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[AN EARLY WINDOW INTO CAUCASIAN CULTURES] Sbornik svedeniy o kavkazskikh gortsakh, izdavayemyy s soizvoleniya Yego Imperatorskogo Vysochestva Glavnokomanduyushchego Kavkazskoy armiyey pri Kavkazskom Gorskom upravlenii. V 10 vyp. Vyp. 3 [i.e. Collection of information about the Caucasian highlanders, published with the permission of His Imperial Highness the Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Army under the auspices of the Caucasian Mountain Administration]

Item #2171

Tbilisi: Tip. Glavnogo Upravleniya Namestnika Kavkazskogo, 1870. In 10 volumes. Vol. III. [6], 26, 18, 44, 12, 32, 40, [2], 32, 46, 40, [2], 30, 28, 28 pp., 2 color ills. 27,4x18,7 cm.

In original publisher’s printed wrappers and lithographed title-page. Loss of the pieces of the spine, edges worn, several pages loose, but otherwise in a good condition.
Scarce. First edition. Text in Russian. Lithographed title page and Heinrich Duesterdiek’s two color illustrations produced by Thomson’s Artistic Lithograph Company in Tbilisi. Both Thomson and Duesterdiek were contributors to the well-known Akty, sobrannyye Kavkazskoy arkheograficheskoy komissiyey [i.e. Acts Collected by the Caucasian Archaeological Commission] issued in Tbilisi from 1866 to 1904.

A well-preserved copy of the third volume from the celebrated series “Collection of Information on the Caucasian Highlanders,” as well as one of the most important 19th-century works on the people of Caucasus. The book was issued by the Caucasian Mountain Administration in Tbilisi in 1870 in an effort to consolidate Russian control over the new territories subjugated after the end of the decades-long Caucasus War (1817-1864).
Collection of Information on the Caucasian Highlanders was a series of books containing research and materials on the history, ethnography, and folklore of the Caucasians. Published in Tbilisi between 1868 and 1881, the series consisted of 10 issues. The general focus of the collection was described as follows: "The publication is dedicated to a comprehensive study of the way of life of a people, numbering nearly a million, living under diverse and distinct conditions of their environment, and although collectively referred to as 'highlanders,' they are highly varied in character, customs, and language."
The volume comprises 11 articles organized into four sections: “Studies and Materials,” “Folk Tales of the Caucasian Highlanders,” “Ethnographic Essays,” and “Mountain Chronicles.” The highlanders covered in the texts include Abkhazians, Samurzakanians, Ingushes, Ossetians, Mountain Jews, Laks & Avars of Dagestan, and the inhabitants of the Kabardian District. Notable authors featured are the Caucasian scholar Nikolai Grabovsky (1842-?), local historian Chakh Akhriev (1850-1914), ethnographer Nikolai Voronov (1832-1888), Ossetian public figure Djantemir Shanaev (1850s-1928), and Abdulla Omarov (1835-?), one of the founders of Russian-language literature in Dagestan.
The texts offer a thorough exploration of the region’s geography and history while also detailing the economic and domestic lives of the highlanders. Key subjects include daily life, local traditions, funeral rites, hospitality customs, guest etiquette, culinary practices, women's rights, prevalent illnesses and their folk treatments, literacy levels, and the overall character of the people. Importantly, the volume features a rare compilation of mostly-forgotten Ossetian folk tales, stories, fables, anecdotes, and legends gathered by Djantemir Shanaev. Another interesting chapter presents a fascinating account of criminal incidents in the mountains, complete with specific dates and names. The book includes vivid first-hand accounts of Voronov’s travels through Dagestan, Omarov’s childhood recollections of Lak life and culture, and statistical tables on the population of Mountain Jews and livestock farming practices in the Ingush District. The edition is supplemented with Heinrich Duesterdiek‘s two remarkable color illustrations of the Karadakh Gap and Gunib.

Interesting excerpts:
“If any scholar from Palestine or Russia comes to their (Mountain Jews') village, each resident of the village insistently invites him to visit. However, most of the time, the rabbi ends up visiting either the wealthy hosts or the rabbi of the village. Then, the host who receives the guest is obliged to take his belongings and immediately wash his feet.”
“A variety of dishes come together in a rich mix: soup with lamb, beef, or fatty tail, accompanied by dumplings made from squares or triangles of wheat flour, cooked in a broth and seasoned with vinegar and garlic, known as khinkal. There’s also bean soup with beef, lamb, or fat, flavored with garlic and sour berries; pilaf made from grains and fatty tail, prepared thick like porridge and garnished with raisins, often topped with a fried egg or served with a separate omelet; boiled lamb or beef; and a special roast. These are typically served with pickled garlic and pickles on a separate plate, which replaces a traditional salad. Finally, there are sweet dishes featuring fried or boiled pears, apples, and plums in honey or sugar, combined with fatty tail and raisins, serving as a substitute for our compote. All these dishes are prepared with generous amounts of garlic, which may be difficult for an unaccustomed European to handle.”
“A whole community gathers by the house of the deceased, sewing tachrichim (burial shrouds). At the same time, the women mourners assemble in the yard, sitting together in a large circle, filling the air with their long, mournful wails. One of the women kneels and extols the virtues of the deceased, striking her face, head, and bare chest so forcefully that the other women nearby must hold her arms on both sides to prevent her from hurting herself. When she finishes a phrase, all the women respond with cries of "huja-alla!" while simultaneously beating their heads and making such strange grimaces and movements that it is a sight both haunting and mesmerizing.”
“The matchmaking and subsequent wedding proceed as follows: one of the relatives of the man wishing to marry goes to the girl's family and makes a proposal to marry her. If her family agrees to the match, they call the girl and ask whether she is willing to marry him. This inquiry is little more than a formality that tradition requires to be fulfilled; after this, regardless of her answer, they decide whether to give her in marriage."
„Each of the more affluent highlanders, in addition to the space required for their families, also has a kunatskaya—a room for guests. The furnishings in both the living quarters and the guest rooms are quite simple. In the family living areas, mats are spread around the walls, covered with mattresses, blankets, pillows, and various rags. Nearby, you might find baskets filled with grains or flour, pots of water, and cauldrons; all of this creates a rather dirty picture, enhanced by the central hearth and the incredibly soot-stained black walls. The guest rooms are somewhat tidier, featuring fireplaces instead of hearths. At a small window beside the fireplace, a locally made bed occupies a place of honor. Near the doors, two or three bull hides hang decoratively.”
“The highlander believes that the deceased lie on their bed in the afterlife until a memorial feast is held in their honor on this earth. Therefore, the relatives hasten to organize the memorial gathering after the burial, even though it can be more expensive than the funeral feast. Not only do they need to slaughter more livestock and sheep for the larger crowd that gathers for the memorial, but they also have to prepare beer and arak, and make necessary repairs to the cherkesska, beshmet, bashlyk, and the entire traditional highland attire for the prize awarded to those who enter their horses in races held in honor of the deceased. Relatives designate the cherkesska as the prize for the first horse to finish the race.”
“There are individuals who have taken ten or more wives. Among those who are not wealthy, older men who have lost hope of marrying often have a particular attraction to widows, comforting themselves with the belief that a widow who has lived several years without a husband possesses certain appealing qualities. Many proverbs exist regarding the charms of widows that particularly resonate with highlanders; one such saying goes, "You can warm chicken eggs in a widow's bosom and even roast a pigeon."

Worldcat shows 1 copy of the edition at New York Public Library.

Price: $950.00