Ossetians. A radio broadcast as part of the Peoples of Russia cycle

By Vestnik Kavkaza, Vesti FM, the History Faculty of MSU

 

Ossetians are an ethnicity living in the Caucasus, the majority of the population of the North Ossetian Republic. According to the 2010 census there are 528,515 Ossetians in Russia.

The Ossetian language belongs to the north-eastern subgroup of the Iranian family of the Indo-Iranian branch of Indo-European languages, and is the only remnant of the Scythian language in the world. Two dialects can be distinguished: the Digorian and the Iron. Modern Ossetians living in North Ossetia split into the Iron and the Digorian sub-ethnic groups.

The process of Ossetia merging with Russia started in the 18th century. In the spring of 1750, the Russian government and the embassy of Ossetia started official negotiations. They began at a session of the Senate dedicated to special talks on the development of Russian-Ossetian relations. Zurab Magkayev set the following essential goals at the session: the mergence of Ossetia and Russia, enforcement of its foreign security, migration of part of the Ossetian population to the foothill plains of the Central Caucasus and the establishment of mutually beneficial trade.

After the victory in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, Russia managed to strengthen its interests in the Caucasus. This had an impact on the fate of Ossetia. After merging with Russia, Ossetians took part in many wars waged by the empire. The Terek Cossack Forces had numerous Ossetian Cossacks.

Theistic Ossetians follow Orthodox Christianity. Many remain devoted to traditional Ossetian beliefs of pre-Christian origin. The national calendar of Ossetians has festivals marked in honour of the Great God and the majority of saints, followed by prayers, feasts and sacrifices often made at special sanctuaries. The sanctuaries may appear as certain cult buildings, sacred groves, mountains, caves, remains of ancient chapels and churches. Some of them are worshipped in gorges or villages, some are pan-Ossetian.

Eminent Russian scientist Peter Simon Pallas made a big contribution to studies of the Ossetian people, he found similarities between the Ossetian language and the Old Persian, Slavic and Germanic languages. In the 18th century, an association of the Ossetian language with the Indo-European family was found. French scientist Georges Dumezil found astonishing coincidences in Ossetian epos and Celtic lore.

 

This broadcast was made with the assistance of the History Faculty of MSU and Vestnik Kavkaza.

Impartially on the peoples of the North Caucasus and the Caucasian peoples of Russia in a live broadcastBy Vestnik Kavkaza, Vesti FM, the History Faculty of MSUOssetians are an ethnicity living in the Caucasus, the majority of the population of the North Ossetian Republic.According to the 2010 census there are 528,515 Ossetians in Russia.The Ossetian language belongs to the north-eastern subgroup of the Iranian family of the Indo-Iranian branch of Indo-European languages, and is the only remnant of the Scythian language in the world. Two dialects can be distinguished: the Digorian and the Iron. Modern Ossetians living in North Ossetia split into the Iron and the Digorian sub-ethnic groups.The process of Ossetia merging with Russia started in the 18th century. In the spring of 1750, the Russian government and the embassy of Ossetia started official negotiations. They began at a session of the Senate dedicated to special talks on the development of Russian-Ossetian relations. Zurab Magkayev set the following essential goals at the session: the mergence of Ossetia and Russia, enforcement of its foreign security, migration of part of the Ossetian population to the foothill plains of the Central Caucasus and the establishment of mutually beneficial trade.After the victory in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, Russia managed to strengthen its interests in the Caucasus. This had an impact on the fate of Ossetia. After merging with Russia, Ossetians took part in many wars waged by the empire. The Terek Cossack Forces had numerous Ossetian Cossacks.Theistic Ossetians follow Orthodox Christianity. Many remain devoted to traditional Ossetian beliefs of pre-Christian origin. The national calendar of Ossetians has festivals marked in honour of the Great God and the majority of saints, followed by prayers, feasts and sacrifices often made at special sanctuaries. The sanctuaries may appear as certain cult buildings, sacred groves, mountains, caves, remains of ancient chapels and churches. Some of them are worshipped in gorges or villages, some are pan-Ossetian.Eminent Russian scientist Peter Simon Pallas made a big contribution to studies of the Ossetian people, he found similarities between the Ossetian language and the Old Persian, Slavic and Germanic languages. In the 18th century, an association of the Ossetian language with the Indo-European family was found. French scientist Georges Dumezil found astonishing coincidences in Ossetian epos and Celtic lore.This broadcast was made with the assistance of the History Faculty of MSU and Vestnik Kavk