Caucasian Avars 602580 223321495 2008-07-03T15:38:41Z Muro Bot 5849026 robot Adding: [[he:אווארים קווקזים]] {{distinguish|European Avars}} :''The [[European Avars]] were a nomadic people who established a state in the [[Danube]] River area in the early [[6th century]].'' {{ethnic group| |group=Avars<br>(МагIарулал) |image= |poptime=757,100 [http://www.perepis2002.ru/content.html?id=11&docid=10715289081463] |popplace=[[Russia]] (primarily [[Dagestan]]), [[Azerbaijan]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] |rels=[[Sunni Islam]] |langs=[[Avar language|Avar]], [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Azeri]] |related= [[Northeast Caucasian languages|Northeast Caucasian peoples]], [[Azerbaijanis]] }} '''Avars''' or '''Caucasian Avars''' are a modern people of [[Caucasus]], mainly of [[Dagestan]], in which they are the predominant group. The Caucasian [[Avar language]] belongs to the [[Northeast Caucasian languages|Northeast Caucasian language]] family (also known as Nakh-Dagestanian). They populate most of the mountain part of Dagestan, and partly also plains (Buynakskiy, Khasav'yurtovskiy and other regions). They also live in [[Chechnya]], [[Kalmykia]] and other subjects of [[Russia]], as well as [[Azerbaijan]] (mainly, the [[Balakan Rayon|Bilkan]], [[Zaqatala (rayon)|Zakatala]], and [[Kakhib]] regions - 160 th.p.), [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] (Kvareli Avars - 2,5 th.p.) and [[Turkey]] (45 th.p.). In 2002, the Avars, who assimilated some peoples speaking related languages, numbered about 1040,000, of which 815,000 live in Russia and more than 750,000 in Dagestan. 32% of them live in the cities (2002 number). ==Language== {{main|Avar language}} [[Image:Kreuz.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Old Avarian cross with Avarian insription in the old [[Georgian alphabet]].]] The Avar language belongs to the Avar-Andi-Tsez subgroup of the Alarodian [[Northeast Caucasian languages|Northeast Caucasian]] (or Nakh-Dagestanian) language family. The writing is based on the [[Cyrillic alphabet]], which replaced the [[Arabic script]] used before 1927 and the [[Latin script]] used between 1927 and 1938. More than 60% Avars living in Dagestan speak [[Russian language|Russian]] as their second language. ==History== The earliest mention of the Avars in European History at their current location is from [[Priscus]] who declares that in 463 AD a mixed Saragur, Urog and Unogur embassy asked Byzantium for an alliance having been dislodged by Sabirs in 461 due to the Avars' drive towards the west<ref name="Priscus">Priscus. Excerpta de legationibus. Ed. S. de Boor. Berolini, 1903, p. 586 <br>Also mentioned in the Syrian compilation of Church Historian [[Zacharias Rhetor]] bishop of Mytilene</ref>. According to the head of the Soviet archaeological-ethnographic expedition of 1945 - 1948, these Caucasian Avars migrated to their present location from [[Khwarezm]], which was originally populated by the [[Alarodian]] [[Hurrians]] from [[Subartu]] (which was to the south of [[Transcaucasian Iberia]])<ref name="Tolstov">"Ancient Khwarezm" (Moscow 1948), Sergei Pavlovich Tolstov (1907-1976)</ref>. According to [[Omeljan Pritsak]] and some other scholars, this Avar invasion of the Caucasus resulted in the establishment of the Avar ruling dynasty in [[Sarir]], a Christian state in Dagestani Highlands, where the Caucasian Avars now live. It is not clear whether or in what way these Avars are related to the early [[European Avars]] of the [[Dark Ages]], but it is known that with the mediation of [[Sarosios]] in 567, the [[Göktürks]] requested Byzantium to distinguish the Avars of Pannonia as "Pseudo-Avars" as opposed to the true Avars of the east who had come under the Göktürk hegemony<ref name="Sarosios">[http://www.transoxiana.org/Eran/Articles/alemany_abs.html "Sixth Century Alania: between Byzantium, Sasanian Iran and the Turkic World" Agustí Alemany Vilamajo]</ref>. [[Image:Swastika avarian Dagh.JPG|thumb|200px|Old avarian popular symbols in stone and felt]] During the [[Khazar]] wars against the [[Caliphate]] in the 7th century, the Avars sided with Khazaria. Surakat, is mentioned as their [[Khagan]] around 729/30 AD followed by Andunik-Nutsal, at the time of [[Abu Muslima]], then Dugry-Nutsal. Sarir suffered a partial eclipse after the Arabs gained the upper hand, but managed to reassert its influence in the region in the 9th century, when it conflicted with the weakened Khazars and conducted a friendly policy towards the neighbouring Christian states of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Alania]]. In the early [[12th century]] Sarir disintegrated, only to be succeeded by the [[Khanate of Avaristan]], a predominantly Muslim polity. The only extant monument of Sarir architecture is a 10th-century church at the village of Datuna. The [[Mongol invasions]] seem not to have affected the Avar territory and the alliance with the [[Golden Horde]] enabled the Avar khans to increase their prosperity. The [[15th century]] saw the decline of the Horde and the rise of the [[Kumyk]] [[shamkhal (title)|shamkhalate]] at [[Tarki]], with whom the Avars could not compete until the 18th century, when they increased their prestige by routing the army of [[Nadir Shah]] at [[Andalal]]. In the wake of this triumph, [[Umma Khan]] of the Avars (reigned 1774-1801) managed to exact tribute from most states of the Caucasus, including [[Shirvan]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. Two years after Umma Khan's death in 1801, the khanate voluntarily submitted to Russian authority. Yet the Russian administration disappointed and embittered freedom-loving highlanders. The institution of heavy taxation, coupled with the expropriation of estates and the construction of fortresses, electrified the Avar population into rising under the aegis of the radical Muslim [[Imamate of Dagestan]], led by [[Ghazi Mohammed]] (1828-32), [[Gamzat-bek]] (1832-34) and [[Shamil]] (1834-59). This [[Caucasian War]] raged until 1864, when the Avarian Khanate was abolished and the [[Avarian District]] was instituted instead. One portion of the Avars refused to collaborate with Russians and migrated to Turkey, where their descendants live to this day. Although the population was decimated through war and emigration, the Avars retained their position as the dominant ethnic group in Dagestan during the Soviet period. After [[World War II]], many Avars left the barren highlands for the fertile plains closer to the Caspian shore. == Famous Avars == The most prominent figures in Avar history were [[Umma Khan]], [[Hadji Murat]], and [[Imam Shamil]]. The most celebrated poet writing in the Avar language was [[Rasul Gamzatov]] (1923-2003). In Azerbaijan, there is an ethnic Avar Member of the Parliament (MP), [[Ali Antsukhskiy]] (elected in 1995, in 1996 killed by official Baku). Famous Avar artists include [[Khalil-bek Musayasul]], whose drawings were shown at the New York Metropolitan Museum<ref>http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:Hihdda7uz1kJ:www.jamestown.org/docs/Saidov-14Sep06.pdf+musayasul+metropolitan+museum&hl=de&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=de&client=firefox-a, see page 13</ref>, and [[Kamil Aliev]] (a distant cousin of Musayasul{{Fact|date=May 2007}}) who is noted for his ornamental carpet work<ref>[http://www.anl.az/index_e.php Azerbaijan National Library] retrieved May 11, 2007</ref>. A famous Avar Sportstar is [[Magomed Magomedov|Magomed "The Propeller" Magomedov]]. Born June 4, [[1982]] he is a Thaiboxer and the WMC Light Heavyweight World Muay Thai champion. Another famous sportsman of Avar origin is a former [[WBO]] heavyweight champion [[Sultan Ibragimov]]. == References == <references /> <!-- In the Caucasian [[Avar language]] the word "Avar" is always used any time Avars mention the names of Prophets [[Abraham]], [[Noah]], [[Moses]], [[Jesus]] or [[Muhammad]]. For example; ''Ibrahim-Avarkov'', ''Isa-Avarkov'' or ''Muhammad-Avarkov''. Thus the word ''Avar'' seems to mean the descendants or followers of the [[Messiah]], [[Prophet]], an [[Angel]] or [[Archangel]].--> == See also == * [[Vainakh]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Avars}} [[Category:Ethnic groups in Dagestan]] [[Category:Ethnic groups in Azerbaijan]] [[Category:Ethnic groups in Georgia (country)]] [[Category:Muslim communities]] [[Category:Avar people|*]] [[ar:آفار]] [[av:МагIарулал]] [[ca:Àvars]] [[cs:Avarové (Kavkaz)]] [[de:Awaren (Kaukasus)]] [[es:Ávaros (Cáucaso)]] [[eo:Avaroj (Dagestano)]] [[ko:아바르족]] [[hr:Avarci]] [[it:Avari (Caucaso)]] [[he:אווארים קווקזים]] [[ja:アヴァール人 (カフカース)]] [[no:Kaukasiske avarer]] [[pl:Awarowie (naród kaukaski)]] [[pt:Avares]] [[ru:Аварцы]] [[sl:Kavkaški Avari]] [[sr:Авари]] [[sh:Avari]] [[fi:Avaarit (Kaukasia)]] [[tr:Kafkasya Avarları]] [[uk:Аварці]]