It is my Cross

Abstract

History of Caucasian peoples is one of the least studied branches of science. Though, there are some lexical signs for future research. With the help of etymologic analysis and comparative method we are able to analyse the words, semantics of which is unclear from the point of view of the present. These methods allow the scientists suggest hypotheses for the word’s etymologic analysis. The objective of this paper is to highlight the topic left out by researchers: many Dagestan peoples had been professing Christianity from 313 AD (introduced by the king Urnayr) up to the 19th century. The Rutuls are among the peoples which were first to accept Christianity (maybe even the first, according to some sources): in 90 AD in Rutuls settlement Kish, Shaki Khanate, Saint Elishe built the first Christian church. Majority of the Kish population were the Rutuls. The Christian period in the history of Dagestan peoples was undeservingly forgotten since 1836 when the King abolished Albanian Apostolic Autocephalous Church. Though, at the present period of religious extremism and odd religious intolerance it would be useful to remember that for more than a thousand years Dagestan peoples had been professing voluntarily accepted Christianity. The loss of this religion led to the loss of spiritual origins of Caucasian culture, literature and ancient history.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s2p236