Back in 1822, Klaproth expressed the opinion that the Ossetians are the descendants of the Alans (they are also wasps and yas, depending on the sources). Further research confirmed the assumption that the ancestors of the Ossetians were among the Alans, and clarified the Iranian origin of the latter, as well as their relationship with the Asian Sarmatians. Ossetians are the remnant of the once numerous Iranian tribe, which occupied a significant area in the northern Caucasus, on and in the Black Sea. Up to Elborus and further in the region of the upper Kuban, the Ossetian names of rivers, gorges, passes, mountains, etc., are still preserved, indicating that these places were inhabited by their ancestors.
Observation of the type of mountain Tatars, the study of their traditions and customs leads to the conviction that the Tatars found the indigenous Ossetian population here. The ancestors of the Ossetians lived even further to the west, on the lower reaches of the Kuban and the Don, which has still retained its Ossetian name(don - in Ossetian water, river). The antiquity of Iranian settlements in the south-east of Russia dates back to the time of the Greek Black Sea colonies. In the Greek inscriptions of Tiras, Olbia, Panticapaeum, and especially Tanaida, there are many Iranian personal names among non-Greek personal names, indicating the presence of a significant Iranian element in the local population. The linguistic analysis of these names made it possible to understand some of the phonetic laws of the Sarmatian language and establish its special relationship with the Ossetian.
Historical data on the fate of the ancestors are a few written testimonies about the Asian Sarmatians, Alans, as well as meager indications of the Russian chronicle about the Yasses. The closest southern cultural neighbors of the Ossetians, the Georgians, also preserved in their annals several testimonies about the Ossetian raids in Transcaucasia. The Armenian historian Moses of Khorensky knows the Osses under the name Alans, under which they were also known to Byzantine historians. In the Georgian chronicle, the Osses are portrayed as a strong, numerous people, who put up several tens of thousands of horsemen for raids. Ossetian kings and family unions between the royal house (Bagratids) and the Ossetian are mentioned.
The power of the Ossetians, weakened in the north of the Caucasus by the Russians (Kasogs) and Polovtsy, was finally undermined by the Tatar pogrom during the time of Genghis Khan. The Ossetians were forced to pay tribute to the Tatars. In the north, the Tatars occupied part of the Ossetian territory, and finally locked the Setins in the mountains. The Digorians, Tagaurians and part of the Kurtatins were tributaries of the Kabardians back in early XIX century. The South Ossetians, formerly so formidable for the Transcaucasus, submitted to the influence of the Georgians and became serfs of the Georgian feudal lords Eristovs and Machabelovs. The establishment of Russian rule in the Caucasus was favorable for O., who found support in the Russian government against the Kabardians on the one hand, and against the oppression of the upper class and Georgian princes on the other. As a result of incitement by the latter, unrest sometimes occurred among the South Ossetians, but the measures of the government and the activities of the missionaries brought the Ossetians closer and closer to the Russians. In 1866-67. in Ossetia, the serfs were liberated from the power of the landowners.
After the revolution, there is a mass migration of Ossetians to the plains. In 1922, the South Ossetian Autonomous Republic was formed, which became part of the Georgian SSR, two years later the North Ossetian Republic was formed, which in 1936 was transformed into the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1990, the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Republic of North Ossetia (now North Ossetia-Alania) was adopted. South Ossetia became part of.
Ossetians are a people in Russia, the main population of the North and South Ossetia, also live in Kabardino-Balkaria (10 thousand people), in Karachay-Cherkessia (4 thousand people). The total number in Russia is 402 thousand people. Before the conquest of the Kabardians by the Russians, the Ossetians lived exclusively in the mountains. Pushing the Kabardians away from the mountains, the Russian government allowed them to settle on the plane.
The Ossetians are a viable tribe, rapidly increasing in numbers since they were placed in more favorable economic conditions. According to the data of 1833, there were only 35,750 Ossetians; According to information from the 1960s, there were 46,802 North Ossetians and 19,324 South Ossetians. In 1880, there were already 58,926 people in North Ossetia, and 51,988 in South Ossetia.
According to the observations of Dr. Gilchenko, North Ossetians in the majority (almost 64%) are dark-haired and dark-eyed; their skin color is swarthy, the forehead is straight, wide, with well-developed frontal tubercles and poorly developed superciliary arches; nose rather large, prominent, straight; the mouth is small, with straight, thin lips. Growth is mostly high; shoulders and pelvis of considerable width.
On the plane, Ossetians live in huts or whitewashed huts; in the mountains, where there is no forest, or it is difficult to access, Ossetian sakli are made up of stones without cement and for the most part stick to the rock with one side. Sometimes part of the side walls is also formed by a mountain.
The main part of the national Ossetian house is a large common room, kitchen and dining room together. Cooking takes place in it all day long, since Ossetians do not have a certain time for eating, and family members do not eat all together, but first the older ones, then the younger ones. A hearth is placed in the middle of the room, above which, on an iron chain, hangs a copper or cast-iron cauldron. The hearth is the center around which the family gathers. An iron chain attached to the ceiling at the smoke hole is the most sacred object of the house: one who approaches the hearth and touches the chain becomes close to the family. Insulting the chain (for example, taking it out of the house) was considered the greatest offense for the family, which was previously followed by blood feuds.
As the family grows (partitions between married brothers during the life of the parents are rare), new saklis and outbuildings are added to the house. All buildings are covered with flat roofs, on which bread is often threshed and grain is dried.
The clothes of the Ossetians do not differ from the common Caucasian, mountain clothes: men have the same shirts, beshmets, Circassians, trousers made of cloth or canvas or cloaks; for women - long shirts to the heels, harem pants and calico or nanke semi-caftans with a narrow neckline on the chest. The winter headdress is a lamb high hat (hat), the summer one is a felt hat. Women's headdress make up hats different kind and scarves. Men in clothes prefer dark brown and black, women - blue, blue and scarlet.
The main food of the Ossetians, who are generally distinguished by moderation, is bread - from barley, corn, wheat, millet, as well as dishes from milk and cheese. They eat meat only on holidays and when guests arrive. The main occupations of the Ossetians in the mountains, where there are fat pastures, are cattle breeding and agriculture, crafts are poorly developed.
The main ethical principles that guide the life of Ossetians are respect for elders, blood vengeance and hospitality. Every Ossetian considers it a duty to get up at the entrance of the elder and greet him, even if he was of lower origin; adult sons do not have the right to sit in the presence of their father, the host cannot sit in front of the guest without his permission, etc. In general, family and social relations are determined by strict etiquette and peculiar notions of decency, often extremely shy.
The custom of blood vengeance, sacredly observed before, but now almost eradicated, led to constant wars between individual families and significantly reduced the number of the Ossetian tribe. Hospitality is still an outstanding feature. With greater sincerity and cordiality, it is observed in places less touched European culture. Marriage was until recently based solely on the payment of a kalym (ireda) for the bride, which the groom had to purchase personally. The size of the kalym was determined by the dignity of the bride and the families entering into kinship. In some places, part of the kalym, and sometimes the whole kalym, goes as a dowry to a girl. Ossetian weddings are decorated with many rituals that retain interesting traces of antiquity.
Between the funeral rites, the so-called dedication of the horse to the deceased, performed at the grave, and the commemoration deserve attention. The purpose of the first rite is for the deceased to have a horse in the afterlife and be able to safely drive to the place assigned to him. The commemoration consists in a plentiful treat not only to relatives, but to all residents of the same village and newcomers, in honor of the deceased, and the so-called great commemoration is sometimes accompanied by a jump and shooting at a target for prizes issued by the family of the deceased. Ossetians look at the commemoration as if they were feeding their dead ancestors, believing that the food eaten at the commemoration reaches them. By adopting Christianity, Ossetians perform certain rituals, observe fasts and holidays, attend church, mention the name of Christ and some saints, but at the same time celebrate the old pagan rites, say prayers to their aul and family shrines, on certain days they make sacrifices - sheep, goats , bulls. In the rituals of Ossetians, traces of decayed Christianity, mixed with ancient paganism, are also visible.
Of considerable interest is the folk literature of O., especially their legends about heroes, called Narts. Some types and plots of the Ossetian Nart epic are found in the legends of the Kabardians and. The latter, apparently, borrowed some of the stories from the Ossetians, who themselves received something from the Kabardians. The Ossetian Nart epic was also penetrated from Transcaucasia, through the Georgians, by some plots connected with the Persian hero Rustem, a hero almost universally known in the Caucasus. In addition to epic tales, Ossetians have many songs, especially satirical and humorous ones, which are as easy to add up as they are forgotten and replaced by new ones. Singing and playing musical instruments are widespread among the people.
On the territory of the countries of South and. However, they live in Russia and other countries. In total, there are about 700 thousand Ossetians in the world, 515 thousand of which live in Russia.
Residents speak Russian, Georgian and Ossetian languages, all three are state languages. If we talk about religions, then the Ossetians adopted Christianity from Byzantium back in the period of the 4th-9th centuries. There is a small part of the population professing Islam. Ossetians are attributed to the Caucasian type of the Caucasian race. They are characterized not only by dark hair, fair-haired, red-haired people are also often found. The shape of the head of the people of Ossetia is elongated, the color of the eyes is brown, sometimes gray or blue.
National composition of South Ossetia in 1926-2008:
Ossetians - 46,289 (64.3%)
Georgians - 18,000 (25.0%)
Russians - 2016 (2.8%)
Armenians - 871 (1.21%)
Jews - 648 (0.9%)
others - 4,176 (5.8%) (Armenians, Tatars, Gypsies, Kyrgyz, Tajiks)
According to South Ossetia, now (in 2009) the majority of the population are Ossetians (80%)
Speaking about architecture, it is worth noting that the most interesting monuments created by Ossetians are fortresses, towers, castles, barrier walls, etc. They built such structures in all the gorges that they inhabited. Since ancient times, such buildings have been a reliable guarantor of freedom of childbirth, providing shelter to the owners. However, during the hostilities, a large number of architectural monuments were destroyed.
The main dishes of the cuisine of South Ossetia are local pies, meat stew with potatoes, meat stewed in sour cream, beans and corn boiled together, pepper leaves sauce with cream or sour cream. Of the drinks, it is necessary to highlight beer, kvass, as well as the local alcoholic drink araka, which is like whiskey. Of course, as in any other Caucasian country, people in South Ossetia love and know how to cook barbecue.
Since ancient times, the main occupation was cattle breeding and agriculture. Also, in the earlier stages, the locals were engaged in hunting.
In the economy, the most developed were the preparation of cheese and butter, the production of cloth, the manufacture of wood and metal products, Ossetians were engaged in wool processing. The costume of the inhabitants of Ossetia had next view: tight trousers that reached the shoes, and a beshmet. In the mountains, a kind of footwear was used - archita, as a headdress they used a hat made of sheep fur, and in summer - a mountain hat. women in Everyday life dresses were worn with fees at the waist, with a standing deferred collar, a straight slit on the chest to the waist.
The applied and fine arts of the Ossetian people are extremely rich. So, local craftsmen were engaged in wood carving, ornamental embroidery, metal processing, stone carving, etc. Ossetian musical instruments are basically similar to Caucasian musical instruments. Among these, one can distinguish a shepherd's flute, a harp, a two-stringed violin. They were played only by men. A little later, in Ossetia, a two-row harmonica was brought from Russia.
Ossetians are a very hospitable, tolerant and friendly nation.
OSSETIANS
Ossetians are the descendants of the ancient Alans, Sarmatians and Scythians. However, according to a number of well-known historians, the presence of the so-called local Caucasian substratum in the Ossetians is also obvious. At present, Ossetians mostly inhabit the northern and southern slopes of the central part of the main Caucasian ridge. Geographically, they form the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania (area - about 8 thousand square kilometers, the capital - Vladikavkaz) and the Republic of South Ossetia (area - 3.4 thousand square kilometers, the capital - Tskhinval).
Despite the geographical and administrative division in both parts of Ossetia, a single people lives, with the same culture and language. The separation took place by a strong-willed decision from the Kremlin in 1922, without any consideration of the opinion of the Ossetians themselves. According to this decision, North Ossetia was assigned to Russia, and South Ossetia - to Georgia. For seven decades, if you do not take into account the feelings of the poor stepdaughter and attempts to instill Georgian culture and language, the citizens of South Ossetia did not experience any particular inconvenience from this division, since they lived in a single family of fraternal peoples of the USSR.
But times have changed. Russia and Georgia have become separate states with very strained relations. Ossetians at the same time turned out to be different sides state border. Moreover, even many families whose members live in different parts Ossetia. But more on that below.
At present, the total number of Ossetians in the world is about 640-690 thousand people. Of these (according to unofficial data) live:
In North Ossetia - 420-440 thousand people
In South Ossetia - 70 thousand people
In the republics and regions of Russia - 60-80 thousand people
In Georgia - 50-60 thousand people
In the states on the territory of the former USSR - 20-30 thousand people,
In Turkey and Syria - 11-12 thousand people,
In Europe, America, Australia - about 12-15 thousand people.
Ossetia borders: in the east - with the Republic of Ingushetia, in the northeast - with Chechnya, in the west and northwest - with the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, in the south - with Georgia and in the north - with the Stavropol Territory.
 |
The nature of Ossetia is rich and varied: sultry steppes, flourishing foothill plains, the peaks of the Caucasus Mountains, the highest in Europe, eternally covered with ice, deep gorges and swift rivers.
Ossetians are a people, due to their uniqueness (the absence of related peoples close in language and culture), which has long attracted the close attention of Russian and well-known foreign historians and researchers of the Caucasus, such as Miller, Shegren, Klaproth, Vernardsky, Dumezil, Bahrakh, Sulimirsky, Littleton, Bailey, Cardini, Abaev, Rostovtsev, Kuznetsov and many others.
The history of Ossetia from the Alans, Sarmatians and Scythians to the present day is quite well described in the books of many reputable scientists, and in particular M. Bliev and R. Bazrov "History of Ossetia", as well as in the preface cited in this section, academician M. Isaev "Alans . Who are they?" to the Russian edition of the book "Alans in the West" by Bernard S. Bahrakh. This book itself (“A history of the Alans in the West”, by Bernard S. Bachrach)* brightly illuminates the history of the Western Alans, who settled in large numbers in the countries of Western and Central Europe, and left a noticeable mark on the development of the culture of the peoples of these countries, from the British Isles and northern Italy to the Balkan countries and Hungary. There, the descendants of the Alans (Asses) later formed a separate Iasi region, preserving the culture and language of their ancestors for many centuries. By the way, most studies of the history of the Western Alans completely refute the theories of some North Caucasian historians that the Alans were not Iranian-speaking. The Iranian-linguality of the Western Alans is recognized without much effort.
Throughout its history, the Ossetian people went through periods from rapid prosperity, strengthening of power and huge influence in the first millennium of our era, to almost complete catastrophic extermination during the invasions of the Tatars - the Mongols and the lame Timur in the 13-14 centuries. The comprehensive catastrophe that befell Alania led to the mass destruction of the population, undermining the foundations of the economy, and the collapse of statehood. The miserable remnants of the once powerful people (according to some sources, no more than 10-12 thousand people) were locked up in the high mountain gorges of the Caucasus Mountains for almost five centuries. During this time, all "external relations" of the Ossetians were reduced only to contacts with the closest neighbors. However, there is no evil without good. According to scientists, largely due to this isolation, the Ossetians have preserved their unique culture, language, traditions and religion almost in their original form.
Centuries passed and the people rose from the ashes, grew noticeably in numbers. And by the first half of the 18th century, due to the tightness, severity and limited conditions of the highlands and the difficult geopolitical situation in the region, the Ossetian people faced the urgent need to join Russia and resettle on the flat lands. Through elected ambassadors - representatives of various Ossetian societies, a corresponding petition was sent to St. Petersburg addressed to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. After Turkey's defeat in Russian-Turkish war 1768-1774 Russia's influence in the region increased markedly and it was able to act more decisively than before in the implementation of its colonial goals in the Caucasus. And following the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainarji peace treaty in 1974, a decision was made to annex Ossetia to the Russian Empire. However, the administrative subordination of Ossetia at first had a formal character. And more people long time continued to maintain independence from the Russian administration. In the Ossetian gorges, uprisings like Digorsky in 1781 broke out every now and then, which were of a national liberation character.
However, in general, joining Russia was in the national interests of Ossetia. It brought closer the solution of such important issues as resettlement to the foothill plains, ensuring external security and the establishment of trade relations in Russia.
Over the next 100-150 years, hundreds of educated teachers, educators, writers, military leaders, state and public figures. Most of them received a good education in St. Petersburg, Moscow and other major cities Russia. By the beginning of the last century, there were already dozens of Ossetian military generals, and thousands of officers awarded the highest military awards of Russia. Faithfully, with Alanian honor, they defended the interests of the Fatherland throughout, from the Far East to the Balkans and Turkey.
Years passed and the political events of the beginning of the 20th century dealt a new blow to our people, as well as to all other peoples of the country. The revolution of 1917 and the civil war that followed it split the Ossetian society into hostile irreconcilable camps for a long time. They significantly undermined the foundations of intra-social relationships, foundations and traditions. Often on different sides of the barricades were neighbors, relatives, and even members of the same family. Many advanced people of their time were killed in battles, others emigrated abroad forever. Well, the greatest damage to Ossetian culture was inflicted during the well-known repressions of the 30-40s, when the color of the nation was almost completely destroyed.
The famous Alanian military art and craving for feats of arms did not go down in history with them. Through the centuries, they were reborn in their descendants, for whom military service and the defense of the Fatherland have always been in special honor. The craving for officer service is manifested in Ossetians from early childhood. And the fact that this project included information about 79 generals and admirals Soviet period and modern Russia, convincingly confirms this conclusion.
Most clearly, the Ossetian people showed their best qualities, inherited from proud ancestors, during the Second World War.
With a total population of 340 thousand people in 1941:
90 thousand Ossetians left to defend their homeland from the fascist invaders.
46 thousand of them died in the battles for the freedom and independence of our Motherland.
34 Ossetians became Heroes of the Soviet Union. This is the highest figure in relation to the total population, among all the peoples of the USSR (See the table in the "Heroes of the Soviet Union" section).
More than 50 people became generals and admirals
The Ossetian Gazdanov family lost all 7 on the war fronts
Two families lost 6 sons each,
In 16 families, 5 sons did not return from the war,
52 Ossetian families lost 4 sons in this war,
The defeat of the fascist troops in the Caucasus began with their defeat in fierce battles on the outskirts of Vladikavkaz in the winter of 1942, and the liberation of the regions of North Ossetia occupied by the Nazis.
In the ranks of the commanders of the Red Army, dozens of military generals - Ossetians fought bravely. The most famous of them are twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Issa Pliev, Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General Georgy Khetagurov, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General, one of the most prominent Soviet intelligence officers, who was called the father of Soviet special forces, Khadzhi-Umar Mamsurov and commander famous Soviet air aces, Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General Ibragim Dzusov.
The post-war period in the history of Ossetia is characterized by the rapid development of industry, economy, Agriculture, culture and sports. Thanks to the rich natural resources, in Ossetia, such large enterprises of the mining and processing industries as the Sadon and Kvaisinsky lead-zinc plants, the Electrozinc and Pobedit plants, whose products were widely used in the country and abroad, the Tskhinvali plants "Emalprovod" and "Vibromashina" , the Alagir resistance plant, the largest Beslan maize plant in Europe, the Kazbek furniture company, a number of large electronics enterprises, etc.
The capital of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania, Vladikavkaz (population - a little over 300 thousand people) is one of the most beautiful cities in the region, a cultural, economic and transport center. Here, as well as throughout the republic, people of many nationalities live in peace and harmony. Vladikavkaz is famous for its prestigious higher educational institutions, including the North Ossetian State University named after K.L. Khetagurov, Mountain State agricultural university, North Caucasian State Technological University, North Ossetian State Medical Academy, higher military schools and others. The cultural life of Ossetia is varied and rich. There are several state theaters, a philharmonic society, the state academic ensemble of folk dance "Alan", the equestrian theater "Narty", known in the country and abroad.
Ossetian culture and art have given the country and the world such famous people, as one of the best conductors in the world, head of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater Valery Gergiev, the world's first female conductor, People's Artist of the USSR Veronika Dudarova, soloist of the Bolshoi Ballet, People's Artist of the USSR Svetlana Adyrkhaeva, the dynasty of circus artists Kantemirovs, headed by the founder Soviet equestrian and circus art Alibek Kantemirov, theater and film artists, People's Artists of the USSR Vladimir Tkhapsaev and Nikolai Salamov, famous pop singers Felix Tsarikati and Akim Salbiev and many others.
At competitions of the highest rank, Ossetian athletes glorify their homeland in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, judo, karate, tae kwon do, weightlifting, arm wrestling, football, rhythmic gymnastics and many other sports. Ossetians are rightfully proud of 12 champions Olympic Games, several dozen champions of the world, Europe, the USSR and post-Soviet Russia.
So at the last Olympics in 2004 in Athens, Ossetians won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. This result is truly unique for a people of less than 700 thousand people and is unlikely to be surpassed anywhere in the world in the foreseeable future.
The achievements of representatives of Ossetia in various fields of science and economics are truly invaluable. Suffice it to mention one of the pillars of world aerodynamics and rocketry, Grigory Tokati, who worked on space programs NASA in England and the USA, the well-known in the scientific world the patriarch of Russian linguistics and Iranian studies Vaso Abaev, the captain of the Arktika nuclear-powered ship, Yuri Kuchiev, who conquered the North Pole for the first time in the world, the former general director of the Baltika brewing concern Taimuraz Bolloev.
Today's Ossetia is developing, establishing contacts, achieving success in all areas and looking to the future with hope, praying to God for peace, tranquility and prosperity.
About interethnic conflicts.
Together with all the positive things described above, not everything is so cloudless over the sky of Ossetia, as the Ossetians themselves wish.
In the early 90s of the last century, the nationalists who came to power in Georgia led a policy of ousting the Ossetian population, and then under the slogan "Georgia for Georgians!" unleashed a new bloody conflict on the territory of South Ossetia, intending to repeat the acts of the Ossetian genocide of 1920. By his decree of December 11, 1990, the then leader of Georgia, Z. Gamsakhurdia, abolished the South Ossetian Autonomous Region. South Ossetians, by way of a referendum, decided to secede from Georgia and form the Republic of South Ossetia. Georgian armed formations invaded the territory of South Ossetia and began to “put things in order” in their own way. Later, having received a worthy answer, they went home, sowing poisonous seeds of hatred and distrust between peoples for a long time. The war was short, but with a large number of victims, including among the civilian population. The Ossetian people will never forget their sons who died at the hands of national chauvinists while defending their homeland. He will not forget the brutally tortured civilians, the shooting down by Georgian militants of a bus with old people, women and children on the Zar road, as well as other acts of monstrous crimes against our people. The thoughtless, great-power chauvinistic policy of the Georgian leadership has led to the emergence of hatred and irreconcilable discord between the once most friendly peoples in the region. But in spite of everything, the Ossetians do not see the enemy in the Georgian people. They know that years will pass, history will send national chauvinists of various stripes to the trash heap and heal simple people the way their ancestors lived for centuries - in peace and harmony, helping each other.
The events of those days were widely covered in the press and in other materials. And in this brief historical review there is no way to describe everything in detail.
Years have passed. Leaders have changed both in Georgia and Russia, as well as in Ossetia. But the conflict has not yet been resolved. The new Georgian leadership, as in the past, is pursuing a policy of fighting separatism by any available means, including through threats, blockades, political pressure through third countries, and organizations, in particular the United States and the OSCE. At the same time, it is increasingly moving away from Russia, which for many years has been the guarantor of stability, peace and prosperity in the region.
The Ossetian side resolutely and irrevocably took a course towards the restoration of historical justice* - reunification with its brothers in North Ossetia as part of the Russian Federation and, having survived three waves of genocide (in 1920, 1990 and 2004), does not intend to return to the administrative bosom of Georgia. In 2004, the leadership of the Republic sent a petition to the State Duma of the Russian Federation for the admission of South Ossetia to Russia. To date, the question remains open, the problems are unresolved, and the conflict is smoldering.
Separatism rarely brings positive results. And at first glance, the Georgian leadership has the right to fight the separatism of their former regions. But this is only at first glance, since the intentions of the people of South Ossetia cannot be called separatist for two reasons.
Firstly, the Ossetian people, having lived on this land for many centuries, never expressed a desire to be part of Georgia, and was attached to it only by a strong-willed decision of the then leaders Soviet state, without taking into account the opinion of the Ossetians themselves. Prior to this, there was not a single state-legal act that would have fixed the belonging of South Ossetia to Georgia. The age-old claims of the princes Machabeli and Eristavi to the possession of this territory, as well as the frequent complicity of the Russian elite, have never been recognized by the people of Ossetia.
Secondly, every nation has the right to be “undivided” and choose its own destiny. The artificially divided peoples of Germany, Vietnam and other states were reunited. And by force, political pressure or blockade to keep one people on different sides of the state border is nothing but a crime against this people.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a no less difficult situation developed in North Ossetia. In the 1990s, interethnic problems and contradictions that had been accumulating and driven deep into the depths for decades, in the face of the weakening of the central government, began to result in conflicts on ethnic grounds between the Ossetians and their closest neighbors in the east - the Ingush. The reason for them was several villages in the Prigorodny district of North Ossetia, inhabited by a mixed Ossetian-Ingush population and for 6 decades being a disputed territory between the two peoples. The history of these villages dates back to the time of the mountaineers' migration to the plain. In the same years, the settlement of the North Caucasus with Russian Cossacks began, carried out by the tsarist authorities to maintain order and pacify the local peoples. These disputed villages were basically founded by the Terek Cossacks. The Cossacks lived prosperously, freely, and when the years of revolution and civil war came, for the most part they sided with the White Guard, fighting against the Communists. In response to this, local communist leaders, led by Lenin's ally, the "fiery" Sergo Ordzhonikidze, began to incite the Ingush to punitive operations against the Cossack population. There were quite a lot of raids on their villages in order to force the Cossacks beyond the Terek and seize land (see the article about Georgy Bicherakhov in the section "Ossetians Abroad"). The Ingush tried in every possible way to eliminate the "strips" of Cossack lands on their territory in order to strengthen their influence in the "rounded" territories. In the end, in 1922, the Ingush, together with the soldiers of the Red Army, managed to implement this idea and settle in these villages for 22 years. Such is the history of the territories now called by the Ingush side "primordially - Ingush".
In 1944, on the part of the central Soviet government, there was an absolutely no less serious crime, but already against the Ingush, Chechens and some other peoples. For, mass desertion from the ranks of the Red Army and support for banditry in the rear, these peoples, in a matter of hours, were completely loaded into freight wagons and deported to the barren steppes of Kazakhstan. Many innocent people died along the way, including frail old people, women and children. For a small Ingush people, this resettlement was almost catastrophic. Severe conditions and the struggle for survival from scratch have delayed for a long time the formation of statehood, the development of education, culture and other spheres of life. At the same time, Ossetians were almost forcibly relocated to the territory of the former Ingushetia from the mountainous regions of South and North Ossetia.
In 1957, the already new Kremlin leadership, headed by Nikita Khrushchev, decided to correct the mistakes of their predecessors and returned the repressed peoples to their historical homeland. With the return of the Ingush, the Ossetians, who had managed to settle down in a new place (some had already managed to build new houses in 12 years), were forced to leave it and start everything from scratch, settling in wastelands on the outskirts of other settlements in North Ossetia. At the same time, part of the Prigorodny district was not returned to Chechen-Ingushetia, mainly those villages that were taken from the Cossacks in 1922 and from the Ossetians in 1926. This territory was left under the jurisdiction of North Ossetia. In return, three regions of the Stavropol Territory were annexed to Checheno-Ingushetia.
This part of the Prigorodny district became the cause of the outbreak of a bloody conflict between North Ossetia and Ingushetia. Tension has been building for a long time, now and then baring its teeth. So in the autumn of 1981 in Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz), after the murder of a young taxi driver by the Ingush, mass unrest broke out, brutally suppressed by the troops. special purpose with a large number of victims and several victims. After such facts, the central authorities in Moscow, without delving into the essence of the problem, usually tried to treat the symptoms of the disease, driving the disease itself deep inside.
About how, sent from Moscow by the new leader of the republic, V. Odintsov, this “treatment” was carried out in North Ossetia, history has yet to say its weighty word. Out of a desire to rise and make a name for himself, allegedly by putting things in order, in a short time in the republic through the hands of visiting heads of law enforcement agencies, with a dubious reputation, and local servants, Odintsov created a situation similar to the years of repression of the 30s. Through trumped-up accusations and other unworthy methods, many major leaders were arrested, including a number of those who enjoyed great prestige and respect among the people. They stood in the way of the rampant lawlessness of Odintsovo and paid the price for it. And although, after several months, after thorough checks by the authoritative commissions of the Prosecutor General's Office, justice triumphed and all those illegally accused were fully acquitted, the harm done to the people of Ossetia over the years was already irreparable. Unfortunately, today's younger generation does not know the truth about the facts of lawlessness and repressions committed in North Ossetia in those years, because very little has been written about this period in the history of Ossetia.
The years of Odintsovo's rule deepened and aggravated the Ossetian-Ingush contradictions as well. Those who were at the head of the republic cared little about the real relationship between the two peoples. It was important for them to use force to create an outer shell of well-being and report to Moscow that order in this matter had been restored by heroic efforts. Time has shown that the creation of the most favored nation regime for representatives of one people living on the territory of another was an additional detonator for subsequent bloody events.
Signed by B. Yeltsin in June 1992, at first glance, the humane and fair “Law on the Rehabilitation of Repressed Peoples”, having neither a constitutional basis nor a mechanism for implementation, became only a catalyst in the aggravation of Ossetian-Ingush relations. In villages with a mixed population, armed skirmishes, murders, and robberies became more frequent. On the squares of the then capital of Ingushetia - the city of Nazran, thousands of rallies were held every now and then demanding the return of these several villages and the right-bank part of Vladikavkaz by any means, including military actions. There were open threats against the Ossetians. In this situation of impending danger, the leadership of North Ossetia has set a course for a comprehensive strengthening of the defense capability and preparation to repel possible aggression. The situation escalated to the limit.
After a series of mutual "exchanges of bloody courtesies", on the night of October 30-31, 1992, Ingush military formations, consisting of mobile, well-armed detachments, crossed the border of North Ossetia and began hostilities to capture the villages of the Prigorodny district. They were joined by many residents of North Ossetia of Ingush nationality. In these villages, Ossetian houses were set on fire, property and cattle began to be taken out, vehicles of Ossetians, as well as enterprises, were stolen. At the slightest resistance, people were destroyed. The first to fight were the employees of the Chermen settlement police department, but the forces were unequal. The surviving, wounded policemen were pelted with anti-tank grenades, and the disfigured corpses lay under the rubble of the building for several days. Another atrocious crime was committed in the village of Kartsa, where 25 Ossetian hostages were shot by the Ingush in a local club. And these were far from isolated cases.
The suddenness of the blow played its part. In 2-3 days Ingush militants advanced 10-15 km and reached the outskirts of Vladikavkaz. In these bloody days for Ossetia, more than 100 people were killed, a large number of civilians were taken and taken hostage to Ingushetia. Many went missing and their fate is unknown to this day. Many Ossetian houses were destroyed and burned in the occupied villages of the Prigorodny district. All these events stirred up the people, caused a reciprocal rage and a thirst for revenge for what they had done. Thousands of young people rushed to defend the republic from all settlements, joining the National Guard, the people's militia and the forces of the Ministry of the Interior, which were previously created in case of aggression. A well-armed and combat-experienced battalion of 400-500 men arrived from South Ossetia to help the brothers. Under the menacing pressure of the indignant masses, the army leadership also provided some assistance in arming the militias and law enforcement agencies of the republic (see the article about G. Kantemirov in the section "Generals and Admirals"). All this had its effect, and by the end of the new week, the entire territory of the Prigorodny district was cleared of the attackers. Anger for what they had done, in some cases, overflowed and there were noticeably more victims from the Ingush side. Moreover, for the sake of justice, it must be admitted that due to the high intensity of the fire and the use of heavy weapons, among these victims were also civilians.
Earlier in the conflict zone were introduced Russian troops, which, having taken a neutral position, entered the battle only in response to acts of direct attack on them. By November 5, the troops took up positions between opposing sides to prevent further escalation of hostilities.
The results of this, the first on the territory of Russia, armed conflict are sad for both the Ossetians and the Ingush.
-A total of 546 people died (including 105 Ossetians and 407 Ingush)
About a thousand people were injured and maimed
Hundreds of hostages were taken, which were then mostly exchanged between the parties to the conflict.
In the war zone, many houses and buildings, both Ingush and Ossetian, were completely destroyed.
Almost the entire Ingush population of the Prigorodny district and Vladikavkaz (more than 30 thousand people) left their homes and became refugees for a long time.
Over the past 14 years, most refugees have returned to their villages. They were allocated land for the construction of new homes, cash loans and compensation. But the problem of the Prigorodny district is raised by the Ingush side again and again, not allowing the tension to ease. The Ossetian side rejects any options for redrawing the existing borders, in view of the fact that for more than 60 years, by the will of fate, Ossetians have been living in these villages. More than one generation has been born of those for whom this land is their homeland, and they have no other. And they are determined to defend it resolutely from any encroachment.
In the Caucasus, all conflicts have always been resolved peacefully through dialogue between people, between peoples. So far this dialogue between Ossetians and Ingush has not been achieved. And the bloody events that are played out every now and then in many ways contribute to the strengthening of distrust and hostility between neighboring peoples. One of these events was an explosion in the crowded central market of Vladikavkaz on March 19, 1999, arranged by 4 young Ingush - residents of the Prigorodny district. Then 52 people died on the spot and another 168 people were injured, mostly women, old people, students. Subsequently, a number of explosions were carried out in the markets and other crowded places in the capital of North Ossetia, in which many people also died.
But the most monstrous and inhumane act that stirred up the whole world was the seizure of the Beslan secondary school on September 1, 2004. Early in the morning on Knowledge Day, a large group of heavily armed militants, driving from the territory of Ingushetia in a truck, surrounded the school with children, teachers and parents and, locking them in the school gym, held them hostage for three days, without food or drink. Many of the children, unable to withstand hunger and stuffiness, ate flowers, traditionally brought for teachers, drank their own urine, and lost consciousness. Immediately after the capture, many young people were shot. The bandits brought suicide bombers with them, stuffed the entire building of the school with mines. After the explosion of two of them, a chaotic assault began. In these most mournful days for the Ossetian people over the past few decades, 331 hostages died, of which 186 were children of different ages, from one to 16 years old. The monsters encroached on the most sacred thing for every nation - children, our future.
 |
According to the current official version, almost all of them, except for one, were destroyed during the assault. But those who organized and planned this act of intimidation are alive, with the aim of unleashing in the North Caucasus big war. For some reason, they are still at large and threaten with new terror.
It is rightly said that bandits have no nationality. But at the same time, the fact that the vast majority of the identified militants turned out to be Ingush cannot hide anywhere. And Ossetians are unlikely to be able to force themselves to close their eyes to this in the near future and extend a hand of friendship towards Ingushetia. Moreover, so far from that side, neither at the official nor at the national level, not a word of repentance has been sounded for those who came to Beslan to kill children.
Years will pass and generations will change before the pain of wounds and losses subsides. Before all people understand that peace and tranquility in the region is vital for all peoples and every person. Before wisdom triumphs over ambition, political and national adventurism.
*The Russian edition of this book is printed in the library of the magazine "Daryal"
Review prepared by R. Kuchiev
September 2005
 |
List of some interesting books on the history of the Scythians, Alans, Ossetians:
1. Scythians. Grakov V.M. (Russian)
2. To the problem of the genesis of the Ossetian Nart epic. Guriev T.A (rus)
3. Ossetians. B.A. Kaloev (rus)
4. A grammatical sketch of Ossetic./ by V.I. Abaev. Edited by Herbert H. Paper, Translated by Steven P. Hill,
5. A history of the Alans in the West. / by Bernard S. Bachrach
6. The Sarmatians./ by T. Sulimirsky
7. The world of the Scythians./ by Renate Rolle
8. Iranians and Greeks in South Russia./ by M. Rostovtsev
9. The Scythians./ by Tamara Talbot Rice
10.From Scythia to Camelot./ by C.Scott Littleton&Linda A.Malcor
11.Alle Radici Della Cavalleria Medievale. / by Franco Cardini (in Italian)
12.Searching For The Scythians/ by Mike Edwards/ National Geographic, September 1996
13. Alans in Gaul. / by Bernard S. Bachrach
14. Sources on the Alans. A critical compilation./ by Agusti Alamany
15. The Sarmatians 600 BC - AD 450. / by R. Brzezinski & M. Mielczarek
16. The Scythians 700-300 BC / by Dr. E.V. Cernenko
1.06.2016
Currently, there is an actual persecution against the traditional beliefs of Ossetians. Insults and various accusations against adherents of the ancestral faith in social networks are no longer uncommon. There are even calls for criminal prosecution of adherents of traditional beliefs, with the famous Soviet-era call "Where is the Prosecutor's Office looking?" At the same time, critics are most annoyed by the provision in the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, according to which Orthodoxy and traditional Ossetian beliefs are equal in rights (Article 33). The founders of our Republic are reproached for the fact that such a phenomenon at one time was enshrined at the legislative level. But something else is strange. At the same time, critics of traditional beliefs allow the Georgian church, various sects to work on the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia…
Opponents of the revival of folk traditions in the religious sphere even agreed to deny the existence of folk beliefs in general. In particular, the idea is being pushed that the very concept of “traditional Ossetian beliefs” has appeared only in our days. Therefore, we bring to your attention the material written by the famous Ossetian writer, publicist, translator, officer of the Russian army Soslan Temirkhanov back in 1922.
“Although the Ossetians are officially Christians and Muslims, they still adhere to the religion of their ancestors, according to which they believe in the One God, the Creator of the World, in the existence of the soul and afterlife, and into the world of spirits subordinate to God.
This Ossetian religion knows no temples, no idols, no priestly class, no sacred books. Instead of sacred books, it has a mythology full of artless poetry that excites that holy spark that lifts a person, illuminates and warms his soul, makes him strive for good and light, gives him courage and strength to fight fearlessly against evil and vice, inspires him to self-sacrifice. for the good of others.
Instead of an artificial temple, the Universe serves as a temple, beautiful and immense, calling a person up to the beautiful and infinite. That is why Ossetians celebrate their religious festivities in the bosom of nature, on a mountain or in a grove, in the open air.
Instead of a priest, the elder of the family or clan, assembly or society acts. He is not a bearer of any sacraments, does not call himself an intermediary between God and people, but is only an exponent of common feelings and beliefs.
Believing in God, the Creator of the World, Ossetians, however, make sacrifices only to patrons-spirits, believing that the achievement of goals depends on their intervention. Doesn’t this follow from observation and reason: from observation, because it has long been noticed that desire, around which both thought and will are intensely concentrated, is achieved by man, and from reason, because it is unreasonable to reduce God to the level of a biased being, capable of sacrifices to fulfill requests that are mostly selfish in nature; directed to the detriment of others. It is another matter to turn to patrons, spirits with passions: this is nothing more than an appeal to one's spirit, which has various abilities that require turning to oneself; the stronger the desire, i.e. the demand directed to his spirit, the more he manifests his inner abilities or his strength, and the more he manages to achieve a person, for the spirit is the same real force of nature, like any other force of nature, which can be used to your advantage, if only you know how to handle with her.
Ossetians never talk about the essence of God, do not portray him, and do not claim anything as truly said by God, but on the other hand, you often hear from them how, reproaching the unscrupulous, they say: "Fear God, have a conscience." Do they not say by this that there is “something higher” to which a person must obey, that this “something higher” is manifested through conscience, which, as we know, is a collection of the best concepts inherited from ancestors, or perceived by a person himself. The best concepts contain the desire for the common good, the service of which requires, therefore, that “something higher”, to which a person must obey.
Deeply believing in the immortality of the soul, the Ossetians believe that those who live on earth are closely, although not visible, connected with those who have departed to the afterlife.
The cult of the dead is deeply religious among Ossetians. The deceased, like a spirit, is alive and does not interrupt communication with those living on earth. The dead are constantly remembered at home sacrifices, and thus the descendants are imbued with the spirit of their ancestors.
Thanks to this, even fathers see in their children those escapes from themselves that will be their continuation on earth and will remember them at home sacrifices. That is why elders, and especially old people, take care of children, their upbringing, and although they cherish children, they do not indulge them with a sugary attitude, do not allow themselves, in the presence of children, words and actions that could drop them in the eyes of children. After that, these, too, having matured, surround their parents and the elderly with special honor, and remove all care from the elderly parents, freeing them from work.
Thus, thanks to the cult of ancestors, Ossetians in childhood enjoy a particularly careful attitude of the older generations, then, having matured, they take all care of the family and parents, and, finally, in old age they enjoy peace, surrounded by attention and honor.
All religious festivals of the Ossetians serve the development of a solidary public and are public meals on a religious lining. Everyone sits down at the common refectory table on an equal footing, and the last poor man, and the first rich man, and the noble, and the simple, and in the name of the spirit patrons, eating bread and dishes, they spend the meal in an interview about the bright spirits-dzuars, about the mythical ancestors of the Narts and about exploits of folk heroes, as well as about public and national affairs.
All this creates an atmosphere of general uplift and promotes mutual understanding and a spirit of unity.
Thanks to this, people of different social statuses form one wide society, meet as equals, visit each other, and spend feasts and amusements together. This communication raises the mental outlook of the poor and uneducated Ossetians, unfamiliar with the life of cultural centers, and the intelligentsia is not allowed to break away from the people and turn into a narrow vicious circle. The same communication evokes mutual assistance, which is highly developed among Ossetians, and respect for the human person, tolerance for others, and as a result of all this, endurance and tact in relationships and social discipline.
The spirit of religiosity penetrates the customs of the Ossetians, and therefore their mere execution ennobles people's relations and gives them harmony and beauty.
In general, the Ossetian religion gives the laws of morality and teaches diligence, courage, endurance and self-sacrifice.
This religion is the force that supported the invincibility of the spirit of the Ossetians in their titanic struggle against the natural disasters of the mountains and their barrenness, as well as the dominance of enemies that did not give them the opportunity to breathe freely.
The influence of the Ossetian religion is so great and beneficial, and it is not surprising that with such a powerful influence of their native religion, Ossetians could not succumb to the influence of alien religions, despite the fact that foreign conquerors supported their religion with all the might of their state apparatus, understanding well that only by inculcating Ossetians can finally conquer it.
Neither Byzantine and Georgian Orthodoxy, implanted in the Middle Ages, nor Islam, brought from the East and North, nor Russian Orthodoxy, implanted by police measures, took root in Ossetia, and Ossetians to this day continue to profess the faith of their ancestors, but do not want to be ridiculous, like Don Quixote and don't fight windmills. That is why the Ossetians did not and do not rebel against the ridiculous work of the newcomers who forcibly propagated their religion.
Let them build temples and send priests who preach the most ridiculous nonsense in the name of God, but this does not prevent the Ossetians from seeing in the Universe the temple of God not made by hands, but in their mythology the best leader and inspirer.
The deeply religious worldview of the Ossetians, inherited from their ancestors, did not allow alien religions to take root in them. This saved the Ossetians from the destructive influence of the official church, which seeks to captivate and corrupt the souls of the conquered. And what heinous actions the ministers of Russian Orthodoxy and their Russifier friends were capable of, this is evident from the history of the planting of Orthodoxy in Ossetia.
After the final subjugation of the Ossetians, the tsarist government, according to the plan of the Holy Synod, sent missionaries to Ossetia, who, having no success in preaching Orthodoxy, began to lure children and the poor with gifts and attributed those who came to them to Orthodoxy. Children, interested in gifts, were the masses, without the knowledge of their parents, and the poor, hunters of easy money, appeared several times, calling themselves other people's names. In addition, the missionaries included in the lists of those who were baptized and many such people who did not appear at all.
All their children, thus shown baptized, began to be considered Orthodox by the tsarist government, and it set up churches for them and appointed priests. But these Ossetians, not considering themselves Orthodox, did not attend churches and did not pay attention to priests.
Then the government, through the police, began to forcibly force them to attend churches and perform Orthodox rites, for evading which they began to be persecuted, reaching imprisonment and separation of the husband from his wife (not married), even if they had children. , and families began to break up and households went bankrupt, but the Ossetians still continued to boycott the Orthodox Church, not visiting it, and not performing its rites.
Then the government saw that its repressions did little to help spread Orthodoxy in Ossetia, and decided to move on to educational measures, and for this purpose began to cover Ossetia with a network of parish schools and opened an Ossetian theological school in Ardon.
So, the facts themselves speak for the fact that in the life of the Ossetians their native religion is a powerful factor protecting them from all hostile and corrupting influences.
In it, in this religion, all the innermost beliefs of the Ossetian, which form the basis of his worldview, which cannot be killed by any violence. She, this religion of the Ossetians, is deeply religious, as it encourages us to strive for goodness and light and fight against evil and darkness.”
Our reference
Temirkhanov Soslan Gavrilovich (1881 -1925). Born into a peasant family in 1881. Father - Temirkhanov Gavril Alekseevich, mother - Gabueva Ekaterina Andreevna. He was the eldest of six children in the family. Initially, he received a home education, after 6 classes of a real school, and in 1904 he was released with the rank of second lieutenant of the Tiflis cadet school.
Member of the Russo-Japanese War. He was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 4th class, with the inscription "For bravery in Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905". Participated in the revolution of 1905-1907. Member of the First World War. For courage and courage he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir with a saber and a bow.
In addition to military service, being a gifted person, he was attracted to the humanities. He was a writer, historian, researcher, publicist, translator, collector of monuments of folk literature, teacher, connoisseur of the Ossetian language. In the Ossetian language, he wrote the book “Iry istori” (“History of Ossetia”), which was published as a separate edition in 1913 under the pseudonym “Vano”. The author highlights the historical past of the Ossetian people, the spread of our ancestors across Europe, the high culture of the people and its fall due to endless wars.
Since 1920 he worked in Vladikavkaz. Held various positions. He was a proofreader of the Ossetian language at the printing house of the Gorsky ONO of the People's Commissariat for Education, a teacher of the Ossetian language ... He collaborated with the newspaper "Kermen", published stories ("Falloy", "Trud" ...). Posted by historical sketch about the hero of the Ossetian people of the Middle Ages Os-Bogatyr, which was published as a separate book in 1922.
He wrote, as a rule, in the Ossetian language, he was its connoisseur. But in the SOIGSI archive, manuscripts were found written by S. Temirkhanov in Russian in 1922: two essays "Ossetians" and "Folk Religion of Ossetians".
On March 6, 2019, the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov will meet with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Moscow. During the meeting, it is planned to discuss Current state and prospects for further building up bilateral cooperation, primarily in the socio-economic sphere. The visit of the head of the South Ossetian state to Russia is a working one.
“The only effective protection against measles is vaccination,” Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development of the RSO Alla Chochieva told our correspondent. Measles - acute viral disease, often giving complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, encephalitis, which in cases of late seeking medical help and the presence of severe concomitant diseases can lead to death. “In the absence of a specific method of therapy, the only effective protection against measles is vaccination,” the deputy minister said. Given the complication of the epidemiological situation in...
4.03.2019
The meeting of the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov with the leaders of political parties took place at the Ir Media Center. Addressing the representatives of the parties, the President called on the political forces of South Ossetia to open dialogue and unity in order to avoid tension in society on the eve of the parliamentary elections. “I call for unity all the political forces of South Ossetia. We need to avoid making allegations against each other. Before such a responsible political event as elections to the Parliament, it is important that between different...
4.03.2019
The celebration of Ursa kuyri in Ossetia begins tonight. These traditions have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. Ossetians celebrated Ursy kuyri (Tsarvisӕn, Cheesefare Week) before the Great Lent, - Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Murat Dzhioev told our correspondent about this. Throughout the week, no matter how rich or poor the family was, everyone baked pies, ate dairy products and it was an obligatory ritual to eat several spoons every day ...
One of the peoples living in the North Caucasus is called Ossetians. It has rich and unique traditions. For many years, scientists have been interested in the question: “Are Ossetians Muslims or Christians?” To give an answer to it, it is necessary to get acquainted with the history of the development of the religiosity of this ethnic group.
Since ancient times, the nationality of Ossetians has been various titles. For example, they called themselves "iron adam", and the country in which they lived - "Iriston". Georgians called them "ovsi", and the country, respectively, "Ovseti".
From the first millennium of our era, the people lived in the North Caucasus, in the Alanian kingdom. Over time, the Ossetians were strongly pressed by the Mongols and the troops of Tamerlane, after which their way of life changed greatly. Having fallen under the influence of Georgia, they began to change their lives, and with it their confessional affiliation. It became quite difficult for the people to live under the new conditions and had to settle down in the harsh mountains.
People who watched the life of the Ossetians from the outside sympathized with them very much, because their country was closed and inaccessible to the outside world because of the mountains shrouded in ice and snow, and also because of the presence of rocks and fast-flowing rivers. Because of environment the fertility of Ossetia is low: apart from cereals such as oats, wheat and barley, virtually nothing will be born there.
Ossetians, whose religion has been considered Christian since ancient times, today are only considered as such because of the observance of Great Lent, veneration of icons, faith in priests and churches. They have nothing else to do with Christianity. Previously, Ossetians revered many gods of the elements and looked for parallels between the Christian pantheon and saints in Islam. Very often they made sacrifices to Christian saints, such as Nikolai Ugodnik, George the Victorious, Archangel Michael and others.
How did Ossetians become Christians? This religion came to them from Georgia in the 11th-13th centuries - this is according to official data, but not many people know that the people got acquainted with this faith much earlier. And she entered their lives gradually.
Back in the 4th century South Ossetians adopted Christianity from western Georgia. But due to the weakening of faith after the departure of Lazik to the Persians, religious teachings did not spread further. Again Christianity declared itself during Justian's campaign against Ossetia and Kabarda. It happened already in the VI century. During the activity of Justinian as a missionary, churches began to be built, and bishops came from Greece. It was during this period that Ossetians were accustomed to the elements of the Christian cult and rituals. But already in the 7th century, the campaigns of the conquering Arabs began, which again suspended the development of Christianity.
For many centuries religious life in Ossetia remained unstable. There were also Christian Ossetians and those who adhered to the Islamic faith. Both branches became native to them.
For many years, this people (Ossetians) adhered to both Christianity and Islam. Despite the differences in confessions, the rites were held together. In addition, they were interconnected with ancient beliefs. Today North Ossetia has communities of 16 confessions. Researchers constantly monitor the inhabitants of the country and their religion, their attention is attracted by the form and degree of influence of faith on the people.
The beliefs of Ossetians began to be systematically studied after the annexation of Ossetia to Russia. It was representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church who began to observe how Ossetians, whose faith was unstable, live, and what traditions they prefer. And the first studies began during missionary activities in the territory of this mountainous country.
Thanks to the traditional system of religion, for many centuries the opinion of the people was formed, which was radically different from monotheistic beliefs. Their faith is open and capable of accepting completely new ideas and perspectives from other faiths. The specificity of the Ossetian religion is the tolerant attitude of this people towards both Christianity and Islam. These are the Ossetians. Muslims or Christians around, it doesn't matter to them. Despite the faith that relatives and friends accept, these people treat them the same way, since at different times both Christianity and Islam were present in the life of the people.
The origins of the emergence of Islam in the territory of Alanya could not be studied as well as the arrival of Christianity. There are some differences among scientists. The history of the Ossetians says that the faith of the sons of Allah began to spread in these lands in the 7th century, while other sources claim that Islam became "one's own" among the Ossetians only in the 18th century. Whatever it was, but it is only known for certain that the turning point occurred precisely after the annexation of Ossetia to Russia. Religious forms were dramatically transformed and adapted to the new rules. Orthodox Church began to restore Christianity among the Ossetians, although it was not easy for the missionaries to achieve the desired result.
Ossetians regarded baptism as an act necessary for joining the Russian people, and were absolutely not interested in Christian dogmas and, naturally, did not adhere to rituals. It took several decades for the Ossetians to know the faith of Christ and join the church life. The creation of Christian schools helped a lot in this, where public education took place.
Christianity and Islam began to develop in parallel after the annexation of Ossetia to Russia. Islam spread in some parts of the country, to a greater extent this applies to the western and eastern regions. There people accepted it as the only religion.
Already during the first Civil War, the Russian Orthodox Church was declared a stronghold of the counter-revolution. Subsequently, there were repressions directed against the clergy. They stretched out for several decades, churches and temples began to be destroyed. Vladikavkaz diocese already in the first 20 years Soviet power was destroyed. Ossetians, Christians or Muslims, did not have a single faith. And already in 1932-37 there was a second wave of repressions, then both Christianity and the Muslim faith suffered. It was during these years that mass destruction and closing of churches was observed in Ossetia. For example, in Vladikavkaz, out of 30 cathedrals, only two have survived, which are still in operation today.
In the 1930s, the mosques that were located on the territory of North Ossetia were destroyed. The best priests of various nationalities were persecuted.
It became very difficult for religious organizations to exist in Soviet times, but the Orthodox faith remained traditional and numerous for indigenous Ossetians. Only by the 90s Islam began to revive in Ossetia, communities began to register, mosques were restored. To this day, the consequences of past attacks and raids are felt. The clergy do not have professional special training, there is practically no literature necessary for worship. This affects the work of Muslim communities. There were attempts to invite young people who were educated in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but they led to bad consequences, because with them the teachings of Salafi, unfamiliar and not inherent to the people, began to appear in the Caucasus.
In the modern world, due to the transformation of religion, its new forms began to appear, which are very far from traditions. Ossetian culture is also undergoing changes. Under the guise of restoring the national Ossetian religion, there are attempts to create new movements that can become an alternative to Islam and Christianity. They are defined as non-pagan. Three such communities have already been registered in the Republic of Ossetia. They are trying to create a republican organization.
Today, Ossetia has become a small state with a territory of almost 4,000 square meters. km and small population. After the August war with Georgia, the Ossetians began to live in safety. The Georgians left them, but at the same time the people became very vulnerable. The borders of South Ossetia and Georgia are under the strict control of the Russian authorities. Russia has specially created the Border Guard for South Ossetia. After the war with Georgia, the country is recovering very slowly, and its capital, Tskhinvali, has recently begun to be truly reconstructed.
The situation with religion is rather peculiar. Only the Tskhinvali synagogue survived after the atheism of the Soviet era, and operates to this day, however, it was converted into a Jewish cultural center. Nowadays, Jews began to leave Ossetia en masse and return to Israel, so the synagogue began to work for Ossetian Pentecostals. But now only the part of the building, which was located behind, is functioning, since the Jews held services in the front. Throughout the territory of Ossetia there are six more communities of Pentecostals.
Many representatives of the Ossetian intelligentsia have adopted their faith, and for convenience, divine services are conducted both in Russian and in the local languages. Although Pentecostals are not officially registered today, they are absolutely free to develop and go about their business. This trend has taken a strong position in the social structure of the united church of Christians with the evangelical faith.
A large part of the Ossetians to this day is true to traditional beliefs. Different villages of the republic have their own sanctuaries and chapels. Today, Ossetia is being restored and reconstructed. Due to the unsatisfactory socio-political situation, many citizens left the country, and those who remained live on a small salary. It is very difficult for people to build or buy the necessary food, since the Russian customs services continue to work according to the same scheme as before the war with Georgia. Ossetian culture is not developing fast enough, so far they have no opportunity to get a good education and achieve something in life. And this is despite the fact that Ossetia is rich in non-ferrous metals, they have wonderful wood, the textile industry is reviving. The state can begin to develop and become one of the most modern, but this will require a lot of effort and a new government.
The history of the people is quite complicated, the same is the case with religion. Who are the Ossetians - Muslims or Christians? It's very difficult to say. North Ossetia has remained closed to research, and not much is known about it. Experts estimate that approximately 20% of the population in the north are the faithful sons of Allah. Basically, this religion began to rise after the collapse of the USSR, many young people of North Ossetia began to profess Islam, mainly in the form of Wahhabism. Some people think that the clergy want to control the religious activities of Muslims, and that they themselves are tightly controlled by the FSB, albeit behind the scenes.
South Ossetia has become a haven for different peoples - Ossetians and Georgians, Russians and Armenians, as well as Jews. Indigenous people left the country in large numbers due to the conflict of the 90s and began to live in Russia. Basically it is North Ossetia-Alania. Georgians, in turn, left en masse for their homeland. The Orthodox faith, despite all the vicissitudes, began to prevail among the Ossetians.
Ossetian culture is constantly evolving, but the people are trying to adhere to ancient traditions and teaches it to the new rising generations. For the inhabitants of Ossetia, it is absolutely unimportant what religion their relatives and neighbors have. The main thing is a good attitude towards each other and mutual understanding, and God is one for all. Thus, it does not matter who the Ossetians are - Muslims or Christians. For spiritual and mental development, museums and theaters, libraries and educational institutions are open in the republic. The state is constantly working on raising the economy and other areas.
