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The 'Tsakhur' (or 'Caxur', in romanization) people are an ethnic group of northern Azerbaijan and southern Dagestan (Russia). They number about 30,000 and call themselves ''yiqy'' (pl. ''yiqby''), but are generally known by the name ''Tsakhur'', which derives from the name of a Dagestani village, where they make up the majority.

Contents

History

Geography

Language

References

External links

History

Tsakhurs are first mentioned in the 7th century Armenian and Georgian sources where they are named ''Tsakhaik''. After the conquest of Caucasian Albania by Arabs, Tsakhurs formed a semi-independent state (later a sultanate) of Tsuketi in what is now Zagatala and southwestern Dagestan. By the 11th century, Tsakhurs who had mostly been Christian, converted to Islam. In the 18th century the capital of the state changed from Tsakhur to Ilisu.^[1] The sultanate was in the sphere of influence of the Shaki Khanate. It became part of the Russian Empire by the beginning of the 19th century.

Geography

Tsakhurs live primarily in Azerbaijan's Zagatala region, where they make up 14% of the population, and in Gakh, where they constitute less than 2%. In Dagestan, they live in the mountainous parts of the Rutul district. According to Wolfgang Schulze, there are 9 villages in Azerbaijan, where Tsakhurs make up the majority of the population, all of them in Zagatala. 13 more villages in Zagatala and Gakh have a significant Tsakhur minority.^[2]

Language

Most Tsakhurs speak the Tsakhur language as a mothertongue. The rate of bilingualism in Tsakhur and Azeri is high. Other languages popular among Tsakhurs include Russian and Lezgi.

References

1. The Tsakhur language. The ''ETHEO'' Project. Last updated 11 October 2005. Retrieved 26 December 2006
2. The Sociolinguistic Situation of the Tsakhur in Azerbaijan by John M. Clifton et al. ''SIL International'', 2005

External links

★ http://geo.ya.com/travelimages/az-tsakhur.html