Revisiting the Development of Chechen Material Culture in the 18th Century (Clothing, Food, Jewelry and Crafts)

The paper analyzes such important components of Chechen material culture of the 18th century as clothes, shoes, food, jewelry and crafts. During the period under consideration, the Chechen clothes had a lot of common Caucasian traits and at the same time had purely local, specific properties (signs) reflecting the moral, household and aesthetic tastes of the Chechens (chokhas, beshmets, robes, canvas, sheeting or silk shirts, canvas pants with leather stirrups, leather belts with metal buckles, etc.). The most common shoulder-worn upper garment of the Chechens was the burka, they also wore hats in accordance with the season. Their shoes were very similar to those of other North Caucasian peoples. Despite some local peculiarities, clothes of Chechen women also had a lot in common with clothes of women of the North Caucasus, etc. The sophisticated pieces of high jewelry and handicrafts, developed weaving and tanning industries, strong trade and economic relations with Oriental and European countries testify of the achieved level of Chechen material culture in the 18th century. For a long time, despite some certain changes in household activities, food of the Chechens and their main dishes have remained same and experienced no significant changes.

Material culture, jewelry, handicrafts, woodwork, weaving and tanning industries, food, beverages

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