Kumukh.Kumukh.The Place Where the The Place Where the God Opened the Bag God Opened the Bag

with with LLanguages.anguages.Mikhail Nokhov.Mikhail Nokhov.Gymnasium # 1Gymnasium # 1

KhasavyurtKhasavyurt

Maps of the Village

Flag of the Kumukh People

Kumukh is the administrative centre of the Lak Kumukh is the administrative centre of the Lak region and one of the oldest villages in Dagestan. region and one of the oldest villages in Dagestan.

Kumukh is the centre Kumukh is the centre of Laksky district, of Laksky district, former residence of former residence of Kazikumukh khans and Kazikumukh khans and the main centre of the the main centre of the Laks nation, formerly Laks nation, formerly called Kazikumukhs. In called Kazikumukhs. In the centre of the the centre of the village, there is a juma village, there is a juma mosque (Friday mosque (Friday mosque) erected in the mosque) erected in the 8th century, with walls 8th century, with walls decorated with flower decorated with flower patterns. Near the patterns. Near the mosque, there is a mosque, there is a minaret erected in minaret erected in 1865, when the last 1865, when the last Kumukh khans reigned Kumukh khans reigned here; the minaret can here; the minaret can be seen from many be seen from many places in Kumukh. places in Kumukh.

The cemetery of the The cemetery of the khans is nearby. khans is nearby. Kumukh was once Kumukh was once famous for its famous for its copperware (pitchers, copperware (pitchers, pots, etc.), sold all over pots, etc.), sold all over Dagestan. Many Dagestan. Many jewelers who lived in jewelers who lived in Kumukh, later Kumukh, later emigrated to Tiflis emigrated to Tiflis (currently Tbilisi), Baku, (currently Tbilisi), Baku, Kutaisi, Vladikavkaz, Kutaisi, Vladikavkaz, Istanbul, Baghdad, and Istanbul, Baghdad, and even to Addis Abeba in even to Addis Abeba in Ethiopia. Thursday is a Ethiopia. Thursday is a market day in Kumukh; market day in Kumukh; in a bazaar you can get in a bazaar you can get almost everything, from almost everything, from a watermelon to a a watermelon to a donkeydonkey

The early history of the The early history of the Lak people is unclear; Lak people is unclear; however, as noted however, as noted above, they have lived above, they have lived in Dagestan since at in Dagestan since at least the Bronze Age. least the Bronze Age. Although Christianity Although Christianity had been introduced by had been introduced by Armenians and Armenians and Georgians starting in Georgians starting in the sixth century, in the sixth century, in 777, according to 777, according to legend, the Laks were legend, the Laks were conquered by the conquered by the Arabs under the Arabs under the leadership of Abu-leadership of Abu-Muslim. Islam was Muslim. Islam was introduced among the introduced among the Laks at that time, Laks at that time, making them reputedly making them reputedly the first people of the first people of Daghestan to Daghestan to encounter Islam. encounter Islam.

Monuments at the Cemetery, VII Century

The final conversion The final conversion probably took place in the probably took place in the thirteenth century, with thirteenth century, with some pagan and some pagan and Christian traditions Christian traditions surviving until the surviving until the fifteenth century. fifteenth century. According to legend, According to legend, Shah Baala was the first Shah Baala was the first Muslim ruler of all of Muslim ruler of all of Dagestan; he was the Dagestan; he was the founder of the Shamkhal founder of the Shamkhal dynasty, which reigned at dynasty, which reigned at Kumukh until the Kumukh until the seventeenth century. He seventeenth century. He renamed the village of renamed the village of Kumukh "Kazikumukh" Kumukh "Kazikumukh" (Qazi Kumukh or Ghazi (Qazi Kumukh or Ghazi Kumukh).Kumukh).

Lak women in their National Costumes.

In the fourteenth century In the fourteenth century the rulers of Kazikumukh the rulers of Kazikumukh adopted the title adopted the title "shamkhal" (supposedly "shamkhal" (supposedly derived from "Sham," derived from "Sham," meaning Syria, suggesting meaning Syria, suggesting descent from former Arab descent from former Arab rulers). During the rulers). During the fifteenth and sixteenth fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, at the time centuries, at the time when the Shamkhals ruled when the Shamkhals ruled a large part of central and a large part of central and coastal Dagestan, a second coastal Dagestan, a second capital, which also served capital, which also served as a winter residence, was as a winter residence, was established at Tarki in the established at Tarki in the Kumyk territory. In 1640 Kumyk territory. In 1640 the Laks broke away from the Laks broke away from the rule of the the rule of the shamkhalate, replacing it shamkhalate, replacing it with appointed with appointed khakhlavaikhakhlavai (from the Arabic (from the Arabic khalq,khalq, "people," and the Lak "people," and the Lak lavai,lavai, "supreme"). "supreme").

With the death of the last Kazikumukh khan, Agalar, the With the death of the last Kazikumukh khan, Agalar, the Lak territory was formally incorporated into the Russian Lak territory was formally incorporated into the Russian Empire. In 1842 the Laks joined the Muslim rebellion in Empire. In 1842 the Laks joined the Muslim rebellion in the northern Caucasus led by Sheikh Shamil and his the northern Caucasus led by Sheikh Shamil and his Murids. This movement was aimed against both Russian Murids. This movement was aimed against both Russian (czarist, Christian) rule and the feudal aristocracy of the (czarist, Christian) rule and the feudal aristocracy of the Caucasus that served what were perceived as Russian Caucasus that served what were perceived as Russian interests.interests.

The native Dagestan The native Dagestan (including the Lak) (including the Lak) aristocracy was deposed. aristocracy was deposed. At this time there was At this time there was also a significant Sufi also a significant Sufi movement taking place in movement taking place in Dagestan aimed at Dagestan aimed at removing all pre-Islamic removing all pre-Islamic holdovers in the religious holdovers in the religious practices of the people. In practices of the people. In 1877 another revolt took 1877 another revolt took place against czarist rule. place against czarist rule. It was put down, resulting It was put down, resulting in further integration of in further integration of Dagestan into the Russian Dagestan into the Russian Empire. During the Empire. During the Russian civil war, Russian civil war, between 1918 and 1922, between 1918 and 1922, many Laks took part in many Laks took part in yet another Islamic yet another Islamic uprising in the northern uprising in the northern Caucasus, this time Caucasus, this time against the Bolshevik against the Bolshevik regime.regime.