly circulation, clarifying previously obscure details of Petrovsk’s tenure under foreign occupation. These documents provide concrete examples of the friction and cooperation between British forces, municipal civilian organizations, and the Volunteer Army units stationed there under General M.A. Przhevalsky. The paper also examines Bolshevik underground anti-war agitation targeting British troops. Ultimately, the research findings demonstrate that characterizing Denikin’s Armed Forces of South Russia (AFSR) as a mere proxy entirely subordinate to British interventionists is historically untenable. The study establishes that multiple competing power centers coexisted precariously in Petrovsk during the spring of 1919. Preoccupied with fundamental survival, the local population remained deeply alienated from the British troops, viewing them not as liberators, but as yet another occupying force.
Copyright (c) 2026 Birukov A.M. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0