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Ossetian societies

Societies of Ossetia (osset. Ирыстоны æхсæнæдтæ) — pre-state forms of organization of Ossetians that had self-government. After the resettlement of the Ossetians to the plain, the societies lost any functions, being replaced by sub-ethnic and general ethnic self-consciousness and organization. There were certain cultural and dialectal differences between the Ossetian societies, which subsequently almost completely leveled.

There were certain cultural and dialectal differences between the Ossetian societies, which subsequently almost completely leveled.

Description of Ossetian societies

Societies of North Ossetia

Alagir Society (Уалладжыр) — were in the gorge of the river Ardon. The western neighbors of the Alagir people were the Digorians, the southern neighbors were the Tuals, and the eastern neighbors were the Kurtatins. The Kabardians lived on the northern plain adjoining the Ossetian gorges.

The territory of the Alagir society was divided between three tribes of princely families - Kusagont, Tsarazont and Sidamont (see Ossetian aristocracy). According to folk legend, the ancient tribes of the Alagir civil community descend from the progenitor of the Ossetians Os-Bagatar and are named after his sons.

Digor Society (Дигора, Дигория) — were in the gorge of the river Urukh (Iraf). The eastern neighbors of the Digorians were the Alagirs. In the west, Digoria bordered on the Balkar communities, in the south - on the lands of the Rachin Georgians, and in the north - on the possessions of the Kabardians. In Digoria, the upper class were the “tribes” (consisting of several princely families) of Badeliat, Tsargasat, Kusagont (see Ossetian aristocracy). In the northwestern part of the mountainous Digoria, the Donifars society, which maintained a democratic system, was located. His privileged "tribes" were considered Gaguata and less "well-born" Satata.

After the annexation of Ossetia to Russia, representatives of Badeliat, Tsargasat, Gaguat, Satat, Kusagont (as well as other Ossetian "strong" families) repeatedly tried to obtain noble privileges, but by 1917 this issue had not been resolved.

Kurtatin society — were in the gorge of the Fiagdon River (Kurtatin Gorge). In the west, the neighbors of the Kurtatins were the Alagirians, in the south - the Tuals and Tyrsygomians, in the east - the Tagaurians. Kabardians lived on the northern plain. The Kurtatin society was a union of several civil communities, the largest of which were Kurtatinskaya and Tsimitinsky. The supreme governing body, the Nykhas of the Kurtatin Society, was formed from elected representatives of all civil communities.

Tagaur society (Тагиата) — were in the gorges of the Gizeldon (Dargav Valley and Koban Gorge), Genaldon (Saniban Gorge) and Terek (Daryal Gorge). The Tagaurians bordered on the Kurtatians in the west and the Tyrsygos in the south. The Ingush Loamaroi Society was Tagaur's neighbors to the east, and Kabardinians to the north. Tagaur society emerged as a political union of a large Tagaur civil community and several small independent communities-settlements. Tagaur society had a complicated social structure. Independent communities were the villages of Ganal, Jimara, South Lamardon and North Lamardon. Two more such communities lived in Kakkadur and Saniba - together with the Taghias. In Ganal, South Lamardon and Saniba the "strong" families stood out who owned their own pastures and had dependent people. But they were inferior in wealth and nobility to the Taguian, the upper class of the Tagaur community.

Societies of Central Ossetia

Tual society (Туалгом, Двалетия) — The Tuals are located in the center of Ossetia, surrounded by other Ossetian communities. In the north, their neighbors were Alagir, Kurtatin and Digor, in the east - Tyrsygom, in the south - Kudar, Dzaut and Urstual. On the border between the Alagir and Tual communities, the Ardon River originates, which flows into the plain along the Alagir Gorge. Ardon is formed from the confluence of four rivers - Nardon, Tsmiyagkomydon, Mamisondon, Adaikomydon. The gorges and mountain valleys of these rivers and their numerous tributaries constituted the territory of the Tual society.

The Narts traced their origin to the legendary prince Khetag

Urs-Tual Society (Урс-Туалта) — were in gorges and alpine valleys in the upper reaches of the Bolshaya Liakhva. The neighbors of the Urstuals were: in the north - the Tuals, in the northeast - the Tyrsygomians, in the east - the Kuds, in the southeast - the Xans, in the southwest - the Dzauts.

The Urs-Tual society was a single civil community. Its territory consisted of three parts, originally belonging to the three tribes of the descendants of Os-Bagatar. The difference between the Urstuals and the Alagir society was that their military function was represented not by the tribe of Tsarazont, but by the tribe of Aguzat.

Tyrsygom society (Тырсыгом) — located at the southern foot of Kazbek, in several gorges of the upper reaches of the Terek. The largest of them is the Tyrsig Gorge. Tyrsig is characterized by a cold climate and poor nature. The Terek often changes its course, in some places it is divided into several streams. Therefore, it was possible to get from one village to another only on horseback or on a cart - and then only in good weather. In winter, the gorge was blocked on all sides by snow, and most of the villages were cut off even from their nearest neighbors.

A pass road passed through the lands of the Tyrsygom people - the Daryal Way from the North Caucasus to Transcaucasia. Participation in the transportation of goods and trade gave additional income. However, life in the highlands did not get any easier. Travelers who visited the Tyrsygomsky community noted the stern and courageous appearance of its inhabitants.

Kud society was a small civil community, sheltered at the headwaters of the Aragva, under the very Cross Pass. The neighbors of the Kud people in the north were the Tyrsygoms, in the west - the Urstuals, in the south - the Xans. In the east, the Kud community bordered on Georgian lands. The villages of the Kud people were not numerous, the main ones being Kud, Ganis, Eret, Fallagkau, Dzuarikau.

Societies of Southern Ossetia

Kudar society — were in the gorge of the Jojora (Styrdon) river and the Koz valley in the upper reaches of the Kvedrula river. In the northeast, the neighbors of the Kudars were the Tuals, in the south and southeast - the Dzauts, in the west and northwest - the Georgians-Rachinians.

A long winter with heavy snow interrupted the communication of the Kudar people with the rest of Ossetia for six months a year. But the high-mountainous Kudar valleys were distinguished not only by the harsh climate and lack of land. They were famous for the endurance and diligence of their inhabitants. There were three dozen villages in the Kudar society, including Arasenda, Gulianta, Kobet, Styrmasyg, Lesor, Koz, Kadysar.

Dzau society — was located in the middle reaches of the Bolshaya Liakhva with the central village of Dzau. Over time, neighboring communities united around this civil community, living in the gorges and valleys of the middle reaches of the Bolshaya Liakhva and its tributaries, as well as the Kvirila and Pron rivers. Among these allied neighbors, the strong and militant civic community of Cheselta, who occupied a well-fortified gorge through which the Cheseltdon River flows, had a special place. In the north, the Dzau society bordered on the Kudars, Tuals and Urstuals, in the east - on the Xans, in the south-west and south - on the Georgians.

Many dozens of villages belonged to the large Dzaus society, including Gufta, Zalda, Styrfaz, Orteu, Dzher, Gudis, Uanel, Tli, Sokhta, Kola, Tson.

Xan society — The territory of the Ksani society included mountain gorges and foothill valleys of the rivers Ksani, Lekhura, Mejuda and Malaya Liakhva. In the north, the neighbors of the Xans were Kudtsy and Urstuals, in the west - Dzauts, in the south and east - Georgians, within the society there were also Georgian villages and an Armenian settlement.

The harsh nature of the northern high-mountainous part of the Ksani society with the advancement to the south was replaced by a milder climate of the fertile valleys. There were more than a hundred villages in the Ksani society, including Dzimyr, Bajin, Tsurta, Aleu, Tbet, Zakor, Ardis, Grom, Gnukh, Zonkar.

Notes

М. М. Блиев, Р. С. Бзаров «История Осетии»

Literature

• Бзаров Р. С. Три осетинских общества в середине XIX века. — Орджоникидзе: Ир, 1988. — 155 с. — ISBN 5-7534-0065-5.