Nakh peoples: Difference between revisions
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===Sanctuaries, temples and mosques=== |
===Sanctuaries, temples and mosques=== |
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[[Image:Мечеть в Юртаухе.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A mosque in village Aukh]] |
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The [[Vainakh mythology|Vainakh pagan pantheon]] included a supreme god [[Dela (Nakh god)|Dela]] and a goddess of fertility [[Tusholi]]. There were also [[phallic cult]]s. |
The [[Vainakh mythology|Vainakh pagan pantheon]] included a supreme god [[Dela (Nakh god)|Dela]] and a goddess of fertility [[Tusholi]]. There were also [[phallic cult]]s. |
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Islamic influence intensified in 18th and 19th centuries. Examples of Islamic architecture from that period are the tower-shaped [[mosque]]s in the villages of [[Makazhoi]] and [[Khimoi]]. |
Islamic influence intensified in 18th and 19th centuries. Examples of Islamic architecture from that period are the tower-shaped [[mosque]]s in the villages of [[Makazhoi]] and [[Khimoi]]. |
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===Necropoles===[[File:Tsoi-Pheda Tower.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Necropolis in Itum Kale, and tower of Tsoi-Pheda protecting the peace of the dead]] |
===Necropoles=== |
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[[File:Tsoi-Pheda Tower.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Necropolis in Itum Kale, and tower of Tsoi-Pheda protecting the peace of the dead]] |
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Burial vaults or crypts remained from the pagan period in the history of Vainakhs |
Burial vaults or crypts remained from the pagan period in the history of Vainakhs, before they accepted Islam in the 16th century (partially, the entire region, Islam has spread only in the 17th century.). They were built either a bit deepening into the ground or half underground and on the surface. The latter formed whole “towns of the dead” on the outskirts of the villages and reminded sanctuaries from the outside, with a dummy vaults constructed of overlapping stones. The deceased were placed on the special shelves in the crypts, in clothes and decorations and arms. |
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The general Islamic rituals established in burials with the further penetration of Islam inside the mountainous regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Stone steles, churts, inscribed with prayers and epitaphs, began to be erected at the graves and more prosperous mountaineers were honoured with mausoleums after death. The Borgha-Kash Mausoleum dating to the very beginning of 15th century and built for a Noghai prince is a good example of these. |
The general Islamic rituals established in burials with the further penetration of Islam inside the mountainous regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Stone steles, churts, inscribed with prayers and epitaphs, began to be erected at the graves and more prosperous mountaineers were honoured with mausoleums after death. The Borgha-Kash Mausoleum dating to the very beginning of 15th century and built for a Noghai prince is a good example of these. |
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Revision as of 05:15, 27 January 2010
Nakh or Vainakh is a collective term for several ethnic groups of the North Caucasus region who speak Nakh languages, including the Chechen, Ingush, Bats and Kist.
In some linguistic publications, the term Vainakh ("our people") has been restricted to the speakers of the Chechen and Ingush languages. Although Chechen and Ingush may be considered divergent dialects of the same language, the peoples are not close genetically, indicating an episode of language shift.[citation needed]
History
Prehistory
The early history of the Nakh peoples has been tentatively reconstruced from linguistic analysis and archaeological evidence.
- 10,000-8,000 BC
- People speaking a language ancestral to the Northeast Caucasian languages migrated from the Fertile Crescent to the slopes of the Caucasus bringing domesticated animals, crops, and irrigation.[1]
- 6000-4000 BC
- Pottery was introduced to the region. Neolithic settlements near Ali-Yurt and Magas yielded clay dishes polished and drilled stones, and stone tools (such as axes and knives). Remains of settlements made out of clay bricks were found in the plains. Settlements with "cyclopean" stone walls and buildings were found in the mountains (at Doshkhakle, Kart, Tsecha-Akh, Orsoi, and other places), some of them dating to 8000 BC.[2]
Architecture
Towers
A characteristic feature of Vainakh architecture in the Middle Ages, rarely seen outside Chechnya and Ingushetia, was the Vainakh tower, a kind of multi-floor structure that was used for dwelling or defense (or both). Nakh tower architecture and construction techniques reached their peak in the 15th–17th centuries.[3]
Residential towers had two or three floors, supported by a central pillar of stone blocks, and were topped with a flat shale roofing. These towers have been compared to the prehistoric mountain settlements dating back to 8000 BC.
Military ("combat") towers were 25 meter high or more, [3] with four of five floors and a square base approximately six meters wide. Access to the second floor was through a ladder. The defenders fired at the enemy through loopholes and the top of the tower had mashikul – overhanging small balconies without a floor. These towers were usually crowned with pyramid-shaped roofing built in steps and topping with a sharpened capstone.
Buildings combining the functions of residential and military towers were intermediate in size between the two types, and had loop-holes and mashikiuls.
Nakh towers used to be sparingly decorated with religious or good-wishing petrographs, such as solar signs or depictions of the author’s hands, animals, etc.. Military towers often bore a Golgopha cross.
Sanctuaries, temples and mosques
The Vainakh pagan pantheon included a supreme god Dela and a goddess of fertility Tusholi. There were also phallic cults.
A whole number of peculiar monuments, natural and artificial, served as shrines for ritual services. Vainakhs[clarification needed] chose mountains (such as the Tsei-Lam Range), lakes (Galanchozh-Ami) and some species of plants, pear-trees in particular, for exercising rituals. These shrines were places for prayers and for the sacrifice of domestic animals.
The most primitive shrines (sielingi) were low rectangular pillar-shaped stone structures with a niche for candles. These shrines were raised on the village outskirts and at the graveyards to protect both the living and the dead. Better known are shrines in the form of small houses topped with ridged step roofing, like Myatsil Sanctuary on Mat-Lam Mountain near the town of Vladikavkaz. Such a large range of shrines belonging to
Beginning from the 11th – 12th century, Georgian Christian influence on the Nakh tribes are attested, for example, by the Tkhaba-Yerdy Church consecrated to St. Thomas in Assa Valley, and extant churches in Ingushetia.
Islamic influence intensified in 18th and 19th centuries. Examples of Islamic architecture from that period are the tower-shaped mosques in the villages of Makazhoi and Khimoi.
Necropoles
Burial vaults or crypts remained from the pagan period in the history of Vainakhs, before they accepted Islam in the 16th century (partially, the entire region, Islam has spread only in the 17th century.). They were built either a bit deepening into the ground or half underground and on the surface. The latter formed whole “towns of the dead” on the outskirts of the villages and reminded sanctuaries from the outside, with a dummy vaults constructed of overlapping stones. The deceased were placed on the special shelves in the crypts, in clothes and decorations and arms.
The general Islamic rituals established in burials with the further penetration of Islam inside the mountainous regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Stone steles, churts, inscribed with prayers and epitaphs, began to be erected at the graves and more prosperous mountaineers were honoured with mausoleums after death. The Borgha-Kash Mausoleum dating to the very beginning of 15th century and built for a Noghai prince is a good example of these.
Mythology
From Vainakh mythology came to our times only some little fragments. These fragments are names of deities peronifying elements of animist ideas, Nart saga, cosmogonic tradition, remnants of stock-breeding and landtilling, totemic beliefs and folk calendar.[4]
Legends
The greatest samples of Nakh myhtology are legends of Pkharmat, Galanchoj Lake, epic war of Pkhagalberi(hare riders) Dwarves against Narts, Kezanoi Ami, myth about how sun moon and stars appeared.[5]
Nakh myth of legendary Pkharmat that was shackled on Mount Kazbek by God Sela because he has stolen heavenly fire from him, shows some paralels with Greek Myth of Prometheus and Georgian Amirami. Legendary war of Pkhalberi(hare riders) dwarves against Narts compared to Greek "Crane and Pygmies war" by Said-Magomed Khasiev [6] Golden Fleece myth seems to be binded to Nakh 11 years calendar tradition. In that ram skin was placed in oak frame "Jaar" for 11 years and to produce golden fleece named "Dasho Ertal". [7]
Legend of Galanchoj Lake
A woman and her doughter decided to wash diapers in the holy lake Galanchoj. Supreme god Delas doughter Tusholi lived in the lake upset with their insult and immedietly turned them in stone. But holy didnt wished to stay in its tainted bank anymore it's transformed into a bull and invaded the settlements below. It crushed many things on its way until was tamed in settlement of Akki Teip. Akkis immedietly found use for the tamed animal. With its help they plowed on the Bull. In spring grew up cereal from that were water poured. Endly water flooded the basin and it became new forbidden lake Galanchoj.
Cosmology and creation
In ancient Nakh cosmology universe was created by supreme god Dela. Earth, created in three years, was larger than heavens three times and was propped up on the gigantic bull horns. The realm of the Vainakh Gods was over the cloads. Ishar-Deela was the ruler of the subterranean world, Deeli-Malkhi. Deeli-Malkhi was larger than realm of the human, it took seven years to create it. Nakhs believed when sun sets in the west it goes to the netherworld and vice versa. Deeli-Malkhi wasn't an evil raelm of dead or undead. It was almost similar to the upper world with some improvements in its social structures. There was no judgement in life after life. Dela-Malkh was sun god playing central role in religious celebrations. On 25 december Nakhs celebrated Sun Festival in honor of Sun Gods birthday.[8]
The names of stars and constellations were also connected to myths. So Chechens know Milky Way as Cha Takhina Tacha (the route of scattered straw)
- Great Bear as Vorkh Veshin Vorkh Seda (the seven brothers’ seven stars)
- Gemini (constellation), known as Kovreghina Seda
- Sirius, Betelgeuse and Procyon, Nakhs named as Qokogseda meaning Tripodstar
- Orion, Märkaj Seda Evening star
- Capricornus known as Neghara Bhovnash
- Venus, Sadov Seda and Sahül Seda sunset star and sunrise star. The name of the star is Dilbat
- Neptune, Hay [citation needed]
Fairy tales
In Nakh faily tales can be found people with supernatural abilities, magic artefacts, mythic animals as dragons and winged horses and some journeys to another worlds and magic. Almost in all fairy tales good triumph over evil.
Social Structure
Traditionally Nakh peoples known as a society with a highly developed and complex clan system. In which individuals are united in family groups called "Tsa" - house. Several Tsa's are part of the "Gar" -branch or "Nekh"-road, a group of Gar's is turn in to a Teip. Teip is a unit of tribal organization of Vainakh people. Teip's has its own council of elders and unites people from the political, economic and military sides. All cases teips left solely to the democratically elected representatives of houses ie. "Tsa". Number of participants of Teipan-Khelli depends on number of houses.
Most teips fired unions called Tukkhum. Tukkhum is a military-economic or military-political union teips. Tukhums governed by a Board of Representatives of Teips, Teipan-Khelli. Teips counsil of elders choose one or several people to submit their Teip in Tukkhum-Khelli (Counsil of Tukkhum). New Teip were taken in tukhums depending on its geographical location and on depends on the harmonization of Tukkhum Counsil Elders. Joining a Tukhum depended on desire to own Teip. Noone could force a teip to join a Tukkhum.
To address issues of national scale worked Mexk-Khel, the People's Council. Representatives of the Council were elected by each Tukkhum Counsil and had an enormous influence on the destiny of the people. Could start a war or prohibit any or tukhum or Teip prevent war. As it was forbidden Akkhis to fight against the Kabardian Kings in 14 century. Orstkhoys Tukhum was banned for their not obedience, when they were going to completely destroy north-Daghestan Vainakh clans of Aukh. For disobedience of its orders Mekhk-Khel could raise an army from all parts of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Mexk-Khel, could gather in different places at different times. It was gathering in Terloi Moxk and Äkkhi Moxk's Galanchoj settlement. In Galainchoj still stands giantic Mexk-Kheli stone, around which Mexk-Kheli members solved issues.[3]
All Vainakh Counsils were also bore responsibility and respect for law and order. The problem is not solved in Teip council could move to Tukkhum counsil and further even in Mekhk-Khel. That was called "Mexkidaqqar" meaning "to make a state matter" and "bringing to Mexki". Mexk-Khel name come from Nakh word Moxk, the state. On the top of the social structure stands Nation which is called in Nakh languges "Kham"
References
- ^
Bernice Wuethrich (2000). "Peering Into the Past, With Words". Science. 288 (5469): 1158. doi:10.1126/science.288.5469.1158.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ N.D. Kodzoev. History of Ingush nation.
- ^ a b c Lecha Ilyasov. The Diversity of the Chechen Culture: From Historical Roots to the Present. ISBN 5-264-00693-0
- ^ Мадаева З.А. Вайнахская мифология//Этнографическое обозрение. 1992. № 3. Page 109.
- ^ Далгат У.Б. Героический эпос чеченцев и ингушей. М., 1972.
- ^ Хасиев С.-М. Мифы о «заячьих всадниках» // Рукопись .
- ^ Хасиев С.-М. О традиционном отсчете времени у чеченцев
- ^ Jaimoukha, Amjad M. (2005-03-01). The Chechens: a handbook (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 110. ISBN 978-0415323284. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
- Jaimoukha, A., The Chechens: A Handbook, London and New York: Routledge, 2005.