Tabasaran people

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Tabasaran

Tabasaranar
Total population
c. 155,000
Regions with significant populations
Russia	151,466[1]
Canada	1,245[2]
Ukraine	900
Israel	6
Latvia	6
Languages
Tabasaran
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Other alpan peoples Especially Aghuls, and Udis

Tabasarans are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native predominantly to southern part of the North Caucasian republic of Dagestan. Their population is about 155,000. They speak the Tabasaran language.

Culture[edit]

Tabasarans are famous for their culture, both spiritual and material. Tabasaran material culture includes architecture, winemaking, carpet making, and much more. Tabasarans are famous for their hospitality, high moral and spiritual values, respect, honor and bravery are valued among them

Spiritual culture[edit]

For Tabasaran, respect for elders is above all, this people has a huge number of traditions associated with honoring the older generation. Tabasaran has no right to sit in the room when an elder is standing next to him, tabasaran is obliged to shake hands with the elder with both hands, showing his respect for him, making an important decision, tabasaran must consult with his elders, whether they are siblings, parents, or grandparents. Tabasarans have revered girls from time immemorial and cherished them. The honor of the girl and her inviolability were secluded, a man who fell in love with a girl should contact her parents so that they, along with their daughter, would consent to marriage.

Wedding customs[edit]

The wedding ceremony of the Tabasarans, while remaining generally Dagestani, had a bright specificity and was distinguished by diversity. It consisted of three consecutive stages: pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding. Each of these stages was accompanied by certain customs and rituals that existed in different societies in different versions. As a rule, the parents themselves were looking for a bride ("shvush") for their son from a circle of families equal to them in social and economic status. Matchmakingwas usually started by the boy's parents themselves – father or mother. With the consent of the bride and her parents, the wedding day was immediately appointed, which took on the character of a celebration. In different villages, betrothal, as well as the whole wedding ceremony, had their own peculiarities and variants. These differences were caused by the peculiarities in the economic and cultural development of each local group. One of the main points in this cycle of rituals was the payment of a kalym, which was called "pol-puli". The size of the bride price differed in different societies, depended on the class affiliation of the parties and were fixed in the customs of rural societies. In addition to the kalim, the groom paid his bride the kebine money prescribed by Sharia, which was the wife's security in case of widowhood or divorce on the initiative of her husband.The period from matchmaking to the wedding was filled with extensive communication between the relatives of the bride and groom with each other, the payment of a kalym and the preparation of a dowry. For the bride and groom, this is a time of observing the custom of "avoidance" and various kinds of prohibitions.Wedding (sumchir) The Tabasarans started on Friday and finished on Monday. In some villages (Arkit, Tinit, Yersi), on the eve of the wedding, the bride's send–off (bachelorette party) – "kizlar gejesi" ("shubarin") – "maiden night" - a bachelorette party, which was attended by rural youth. On this day, the groom's main friend also came to the bride with a ritual meal. Young people had fun here: they sang songs and danced. The bride also took part in the fun. In some societies, the bachelorette party was called "kyoz kyran" (breaking nuts). Each participant of the evening brought with her a full sieve of nuts for the wedding halva. The boys and girls had fun all evening, "declared love directly or indirectly, chose brides for themselves, expressed their reproaches for lack of attention, etc. The climax came when the light was turned off in the room for a few minutes – "chirag senduren" (extinguishing the lamp). In the past, according to legend, it lasted 1-2 hours. In the village of Yersi, this custom was called "aman-aman" (approximately, "save" or "have mercy"). His informants explain the purpose by the desire of boys and girls, taking advantage of the opportunity, to approach each other, shake hands, hug, kiss their loved ones, which at other times was completely impossible". In other villages (Upper and Lower Yarak, Zaldik, Tsuduk, Kondik), where such hen parties were not arranged, the bridesmaids came to her on the wedding day, each with a chicken. In the bride's house, chickens were cut, plucked, boiled and placed in the bride's chest to be sent to the groom's house.On the day of the wedding (less often the day before the wedding), a religious ceremony of marriage was performed in the groom's house in a specially designated room – "nikyah". A few days before the wedding, the bride and groom were placed in "other houses", where they were surrounded by friends and girlfriends.Music was played in the courtyard of the groom's house (in some villages on the village square) throughout the wedding days. At the wedding, the "khan" (shah), endowed with special powers, and 5-6 of his assistants, who maintained order at the wedding, were chosen from among those present.In the middle of the dance circle, the Tabasarans set up a felled fruit "tree" on which various dishes (eggs, nuts, small loaves, etc.) were strung. Decorated trees at the wedding appear in some other nations. In the Tabasaran village of Vartatil, an oak tree was installed – "myakhyun gyar". It was believed that this tree was strong and branchy. It was assumed that the new family would be the same.On the second day of the wedding at noon, and for some Tabasarans (village Syrtych) at dusk, they went to get the bride. In a traditional wedding, the composition of the persons traveling for the bride was strictly regulated. If the bride was from another village, 20 men and the same number of women went after her on horseback. In their village, only those who brought a tray ("huncha") to the groom's house were sent for the bride with halva. The bride was transported in the mountain villages on a decorated horse, and in the plains on a cart. But the young men accompanying arba also rode out on horseback here. On the way to the bride's house, young people organized equestrian sports, and repeated blank shots were fired.In all villages, on the way to the bride's house, residents of the quarter where the bride lived blocked the road several times. Relatives and friends of the groom bought off with gifts.Many songs were sung by the parties near the gate of the bride's house. The songs were mostly majestic, but humorous, corny verses were also performed. Then the guests were invited to the house, where they were generously treated.In some villages, representatives of the groom's house in the bride's house were made fun of in every possible way, they played a kind of performance: they staged target shooting at the target. For example, when meeting representatives of the groom's house, the bride's young relatives stuck a long pole with an apple attached to the end out of the chimney onto the roof and twisted it all the time.The groom's ambassadors had to hit the apple with a shot and only after that they could enter the house.There was a certain procedure for the departure of the wedding train from the bride's house and its meeting by the groom's side. The bride was taken out of her parents' house by her father, brother or uncle under gunfire. A handkerchief or some beautiful cloth was tied to the gun that was fired from. One of the bride's relatives splashed clean water or scattered rice. A burning candle or lamp was carried in front of the wedding train, and in some villages a mirror. We tried to keep the candle from going out and the mirror from breaking. It was believed that along with the extinguished candles and the broken mirror, the happiness of the young would also be shattered. As a guardian, the bride was accompanied by the wife of the bride's uncle or brother, "shvushvan bab". At the same time, it was meant that the bride could be accompanied by the woman who had a successful family life. It was assumed that all the positive qualities of a woman should be passed on to the young. An integral part of the Tabasaran wedding cycle was the presence of a boy, "chublikan", 3-5 years old, next to her when the bride moved. In some villages, the groom's parents sent some kind of gift for the "chublikan" even before the wedding, in others (the village of Lyakhlya) - a plate of barley. In our opinion, barley in this case was a symbol of abundance, multiplication and constant revival of life. At the gates of the groom's house, the wedding procession was greeted with a tray containing a lighted candle, "hanz" (bread spread with butter and honey) and a flag made of expensive cloth. Then the candle was brought into the family room (khizandin khal) and left lit until the next morning. According to the informants, the burning candle was supposed to ensure that the young people had a bright and happy life until the end of their lives.Before the bride entered the groom's house, the following rituals were performed: until the bride got off the horse, a girl of 13-14 years old ran up to her, touched the bride's right foot with her finger, for which she received a gift; at the threshold, the bride was met by a boy, whom the bride also presented; at the threshold, the bride was showered with sweets, barley, nuts, so that she She lived in this house in prosperity and had many children. In some villages (Khiv, Varta, Tsuduk), bread was broken at the threshold above the bride's head with the wish to give birth to 7 sons and one daughter. Before entering the room reserved for the bride, some iron object, silk cloth were thrown under her feet, honey with butter and sorbet were given to taste. The last rite was called "yichchv kai tlub" (honey finger). Then, at the entrance to the room, a bowl of flour was brought to her and, dipping her hand in flour, she left prints on the lintel. After all these procedures, the bride was led into a room reserved for her, and she stood in the right corner of this room. The woman accompanying the bride ("shvushvan bab") sat next to her. It was a common custom to immediately put a boy on the bride's lap. On the very first night, "shvushvan bab" showed the groom's relatives the dowry and the bride's gifts. At midnight, the guests dispersed. Late at night, the groom came to the bride, accompanied by a friend ("tapakhan"). At the entrance to the bride's room, a ransom was demanded from the groom for the door handle. At dawn, the groom went to the tapakhan house. One of the main rituals in this cycle was the custom of dressing the bride. After the wedding night, the bride had to appear in a new outfit, as if to indicate that from that day on she would become a married woman.At 12 o'clock in the afternoon, the bride in a new outfit was taken out to a dance, which ended with her giving gifts. The dance usually started with "tapakhan". After the dance, all the guests were invited to the groom's father's house, where they were richly treated. The guests, in turn, left money on the tray, for which they received gifts from the bride.On the same day, the young husband escorted home "shvushvan bab" on horseback with gifts for her and for his wife's relatives. Three days later, the ceremony of the bride's first appearance for water was performed, a few days after the wedding, a series of invitations to young people by her husband's relatives began. 1-2 months later, sometimes six months after the wedding, the young woman was visited by her mother, only after that, accompanied by her mother-in-law with gifts, the young woman visited her parents' house.Thus, the Tabasaran wedding ritual is characterized by a complex combination of various rituals. Some of the rituals of the wedding ceremony were associated with religious beliefs and magical ideas.

Language[edit]

The main language of the Tabasaran people is the Tabasaran language (табасаран чIал‎, tabasaran ҫ̇al),^[3] which belongs to the Northeast Caucasian language family. It is closely related to neighbouring Lezgian and Aghul languages.^[4] UNESCO classifies Tabasaran language as "vulnerable".^[5] According to 2002 Russian census 97% of the Tabasaran can speak their ancestral language and a further 87% of them know Russian.

As one of the most complex and multi–faceted Tabasaran language is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, where it is accompanied by only 4 languages: no less intricate Chinese and Eskimo, as well as two Native American - the Chippewa dialect and the isolated Haida language.The record–breaking language is the pride of the Tabasarans. It is part of the Nakh-Dagestan group and has dialects – Nitrikh and Suvak, sometimes Galinsky is also distinguished. Researchers note a lot of borrowings in it – from North Caucasian, Turkic and Iranian languages

The vowels are oral and umlautated. Consonants: a quaternary system of oppositions of consonants and affricates, a ternary system of spirants. The language is famous for the abundance of vibrants, which number, according to various estimates, from 9 to 14. There are pharyngalized, labialized and a special series of dentolabialized. The stress is mobile.

In the Tabasaran language, there are grammatical classes of 1) intelligent beings and 2) unintelligent beings and objects. There are 10 parts of speech, including postpositions (there are no prepositions). Nouns vary in numbers and cases — they distinguish from 44 to 52 cases (primarily due to seven series of locatives). There are no relative pronouns. The score is decimal. The verb has different categories of person, number, tense, mood, and mode of action.

Tabasaran was the last language studied by P. K. Uslar. He began studying it in 1870, noting that "of all Dagestan languages, Tabasaran presented the most difficulties." These difficulties consisted primarily in the fact that the researcher could not find a suitable informant for a long time: "It has been almost a year since I started researching the Tabasaran language," Uslar wrote to Shifner in September 1871, "but I am forced to constantly change leaders. I cannot develop at least any grammatical understanding in them.". The collection of material in Tabasaran was carried out in Yersi (a village where, due to historical events, the population consisted of indigenous Tabasarans, as well as Tabasaranized Azerbaijanis and Tats). Uslar partially processed Tabasaran material in Temir Khan Shura, the administrative center of the Dagestan region, but mostly in the family estate, where he usually went for the summer with the accumulated material.

The monograph on the Tabasaran language remained unfinished, although the title page and the alphabet have already been lithographed. The daughter of the deceased sent the manuscript of the Tabasaran grammar, as well as all linguistic and non-linguistic notes and even her father's draft papers to Academician Shifner. However, before his death in 1879, he did not have time to deal with Uslar's last monograph, and it remained unpublished for more than 100 years. It was only in 1953-1954 that the Tabasaran grammar was prepared for publication in Tbilisi by Dagestani scholar A. A. Magometov (the entire text of the grammar of Uslar was copied by him by hand) and published in 1979 with his comments and additions.

In 1905, A. Dirr's "Grammatical Essay of the Tabasaran language" was published, and in the 1930s A. N. Genko worked on the dialectology of the Tabasaran language, who left behind a dialectological essay and a dictionary of the Tabasaran language.

The largest specialist in the Tabasaran language was Beidullah Haji-Kurbanovich Khanmagomedov (1927-1999) — Doctor of Philology, Professor at the Institute of Language, Literature and the arts of the DNC RAS, Honored Scientist of the DASSR. Russian Russian linguist's works include 4 fundamental monographs, dozens of school textbooks and manuals, numerous translations from poetry, as well as Tabasaran-Russian, Russian-Tabasaran, Spelling and Terminological dictionaries of the Tabasaran language. B. Khanmagomedov did not have time to complete the work on the Tabasaran-Russian dictionary.

The Tabasaran language is spoken in the native territory of the Tabasarans — in the south of Dagestan, in the beds of the Rubas and Chirakhchai rivers, in the Tabasaran and Khiva districts. This territory borders on the area of the Kaytag language from the north, on the east — with Azerbaijani, on the south — with Lezgian, on the west — with Agul. In addition, a large number of Tabasarans have moved to lowland Dagestan and live in Derbent and Kayakent districts, as well as in the cities of Derbent, Kaspiysk, Mammadkala, Makhachkala, Dagestan Lights and in the village of Beligi. According to the 1959 census, there were more than 35,000 Tabasarans living in the USSR at that time, and 98,000 Tabasarans according to the 1989 census, including 20,000 outside Dagestan. According to the 2010 census, there are about 126,136 native speakers of the Tabasaran language in Russia

In the middle of the XX century, in the north of the Tabasaran settlement area, the language of interethnic communication was Azerbaijani, in the south — Lezgian. At the beginning of the XXI century, Russian became the universal language of interethnic communication; only very elderly people speak the languages of their neighbors. There are two dialects in the Tabasaran language: northern and southern. In the southern dialect, unlike the northern one, there are posterior-lingual and pharyngeal rounded consonants, and the northern one is distinguished by the presence of voiced pharyngeal slit and geminated slit consonants. There are significant differences in grammar between dialects and less significant differences in vocabulary. Some researchers distinguish one of the southern dialects into a separate dialect, which occupies a transitional position between northern and southern, combining some of their features. When three dialects are distinguished, they are usually called Suvakh (northern), Nitrik (southern) and Eteg (transitional).

Like other Dagestani languages, Tabasaran has long been an unwritten language, so almost nothing is known about historical monuments in this language. For some time before the beginning of the 20th century, Tabasarans situationally used Ajam, an adapted Arabic alphabet. In 1932, Tabasaran became one of the five Nakh-Dagestan languages for which the Soviet government introduced an alphabet based on the Latin alphabet. In 1938, the language was translated into the Cyrillic alphabet, in which, as in other alphabets of the languages of the Nakh-Dagestan family, digraphs with a "stick" (Ӏ) are used to denote some phonemes

The modern Tabasaran alphabet in Cyrillic:

Under Soviet control Tabasaran has become one of the official languages of Dagestan.

Religion[edit]

Tabasaran paganism[edit]

Traditional religious beliefs are one of the components of the spiritual culture of the people. They include agricultural and pastoral customs and rituals, rituals for causing rain and sun, mythological beliefs, animal worship, rituals related to the birth, marriage and death of a person, reverence for water, wood, stone and other objects of nature and worship them.

They also include mythological characters of primitive society during the cult of nature and the pagan pantheon of gods and demons of early class society, which almost disappeared under the influence of the Islamization process of the VII-X centuries.

The source of their reconstruction is the rituals, customs, holidays that have come down to our time, some genres of folklore, vocabulary and phraseology of the Tabasarans.

The most ancient gods of Tabasaran, as well as other peoples of the world, were personified celestial bodies — the Sun ("rig") and the Moon ("vaz"). Based on myths recorded in various villages, the Moon originated from the Sun, it is the son and mother (Mezhgul), the sun is a girl, the moon is a guy, it's a sister and a brother (Tatil), the sun is a mother, the moon is a son; sister and brother (Chuvek), the sun is a girl, the moon is a guy, chasing each other (Upper Yarak). Myths explaining the presence of spots on the face of the moon are also diverse. In ancient times, there was a battle between the cosmic gods, and the spots on the moon are the wounds she received in battle (Lacлa). The moon boasted that she was more beautiful than the sun, and in her heart it hit the moon in the face with a piece of sheepskin ("kyar"), which whitewashed the walls (Khiv, Mezhgul).

The central place in the cult of the heavenly bodies of Tabasaran was occupied by the Sun — a source of light and heat, without which prosperity, abundance of crops and offspring of livestock are impossible. Graphically, the cult of the Sun was displayed in the form of solar (rosettes, crosses, swastikas, circles, diamonds, etc.) and other (for example, in the form of the plot "ram's horns") signs that are found in rock carvings, on the facades of dwellings and religious buildings, tombstones, carpets, clothes, household utensils, bread.

Among the personified atmospheric phenomena, one should mention the rainbow, which in different villages had its own names: "Yarhi rish" ("Long girl") (Khiv, Yargil, Mezhgul, etc.), "Derkku Chiimir" ("Bow and Arrow") (in most villages), "Gandirizhv" ("Rust") (Khustil), "Severkan" (Laka, Khorej), "Chiemra hyarar" (Kuzhnik).

In the agricultural rituals of Tabasaran, great importance was attached to the symbolism of the colors of the rainbow (by the predominance of which they judged the harvest in the coming year) and its location. If the ends of the rainbow were facing south, it was believed that the year would be blessed. There was an idea that the ends of the rainbow rest on a treasure trove, a treasure trove of gold, gold, a gold ring, precious stones, a necklace.

The supreme god of Tabasaran before their adoption of Islam was, in all probability, Umchar. Benevolence has been preserved: "Umchari sag tuvri!" ("May Umchar help!"), "Umchari kuvat tuvri!" ("May Umchar give strength!") and curses: "Umchari yivrivuz!" ("May Umchar strike you!"), "Umcharin bala yivrivuz!" ("May Umchar's punishment befall you!"). It is noteworthy that the toponym with the mention of the name of this god has been preserved: three kilometers south of the villages. There is a sloping meadow "Umcharin hyar" ("Umchara Meadow"), which is mowed only by public shepherds. The rest of the time, the meadow serves as a grazing place for public livestock.

The Christian period of Tabasaran[edit]

In the 5th century, the Albanian Church was founded, an independent church, which later became part of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In 705, it came under the religious jurisdiction of the Armenian Apostolic Church, becoming part of the Catholicosate of Albania, which was located in Caucasian Albania, covering the modern north of Azerbaijan and southern Dagestan.In the Middle Ages, the Gandzasar monastery served as the residence of the Catholicosate of Albania, which existed until 1828 (or 1836), when it was officially abolished by the Russian authorities after the annexation of the last territories in the Caucasus under Iranian rule, according to the Turkmenchay Treaty and the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828).Christianity came to Caucasian Albania shortly after Armenia became a Christian country (301 AD). King Urnair was baptized by St. Gregory the Illuminator, the founder of the Armenian Church. After Urnair's death, Caucasian Albanians asked Gregory's grandson, St. Gregory, to lead their church. Grigoris preached Christianity, built a church in Tsri and died at the hands of pagans. At the beginning of the 5th century, the Bible was translated into the language of the Caucasian Albanians (ancient Judaic language). In the 5th century, the Persian king Yazdigerd II tried to force the Caucasian Albanians, Armenians and Georgians to adopt Zoroastrianism. The Christians rebelled under the leadership of Vardan Mamikonian, but lost the battle of Avarayr. Despite the defeat, some of the Caucasian Albanians remained faithful to Christianity.In the middle of the 5th century, under the influence of Persia, Caucasian Albania adopted Zoroastrianism. After the return to Christianity, the war with Persia began, in which Tsar Vache II lost his heir. As a result, King Peroz I of Persia offered peace, but he demanded that Vache release his mother and wife, who were Zoroastrians, to Persia. Vache agreed and went into seclusion.Christianity flourished in Caucasian Albania in the 5th century under King Vachagan the Pious. He fought against paganism and Zoroastrianism, baptized the people and built churches. In 488, a council was convened, which approved the rules of the church.In the sixth century, during the reign of Javanshir, the Caucasian Albanians were friends with the Huns. After Javanshir's death, the Huns attacked Albania. Bishop Israel persuaded the Hunnic king to end the war, and he preached Christianity to the Huns.In 705, the Caucasian Albanian Church lost its autocephaly and became part of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Arab conquest and the split of Christianity led to the decline of the church. Since the 8th century, part of the population has converted to Islam. In the 11th century, Christian cities became centers of Islam. The province of Kereti converted to Orthodoxy under the influence of the Georgian Church. By the 12th century, Kereti became part of the Georgian kingdom.The Caucasian Albanians were divided between the Georgian Orthodox and the Armenian Apostolic Churches. The Caucasian Albanian Church in the early centuries adopted the Chalcedonian Creed, unlike other Eastern Orthodox churches. However, in 491, the Albanian bishops, together with the Armenian Catholicos and the Georgian bishops, rejected the Council of Chalcedon. The reason for this was not dogmatic formulations, but the rules on celibacy and other elements that could be interpreted as an attempt at Roman domination.At the first Cathedral in Dvina (506) The Caucasian Albanian, Armenian and Georgian churches have declared their unanimity with the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. At the end of the sixth century, both Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonian movements existed in Albania, which caused concern to the Armenian Catholicos.At the end of the 7th century, Catholicos Nerses tried to introduce Chalcedonian dogmas into Caucasian Albania. He was appointed patriarch and enjoyed the support of Queen Spram. Opponents of Chalcedonism condemned Nerses and his supporters. The modern Caucasian Albanian Church is considering the possibility of sending their clergy to study in Russia.

Science[edit]

Early period[edit]

During the time under study, the Tabasarans used the solar and lunar calendars to determine the time of the year, the daytime - the solar time, and the lunar calendar to determine the days of the month. The lunar month of the Tabasarans consisted of 20-30 days, the lunar year was equal to 354 days, and began on the day of the vernal equinox (ebeltsan) on March 22. The year, as well as other peoples, consisted of twelve months and was divided into four seasons winter "kyurd" spring "hyadukar" summer "hyad" autumn "chwul", unfortunately, informants do not remember the folk names of the months, only their Muslim names remained in people's memory

The season of the year was determined by the movement of the sun relative to the village and also by the stars, the inhabitants of the Tabasaran village of Tatil determined the onset of spring because the sun became in one parallel with the fortress in the area "zhukhna"

In the village of Vechrikh, the onset of spring was determined by sunrise in the area "vichirih" And sunset in the area "Ts|iyi yishvart|il". The onset of summer was determined by the inhabitants of the village of Nich|ras by the sunrise of the area "gulmukhin gur" And its setting in the area "hidin gur" In the village of Nich|ras, the autumn period was considered the time when the sun set together "khamsin gur" And the days when the sun set in the area "khamsin gur" Was considered winter. Residents with vichrik signs of the onset of summer considered the sunrise to be appropriate "tsuhdagyarin tavlik" And the setting in the area of "havdih", the inhabitants of the village of vechrik determined the onset of autumn by sunrise in the area of "Vichchrih" By Setting in the area of "pyu gyarin tavli". The inhabitants of the village of Tatil determined the onset of winter by the setting of the sun behind the peak of "dzhukhna tav" Near the village of yagdyg. The inhabitants of the village of vichrik considered the beginning of winter to be sunrise in the area "myakhyarin k|ul" And sunset in the area "Dazhdin gvalakk"

The Tabasarans also determined the day of the vernal equinox by the sunrise over a certain peak of a mountain or hill, and the landmarks were different for residents of different villages

To more accurately determine the seasons of the year, the beginning and end of agricultural work, the time of plowing, Sowing, harvesting, the Tabasarans created their own special local Agricultural calendar, field ethnographic materials indicate that all the labor activity of the people was regulated by this calendar, therefore the calendar year of the Tabasarans lasted not only for 4 seasons But also for smaller periods Now this calendar is almost forgotten and many informants confuse it. This probably explains the presence of such a large number of variants of this calendar recorded by us in different villages

Modern period[edit]

Ecology and Biology[edit]

There are a huge number of biologists and ecologists among the Tabasarans, among them there are several of the most productive, such as Kazanfer Yuzbekovich Abachev, Oktay Tabasaran and Abdulmutalim Gamidov.

Abdulmutalim Gamidov, Candidate of Biological Sciences, was born in 1936 in the village of Khurik in the Tabasaran district of Dagestan. His grandfather, Alibek Hasanov, was a participant in the Civil War. Gamidov graduated from Dagestan State University, defended his thesis on the influence of temperature and light on ticks. He conducted research on parasites and participated in the development of programs to combat them. Since 1968, Gamidov worked at the Department of Biology of the Dagestan Medical Academy, was the dean of the preparatory department. He wrote several monographs, was a deputy of the People's Assembly of the Republic of Dagestan and a member of the commission on social Policy. He received awards and certificates of honor for his work.

Oktay Tabasaran is an influential environmentalist with extensive experience and international recognition. Born in 1938 in Turkey, his family hails from Southern Dagestan. He was a secretary General of the World Water Congress, advisor to the Minister of Ecology of Germany, consultant of Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, Professor and Head of the Department of Economics of Waste-Free Technologies at the Center for Environmental Education and Training of Ecotechnologists in Europe, expert of the World Health OrganizationHe specialized in Environmental technologies, especially energy conversion from wastewater treatment.

Speaking about his achievements:

1966: Head of Waste and Air Waste Conversion, Economics Department at the University of Stuttgart.

1972: Chairman of the Department of Waste in Drinking water, Wastewater and Solid Waste of the Institute in Germany.

Dean of the Faculty of Ecology

The organizer of the English Master's program in Environmental Conservation

Professor Oktay Tabasaran is known for his achievements in the field of environmental technologies, especially in the conversion of energy from wastewater. He actively participates in international projects and implements environmental solutions in different countries.

Mathematics and physics[edit]

Tabasarans have a well-marked predisposition to the study of exact sciences, as evidenced by their success in the field of physics and mathematics, as well as their strong love for these sciences. Among the Tabasarans, a number of learned physicists and mathematicians can be distinguished: Aslan Kasimov, Isin Gadzhimuradov, Tagirbek Aslanov, Abulkadar Umalatov, Rizakhanov Magomed Akhmedpashaevich, Aliyev Mingazhudin Sirazhudinovich, Mitarov Rizvan Gadzhimirzaevich and Shikhmagomed Gadzhievich Gamidov. It would be especially worth focusing on Aslan Kasimov

Aslan Ramazanovich Kasimov (born 1969) is a Tabasaran scientist, engineer—physicist, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (2004), Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (Ph.D.). Senior researcher at the Laboratory of Nonlinear Dynamics and Theoretical Biophysics of the I.E. Tamm Department of Theoretical Physics.

He is a native of the village of Urzig (tab. Ultskik) of the Tabasaran district of the DASSR.

He graduated from Kurek Secondary School. In 1987-1993, he studied at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute of MEPhI, a physics engineer. In 2004 – Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 2004, Illinois), V. From 2004 to 2010 he worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) USA. From 2010 to 2016, he worked at King Abdullah University of Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. He worked in the Department of Theoretical Physics at the P.N. Lebedev Institute of Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Aslan Kasimov holds a doctorate (in the Western classification of academic degrees).

In 2007, Aslan Kasimov was awarded the US AFOSR Young Investigator Award for his work on the theory of detonation and a number of awards for graduates of the University of Illinois. He has significant teaching and consulting experience at both the graduate and undergraduate levels at MIT and KAUST. At KAUST, he helped organize an intensive postgraduate program in applied mathematics and computational sciences, where he created and taught original courses on applied partial differential equations, stability and bifurcation theory, asymptotic analysis and theoretical hydrodynamics. Many graduates of the program have continued their doctoral or postgraduate studies at various universities around the world, including Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, Oxford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Philosophy, philology, linguistics, anthropology, ethnology.[edit]

A characteristic feature of many Caucasian peoples is that they all have a predisposition to the sciences of language, the Tabasarans not only did not become an exception, but also succeeded in this business. Among the Tabasaran scientists in this field, one can distinguish:

Beidullah Khanmagomedov (1927-1999) was a well–known linguist and Caucasian scholar, a specialist in the Tabasaran language. He was born in Dagestan and devoted his life to the study and preservation of this language.

Khanmagomedov created textbooks and dictionaries of the Tabasaran language, translated works of world literature into this language, and also studied its morphology and syntax. He was the author of several books, including "Essays on the syntax of the Tabasaran language".

Khanmagomedov was also an honored teacher of the DASSR school and an honored scientist of the RD. His name is immortalized in textbooks and dictionaries of the Tabasaran language, and his contribution to the preservation and development of this language is invaluable.

Magomed Gasamutdinovich Yusufov (born 1942) is a Tabasaran scientist, Doctor of Philology, a well-known researcher of Tabasaran literature.

He was born in Gurik village of Tabasaran district of DASSR. After graduating from Daghosuniversity, he held various positions in the field of education and science, including head of the department, vice-rector and director of the Derbent branch of the DSU. For 10 years he headed the Derbent branch of Ivanovo State University.

Yusufov is the author of more than 100 scientific papers, including 8 monographs, textbooks and manuals. His works are devoted to the study of Tabasaran literature, the cultural heritage of Dagestan and the interrelationships with neighboring peoples.

He actively participated in scientific conferences in Russia and abroad, was recognized as the "Person of the Year" by the International Biographical Center in Cambridge and was awarded the Medal of Honor by the American Encyclopedia Center. Yusufov is also an Honored Scientist of the Republic of Dagestan, awarded many medals and diplomas

V.M. Zagirov is a well–known scientist specializing in Caucasian studies, comparative linguistics and Russian studies. His research is devoted to the historical development of the Lezgian languages, their vocabulary and etymology, especially the Tabasaran language. Zagirov was the first to systematize the history of the development of the linguistic subgroup, making a great contribution to Dagestan comparative studies.

He is the author of more than 200 scientific papers, including monographs, dictionaries, textbooks and manuals on the Tabasaran language and literature. In his research, Zagirov analyzes vocabulary from the point of view of its origin, the development of vocabulary and the interaction of lexical units. He also studies the role of borrowings, semantic changes and word formation in the development of the lexical system of the Lezgian languages.

Thanks to Zagirov's work, the stratification of the vocabulary of languages was carried out for the first time, and the chronology of the development of the vocabulary fund was established and the features of word-formation and generalized lexical categories are described in detail.

In general, V.M. Zagirov made a significant contribution to the development of Dagestan linguistics, especially in the field of lexicology and lexicography of the Tabasaran language.

History[edit]

The first state formation of Tabasaran was the state of Caucasian Albania, which arose at the end of the II century BC. The word Tabasaran, as a designation of the territory where Tabasarans live, came from the ancient name of this land "Tavaspark", and the name of the Tabasaran people came from the ancient ethnonym of the Tavaspars tribe. After the Arab invasion of the lands of Tabasaran, a huge number of Tabasarans died, many objects of their culture and history were destroyed, statehood was lost, and the innocent Tabasarans who lived in the coastal zone were forced to flee to the mountains.

Early period of history, Caucasian Albania[edit]

Caucasian Albania (Ancient Greek name Ἀλβανία and Latin Albanía, parf. 𐫀𐫡𐫅𐫀𐫗 [Ardan], grabar Աղուանք [Aluank]pehl. 𐭭𐭠𐭫𐭫𐭠/𐫀𐫡𐫡𐫀𐫗 [Arran], cargo. რაიი [Rani], sir. ܐܪܐܢ [Aran], Persian: رن [Ras]) was an ancient state formed at the end of the II century in Eastern Transcaucasia and occupied part of the territory of modern Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia (Dagestan).

During the existence of Caucasian Albania, the Tavaspars (Tabasarans) occupied a region within it called Tavaspark, it included the territories of modern Tabasaran, Khivsky and part of the Derbent district.Tabasaran was the impassable northern wall of Caucasian Albania, protecting it from nomads from the north. Tabasarans have often opposed expansionism from their neighbors.The walls of one of the oldest and most famous citadel in Dagestan, Naryn-Kala, built by order of the Persian ruler Khosrow I Anushirvan, go 40 kilometers into the mountains of Tabasaran and now you can just walk through the mountains of Tabasaran and stumble upon the ruins of the ancient citadel.

Early Middle Ages[edit]

The Tabasaran Principality[edit]

Tabasaran principality (in some sources called "Tabasaran Mysumate" in honor of its first ruler Shirvanshah Muhammad Maysum). The Tabasaran principality was a feudal state entity that existed on the territory of Dagestan. Its ruler bore the title of "Mysum". Tabasarans were the titular nation. Tabasaran principality was one of the strongest, if not the strongest in the Caucasus and in particular in Dagestan, this is evidenced by the fact that in the XV century in the "Testament of Andunik" it is said that out of 260 thousand Dagestan troops 70 thousand were troops of Tabasaran principality. The territory of Tabasaran bordered on the north with Haidak, on the northwest with Gumik, on the south with Lakz, on the east with Baba-ul-Abvab, and on the southeast with Shirvan. Tabasaran not only bordered them, but also played an important role in political events related to the history of the Caucasus. During the Arab invasion of Dagestan, the territory of Tabasaran became part of the Arab Caliphate, and after its collapse Tabasaran came under the control of the state of Shirvan. In 917, Muhammad Maysum came to power in Tabasaran and declared Tabasaran an independent and sovereign state. After that, the rulers of Tabasaran began to be called "Mysums". The main enemy of Mysore was the Derbent Emirate. In 944-956, Muhammad's brother Ahmad was able to establish himself there. In 948, Muhammad became Shirvanshah and handed over the administration of Tabasaran to his son Haysam. After that, he was succeeded by his brother, Ahmad, and he was succeeded by his son Haysam II (981-1025).In 1025, Haysam II died in the "estate of Muhammad" (Humaidiya). In 1065, Khurmuz, the grandson of Yazid (through Manuchikhr), was buried in the estate of Irsi (Ersi), with which he must have been hereditarily related (probably through his mother). As for Derbent, its relations with Tabasaran (protected from it by the mountain), apparently, were less favorable. In 915, Abu'l-Najm ibn Muhammad unsuccessfully fought with the people of Tabasaran. The fact that in 990, Emir Maimun, being expelled from Derbent, retired to Tabasaran, indicates the isolation of these places from Derbent (This is not contradicted by the events of 1054, when Emir Mansur was helped by the people (volunteers) of Tabasaran).By the beginning of the XII century, the Tabasaran Mysumate was divided into 24 estates, each headed by a local "sarhang" (military commander).

Around the same time, in the XII-XIII centuries, the "Khuchni fortress" or "Fortress of seven brothers and one Sister" was erected in the capital of the principality in Khuchni, which has since been preserved, although it has undergone serious modifications. At the moment, the fortress is an object of the national historical and cultural heritage of Tabasaran.

Economy[edit]

Tabasaran traditional economy has been based on agriculture and animal husbandry, as the regions inhabited by the group have a mild and warm climate with abundant water sources. Agriculturally grain farming, orchards and viticulture is common among the people. Carpet weaving, leatherworking, woolen clothes, woodworking and beekeeping form the domestic industries.^[6]

Notable people[edit]

• Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and Kamal Khan-Magomedov, the 2015 European Games champion in men's Judo -66 kg, are both Tabasaran.
• Zumrud Khanmagomedova, the first Tabasaran woman who received a higher education and the first Tabasaran poetess.
• Magomed Hasanov - Tabasaran folklorist scientist
• Mirza Kalukhsky - Tabasaran poet and national hero who led Tabasaran in the struggle against Persia and Shah Nader. Mirza heroically died in the battle of the Andalal Valley
• Nusret Rahimov - Tabasaran doctor of Medical Sciences