Tabasarans (Tabasaranians)

They call themselves tabasaran. Nation living in the south-eastern part of Dagestan (Khiv and Tabasaran districts). Their total population is 98 thousand people, including 93,6 thousand people in Russia (1992), 78,2 thousand people in Dagestan. They belong to the Balkan-Caucasus race of the big European race with an addition of the Caspian anthropological type. They speak Tabasaran language of the Lezghin sub-group of the Nakh-Dagestan group of the North Caucasus family. Dialects: northern and southern. Literary language is based on southern dialect, written language is based on Russian alphabet. Azerbaijan (Tabasaran district) and Lezghin (Khiv district) languages are also common. Religious Tabasaran people are Moslems-sunnites.

Tabasarans are the native population of Daghestan. They are mentioned in the "Armenian geography" of the 7th century under the name "tavaspars". Until the beginning of the 19th century on the territory of Tabasaran there existed two feudal states with kadi (in the north of the country) and maisums (in the south) at the head. In the first half of the 19th century Tabasaran joined Russia.

Main occupations - agriculture (in some places horticulture) and cattle-breeding. An important traditional sphere of economy is making carpets, they also carve wood and stone.

Most of the ancient villages were divided in blocks that consisted of several tukhums (groups of related unions). In the 19th century the principle of relationship wasn?t dominant in settling any more. The mountainous settlements are usually located in the naturally protected places not useful for agriculture. Depending on the relief the villages had the step, dense or more free horizontal planning. The stone houses mainly had two floors with the living rooms on the second floor, big loggias or a gallery on arches, or hanging balconies. They were joined by the household rooms in one complex. Hay barns were separate. Ashlar houses were decorated with carved stone details. A lot of wood was used in the construction - wide window and door cases decorated with ornamental carving ( "network" design).

Male costume is of common Dagestan type: an undershirt, trousers, beshmet, cherkeska, burka, papakha, sheepskin coat, low leather boots - dirnkhi (kind of postols) with felt stokings, knitted stockings, soft leather boots. Female costume - a tunic-like dress, trousers, head gear - chukhta and kerchiefs, metal belt, breast decoration made of coins. Shoes - leather chuviaki and woolen socks.

Traditional food of Tabasarans is vegetables, meat and dairy products. The main dish - khinkal - a kind of galushki eaten with meat, butter, sour milk, garlic and mashed nuts. They make pies with stuffing of wild herbs, cottage cheese, eggs. They eat boiled and fried meat, make golubtsy, pelmeni, pilav. Milk products: fresh and sour milk, cottage cheese, sour milk, butter. Bread (flat round cakes) was mainly unleavened, sometimes fermented. The main drink is airan.

The social life of Tabasarans was regulated by the feudal-patriarchal institutions. The family rites are similar to those of the other peoples of Dagestan. The custom of hospitality and respect of the older people is widely spread. Before the wedding there was the match-making and the agreement (there existed the custom to betroth children). Relatives and village-mates participated in the wedding, it was celebrated with dances, songs and horse races.