Prometheus and Nasrenzhache

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 tales of the Narts.

Nart scholars are unanimous in the view that the story of the Nart hero Nasrenzhache, chained to a rock not far from Elbrus, is many centuries older than the legend of Prometheus. The beautiful legend was borrowed by the Greeks during the colonisation of the Eastern Black Sea coast.

Not far from Mount Elbrus there is a hill bearing the Kabardian (Circassian) name Nesren-Zhak1e i 1uashchkh’e paguer — the Blunt-Nosed Hill of Nasren-Zhache. As the legend tells, the chained Nasren-Zhache trampled down the summit of the mountainous place on which he stood for a long time with the soles of his feet.

Sources
Gadagatl A. M. “The Heroic Epic ‘Narts’ and Its Genesis.” Krasnodar, 1967.

Author of the project “Legends of the Narts” Eco-park Valley of Narzans @park_dolina_narzanov
Artist: Aslan Karmoko @karmoko_art