Famous singers of Ossetian nationality. Ossetians - courageous mountain conquerors

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Brave mountain leopard
Diverse Russia: notes on the Ossetian people

The natives of this land are known for their fearlessness, selflessness and nobility even in battle. It is no coincidence that in the coat of arms of North Ossetia-Alania a golden leopard strides so proudly against the backdrop of silver mountains. More from

The Slavs inherited from the Scythians and Sarmatians only vast spaces, and also, according to some sources, the Don Cossacks inhabiting these steppes. And the Ossetians - Alans, as they now call themselves - took with them from the steppes to the Caucasus mountains an unusual - more “Nordic”, unlike other Caucasians - appearance, uncontrollable character and talent, a complex, sonorous language that gave names to many rivers of Eastern and even Central Europe: Don, Danube, Dnieper, Dniester - in each of these names one can hear the ringing, fresh, flowing streams and drops of the word “don” - the ancient Scythian name for water.

So the Britaevs, two well-known writers not only in North Ossetia, but throughout Russia - the playwright Elbazduko Tsopanovich and the storyteller Sozryko Auzbievich, were born at the end of the 19th century in the mountain village of Dallagkau on the banks of the Fiagdon River, which flows into the Ardon River - hear this again restless running of water: “don-don-don-don”?

I remember the name of the Ossetian writer and literary critic Sozryko Britaev from early childhood, when I was given his book “Ossetian Tales” for my next birthday.

I will not offend the fairy tales of other peoples, all fairy tales are good, and you are unlikely to find even one stupid one, but these were not only colorful, detailed, and educational (the concept of “fing”, a three-legged table, which is new to the Russian reader, is worth it! ), but they also taught how to live masterfully.

In another tale, a hero boy is born to a widower man and his second wife, whom his parents call Tsard. The baby is growing by leaps and bounds and at the age of about a junior kindergartener, but in appearance he already mounts a horse like a warrior and sets off. “Who knows how much he traveled, you never know. He sees that the tower glitters with gold, and its top is supported by the sky. At the tower the young man dismounted, unsaddled his horse, put the saddle under his head, covered himself with a cloak and fell asleep. In the morning he woke up and saw an old man looking at him from the tower.

Oh, father, good morning! - Tsard tells him.

May your father rejoice over you! - the old man answers.”

Friendly exchange of greetings? Not only. In two phrases of the fairy tale, the word “father” is heard twice with respectful and approving intonation, and a simple but important thought penetrates into the mind of the child reading the fairy tale: “Father is the main thing in this life.”

In many languages, the concept of “native land” is expressed by the words “mother’s land” or “father’s land,” but for some reason not everyone hears the root “father” in the Russian word “Fatherland,” just as not everyone understands what is in the name Cinderella in Russian or Popelushka in Bulgarian there are “ash” and “ash”. Ossetians listen carefully and hear everything: father - fatherland - holy land, not to protect which is a mortal sin.

This is what the historian and ethnographer Georgy Aleksandrovich Kokiev, a scientist of tragic scientific and human fate, wrote about his people: “Ossetians showed a keen interest in everything related to the society of which he was a member. If someone attacked a given society, all men capable of bearing arms considered it a sacred duty to speak out in defense of the interests of their society. Not a single adult man remained indifferent during public alarm - “faedis”. Each man, grabbing a weapon, rode towards Nykhas and, without leaving his horse, asked: “Tsirdoma fades?” (“Which direction are the enemies?”). Having received an answer from the elder Nykhas, he galloped towards the enemy, who had broken into the borders of this clan with villainous goals.”

“Nykhas” in Ossetia was a name for a certain unofficial meeting of elders, “fathers,” which played an important role in the life of society. As a rule, the old people sat for a long time somewhere in the center of the village, talked, thought, knew everything in the world...

The Russian Empire considered it an honor when brave mountaineers took part in the hostilities of His Majesty’s troops.

The Ossetian considered himself insulted when someone touched his headdress: “A hat, according to the concepts of a highlander, is a sacred and inviolable thing,” explained G.A. Kokiev. - Therefore, the highlanders did not care about any other item of their clothing as much as their hat... When they wanted to shame a man for cowardice, they told him that he was not worthy to wear a hat and let him change it to a scarf, and then there would be no claims against him, demanded of a man in general.”

It smacks a little of male chauvinism, but these traditions are not invented today, in the age of feminism! After such instructions and prohibitions, could the Ossetian youth even think about escaping from what was entrusted to him? Especially when it concerned the defense of the Fatherland?

At the end of July 1942, Adolf Hitler approved the plan for Operation Edelweiss. The name of this beautiful, delicate, fluffy (so as not to get burned by the mountain ultraviolet!) flower, which the Swiss call, loosely translated, “white nobility,” was chosen for the grandiose rush of several German and one Romanian army through the Caucasus mountains and bypassing them with “ noble” goal to capture the oil fields of Grozny and Baku, and ultimately connect on the border with 26 Turkish divisions, which were just waiting to join the war against the USSR.

The self-confidence of the Third Reich was so great that before Operation Edelweiss, some oil companies received an exclusive contract for 99-year exploitation of the oil fields of the Caucasus.

On November 1, 1942, the Nazis entered Gizel, a suburban village of the capital of the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, the city of Ordzhonikidze, former and present Vladikavkaz. The Germans were there for ten days and managed to rejoice that the way to Ordzhonikidze, and therefore to the entire Caucasus and to the passes to Transcaucasia, was open. But it didn’t work out. The local population, together with the Red Army, put up such resistance that this particular place, the approach to Ordzhonikidze from the west, can be considered a turning point, in the literal sense of the word, in the battle for the Caucasus.

The whole of North Ossetia rose up. Killer detachments and ten partisan units were created. Residents of the republic dug anti-tank ditches. Defender of the Caucasus, veteran of the 34th Marine Rifle Brigade, honorary citizen of the village of Mayramadag P. G. Donskoy told reporters: “When attacking Mayramadag, German troops had a tenfold superiority in manpower and equipment, but despite this, they were unable to break through our defense. Thanks to the joint actions of our soldiers and the local population, the German and Romanian units were stopped and defeated.”

In addition to the Red Army soldiers, local residents took an active part in the defense of the village of Mayramadag and the Suar Gorge: from centenarians to teenagers. The names of Khatsako Bigulov, Alikhan Bazrov, and the centenarian elder Tasoltan Bazrov are mentioned. A 14-year-old teenager, Vladimir Galabaev, brought ammunition to the fighters and went on reconnaissance missions: he knew the area well. Each of them acted in battle in such a way that their father was proud of them and their elders were proud.

North and South Ossetia, which belonged to different republics of the USSR, produced many Heroes of the Soviet Union. Ossetian Issa Pliev and Russian Ivan Fesin, who served in Ordzhonikidze before the war, became twice Heroes of the Soviet Union.

A very accurate image of the Caucasian region was given in the novel “An Evening at Claire’s” by a prominent writer of Russian diaspora, Ossetian nationality Gaito Gazdanov. The hero’s father spent a whole year sculpting a relief map of the Caucasus from plaster with the smallest geographical details. And the boy’s son accidentally smashed it to pieces. “My father came to the noise, looked at me reproachfully and said:

Kolya, never go into the office without my permission.”

The new relief map of the Caucasus was ready only at the end of the second year.

God grant that this image never comes to life.

“It was customary to judge the degree of a person’s upbringing in Ossetian society primarily by his attitude towards elders and his ability to behave in society,” this is Kokiev again. - At the Ossetian table he took a place appropriate to his age and strictly observed time-honored table etiquette. They sat for a long time, but ate little, because, according to Ossetian concepts, eating a lot is shameful, and showing gluttony is a shame. As a result of drinking, the Ossetians, however, were cheerful, but due to the fact that they knew when to stop, it was impossible to meet a single drunk person. No one would marry their daughter to a young man who drank alcohol to excess, even if he were from a good family.” (It is no coincidence, apparently, that the famous and very tasty Ossetian pies have such thin dough shells and a lot of filling - so as not to overeat on flour).

But the Ossetians also raised their daughters with great severity: they taught the daughter order, respect for her husband, “trained” her by the fireplace where food was prepared, so that the guy would consider it an honor to become related to her family, which respected itself as a family.

“I just want to say that life is fuller and more beautiful,
When we are able to pray and love..."

One of the most dangerous periods of Mikhail Bulgakov’s life occurred in Vladikavkaz: he was abandoned by “his own people” from the White Army, where he served as a military doctor, suffered from relapsing fever, worked a lot and chaotically, and finally fled to Moscow in a roundabout way. However, the residents of Vladikavkaz are still grateful to him for his participation in the creation of the theater department of the art institute. Bulgakov wrote a letter to the local Narobraz: “I ask you to urgently deliver to us a list of Ossetians who want to study in the folk drama studio of performing arts. The studio will begin to function these days,” and then gave lectures to students. Not so long ago, the only monument to M.A. Bulgakov in the Russian Federation was unveiled in Vladikavkaz, and a memorial plaque was installed on the nondescript house where he and his wife lived.

Ossetians, as far as I know them from university and work, are distinguished by their straightforwardness and barely restrained temper. Suffice it to recall the sad story of Vitaly Kaloev, who lost his entire family in a plane crash over Lake Constance and did not forgive the air traffic controller responsible for this tragedy. From a Swiss prison, where Kaloev served only a quarter of his sentence for murder, he took out more than 15 kg of letters, and almost all of them were in support of his terrible decision to commit lynching... But after the hostage-taking in Beslan in 2004, there were no cases of revenge. Only wildly expressed grief. Ossetia is so child-loving!..

Apparently, from here, from this fiery temperament of the Ossetians, their passionate attitude towards art is born.

The nature of Ossetia is beautiful, although very dangerous. Mountains. Gorges. Glaciers... Back in the 19th century, the development of the Sadon polymetallic ore deposits began. The first silver ingots were used to make church vessels for St. Isaac's Cathedral, which was being built in St. Petersburg. In 1922, the largest Sadonsky lead-zinc plant in the USSR was built and operated successfully for decades, and with it the Electrozinc plant (Vladikavkaz). However, the deposits have become depleted...

But, as I.V. Doev, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of North Ossetia-Alania under the President of the Russian Federation, told me, now JSC Electrozinc has become part of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company and continues to operate successfully. It receives so-called “toll” raw materials from other places, and the plant continues to produce lead and zinc pigs.

And now,” Irbek Vladimirovich emphasized, “subtle technologies are developing in the republic. Joint Stock Company "Keton", which is almost a monopolist in Russia in this area, produces high-tech PET film. Its purpose is very different: from household use to electrical engineering. The Baspik Scientific and Technical Center, based at the North Caucasus Technological University, produces microchannel plates that are used in the space industry, the nuclear industry, the defense complex, etc. There are only five or six enterprises in the world that produce similar products. As for agriculture, the FAT agricultural company of the Ossetian group Bavaria is successfully developing here. It creates the North Caucasus regional center for the production of seed potatoes. Their greenhouse complex began producing products. Bayern itself produces award-winning beer, bread kvass and mineral water, such as the well-known Tbau in Russia. The Master-Prime-Berezka holding, located on the lands of the Ardonsky district, is engaged in dairy and beef cattle breeding. In the republic and throughout Russia, the holding is known as the largest producer of dairy products: milk, sour cream, yogurt, cheese, ghee, cottage cheese, etc. Now it has begun implementing an agro-industrial tourism project.

I looked at the news feed. The latest news concerning North Ossetia came ... from Tehran. Russian Defense Minister S.K. Shoigu recently visited there.

The resumption of close Russian-Iranian cooperation will give impetus to the economic development of the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia, in particular, the Russian republics of the North Caucasus.

The main thing is an agreement between states.

So that people work, smile and are happy with politicians.

Ossetians are descendants of Alans - nomadic Iranian-speaking tribes of Scythian-Sarmatian origin. Language, mythology, archaeological and anthropological data prove that the Ossetians were the result of the unification of the Caucasian population with the Alans. This hypothesis was first put forward by the Polish scientist and writer Jan Potocki in the 18th century. In the 19th century, this assumption was developed by the German traveler and orientalist Julius Klaproth and subsequently confirmed by the research of the Russian academician Andreas Sjögren.

The ethnonym "Ossetians" originates from "Ossetia", which appeared in Russian from the Georgian name for Ossetia and Alania "Oseti". “Oseti”, in turn, was formed from the Georgian name for Ossetians and Alans - “ovsi” or “axis” in combination with the Georgian topoformant - the ending “-eti”. Gradually, the ethnonym “Ossetians” from the Russian language entered other languages ​​around the world. In Georgian and Armenian, Alans are called “wasps”.

In Ossetia, at the request of the indigenous residents, the issue of renaming Ossetians to Alans has already been raised many times. At the Council of Elders of North Ossetia in 1992, it was decided to rename North Ossetia to Alania and Ossetians to Alans. In 2003, the Alan Diocese of the Greek Old Calendar Church advocated renaming the Republic of South Ossetia to the State of Alania, which happened after a referendum in the country in 2017. This decision was supported by 80% of the entire population of South Ossetia. Since ancient times, there have been several ethnographic groups of Ossetians: Digorians, Ironians, Kudarians and Tualians. Today Ossetians are divided into 2 ethnic groups - Digorians and Ironians, where the latter predominate.

Where live

Ossetians live in the Caucasus and are the main population of South and North Ossetia; they also live in Turkey, Georgia, France, Canada and the USA. On the territory of Russia, Ossetians live in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Krasnodar Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia, Moscow and Rostov regions.

Language

The Ossetian language belongs to the Iranian group, a northeastern subgroup that is part of the Indo-European family of languages. This is the only “relic” of the Scythian-Sarmatian linguistic world that has survived to this day. There are two dialects of the Ossetian language - Ironsky and Digorsky.

The majority of Ossetians speak two languages. Bilingualism is mainly Ossetian-Russian and less often Ossetian-Turkish or Ossetian-Georgian.

Number

The total number of Ossetians worldwide is about 755,297 people. Of these, approximately 530,000 live in Russia. In South Ossetia, the population is 53,532 people (2015). In North Ossetia - 701,765 people (2018).

Appearance

Ossetians are mostly dark-haired and dark-eyed, with a darkish skin color. The forehead is wide and straight, the frontal tubercles are well developed, but the brow ridges are poorly developed. The nose of the North Ossetians is straight, quite large and prominent, the mouth with thin straight lips is small. Blue eyes, brown and blond hair are often found among Ossetians. Most Ossetians are tall or medium height, slender and beautiful. Women of Ossetia are famous for their beauty. Previously, they were even taken to Arabia to give birth to a beautiful generation.

Many scientists and travelers noted that Ossetians, both men and women, were distinguished by a strong physique and good physical shape, gift of speech, mental abilities and excellent navigation in the mountains.

Traditional Ossetian costume is today used as an element of festive ceremonies, especially at weddings. A woman’s national costume consists of the following elements:

1. shirt
2. corset
3. light Circassian dress with long paddle sleeves
4. cap in the shape of a truncated cone
5. veil veil

There are many pairs of bird clasps on the chest.

Men wore a costume that consisted of the following elements:

1. trousers
2. Circassian
3. beshmet
4. leggings
5. hood
6. hat
7. narrow ron - belt
8. dagger

The burgundy color was very popular, over which gold thread embroidery was applied. In winter, Ossetians wore a burka as outerwear - a sleeveless cloak, brown, black or white, made of felt.

In everyday life, Ossetian men wore beshmets, shirts, trousers and Circassian coats, sewn from burka, canvas or cloth. In winter, the headdress was a papakha - a tall lambskin hat; in summer, men wore felt hats. The color of clothing is predominantly black and dark brown.

Women wore long shirts that reached to their toes, trousers, and semi-caftans made of nankee or chintz, with a narrow neckline on the chest. Women used scarves and various hats as headdress. The colors of women's clothing are mainly blue, scarlet and light blue.

Religion

In Ossetia, the indigenous population adheres to Christianity and Islam. Among them there are also those who revere traditional Ossetian beliefs.

An important religious ritual, “Three Pies,” is associated with traditional Ossetian pies. The ritual is held on major family or national holidays at weddings. Three pies are served on the table and prayers are said. Three ribs of the animal sacrificed are served along with the pies. If an animal was slaughtered at home for a big holiday, you can serve the neck or head instead of ribs. The number 3 means sky, sun and earth. 2 pies are served at the funeral table.

Food

The cuisine of the Ossetian people was formed under the influence of the nomadic lifestyle of the Alans. The basis of the cuisine is meat cooked in a cauldron and seasoned with a spicy sour cream sauce. The dish was called tsakhton, or nur tsakhton. Since Ossetia is located in the Caucasus, shish kebab occupies an important place in the national cuisine.

In early times, Ossetians lived mainly in the mountains, so their diet was rather meager. Usually they ate churek bread and washed it down with milk, water or beer, and prepared popular oatmeal dishes: blamyk, kalua and khomys. Previously, meat was rarely eaten, since there was not much of it in the mountains, and livestock was mainly sold to earn money for living.

The most favorite drinks of the national cuisine of Ossetia are kvass, beer, mash, araka and rong. Alcoholic drinks of Ossetians: dvaino - double-distilled araka, and “Tutyra drink” - a mixture of kvass and araka. Ossetian beer is popular in the North Caucasus and Russia. Many foreign travelers also noted the special taste of this drink.

Ossetian pies are an important dish on the table in Ossetia. They have a wide variety of fillings and the name of the pie depends on it:

• kartofgin - pie with potatoes and cheese;
• ualibach - pie with rennet cheese;
• fydzhin - meat pie;
• tsaharajin - pie with beet leaves and cheese;
• dawonjin - pie with wild garlic leaves and cheese;
• kabuskajin - pie with cabbage and cheese;
• nasjin - pumpkin pie;
• kadurdzhin - bean pie;
• kadyndzjin - pie with green onions and cheese;
• bulgin - cherry pie;
• Zokojin - mushroom pie.

Pies are made from yeast dough; the most popular is the Ossetian meat pie. At dinner parties this is the main course and is served separately. Round pies with cheese are called walibah, or habizjin, a cheese pie made in the shape of a triangle is artadzykhon. An Ossetian pie prepared according to a real national recipe should contain only 300 dough and 700 g of filling.

Ossetian pies are known far beyond the borders of Ossetia, like Ossetian cheese and Ossetian beer. Today, pies are served in restaurants, cafes and made to order in bakeries. There are such bakeries in Russia, Ukraine and other countries.

It is worth noting that the advent of Soviet power had an impact on Ossetian cuisine, which subsequently underwent many changes and began to combine elements of European and Russian cuisine.

Life

Since ancient times, the main occupations of Ossetians have been cattle breeding and agriculture. Corn, millet, wheat and barley were grown on the plain. Gradually, people became acquainted with other crops, began to grow potatoes, and engage in gardening. They grazed livestock in the mountains and raised goats, sheep and cattle. Cattle breeding still provides Ossetians living in rural areas with raw materials, food and draft power.

Ossetians have long been engaged in the production of sheepskin and cloth, made various products from wood: dishes, furniture, produced household items using the method of stone carving, and embroidered. Wool processing is one of the most ancient occupations of Ossetians.

Housing

Ossetian dwellings are whitewashed huts or mud huts, which are located on flat surfaces. In the mountains, where there is no forest or there is practically no access to it, the Ossetian dwelling, or, as it is also called, saklya, is built without the use of cement, from stones and one side is attached to the rocks. Sometimes the side walls are also fused with the mountain.

The main part of the Ossetian house is a large common room, a kitchen combined with a dining room, where food is prepared during the day. This is because Ossetians do not have a specific time for eating, and family members sit down at the table in turns: the older ones eat first, then the younger ones.

In the middle of the room there is a fireplace, above it, on an iron chain attached to the ceiling, a cauldron made of cast iron or copper hangs. The hearth plays the role of a kind of center around which the whole family gathers. The iron chain on which the cauldron hangs is the most sacred object in the house. Anyone who approaches the hearth and touches the chain becomes a person close to the family. If you take the chain away from the house or offend it in some way, this will become a very big offense for the family, for which there was previously a blood feud.

In Ossetian families, married sons were not separated from the family, so gradually, when the sons got married and brought wives into the house, new sakli and buildings were added to the house, including for household purposes. All buildings are covered with a flat roof, on which grain is often dried or bread is ground.

Culture

The architecture of Ossetia and its monuments, castles, fortresses, towers, barrier walls and crypt necropolises are of great interest to scientists and tourists. They were built in various gorges that were inhabited by Ossetians. These buildings were reliable protection and shelter, ensuring the freedom of families and clans.

The folklore of Ossetia is diverse; tales of the Narts are especially popular. Many fairy tales, proverbs, sayings and songs have survived to this day. There are songs that reflect the life of Ossetians; a special place is occupied by historical songs about heroes, which vividly reflect the people’s struggle against the landowners, known as the Tagaur Aldars and the Digor Badelyats. Later, historical songs were composed about the heroes of the civil war in Ossetia, about the Ossetians who participated in the Great Patriotic War, and the heroes of modern times. Among the Ossetians there were many writers who had a huge influence on Ossetian creativity.

Traditions

Ossetians are very hospitable and treat their elders with special respect. Ossetians have strict etiquette in family and social relations.

Every family has rules that all its members adhere to:

• when an elder enters the house, regardless of origin, every Ossetian considers it his duty to stand up and greet him;
• adult sons do not have the right to sit in the presence of their father;
• The host does not sit down without the guest's permission.

The custom of blood revenge has now been practically eradicated, but previously it was strictly observed, which constantly led to wars between families and, as a result, significantly reduced the number of the indigenous population of Ossetia.

Hospitality is still an outstanding feature of Ossetians today, especially in places less affected by European culture. Ossetians are very hospitable and sincerely welcome guests, they always welcome them with pleasure and generously treat them.

An Ossetian wedding includes many ancient and interesting customs and rituals. Previously and to this day, they must give a bride price - a ransom. The groom purchases and collects the ransom himself. The size of the bride price was determined by the dignity of the families that entered into kinship and the dignity of the bride herself. In some settlements in Ossetia, part or all of the bride price went as the bride's dowry.

Matchmaking plays a very important role. Respected people who are relatives or close friends of the groom's family become matchmakers. They come to the chosen one’s house 3 times, and only then do the parents give their consent to this marriage. Every time the matchmakers come home, the girl’s father must be polite and hospitable; he discusses the size of the bride price with the matchmakers. The days of the matchmakers' visit to the beloved's house depend on how quickly the groom collects the ransom. At the last meeting, the father of the bride speaks about his decision and the parties agree on the date of the wedding. It is believed that the matchmakers have finally reached an agreement with the girl’s parents when representatives of the groom’s family hand over the bride price to the bride. From this day on, the bride is considered engaged and her life begins to change. She can no longer visit various entertainment venues and especially meet the groom’s relatives there.

The next stage after matchmaking is a secret visit of the groom to the bride. The groom and his close friends must secretly come to the bride with an engagement ring, which is a symbol of engagement among all nations.

An Ossetian wedding is celebrated simultaneously in the house of the bride and in the house of the groom. This event is very fun, with all kinds of treats and a large number of guests, who usually attend from 200 people. Neighbors and acquaintances who were not invited personally can come to the wedding. At the same time, the owners are obliged to be hospitable.

For the festive table, a whole wild boar is traditionally roasted and homemade vodka and beer are brewed. There must be three pies on the table, symbolizing the sky, sun and earth.

The holiday begins at the groom's house, his friends must organize a retinue, which includes the best man, groomsman and named mother. They all go to the bride’s house, they are met there, they say a special prayer and are invited to the house for the festive table. The bride and her friends go to change into their wedding attire, which deserves special attention. The bride's dress is very elegant and unique in its beauty. It is decorated with handmade embroidery and various stones, which makes it very heavy. The dress covers all parts of the bride's body, even her neck and arms. The bride's headdress is decorated with silver and gold threads and framed with a veil in several layers. The veil and veil envelop the bride's face and make it invisible to strangers.

The bride's wedding cap with veil is the subject of a funny wedding ritual - ransom. Many guests try to steal her, but the bride's relatives are closely watching this. In ancient times, it was considered a very bad omen if the bride’s hat fell into the wrong hands.

When the bride is dressed in her wedding dress, she sits in the wedding cortege along with the groomsman and best man. The bride's path is covered with sugar to make her life sweet. This should be done by the bride’s closest person, her mother. Along the way, the wedding cortege visits special holy places for prayer.

After the official part of the wedding, everyone goes to the groom's house. So that there are many children in the house, and a boy is born first, the bride is allowed to hold the baby in her arms. Weddings in Ossetia are very fun; from the very beginning of the celebration to the end, guests do not stop dancing national dances.

Unlike other weddings, the main difference in Ossetian weddings is the status of the bride. While all the guests are eating and drinking, the bride, with her eyes downcast, should stand silently in the corner of the festive table. She cannot sit down to eat or eat, but her relatives constantly sneak her treats.

The next important stage of the celebration is lifting the veil from the bride’s face. This must be done by the eldest member of the groom's family. This ritual is carried out towards the end of the celebration. Before this, the groom's relatives should lift the veil one by one and compliment the bride. At this time, the bride should stand silently and modestly.

When the bride's face is revealed, she gives her father-in-law gifts and treats her with honey. This suggests that life together will be sweet. Fathers-in-law, as a sign that they have accepted the bride, give her gold jewelry, thereby showing that they wish the newlyweds a happy and rich life.

Famous people

Quite a few Ossetians became famous throughout the world for their talents and outstanding deeds, and became examples of pride and imitation for posterity:

• Khadzhiumar Mamsumov, twice Hero of the USSR, Colonel General, known as “Colonel Xanthi”;
• Issa Aleksandrovich Pliev, twice hero of the USSR, army general.

During the Great Patriotic War, 75 natives of the Republic of Ossetia received the title of Hero of the USSR.

The following personalities are known in science, art and culture:

• poet Kosta Khetagurov;
• writers Dabe Mamsurov and Georgy Cherchesov;
• director Evgeny Vakhtangov;
• conductors Valery Gergiev and Veronika Dudarova;
• film actors Vadim Beroev and Egor Beroev;
• world famous scientist Vaso Abaev.

Ossetians were very successful in sports, especially in wrestling, which is why Ossetia was called a wrestling nation:

• Soslan Andiev, two-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion in freestyle wrestling;
• Baroev Khasan, Olympic champion and world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling;
• David Musulbes, winner of the 27th Olympic Games in Sydney, world heavyweight freestyle wrestling champion;
• Arsen Fadzaev, the first winner of the Golden Wrestler award, 6-time world champion in freestyle wrestling, two-time Olympic champion;
• Soslan Ramonov, world champion and Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling in 2016;
• Artur Taymazov, silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics, two-time world champion, three-time Olympic champion;
• Makharbek Khadartsev, 5-time world champion, 4-time European champion, Olympic silver medalist, 2-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling in the 90 kg weight category.

And this is not a complete list of all the outstanding athletes of this sport. In 2008, 20 athletes from Ossetia competed at the Olympics.

Tskhinvali, November 1 – Sputnik, Maria Kotaeva. The names of many Ossetians who bravely fought during the First World War in the ranks of the Terek Cossack army are today unfairly forgotten in Ossetia, said historian from Krasnodar Yegor Bratsun.

The historian gave a lecture on Tuesday at the South Ossetian Research Institute, speaking, among others, about the fate of the full Knight of St. George Timofey Dzhamalov (Gogkinati). This name is almost unknown in Ossetia today. According to the historian, everyone knows the name of General Issa Pliev, who fought against Nazi Germany, but “the names of those who made history during the First World War are sometimes unfairly forgotten or erased from memory.”

“Even historians of Ossetia and the Terek Cossack army do not know about the exploits of Jamalov, an officer of the Terek Cossack army, centurion Tsuguniev, General Konstantin Agoev, General Almurz Mistulov. Meanwhile, they are courageous defenders of the Fatherland, who distinguished themselves during the First World War. In battles they showed loyalty oath, desperate courage, military talent and skill of cavalrymen. Among the brave Ossetian Cossacks, Dzhamalov was the first to deserve the highest award of those years - the full bow of the highest soldier's award, the St. George Cross of all four degrees," said Bratsun.

During the lecture, photographs of Ossetian warriors of those years were projected onto the wall of the hall where the lecture was held.

The historian spoke about the Ossetian hundred of the partisan detachment of Lazar Bicherakhov, in which Dzhamalov was also a member. According to the researcher, Bicherakhov’s detachment mainly consisted of immigrants from the south of Ossetia.

“During the First World War, Bicherakhov’s detachment repelled the forces of the advancing Turkish army. As a result, the Turkish forces were defeated and pushed back from the territory of Persia. According to the lists of the Ossetian hundred, we can say that the role of the Ossetians during the First World War was quite high. There were many in the detachment immigrants from South Ossetia. There were only about 30 full Knights of St. George in all of Ossetia,” the historian said.

According to him, Bicherakhov’s detachment, which defended Transcaucasia and the Caucasus from German and Turkish troops, fought with glory until 1918, when a civil war was already raging in Russia.

“This detachment, reorganized into the army, arose on the basis of a partisan detachment of the then military foreman of the Terek Cossack army, Ossetian Lazar Bicherakhov. It was formed for the most part from Kuban and Terek Cossacks, Caucasians and other representatives of the multinational Russian Empire. In the orders of Bicherakhov, stored in the state archive of the Krasnodar Territory, you can find many Ossetians awarded soldiers’ St. George’s Crosses,” said Bratsun.

Many of the representatives of Bicherakhov’s detachment, according to the historian, were forced to emigrate to Europe and the USA due to the civil war.

So General Bicherakhov emigrated to Germany, where he died at the age of 69 and was buried in Dornstadt. The last ataman of the Terek Cossacks, Konstantin Agayev, died in exile and was buried in the USA.

During the First World War, Colonel Konstantin Lotiev, with the rank of captain, commanded a hundred of the first Volga regiment of the Terek Cossack army. He received a severe concussion. He was awarded the St. George's Arms "For Bravery". In exile, in the last years of his life, he lived in a nursing home near Paris. He died in 1969 and is buried in the Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois cemetery.

As the historian told Sputnik, “in his free time from work, he collects archival materials and information about the role of the Circassians and Ossetians in the Russian army.”

Based on the collected materials, he conducts seminars in Ossetia. He came to Tskhinvali to give a lecture for the second time.

The hall where the lecture took place was almost empty. Bratsun's listeners were about 15 students from the cadet school of the South Ossetian Ministry of Defense and several journalists. There were no historians or employees of the research institute at the lecture.

Ossetian people

These are the people living in the Caucasus, mainly in Russia. The main population of North and South Ossetia. They are considered Alan descendants. They call themselves the Digiron or Iron people. Ossetians for the most part speak two languages.

Population

In total, there are about 700 thousand representatives of Ossetians in the world. Most of them live in the Russian Federation, about 530 thousand people:

• North Ossetia (460 thousand);
• Moscow and region (14.5 thousand);
• Kabardino-Balkaria (9 thousand);
• Stavropol (8 thousand);
• Krasnodar (4.5 thousand);
• St. Petersburg (3.2 thousand);
• Karachay-Cherkessia (3 thousand);
• Rostov-on-Don and region (2.8 thousand);
• Tyumen and region (1.7 thousand);
• Krasnoyarsk (1.5 thousand);
• Volgograd and region (1 thousand).

And also in the following countries:

• South Ossetia (48 thousand people and make up 80% of the total population of the state);
• Türkiye (37 thousand);
• Georgia (14-36 thousand);
• Uzbekistan (9 thousand);
• Ukraine (4.8 thousand);
• Azerbaijan (2.5 thousand);
• Turkmenistan (2.3 thousand);
• Kazakhstan (1.3 thousand);
• Syria (700 people);
• Abkhazia and Kyrgyzstan (600 people each);
• Belarus (500 people);
• Tajikistan (400 people).

Origin of the people

The ancestors of the Ossetians are the ancient Scythians, Sarmatians and Alans. This is the same tribe, only in different centuries they were called differently. Settled on the lands of the Kazakhs, a mixture of nationalities occurred (this played a big role in the formation of modern Ossetians). They have a very similar language, some traditions and rituals. But, as in most nations, quite a lot of time passed for the formation of a modern nation (about 30 centuries). The Scythians and Sarmatians have a very rich history; the first mentions date back to the 4th century BC.

Peoples related to the Ossetians are the Yagnobis and Yases, as well as some.

Distribution by language groups

The Ossetian language is the only relic that has been preserved from the times of the Scythians and Sarmatians. It is divided into the following categories:

• Indo-European language;
• Indo-Iranian branch;
• Iranian group;
• northeastern subgroup.

Among the local dialects of North Ossetia, a distinction is made between the Iron and Digor dialects. The first ones are more common, and their dialect is embedded in literary writing. In addition, books are published in the Digor language. But these dialects are very different from each other, both phonetically and lexically. In South Ossetia, the name of the ethnic group was mistakenly fixed as Kudars. But in fact, these are only a few dozen representatives with the same name. Among the dialects, a distinction is made between Kudaro-Java and Chsan Ossetian languages. In addition, 3 national languages ​​are recognized in South Ossetia:

• Ossetian;
• Georgian;
• Russian.

While on the territory of the Russian Federation only bilingualism is common. Therefore, even in the dialects of South and North Ossetia there are many differences. In the first there is more Georgian similarity, and in the second - Russian.

Religiosity

The majority of Ossetians are Orthodox, almost 60% of the entire nation. Paganism is common to many people. And very few people (only 3%) support Islam.

Description of the nationality

The indigenous population has an oblong head shape, hair of dark shades, as well as eyes (but they are often gray). Ossetians are a striking example of the Caucasian race.

Kitchen

Culinary traditions began to be introduced by the nomadic tribes of the Alans. Meat is highly valued, as are Ossetian cheese and beer. Favorite dishes include pies (nasgun, fidgun) and shish kebab. Very often meat is stewed in sour cream. Dishes such as kalua and blamyk have not been preserved in traditions to this day. But today Ossetian cuisine has absorbed many elements of Russian and European cuisines.

Culture and traditions

In ancient times, Ossetians were engaged in cattle breeding and less often fished and hunted.

Costumes in summer and winter could be different. But mostly men wore tapered trousers, shoes and a beshmet. Women wear a dress with a collar and may wear a headscarf.

In the family, the head tried to ensure that his family was protected, did not need anything and was a strong support for everyone. This has remained true to this day.

It is a shame for Ossetians to be drunk at a feast. You also cannot start eating, drinking or leaving the table without the permission of the elders. Anyone who is late for an event sits at the very end of the table.

The hospitality and friendliness of the people is visible in everything. A special proof of this is the residence of other peoples on their lands. And harsh customs only strengthened the discipline and character of every Ossetian.

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