Nart epic

The most complete archive of the Nart epic is the seven-volume academic collection “Narts. Circassian Epic” in the Circassian language (published in Maykop in 1968–1971). Collected and systematized by Doctor of Philology Asker Gadagatl, this work is not simply a folklore collection, but a monumental landmark of spiritual culture that restored the true historical subjectivity […]

When one hears the word “Narzan,” associations with freshness, thirst-quenching on a hot day, vigor, and strength involuntarily arise. The word “Narzan” is familiar to many, but only a few know that it originates from the Kabardian-Circassian language: “Nart Sane,” which means “the beverage of the Narts.” The area rich in springs, where the city […]

The ancient Greek legend of Prometheus, chained by the god Zeus to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains, is known to many. This name and this image became widely recognised thanks to the scholarly study of ancient Greek mythology. Only a few know that the plot of this legend originates in the Caucasus — from […]

The Narts understood the value of music and its inspiring effect on the human psyche. The great importance attached to music is evident from the legend of the magical flute, which tells that the Nart Ashamez possessed a flute given by Thagolej himself, the god of fertility. One end of the flute was white, the […]

Totresh Fights the Dragon The Narts had many heroes — bogatyrs. They defended the Nart land from enemies: giants, isps, chints, enormous serpents, and evil creatures. Heroes who earned glory were honoured with a song dedicated to their feat. Thanks to such songs, which have come down to us from the depths of millennia, we […]

The Nart epic is often rightly called the heroic epic. It describes the adventures, exploits, and feats of many heroes. In the twentieth century, fierce scholarly debates raged over the question of the national origins of the Nart epic. The main contenders for the primacy of their national version of the epic were the Ossetians […]

The Narts did not know the power of a single person; there is no mention of tsars, kings, or khans in the Nart epic.All public decisions were made at meetings called «Khasa».The decisions of the Khase were obeyed by everyone without exception; even the famous Nart heroes were summoned to the Khase and given assignments, […]

The Narts believed that some children are born with innate magical abilities and could recognize such a talent by certain external signs. In the Nart epic, the central place is occupied by a powerful and authoritative female magician – Sataney-guasha. The Narts turn to her for advice, recognizing her wisdom and extraordinary intelligence. She is […]

The film Avatar has earned $2.84 billion to date and is the highest-grossing film in the entire history of cinema. It is impossible to calculate how many viewers have seen this masterpiece, but apparently the number of viewers is commensurate with the revenue earned. A gripping plot, a magnificent screenplay, visual effects, and new extraordinary […]

If you grew up on popular retellings or Soviet cartoons about the Narts, you likely have a simple and clear picture in your mind: an evil one-eyed giant (inyzh) sneaks up to the Nart village, steals the sacred fire, and the noble knight Sosruko, risking his life, returns it to the freezing people. This is […]

Among the majestic female figures of the Nart epic, where the wise Satanei reigns supreme, stands out one of the most poetic and piercingly tragic characters — the beautiful Adiyukh. Her name literally translates as “White-handed” or “Light-handed” (from ‘Aediy’ — forearm, elbow, and ‘khu’ — white). The epic endows her with astonishing solar magic, […]