The history of the emergence of the Tatar people. Origin of the name "Tatars"

Tatars(self-name - Tat. Tatar, tatar, plural Tatarlar, tatarlar) - a Turkic people living in the central regions of the European part of Russia, in the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Xinjiang, Afghanistan and the Far East.

Tatars are the second largest ethnic group ( ethnoc- ethnic community) after Russians and most numerous people Muslim culture V Russian Federation, where the main area of ​​their settlement is the Volga-Ural region. Within this region, the largest Tatar groups are concentrated in the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Language, writing

According to many historians, the Tatar people with a single literary and practically common spoken language emerged during the existence of the huge Turkic state - the Golden Horde. The literary language in this state was the so-called “idel terkise” or Old Tatar, based on the Kipchak-Bulgar (Polovtsian) language and incorporating elements of Central Asian literary languages. The modern literary language based on the middle dialect arose in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

In ancient times, the Turkic ancestors of the Tatars used runic writing, as evidenced by archaeological finds in the Urals and Middle Volga region. Since the voluntary adoption of Islam by one of the ancestors of the Tatars, the Volga-Kama Bulgars, the Tatars used Arabic writing, from 1929 to 1939 - Latin script, and since 1939 they have used the Cyrillic alphabet with additional characters.

The earliest surviving literary monument in the old Tatar literary language (Kul Gali’s poem “Kyisa-i Yosyf”) was written in the 13th century. From the second half of the 19th century. The modern Tatar literary language begins to take shape, which by the 1910s had completely replaced the old Tatar language.

The modern Tatar language, belonging to the Kipchak-Bulgar subgroup of the Kipchak group of the Turkic language family, is divided into four dialects: middle (Kazan Tatar), western (Mishar), eastern (language of the Siberian Tatars) and Crimean (language of the Crimean Tatars). Despite dialectal and territorial differences, the Tatars are a single nation with a single literary language, a single culture - folklore, literature, music, religion, national spirit, traditions and rituals.

Even before the 1917 coup, the Tatar nation occupied one of the leading places in the world in terms of literacy level (the ability to write and read in its own language). Russian Empire. The traditional thirst for knowledge has survived in the current generation.

The Tatars, like any large ethnic group, have a rather complex internal structure and consist of three ethno-territorial groups: Volga-Ural, Siberian, Astrakhan Tatars and the sub-confessional community of baptized Tatars. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Tatars went through a process of ethnic consolidation ( ConsolidAtion[lat. consolidatio, from con (cum) - together, at the same time and solido - compacting, strengthening, merging], strengthening, strengthening something; unification, rallying of individuals, groups, organizations to strengthen the struggle for common goals).

The folk culture of the Tatars, despite its regional variability (it varies among all ethnic groups), is fundamentally the same. The vernacular Tatar language (consisting of several dialects) is fundamentally unified. From the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. A national (so-called “high”) culture with a developed literary language emerged.

The consolidation of the Tatar nation was strongly influenced by the high migration activity of Tatars from the Volga-Ural region. So, by the beginning of the 20th century. 1/3 of the Astrakhan Tatars consisted of immigrants, and many of them were mixed (through marriages) with local Tatars. The same situation was observed in Western Siberia, where by the end of the 19th century. about 1/5 of the Tatars came from the Volga and Urals regions, who also intensively mixed with the indigenous Siberian Tatars. Therefore, today it is almost impossible to identify “pure” Siberian or Astrakhan Tatars.

The Kryashens are distinguished by their religious affiliation - they are Orthodox. But all other ethnic parameters unite them with other Tatars. In general, religion is not an ethnic-forming factor. Basic elements The traditional culture of the baptized Tatars is the same as that of other neighboring groups of Tatars.

Thus, the unity of the Tatar nation has deep cultural roots, and today the presence of Astrakhan, Siberian Tatars, Kryashens, Mishars, Nagaibaks has a purely historical and ethnographic significance and cannot serve as a basis for identifying independent peoples.

The Tatar ethnic group has an ancient and bright story, closely connected with the history of all the peoples of the Ural-Volga region and Russia as a whole.

The original culture of the Tatars has worthily entered the treasury of world culture and civilization.

We find traces of it in the traditions and languages ​​of the Russians, Mordvins, Mari, Udmurts, Bashkirs, and Chuvashs. At the same time, the national Tatar culture synthesizes the achievements of the Turkic, Finno-Ugric, Indo-Iranian peoples (Arabs, Slavs and others).

Tatars are one of the most mobile peoples. Due to landlessness, frequent crop failures in their homeland and the traditional desire for trade, even before 1917 they began to move to various regions of the Russian Empire, including the provinces Central Russia, to the Donbass, Eastern Siberia and the Far East, the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Kazakhstan. This migration process intensified during the years of Soviet rule, especially during the “great construction projects of socialism.” Therefore, at present there is practically no federal subject in the Russian Federation where Tatars live. Even in the pre-revolutionary period, Tatar national communities were formed in Finland, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and China. As a result of the collapse of the USSR, Tatars who lived in the former Soviet republics - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and the Baltic countries - ended up in the near abroad. Already due to re-emigrants from China. In Turkey and Finland, since the mid-20th century, Tatar national diasporas have been formed in the USA, Japan, Australia, and Sweden.

Culture and life of the people

The Tatars are one of the most urbanized peoples of the Russian Federation. The social groups of the Tatars, living both in cities and in villages, are almost no different from those that exist among other peoples, especially Russians.

In their way of life, the Tatars do not differ from other surrounding peoples. The modern Tatar ethnic group arose in parallel with the Russian one. Modern Tatars are the Turkic-speaking part of the indigenous population of Russia, which, due to their greater territorial proximity to the East, chose Islam rather than Orthodoxy.

The traditional dwelling of the Tatars of the Middle Volga and Urals was a log hut, separated from the street by a fence. The external façade was decorated with multicolor paintings. The Astrakhan Tatars, who retained some of their steppe cattle-breeding traditions, used a yurt as a summer home.

Like many other peoples, the rituals and holidays of the Tatar people largely depended on the agricultural cycle. Even the names of the seasons were designated by a concept associated with a particular work.

Many ethnologists note the unique phenomenon of Tatar tolerance, which consists in the fact that in the entire history of the existence of the Tatars, they have not initiated a single conflict on ethnic and religious grounds. The most famous ethnologists and researchers are sure that tolerance is an invariable part of the Tatar national character.

TATA`RA, Turkic-speaking people; the main population of the Republic of Tatarstan (according to the 2002 census - 2.019 thousand people); the second largest indigenous people in the Russian Federation (in 2002 - 5669.9 thousand people).

History of the name (ethnonym). For the first time, the ethnonym Tatars appeared among the ancient Turkic tribes of Altai, Transbaikalia and Mongolia in the 6th – 8th centuries in the forms “otuz-Tatars” (“thirty Tatars”) and “tokuz-Tatars” (“nine Tatars”). In the 13th century in the Mongol Empire, the term "Tatars" denoted the aristocracy and was socially prestigious. In the Middle Ages, the term was used in Rus', Western Europe and the Muslim East to refer to the population of the Ulus of Jochi. As a result of the annexation of the Tatar khanates of the Volga-Ural region and Western Siberia (XVI - early XVII centuries) to the Russian state, their ethnopolitical system was destroyed, the territorial division of their single culture occurred, the declassification of the military service nobility and the Christianization of part of the population, which contributed to the introduction of the terms “Tatars” and “Muslims” among the masses. In the 2nd half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, during bourgeois reforms and the rise of the national socio-political movement, the concept of “Tatars” became common to a number of Turkic-speaking groups in the Volga-Ural region and Western Siberia. Local self-names were gradually lost: among the Volga-Ural Tatars - meselman, kazanly, mishar; among Astrakhan - nugai, karagash; among the Siberian ones - tubylyk, turaly, baraba; in Polish-Lithuanian x - meslim, sticky tatarlary. In the 1st quarter of the 20th century, the ethnonym “Tatars” became common to a significant part of the Turkic-speaking population of the Volga-Ural region and Western Siberia. According to the 1926 census, the majority of Turkic-speaking Muslims in the Volga region, the Urals (with the exception of the Bashkirs) and Western Siberia accepted this name.

Settlement. The core of the Tatar people was formed in the Volga and Urals regions. Constant migrations, especially of the Volga-Ural Tatars, led to an increase in their places of residence in Russia and the world. Mass migration began after the conquest of the Tatar khanates by the Russian state, which was associated with a sharp increase in national, social and religious oppression. IN late XIX century, more than 1 million Tatars lived in the Urals. In the 19th - early 20th centuries, the Volga-Ural Tatars became a noticeable ethnic component of the Tatar population of the Astrakhan Territory and Western Siberia.

In the 1920s and 30s, most of the Tatars lived in the RSFSR (95.2% in 1937). By 1959, their numbers outside the RSFSR had increased sharply, especially in Kazakhstan and Central Asia (in 1959 - 780 thousand people, including Crimean Tatars forcibly deported in 1944). The growth of the Tatar population in this region was also influenced by the development of virgin lands in Kazakhstan. By 1989, the largest Tatar diaspora in the USSR (1,179.5 thousand) had formed in the republics of Central Asia. According to the 2002 census, Tatars live compactly in the Volga-Ural region and Western Siberia, scattered in almost all regions of the Russian Federation. Tatars also live in countries near and far abroad.

Urbanization. The Tatars are one of the most urbanized peoples of the Russian Federation. The beginning of urbanization dates back to the periods of the Volga Bulgaria and the Golden Horde, in which there was a fairly developed network of cities and settlements. In the 2nd half of the 16th – early 17th centuries, after the annexation of the Tatar khanates to the Russian state, the urban stratum among the Tatars sharply decreased. After the reforms of the 1860s, the urbanization of the Tatar population increased. At the beginning of the 20th century, the urbanization of the Volga-Ural Tatars was 5%, the majority lived in Kazan, Ufa, Samara, Simbirsk, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Astrakhan. In the 1930s–80s, due to the rapid development of industry and urban growth, more than half of the Tatars in the USSR became city dwellers (according to the 1989 census, 69% of Tatars).

Main ethno-territorial groups: Volga-Ural Tatars, Siberian Tatars, Astrakhan Tatars. The most numerous are the Volga-Ural Tatars, including the Kazan, Kasimov, Mishars, communities of baptized Tatars and Nagaibaks. Among the Siberian Tatars, there are ethnographic groups of Tobolsk, Tyumen, Barabinsk, Tomsk Tatars and the ethnic class Bukhara group. Astrakhan Tatars are divided into Yurt, Kundra and Karagash of Nogai origin. An independent group are the Polish-Lithuanian Tatars, formed as a community of military service Tatars who migrated from the Golden Horde and Tatar khanates to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th–17th centuries.

Anthropology. According to anthropological typology, the Tatars are mainly classified as a member of the Ural group, which is transitional between the Caucasoid and Mongoloid races. Ethnically, they were formed by mixing the Caucasian population with Mongoloid components.

Colloquial. The colloquial language of the Tatars, formed over centuries, belongs to the Bulgaro-Kypchak group of Turkic languages. Includes Mishar, Middle and Eastern dialects. Within them there are a number of dialects. The colloquial language of the Tatars, which was formed together with the modern Tatar ethnos, has a number of features that unite the dialects of the Volga-Ural and Siberian Tatars and distinguish them from other Turkic languages. The language actively interacted with the languages ​​of neighboring peoples. During the period of formation and development, the Tatar language experienced significant influence from Arabic and Persian languages, which were the literary languages ​​of this state along with Volga Turkic during the period of the Golden Horde. The modern Tatar literary language was formed at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries on the basis of the colloquial dialect of the Kazan Tatars with the noticeable participation of the Mishar dialect. He experienced the ethnocultural influence of the Russian, Nogai, Chuvash, Bashkir, Mordovian, Mari and Udmurt peoples.

Writing. The origins of the Tatar written tradition date back to the ancient Turkic runic monuments of the 7th–11th centuries, the basis of which is the Orkhon-Yenisei script, used in Volga Bulgaria. With the adoption of Islam in 922, Arabic writing began to play a significant role in the official records of the Bulgars. The earliest surviving monument of Bulgarian literature is Kul Gali’s poem “The Tale of Yusuf” (1233). Since the beginning of the 14th century, Arabic writing has been used in the preparation of official documents. Until the 1st third of the 20th century, Arabic script was used. In 1928–29, the Arabographic alphabet was replaced by the Latin alphabet, and in 1939–40 by the Russian alphabet, created on the basis of the Russified Cyrillic alphabet. In 2000, the State Council of the Republic of Tajikistan adopted a law on the transition to the Latin script, but its practical implementation was stopped due to an amendment to the Federal Law “On the Languages ​​of the Peoples of the Russian Federation” (2002) on the inadmissibility in the territory. RF use in the state. languages ​​of the peoples of Russia in non-Cyrillic alphabets.

Religion. Believing Tatars are mainly followers of Sunni Islam. Religious centers are the muftiates in Moscow, Kazan, Ufa, Saratov, Astrakhan, Tyumen, whose leaders are united in the Council of Muftis of Russia and the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia and European countries CIS. There are about 2.6 thousand Tatar-Muslim parishes (mahallas) in the Russian Federation. Russia is also home to small (about 35 thousand people in 2002) sub-confessional groups of Tatars (baptized, Nagaibaks), whose ancestors were Christianized in the 16th–18th centuries.

Basic concepts of origin. Naib. the earliest of them - Bulgaro-Tatar I theory, edges is based on the position that ethnic. the basis of T. was the Bulgars. community that developed in Wed. The Volga region and the Urals in the 8th century. (according to other versions, in the 8th–7th centuries BC and earlier). According to this concept, basic. ethnocult. traditions and ethnicity. features of modern Tatars (Bulgaro-Tatar) people formed in Volga Bulgaria (10th–13th centuries). During the periods of the Golden Horde, Tatars. khanates, Russian state (16th–19th centuries), they underwent only minor changes. Bulgar. principalities (emirates), being part of the Golden Horde, used this means. watered and cult. autonomy. The influence of the Horde ethnopolit. systems of power, as well as culture (in particular, literature, art and architecture) were purely external in nature. impact on the Bulgars. the society was not particularly noticeable. The most important consequence of Mong. conquests of the 13th century was the fragmentation of Bulgaria into a number of emirates and sultanates, as well as the collapse of the united Bulgars. nationalities on 2 ethnoterritories. groups (Bulgar-Burtas of Ulus Mukhsha and Bulgars of the Volga-Kama emirates). As supporters of this theory believe, during the period of the Kazan Khanate of the Bulgars. the ethnic group was strengthened by the early Domong. ethnocult. features and ethnically remained (including the self-called “Bulgars”) until the 1920s, when the Tatars. bourgeois nationalists and sovs. the ethnonym “T.” was imposed by the authorities. In their opinion, all other groups of T. (Sib., Astrakhan and Polish-Lithuanian) developed into independence. ethnocult. basis, are actually separate. ethnic groups and ethnic the histories of the Bulgaro-Tatars of the Volga-Ural region are not directly related. The concept is basically outlines was developed in con. 19 - beginning 20th centuries (works of H.-G. Gabyashi, G. Akhmarov, R. Fakhretdin and others). In the 1920s, with the advent of the theory of the stadial development of language and the autochthonous origin of peoples (Marr’s doctrine of language), it received further development in the works of scientists. period (N.N. Firsova, M.G. Khudyakova, etc.). In the 1920s and 30s, as the “Leninist-Stalinist” ideology was introduced into the Soviet Union. ist. and linguistic science, Bulgaro-Tatars. the concept became decisive in the fatherland. historiography (works of A.P. Smirnov, H.G. Gimadi, N.I. Vorobyov, N.F. Kalinin, L. Zalyay, etc.). After accepting the post. Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks " On the state and measures to improve mass political and ideological work in the Tatar party organization» from 9 Aug. 1944 and holding Scientific session of the USSR Academy of Sciences April 25–26 1946 on the question of the origin of the cauldron. T. this concept, which received official. support from the authorities began to play a primary role in the Tatars. and owls historiography. The most important stage ethnogenesis of the Tatars. people recognized the Bulgars. period, the point of view about the cultural-evolutionary continuity of the Bulgars and T. was established. Until the end. 1980s Bulgaro-Tatars. the concept was actively developed by historians, archaeologists and linguists G.V. Yusupov, A.Kh. Khalikov, M.Z. Zakiev, A.G. Karimullin, S.Kh. Alishev, R.Kh. Bariev, F.Sh. Khuzin, F.T.-A.Valeev, N.A. Tomilov and others.

Mongol-Tatar theory is based on the hypothesis of the resettlement of nomadic Turkic-Tatars and Mongolians to Europe. (Central Asian) ethnic. groups (according to some assumptions, in the pre-Mong., according to others - in the Golden Horde time), which, having mixed with the Kipchaks and adopted Islam during the Golden Horde period, created the basis of the modern. Tatars culture. Supporters of this theory deny or downplay the role of Volga Bulgaria and its culture in the history and culture of Kazan. T., arguing that it was an underdeveloped state with a relatively Muslim (semi-pagan) population. They believe that during the period of the Golden Horde b. including Bulgars. ethnic group was subjected to ethnocult. assimilation by the newcomer Muslimized Kipchak population with high mountains. culture, and the other part (mainly pagan Bulgars) moved to the outskirts of Bulgaria and subsequently became the basis Chuvash people. Some authors put forward the idea of ​​“Tatarization” of the population of the Eastern steppes. Europe and the Volga region, including Volga Bulgaria, back in pre-Mong. time. The concept arose in the beginning. 20th century grew up in work scientists (N.I. Ashmarin, V.F. Smolin, etc.), certain aspects of it were further developed in the works of the Tatars. emigrant historians (A.-Z. Validi, R. Rakhmati, etc.). Since the 1960s theory of the Mongol-Tatars. origin of the Tatars. people began to actively develop the Chuvash. (V.F. Kakhovsky, V.D. Dimitriev, N.I. Egorov, M.R. Fedotov, etc.), bashk. (N.A. Mazhitov and others) and Tatars. (R.G. Fakhrutdinov, M.I. Akhmetzyanov and others) scientists.

Turkic-Tatar theory T.'s origin indicates a broader ethnocult than the Ural-Volga region. area of ​​settlement of the Tatars. nation and is based on a new ethnological theory (constructivism, structuralism, new social history). Its supporters emphasize the Turkic-Tatars. origins of modern T., noting the important role of the Volga Bulgaria and the Kipchak-Kimaks ethnic groups in their ethnogenesis. steppe groups of Eurasia. As a key point, ethnicity. history of the Tatars. ethnic group is considered the period of the Golden Horde, when on the basis of the Mongol-Tatars. and local Bulgars. and Kipchak traditions, statehood, culture, literature were further developed. language, new sources have emerged. traditions and ethnopolitan. self-awareness in the form of the ethnonym “T.” During the Tatar period. khanates that arose after the collapse of the Golden Horde, a department was formed. ethnoterr. groups (Astrakhan, Kazan, Crimean, Sib. and other T. groups). A major role during this period, especially after the conquest of the Tatars. khanates, religion began to play. (Muslim) self-awareness. In the 2nd half. 19th century, in the process of active penetration of the bourgeoisie. social-economic relations in the Tatars. about the rise of the national culture and strengthening cultural-integration ties between different territories. groups of Tatars. ethnic group, ideas about cultural history were updated. unity of the Tatars. ethnicity and reconstruction ist. tradition in the form of the Tatars. ideologies (Sh. Mardzhani, I. Gasprinsky, X. Atlasov, etc.), the formation of modern. “ethnopolitical” nation of T. and the approval of a common self-name. 

In the 1990–2000s. the concept was further developed in the works of A.G. Mukhamadiev, I.R. Tagirov, D.M. Iskhakov, I.L. Izmailov, F.A. Rashitov, and others. Its supporters directly connect the ethnogenesis of T. with the Turkic-Tatars. (other Turko-Tatars, Bulgars, Khazars, Kipchaks, Kimaks, Oguzes, etc.) and Finno-Ugric ethnic. groups of the Volga-Ural and West Siberian regions. According to many of them, the basis is ethnocult. processes that led to the formation of modern Tatars nations, constituted social-political. and religious cult. factors that were refracted in the self-awareness of the people in the form of historical-genetic and cultural-linguistic unity (common mythological ancestors, religious ideas, historical destiny, etc.), which found concentrated expression in the ethnonym “T.”

Traditions of statehood and T. have a history of more than a thousand years. The first news about ethnopolit. associations of T. in the East. Turkestan and Mongolia date back to the 6th–8th centuries. In East In Europe, starting from the 7th century, Turko-Bulgars successively arose. states (Great Bulgaria, Khazar Kaganate, Volga Bulgaria). In 1208, as part of the Great Mongol State (Eke Mongol Ulus) of Genghis Khan, the Ulus of Jochi began to develop, which in 1227–43 included the Kipchak, Bulgar, Russian. and a number of other states and ethnopolitans. associations. Ulus Jochi mainly continued the Turkic Mong. state traditions devices, and from the 2nd floor. 13th century began to acquire features of the Islamic Turk. states with their own writing, mountains. culture, state structure and a single ethnopolit. system (Turkic-Mongolian tribal system, ruling aristocratic clans, military-service aristocracy, kurultai), ruling dynasty (Juchids), etc. After the collapse of the Golden Horde on its territory. new Turkic-Tatars arose. states that continued its traditions: Kazan, Tyumen (Siberian), Crimean, Astrakhan and Kasimov khanates, Great Horde, Nogai Horde, etc. In the period of the 16th–18th centuries. all Tatars. The khanates were conquered by the Russian state, but the old states. traditions served as one of the important incentives to preserve the unity of the people.

In the beginning. 20th century T. intensified the struggle for the restoration of its statehood, first in the form of a national cult. autonomy. In 1918 Millet Majlisi decided to create Ural-Volga State. An attempt to implement it on March 1, 1918 (see “ 3bulk republic") was stopped by the owls. pr. In 1918, the People's Commissariat for Nationalities of the RSFSR promulgated regulations on Tatar-Bashkir Soviet Socialist Republic(remained unrealized). In 1920, the Tatar ASSR was formed as part of the RSFSR. Declaration of the Supreme Council of the Republic on August 30. 1990 TASSR was transformed into the Republic of Tatarstan, after the March referendum of 1992 it was declared a sovereign state, a subject of international. rights related to the Russian Federation by the constitutions of both republics and contractual relations on the division of powers between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan (1994, 2007).

Ethnopolitical history. Ancestors of modern T., like other Turkic people. peoples, are connected by their origin with the proto-Turk. population Center Asia (Altai, Transbaikalia, Mongolia), where they were part of various ethnopolitans. associations. At 6 - start. 13th centuries other Tatars ethnic groups were created at the Center. Asia a number of tribes. associations and state government Ethnopolitan. the Otuz-Tatar community formed in the steppes of Mongolia; in the 8th century as a result of military-political pressure from the Chinese and Turks, it broke up into several. breeding associations. Naib. Izv. and the strongest of them was the Tokuz-Tatars association. About the language and culture of the ancient Tatars. tribes (6th–8th centuries) there is not enough reliable information; Some linguists consider them Turkic. people (French orientalist P. Pelliot), others (M.Ts. Munkuev, J. Zhelet) - Mong. Plem. unification of the “Tokuz-Tatars” into the military-political. events Center Asia often became an ally of the Kyrgyz, acting on their side against the Turkic Khaganate (war 723–24). After the collapse of this Khaganate, the ancient Tatars. the tribes created their own ethnopolis. unification in the East. Turkestan, in alliance with the Oguzes, waged war against the Uyghur Kaganate. As a result of the defeat from the Uyghurs, some of them ended up as part of the Uyghur Kaganate, department. groups moved to South. Siberia, where, together with the Kimak-Kipchak tribes, they formed the Kimak Kaganate. As noted in the work “Zayn al-akhbar” (“Decoration of News,” 11th century), Gardizi, the ruler of this kaganate, according to the Kimak tradition, belonged to the T tribe. In 842, the Uyghur kaganate was defeated by the Kyrgyz, the lands of the ancient Tatars. tribes were included in their possessions (this is evidenced by the inscription in the valley of the Tes River). After the expulsion of the Kyrgyz in the 2nd half. 11th century other Tatars the tribes became part of the Uyghur principalities (Ganzhou, Turfan, etc.), and later created their own semi-independent principalities on the border of the East. Turkestan and whale. Gansu Province. In East In Turkestan, several states were formed between the states of the Karakhanids and the Tanguts (Xi Xia). principalities of the west other Tatars tribes They were active externally. politics in the Center. Asia (embassies to China in 958, 996, 1039, 1084, to Central Asia in 965, 981, etc.), fought for control of Vel. the Silk Road, concluded the military-political. alliances with the Ganzhou and Turfan principalities. The rulers of these Tatars. principalities bore the title “Apa-Tekin” (“Tegin”). In the 11th–12th centuries. other Tatars ethnopolitan breeding associations occupied means. terr. South and Vost. Mongolia, North China, East Turkestan. In the beginning. 13th century these associations were part of Mongol Empire(according to Chinese sources, this means that part of the other Tatar tribes was destroyed Genghis Khan, the remainder took part in his campaigns of conquest). This entire territory is inhabited by ancient Tatars. nationalities, Muslims. historiography of the countries of the East was called. “Dasht-i Tatar” (“Tatar steppe”), and the term “T.” the Center was assigned to part of the population of the steppes. Asia. In the dictionary “Diwanu lugat at-Turk” (“Collection of Turkic dialects”), compiled in 1072–74 Mahmoud Kashgari, language of ancient Tatars. tribes of the East Turkestan is recorded as Turkic. Presumably the main Some of them professed Buddhism, others - Manichaeism and Islam.

In the Volga-Ural region ethnic. T.'s substrate was made up of semi-nomadic Turks. and Ugric ( Hungarians, Madjars etc.) tribes, which in the 7th–9th centuries. actively interacted with the Turkic peoples. state center Asia, South Siberia and North. Caucasus ( Turkic Khaganate, Great Bulgaria, Khazar Khaganate, Kimak Khaganate and etc.). As a result of close interethnic relationships in ethnic T.'s substrate was penetrated by the socially developed Bulgars. tribes: Bulgars, barsils, baranjary, Savirs and others. In con. 9 - beginning 10th centuries in the process of forming the state, naib. The ethnopolitan turned out to be strong. the community of Bulgars who created in Wed. Volga region in 910–70s. Bulgarian and Suvar principalities (emirates). Presumably, in 980 a state was formed on the basis of these emirates and other lands Volga Bulgaria. As the Bulgarian state strengthened and its territory expanded. the Bulgars actively assimilated the department. Oguz-Pecheneg group x ( Oguz, Pechenegs) and Kipchak tribes (see. Kipchaks), as well as other neighboring ethnic groups. groups ( Burtasov, madjar, etc.). Of great importance in the consolidation of the Bulgars. ethnicity was played by the adoption of Islam as a state in 922. religion. This contributed to the formation of normative lit. language, ethnic historiography (“History of Bulgaria” Yaqub ibn Nugman etc.) and, ultimately, the formation of a single supra-ethnic culture and ethnopolit. self-awareness of the Bulgars, expansion of politics, economics. and cult. connections with external Muslim peace, especially with the countries of the East. In the 10th–13th centuries. In the steppes of Eurasia, other Tatars, Kipchak-Kimaks, and Bulgars formed. and other Turkic. state education. The consolidation of the Turks took place within them. tribes, the influence of Muslims increased. consciousness.

In the 1220s–40s. all states and tribes of the North. Eurasia was conquered by the Mongols. khans and became part of the Ulus of Jochi. The sedentary states (Russian principalities, the Bulgarian state, Khorezm, divided into emirates) became vassal possessions, and b. terr. Volga Bulgaria turned into part of the khan's domain, and the tribal unions of the Kimak-Kypchak were fragmented, their tribal nobility was partly exterminated, partly joined the Jochid aristocracy, the population of Desht-i Kipchak (the steppes of Eurasia) itself was included in the military adm. and the clan system of the Ulus of Jochi. It is characteristic that in mid. 13th century Domong began to disappear. tribal names and their replacement with Turkic-Mong began to occur. (kyyat, naiman, kungrat, kereit, katay, mangyt, burkut, jalair, uishun, etc.), repeated in various combinations near a number of territories. groups middle - century Thus, 4 ruling clans also appeared (Shirin, Baryn, Argyn, Kypchak). The influence of these Tatars. (Turkic-Mong.) clans turned out to be the most. strong in Nizh. Volga region, Urals and Western regions. Siberia, where they included in their structure and fundamentally. assimilated Ugric and Kipchak-Kimaks clans. It was from this time that among various groups of T. (including Astrakhan, Siberian, Crimean) and Nogais of the Vedas. The Tatars took the position. (Turko-Mong.) clans: Tabyn, Katai, Taz, Naiman, Kungrat/Kurdak, Kereit, Karagai, Elan, Tokuz, etc. Turkified Ugric groups, included in their composition, received the name. ishtek/ushtek/ost yak, and other names. Ugric origin - b. breeding ethnonyms of the Urals (istyak, bikatin, yurma, haina, uvat, supra, etc.) - preserved in the main. only in toponymy.

Simultaneous Within the framework of a single state, the formation of a special Turkic-Tatars took place. ethnic identity. An important element of the integration of the Golden Horde population was the spread of Islam in the Ulus of Jochi, which became from the beginning. 14th century, during the reign of Uzbek Khan (1312–41), state. religion, as well as the creation of normative lit. language (Volga Turks), development of writing and literature. The core of these cult.-ist. processes was the formation among the military service nobility of an imperial supra-ethnic culture, which included mythologies and symbols of the Jochid tradition, partly Muslim. worldview. All this led to a socio-cult. consolidation of the Golden Horde aristocracy and the emergence in the 14th century. the new ethnosocial community “T.”, which consisted of Ch. arr. from Muslims nobility who were part of the clan-tribe. ulus system of Ulus Jochi. This aristocracy received land and uluses in the Volga-Ural region, and the nobility of local peoples became its integral part. This is also evidenced by linguistic, toponymic and other materials, in particular, the appearance in the environment of the Volga-Ural T. names. tribal clans (sometimes in toponymy, genealogies of the nobility, etc.), such as Kungrat, Burkut, Ming, Tokuz, Toksoba, Kereit, Katai, Tabyn, Kipchak, Alat, Badrak. Sat down. and, partly, mountains. tax-paying population ( kara halyk) used for self-name. tahalluses, most often formed from toponyms (al-Bulgari, as-Sarai, Mun-Buljar, etc.).

After the collapse of the Golden Horde in mid. 15th century as part of the late Golden Horde political systems. formations began the formation of new ethnopolitans. communities that had their own local self-names, and the term “T.” becomes a general designation and self-name. for the class of their military-service nobility, united in a clan system and marked with the socionym “service Tatars”. The final design of these ethnoterra. groups occurred in the 15th–16th centuries. within the framework of the Turkic-Tatars that emerged from the Golden Horde. states (Great Horde, Nogai Horde, Siberian, Kazan, Crimean, Astrakhan and Kasimov khanates), sometimes beyond their borders (in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, in the Budzhak steppe of the Ottoman Empire). However, general state and ethnocult. traditions still remained one of the important reasons for preserving the idea of ​​​​the unity of the people. After joining in the 2nd half. 16th century The processes of migration and interaction between different ethnoterritories intensified from the Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian khanates to the Russian state. groups T. In the Volga-Ural region and Siberia as a result of resettlement it means. groups service Tatars, who were in the main from mishars and a cauldron. T., there was a linguistic and cult. bringing together different ethnicities. groups of Tatars. population. Naib. This process acquired an intensive character in the Volga-Ural region, in which towards the end. 17th century a group of Volga-Ural Ts formed. The rapid formation of this group was facilitated by common historical, religious, linguistic and cultural-everyday traditions that arose during the periods of the Golden Horde and Tatars. khanates, as well as the objective need to oppose the policy of Christianization, Russification and other forms of national oppression. One of the features of ethnocult. development of various groups of T., the condition and consequence of their rapprochement was the awareness of belonging to a single faith, the establishment of a common confession “Muslims”.

The rapid development of the bourgeoisie. relations in Russia in the 2nd half. 19 - beginning 20th centuries led to the activation of T. in society and politics. and cult.-enlightenment. life growing up about-va. During this period, during the bourgeoisie. transformations gradually took place the formation of a new, national. kind of ethnic. self-awareness based on the ethnonym “T.”, and also the consolidation of various Europeans intensified. and Sib. subethnic and ethnographic groups T. Main. a condition for the formation of Tatars. bourgeois The nation became the ideology of reformation of the patriarchal foundations of the Tatars. about-va (see. Jadidism), which led to the emergence of common Tatars. period. press, new method system of the Tatars. confessional education, modern lit. language, secular literature, national book printing.

One of the evidence of the completion of the process of consolidation of the Tatars. nation to the beginning 20th century became the assimilation of all basic ethnoterr. groups of Turkic-Tatars of a single Tatar. self-awareness and approval of the ethnonym "T." According to the USSR census of 1926, 88% are Tatars. European population parts of the country recorded themselves as T. and only a small part of it used the department as an ethnonym. local names: Volga-Uralsk T. - Mishar, Kryashen (some of them are Nagaibak), Teptyar; Astrakhan - nugai, karagash; Sib. - bukharlyk, temenlik, baraba, tubylyk. This indicated the preservation of the department. forms of patriarchal and ethnoterr. traditions among part of T.

Simultaneous with this came the formation of a new Tatar. ideology. Basic its provisions were formulated by Sh. Marjani. A key element in the process of becoming Tatars. ethnicity, in his opinion, became the Golden Horde traditions preserved in the Tatars. khanates. Marjani's ideas were developed in the works of I. Gasprinsky, R. Fakhretdin, Kh. Atlasov, G. Ibragimov, G. Ishaki and others. This ideology became widespread among Muslims. Turko-Tatars. population of Russia. In places of compact residence of T., various Muslim communities were established everywhere. does charity. org-tions, ch. the goal of which was the development of a single ethnic cult. and ethnopolitan. self-awareness. Higher form of implementation of general Tatars. ideologies began to be created in 1906. party " Ittifaq al-Muslimin" and post. the presence of its leaders in the State. Duma of Russia of all convocations (S. Alkin, A. Akhtyamov, Ibn. Akhtyamov, S. Maksudov, etc.). The program of this party put forward ch. demands of the Tatars. population: provision of a wide national culture. autonomy, incl. in educational and religious. areas.

During Revolutions 1905–07 The idea of ​​“Tatar statehood” was developed, initially. in the form of national cult. autonomy, the prototypes of which were the local bureaus of Ittifaqa al-Muslimin. After the overthrow of the Tsar and the coming to power of the Provisional Government (1917), this was watered. The movement consistently sought to create a broad national cult. autonomy of T. In 1918 National. meeting of Muslims Int. Russia and Siberia (Millet Mejlisi) it was decided to form the Ural-Volga State. However, the Tatars' attempt. national-democratic the strength to implement it was stopped on March 1, 1918 by the Soviets. pr-vom (see " Backwater Republic"). In 1918, the People's Commissariat for Nationalities of the RSFSR, as an alternative to the Ural-Volga State, under pressure from the National Bolsheviks (M. Vakhitov, M. Sultan-Galiev, G. Ibragimova, etc.), proposed a project for the creation of the Tatar-Bashkir Soviet Republic (remained unrealized). In 1920, the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed as part of the RSFSR; this process was associated with widespread support for the Tatars. movement of the population and its willingness to water. methods to protect their national. interests. The composition of the author. The republic included just over half of the Tatars. population of Sov. Russia (1459.6 thousand out of 3.3 million people). As a result of the arbitrary establishment of the boundaries of the TASSR and the arts. dismemberment of the Tatars. people, it did not even include those counties with compact residence of T., territorial. which were directly adjacent to the newly formed republic: Belebeysky district. with a population of 671 thousand people. (62% Tatars and 4.5% Bashkirs) and Birsky district. - 626 thousand people. (55% Tatars and 4.4% Bashkirs). In the Tatar Republic only approx. 50% of the population were T.

With the creation of TASSR it means. part of T. received the opportunity to develop national. educational and cultural system in their native language. For the first time after the fall of the Kazan Khanate in 1552 the Tatars. the language, along with Russian, became the state language. The republic was created. Academic center for scientific organization research in Humanities. Rapid development of national culture and mass education of the population were promoted by politics indigenization state apparatus and a broad introduction to the business of the Tatars. language. Work was carried out in the republic to prepare a national personnel and their filling of positions in the state, party, prof., court. and other authorities, for the implementation of the program for the introduction of Tatars. language in state bodies and societies. management, institutions of cultural and mass work.

In the 1920s–30s. There was an active process of forming a new generation of Tatars. intelligentsia, new branches of the national economy were created. culture (fine art, opera, ballet, etc.), humanities, and a policy was also pursued to strengthen the position of the Tatars. language in the TASSR and in other regions of the country. In 1926–29 the transfer of the Tatars was carried out. alphabet in lat. graphics. According to the 1939 census, the literacy of the Tatars. of the population of the USSR turned out to be quite high: in the age group 50 years and older, the proportion of literate people was 48.3%, 20–49 years old - 78%, 9–19 years old - 96%. All R. 1930s out of 3339 secondary schools in the TASSR, 1738 (over 50%) were Tatar. By 1939, of all the schools in the republic, 48.7% were studying for Tatars. language. Among university students, the share of technical education reached 17.2% by 1939–40; among middle-technical students. uch. establishments - 49.5% (data for TASSR).

At the same time, after the formation of the USSR (1922), the national-state. The policy of the country's leadership began to shift towards limiting the ethnopolitical, national and original development of T. and began to have a targeted impact on the national and ideological spheres of self-awareness of peoples. Sov. functionaries, relying on traditional pre-rev. postulates of imperial policy and definitions. features of traditional national Tatar rituals and manipulating them, they began to create new forms of ethnoculture, different from the Tatars. ethnic mentality and social and family foundations (see. Cultural Revolution).

The “Great Terror” of 1937–38 became a new tragic period in the life of T.: on falsified cases of belonging to the bourgeois nationalist, Sultangali, Trotskyist, Bukharin and other organizations, on charges of sabotage, etc. Thousands of representatives were persecuted and arrested. political, scientific and the creative intelligentsia of T. Mass repressions led to the fact that the entire capable part of the Tatars. watered And intellectual elite was physically destroyed or ended up in prisons and concentration camps (as of January 1, 1942, there were 29.1 thousand prisoners in the Gulag system - T.). Simultaneous with the introduction of Russian alphabet (1939) in meaning. the degree of historical cult was violated. continuity in the cult. life of the people.

During the years of Vel. Fatherland war, during the period of deportation of Muslims. population of the North Caucasus and Crimea, ideological and political intensified. and ethnocult. pressure on T. Huge damage to the development of the Tatars. national culture and science caused the post. Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks “On the state and measures to improve mass political and ideological work in the Tatar party organization” (1944). One of the special events of this kind were the session of the Department of History and Philosophy of the USSR Academy of Sciences, organized jointly. with the Institute of Language, Literature and History of the KFAN USSR in Moscow (April 25–26, 1946), which actually canonized the tendentious study of the ethnogenesis of T. within the framework of the Bulgars alone. theories (see Scientific session of the USSR Academy of Sciences). A further step towards limiting the interests of T. was the division in 1952–53 of the TASSR into Bugulma, Kazan and Chistopol regions (after the death of I.V. Stalin in April 1953, they were liquidated).

During the years of the “Khrushchev Thaw” most. active representatives creative and scientific intelligentsia of Tatarstan began an ideological struggle for the national. rebirth. In 1954 they sent a letter to the Central Committee of the CPSU, in which the arts were indicated. restraining the development of national culture, reduction in the number of Tatars. schools, distortion of the history of the Tatars.-Rus. relations, belittling the role of the Tatars. people in the history of the Russian state, and also raised problems of nationality. toponymy, the question was raised about granting Tatarstan the status of a union republic. In the 2nd half. 1950s activity of national intelligentsia has noticeably strengthened and owls. The leadership was forced to take a number of measures to help defuse the situation in the Tatars. about-ve. As a result, in 1957 the spelling and terminology commission for improving the Tatars resumed their work. language, in 1958 Plenum of Tatars. Regional Committee of the CPSU accepted the post. “On the state and measures to improve the work of Tatar secondary schools”, the 1st congress of cultural workers took place in October 1958, May 24 - June 2, 1957 in Moscow Decade of Tatar art and literature etc.

In the 1950s–80s. There was a noticeable rise in the Tatar region. culture and people education, the number has increased significantly. Tatars scientific, technical and creative intelligentsia. In 1970 V. T. in the USSR among specialists with higher education. and middle-special education reached 1.5% (the figure was higher than the same figure for Azerbaijanis, Kazakhs and Lithuanians). In 1956–57, there were 25.3 thousand students at universities in the USSR, in 1974–75 - 99.8 thousand. By the 1965/66 academic year. d. their share among students

Tatars are the titular people of the Republic of Tatarstan, which is included in the Russian Federation. This is a Turkic ethnic group with many subethnic groups. Due to the widespread settlement in the regions of Russia and neighboring countries, they influenced their ethnogenesis, assimilating with the local population. Within the ethnic group there are several anthropological types of Tatars. Tatar culture is filled with national traditions that are unusual for Russians.

Where live

Approximately half (53% of the total) Tatars live in the Republic of Tatarstan. Others are settled throughout the rest of Russia. Representatives of the people live in the regions of Central Asia, the Far East, the Volga region, and Siberia. According to territorial and ethnic characteristics, the people are divided into 3 large groups:

1. Siberian
2. Astrakhan
3. Living in the Middle Volga region, the Urals.

IN last group includes: Kazan Tatars, Mishars, Teptyars, Kryashens. Other subenos include:

1. Kasimov Tatars
2. Perm Tatars
3. Polish-Lithuanian Tatars
4. Chepetsk Tatars
5. Nagaibaki

Number

There are 8,000,000 Tatars in the world. Of these, about 5.5 million live in Russia and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. This is the second largest population after citizens of Russian nationality. At the same time, there are 2,000,000 people in Tatarstan, 1,000,000 in Bashkortostan. A small number moved to regions neighboring Russia:

• Uzbekistan - 320,000;
• Kazakhstan - 200,000;
• Ukraine - 73,000;
• Kyrgyzstan - 45,000.

A small number live in Romania, Turkey, Canada, USA, Poland.

Kazan - the capital of Tatarstan

Language

State language Tatarstan is Tatar. It belongs to the Volga-Kypchak subgroup of the Turkic branch of the Altai languages. Representatives of subethnic groups speak their own dialects. The closest are the speech features of the peoples of the Volga region and Siberia. Currently, Tatar writing is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Before this, the Latin alphabet was used, and in the Middle Ages the basis of writing was Arabic characters.

Religion

The vast majority of Tatars are Muslims professing Sunni Islam. There are also Orthodox Christians. A small part considers themselves atheists.

Name

The self-name of the nation is Tatarlar. There is no clear version of the origin of the term “Tatars”. There are several versions of the etymology of this word. The main ones:

1. Root tat, meaning "to experience", plus the suffix ar- “gaining experience, advisor.”
2. Derivative of tattoos- “peaceful, ally.”
3. In some dialects tat means "foreigner".
4. The Mongolian word Tatars means "poor speaker".

According to two latest versions, these words were used to call the Tatars by other tribes who did not understand their language, for whom they were strangers.

Story

The first evidence of the existence of Tatar tribes was found in Turkic chronicles. Chinese sources also mention the Tatars as people who lived along the banks of the Amur. They date back to the 8th-10th centuries. Historians believe that the ancestors of modern Tatars were formed with the participation of Khazar, Polovian nomads, tribes inhabiting Volga Bulgaria. They united into one community with their own culture, writing, and language. In the 13th century, the Golden Horde was created - a powerful state that was divided into classes, aristocracy, and clergy. By the 15th century it had broken up into separate khanates, which gave rise to the formation of sub-ethnic groups. At a later time, mass migration of Tatars began across the territory of the Russian state.
As a result of genetic studies, it turned out that different Tatar subethnic groups did not have common ancestors. There is also a large diversity of genome within subgroups, from which we can conclude that many peoples influenced their creation. Some ethnic groups have a large percentage of the genome of Caucasian nationalities, while Asian ones are almost absent.

Appearance

Tatars of different ethnic groups have different appearance. This is due to the large genetic diversity of types. In total, 4 types of representatives of the people were identified based on anthropological characteristics. This:

1. Pontic
2. Sublaponoid
3. Mongoloid
4. Light European

Depending on the anthropological type, people of Tatar nationality have light or dark skin, hair and eyes. Representatives of the Siberian ethnic group are most similar to Asians. They have a wide, flat face, a narrow eye shape, a wide nose, and an upper eyelid with a fold. Dark skin, coarse, black hair, dark color irises. They are short and squat.

Volga Tatars have an oval face and fair skin. They are distinguished by the presence of a hump on the nose, apparently inherited from the Caucasian peoples. The eyes are large, gray or brown. Tall men with good physique. There are blue-eyed and fair-haired representatives of this group. Kazan Tatars have medium-dark skin, brown eyes, and dark hair. They have regular facial features, a straight nose, and clearly defined cheekbones.

Life

The main occupations of the Tatar tribes were:

• arable farming;
• pasture-stall livestock farming;
• horticulture.

Hemp, barley, lentils, wheat, oats, and rye were grown in the fields. Agriculture was of a three-field type. Cattle breeding was expressed in the breeding of sheep, goats, bulls, and horses. This occupation made it possible to obtain meat, milk, wool, and skins for sewing clothes. Horses and oxen were used as draft animals and for transportation. Root crops and melons were also grown. Beekeeping was developed. Hunting was carried out by individual tribes, mainly living in the Urals. Fishing was common among the ethnic groups inhabiting the banks of the Volga and Ural. Among the crafts, the following activities have become widespread:

• jewelry production;
• furriery;
• felting craft;
• weaving;
• leather production.

The national Tatar ornament is characterized by the presence of floral and plant designs. This shows the people’s closeness to nature, the ability to see beauty in the world around them. The women knew how to weave and made their own everyday and festive costumes. Details of clothing were decorated with patterns in the form of flowers and plants. In the 19th century, embroidery with gold threads became popular. Shoes and wardrobe items were made from leather. Products made of leather of different shades, sewn together, were popular.

Until the 20th century, tribes had tribal relations. There was a division between the male half of the population and the female half. The girls were isolated from young men; they did not communicate until the wedding. A man had a higher status than a woman. Remnants of such relations persist in Tatar villages to this day.

All Tatar families are deeply patriarchal. Everything the father says is fulfilled unquestioningly. Children revere their mother, but the wife has virtually no say. Boys are brought up in permissiveness, since they are the successors of the family. From childhood, girls are taught decency, modesty, and submission to men. Young girls know how to run a household and help their mother around the house.
Marriages were concluded by agreement between parents. The young people’s consent was not asked. The groom's relatives were obliged to pay the bride price - ransom. Most wedding ceremonies and feasts took place without the presence of the bride and groom; numerous relatives took part in them. The girl got to her husband only after paying the dowry. If the groom arranged for the bride to be kidnapped, the family was freed from the ransom.

Housing

Tatar tribes located their settlements along the banks of rivers, near major roads. The villages were built chaotically, without an orderly layout. The villages were characterized by winding streets, sometimes leading to dead ends. A solid fence was erected on the street side, outbuildings were built in the courtyard, placing them in a group or in the shape of the letter P. The administration, mosque, and trading shops were located in the center of the settlement.

Tatar houses were log buildings. Sometimes the dwelling was made of stone, less often it was made of adobe. The roof was covered with straw, shingles, and boards. The house had two or three rooms, including a vestibule. Rich families could afford two- and three-story dwellings. Inside, the house was divided into female and male halves. They made stoves in the houses, similar to the Russian ones. They were located next to the entrance. The inside of the home was decorated with embroidered towels and tablecloths. The outside walls were painted with ornaments and trimmed with carvings.

Cloth

Tatar folk costume was formed under the influence of Asian culture. Some elements were borrowed from the Caucasian peoples. The outfits of different ethnic groups vary slightly. The basis of a men's suit consists of such elements as:

1. Long shirt (kulmek).
2. Harem trousers.
3. Long sleeveless vest.
4. Wide belt.
5. Skullcap.
6. Ichigi.

The tunic was decorated at the top and bottom with national ornaments; it was belted with a wide, long piece of fabric with fringe at the ends. In addition to the shirt, loose pants were worn. Over the set they wore a sleeveless vest, the fronts of which were equipped with embroidery. Sometimes they wore a long robe (almost to the floor) made of cotton material. The head was covered with a skullcap, which was generously decorated with national ornaments. Some ethnic groups wore fezzes - Turkish headdresses. In cold weather, they wore a beshmet - a narrow-cut caftan down to the knees. In winter they wore sheepskin coats and fur hats. Ichigi served as shoes. These are light, comfortable boots made of soft leather without heels. Ichigi were decorated with colored leather inserts and ornaments.

The outfits of Tatar girls are very colorful and feminine. Initially, girls wore a costume similar to men's: a long (floor-length) tunic and wide pants. Ruffles were sewn to the bottom edge of the tunic. The upper part was embroidered with patterns. In modern outfits, the tunic has been transformed into a long dress with a narrow bodice and a flared hem. The dress emphasizes the female figure well, giving it a curvaceous shape. A vest of medium length or waist-length is worn over it. It is richly decorated with embroidery. The head is covered with a cap like a fez, a turban or a kalfak.

Traditions

The Tatars are a nation with a dynamic temperament. They are very active and love dancing and music. Tatar culture has many holidays and customs. They celebrate almost all Muslim holidays, and they also have ancient rituals associated with natural phenomena. The main holidays are:

1. Sabantui.
2. Nardugan.
3. Nowruz.
4. Eid al-Fitr.
5. Eid al Adha.
6. Ramadan.

Ramadan is a holy holiday of spiritual purification. It is called by the name of the month of the Tatar calendar, the ninth in a row. There is strict fasting throughout the month; in addition, you need to pray fervently. This helps a person to cleanse himself of dirty thoughts and become closer to God. This strengthens faith in Allah. Eid al-Adha is celebrated to mark the end of fasting. On this day you can eat everything that Muslims cannot afford during fasting. The holiday is celebrated by the whole family, with the invitation of relatives. In rural areas, celebrations are held with dancing, singing, and fairs.

Kurban Bayram is a holiday of sacrifice, celebrated 70 days after Eid al-Adha. This is the main holiday among Muslims around the world and the most beloved. On this day, sacrifices are made to please Allah. Legend has it that the Almighty asked Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as a test. Ibrahim decided to fulfill the desire of Allah, showing the steadfastness of his faith. Therefore, God left his son alive, ordering him to slaughter a lamb instead. On this day, Muslims must sacrifice a sheep, ram or goat, keep some of the meat for themselves, and distribute the rest to those in need.

Sabantuy, the festival of the plow, is very significant for the Tatars. This is the day the spring field work ends. It is dedicated to work, harvest, healthy image life. Sabantuy is celebrated cheerfully and on a grand scale. On this day, festivities, dancing, sport competitions. Competitions of singers and dancers are held. It is customary to invite guests and serve refreshments. Porridge, colored eggs, and buns are placed on the table.

Nardugan is an ancient pagan holiday of the winter solstice. It is celebrated at the end of December. Translated from Mongolian, the name of the holiday means “birth of the sun.” There is a belief that with the beginning of the solstice, the forces of darkness lose their power. Young people dress up in costumes, masks and walk around the courtyards. On the day of the vernal equinox (March 21), Novruz is celebrated - the arrival of spring. According to the astronomical solar calendar, a new year is coming. Daylight overtakes night, the sun turns to summer.
Another interesting custom is that Tatars do not eat pork. This is explained by the laws of Islam. The point is that Allah knows what benefits his creatures, that is, people. He forbids eating pork because it is considered unclean. This lock is reflected in the Koran, the holy book for Muslims.

Names

Tatars call children beautiful, sonorous names, which have deep meaning. Popular male names are:

• Karim - generous;
• Kamil - perfect;
• Anwar - radiant;
• Arslan - lion;
• Dinar is precious.

Girls are called names that reveal natural qualities, symbolizing beauty and wisdom. Common female names:

• Venus is a star;
• Gulnara - decorated with flowers;
• Kamalia - perfect;
• Lucia - light;
• Ramilya - miraculous;
• Firyuza is radiant.

Food

The peoples of Asia, Siberia, and the Urals had a great influence on Tatar cuisine. The inclusion of their national dishes (pilaf, dumplings, baklava, chak-chak) diversified the Tatar diet and made it more diverse. The Tatar cuisine is rich in meat, vegetables, and seasonings. It contains a lot of various baked goods, confectionery, nuts, and dried fruits. In the Middle Ages, horse meat was widely consumed; later they began to add meat from chickens, turkeys, and geese. Beloved meat dish Tatars have lamb. Lots of fermented milk products: cottage cheese, ayran, sour cream. Dumplings and dumplings 1 are a fairly common food on the Tatar table. Dumplings are eaten with broth. Popular dishes of Tatar cuisine:

1. Shurpa is a fatty, thick soup based on lamb.
2. Belish is a baked pie made from unleavened dough, stuffed with meat and potatoes, rice or millet. This is the most ancient dish, it is served on festive table.
3. Tutyrma is a homemade intestine sausage stuffed with minced meat and rice.
4. Beshbarmak - stew with homemade noodles. It is traditionally eaten with the hands, hence the name “five fingers”.
5. Baklava is a treat that came from the East. It is a cookie made from puff pastry with nuts in syrup.
6. Chak-chak is a sweet product made from dough with honey.
7. Gubadiya is a closed pie with a sweet filling, which is distributed in layers. It includes rice, dried fruits, cottage cheese.

Potatoes are often used as a side dish. There are snacks made from beets, carrots, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. Turnips, pumpkin, and cabbage are used as food. Porridge is a common dish. For everyday food, millet, buckwheat, peas, and rice are cooked. The Tatar table always contains a variety of sweets made from unleavened and rich dough. These include: baursak, helpek, katlama, kosh-tele. Honey is often added to sweet dishes.

Popular drinks:

• ayran - a fermented milk product based on kefir;
• kvass made from rye flour;
• sherbet - a soft drink made from rose hips, licorice, roses with the addition of honey and spices;
• herbal teas.

Tatar cuisine is characterized by stewing, boiling, and baking in the oven. The food is not fried; sometimes boiled meat is fried a little in the oven.

Famous people

Among the Tatar people there are many talented people, famous throughout the world. These are athletes, scientists and cultural figures, writers, actors. Here are some of them:

1. Chulpan Khamatova is an actress.
2. Marat Basharov is an actor.
3. Rudolf Nureyev - ballet dancer.
4. Musa Jalil is a famous poet, Hero of the Soviet Union.
5. Zakir Rameev is a classic of Tatar literature.
6. Alsou is a singer.
7. Azat Abbasov - Opera singer.
8. Gata Kamsky is a grandmaster, US chess champion in 1991, and is one of the 20 strongest chess players in the world.
9. Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is an Olympic champion, multiple world and European champion as part of the hockey team, coach of the Russian national hockey team.
10. Albina Akhatova is a five-time world champion in biathlon.

Character

The Tatar nation is very hospitable and friendly. A guest is an important person in the house; they are treated with great respect and asked to share a meal with them. Representatives of this people have a cheerful, optimistic character and do not like to lose heart. They are very sociable and talkative.

Men are characterized by perseverance and determination. They are distinguished by hard work and are accustomed to achieving success. Tatar women are very friendly and responsive. They are raised as models of morality and decency. They are attached to their children and try to give them the best.

Modern Tatar women follow fashion, look very well-groomed and attractive. They are educated, there is always something to talk about with them. Representatives of this people leave a pleasant impression of themselves.

A peculiarity of the Tatar nationality is the absence of pronounced appearance features, which would make it possible to unmistakably distinguish its representatives from other peoples. Their appearance varies depending on the ethnic group to which they belong. However, anthropology still identifies signs of what Tatars look like, taking into account their characteristic features.

How to identify a Tatar: typical features of nationality

Tatars (self-name “Tatarlar”) belong to the Turkic group, the white race. Since ancient times, the populous ethnic group has influenced the development of Eurasia. The history of the Middle Ages tells how a nation held in suspense a vast territory from Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic coast.

The variety of appearance types of the people is due to their origin, since among the ancestors of the Tatars there were representatives of both the Mongoloid and European races. This also explains the prevalence and population of the nation.

The mixed race, which the Tatars belong to, allows us to see among its representatives dark-haired and fair-haired, red-haired, brown-eyed, gray-eyed, and so on.

Depending on where they came from and where they live, many types of a given nationality are distinguished.

These include:

• Kazan;
• Kasimovsky;
• Siberian;
• Astrakhan;
• Permian;
• Crimean Tatars;
• mishari;
• Teptyari;
• Kryashens;
• Nagaibaks and others.

The size of the nation in Russia in 2010, according to Wikipedia, is 5.3 million people. In percentage terms, the number of Tatars out of the total population is 3.87%. In terms of prevalence in the Russian Federation, the nationality is recognized as the second after Russian. There are about a million Tatars in the world, they make up more than half of the population of the Republic of Tatarstan (53%), and in the USA, according to statistics, only 2-7 thousand people live.

Representatives of the nation speak the Tatar language, which includes Western and Kazan dialects. In the religion of the people there are Muslims, Orthodox Christians (Kryashens) or atheists (no faith in God). Predominantly in their religion, Tatars belong to Sunnis, not Shiites.

The characteristics of anthropological types help determine nationality by facial features.

Among the Tatars there are 4 of them:

Each of them is characterized by the features shown in the photo.

Head shape

Tatars are characterized by mesocephaly or subbrachycephaly (cranial index 76-80), that is, they are predominantly medium-headed, moderately long and wide skull and oval face.

The Mongoloid type is characterized by brachycephaly, that is, short-headedness. At the same time, the face is wide and flattened.

The photo shows TV presenter Almaz Garayev and actor and TV presenter Timur Batrutdinov.

Almaz Garayev

Timur Batrutdinov

Eyes

It is believed that Tatars are characterized by a Mongolian eye shape and narrow shape. However, this is not necessary; the epicanthus is found predominantly in the Mongoloid type and is poorly developed in the sublaponoid type.

Other anthropological types do not have such characteristics.

The color varies: Tatars are blue-eyed and have brown eyes. But the most common are green ones.

The photo shows singer, actor and director Dmitry Bikbaev.

It is difficult to identify a Tatar by his appearance.

A more typical type is presented below - singer, actor, composer, producer, film director Renat Ibragimov.

Nose

The shape of the olfactory organ among Tatars is varied. Usually the nose is wide, with a straight back or a slight hump. The Pontic type is characterized by a drooping tip, while the Mongoloid and sublaponoid types are characterized by a low nose bridge.

The photo shows singer, actor, entrepreneur, composer, producer Timati (Timur Yunusov) and successful tennis player Marat Safin.

Marat Safin

Hair

Tatars are predominantly characterized by black hair color. But unlike the Uzbeks, Mongols, and Tajiks, there are also fair-haired representatives of the nationality. Tatars may have light brown or red color.

The photographs show Russian football player Ruslan Nigmatullin and actor Marat Basharov.

Ruslan Nigmatullin

Marat Basharov

Appearance of the Tatars

The generalized image of what Tatars are like is a person of average height with mixed pigmentation of eyes and hair, a moderately wide oval face, a straight or hump nose. Men are distinguished by their strongly built bodies and stockiness; women, on the contrary, are frail.

The appearance of Tatars sometimes differs significantly, depending on their belonging to a particular ethnic group.

Kazansky

Among the Tatars of this ethnic group, European appearance features are often observed: light brown hair, sometimes red, light eyes, a narrow nose, straight or with a hump. This type is similar to the Slavs.

Mongols may have a wide oval face and narrowed eyes.

Men are characterized by average height, strong build, and short neck. This is due to mixing of blood with Finnish peoples.

The picture shows Kazan Tatar celebrities.

Crimean

The Tatars of this group appeared in the 15th century. Its representatives live in the south of Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Turkey, and Uzbekistan (where they were deported from Crimea in the mid-20th century).

Pure-blooded Crimean Tatars have an appearance close to Slavic. The real representatives of the nation were tall, had light brown or red hair, light eyes and skin.

However, the proximity to Asians introduced characteristic features into the image of the nationality. Many Tatars acquired the appropriate type of face, dark hair and eyes, and dark complexion.

After returning to Crimea, the people are reviving lost original customs and traditions.

The photo shows the Crimean and Kazan Tatars, where the features can be traced, how the ethnic groups differ from each other.

Ural

The history of the Tatars in the Southern Urals has been little studied; today the Chelyabinsk region has a huge number of communities.

The anthropological type of a representative of a nationality is presented in the figure.

Often there are dark hair and eyes, possibly narrowed, a wide oval face and nose, prominent cheekbones, and large ears.

Volga region

The Tatars of this group are characterized by signs of the Mongoloid race. This is manifested by dark hair, gray or brown eyes with a crease in the upper eyelid, a wide nose, sometimes with a hump, and usually fair skin.

Men are distinguished by a strong physique and above average height.

Siberian

It is characterized by an oriental appearance, which is visually easy to distinguish from Russian. Characterized by a mixture of Caucasoid and Mongoloid types. Sometimes the appearance of Siberian Tatars is comparable to that of Uzbekistan.

Representatives of the nationality have dark hair and eyes, prominent cheekbones, and a wide oriental nose. The physique is correct, men are characterized by strength and endurance.

Gorkovsky (Nizhny Novgorod)

They act as a subethnic group of Tatar-Mishars. Their characteristic feature is the clicking Nizhny Novgorod dialect. They live in Nizhny Novgorod, Dzerzhinsk and Tatar villages.

The Pontic anthropological type of appearance predominates, manifested by dark or mixed pigmentation of the eyes and hair, a nose with a hump and a drooping tip, and average height. Caucasian features are possible, differing from the previous ones in light hair and eye color. The Mongoloid type of appearance is not numerous.

Astrakhan

A group of Tatars formed on the territory of the modern Astrakhan region. They are considered descendants of the Turkic-speaking population of the Golden Horde and have their own dialect.

In the course of historical development, the people experienced the influence of the Nogais.

The appearance of the Astrakhan Tatars is more characterized by Mongoloid features than Caucasoid ones. There is a dark color of hair and eyes, some narrowness, a wide oval face and nose.

What do Tatar women look like?

The appearance features of the fairer sex of Tatar nationality are similar to those of men. Most of them are of European ethnicity, however, the Mongoloid type is also common.

The photo shows various types of Tatar appearance: the famous journalist and TV presenter Liliya Gildeeva and the beautiful Miss “Youth of Tatarstan 2012” Albina Zamaleeva.

Liliya Gildeeva

Albina Zamaleeva

Face

Tatar girls are characterized by a rounded oval face, unexpressed squinting of the eyes, and possibly the presence of epicanthus. Their color varies from blue to black. Green eyes are more common.

The photo shows the singer AsylYar (Alsu Zainutdinova).

Her biography notes that she is the very first in history to perform a song in the Tatar language at the International Eurovision Song Contest.

Hair color is also varied; among Tatar women there are blondes, brunettes, brown-haired, and redheads.

The photo shows the Olympic champion of Europe and Russia in rhythmic gymnastics, State Duma deputy Alina Kabaeva and model Diana Farkhullina.

Alina Kabaeva

Diana Farhullina

Depending on the type of appearance, the skin is dark or light. It is often whiter than that of representatives of Slavic nationality.

Figure

Most Tatar women are characterized by slender figures, fragility and grace. An example of this is theater and film actress Chulpan Khamatova.

The height of Tatar women is average, about 165 centimeters, long legs uncharacteristic. Some representatives of the nation are characterized by a square figure: broad shoulders along with the same hips. A narrow waist emphasizes the beauty of Tatar women.

The photograph shows the famous fashion model Irina Shayk (Shaykhlislamova), a Tatar on her father’s side.

Features of character and mentality

To understand who the Tatars are, it is important to know who they came from. Their origin left an imprint on their appearance and lifestyle.

Briefly, the theory of where the Tatars came from calls the ancient state of Volga Bulgaria the place where the roots of the nation were formed. Their ancestors are the Bulgars. The Turkic-Bulgar ethnos came from the Asian steppes and settled in the Middle Volga region. In the X-XIII centuries, the nationality created its own statehood. Mostly we're talking about about the Volga-Ural group, other varieties are considered as separate communities. For example, the theory of Tatar-Mongol origin reduces or even denies the participation of Volga Bulgaria in the history of the Kazan Tatars.

There is often a dispute about whether Tatars are Asians or Europeans. It is due to racial mixing. Geneticists claim that the nation is mostly Caucasian, with a minority of Mongoloids.

The photo shows Tatar boys and girls in national costumes.

The mentality and culture of the people are influenced by their religion - they profess Islam, which they adopted on May 21, 922.

The character of a Tatar man is characterized by stubbornness and indifference. However, at the same time, he is hardworking, hospitable, and has a sense of self-esteem, which is sometimes perceived as pride and arrogance. Crimean Tatars are distinguished by their calmness and enterprise in stressful situations. They are careerists, striving for knowledge and new opportunities.

What kind of Tatar men are in relationships is determined by their character: they are reliable, reasonable, law-abiding, purposeful. Religion allows polygamy, but it is extremely rare. Usually a second wife, a younger one, is brought into the house to help with everyday life when the first one gets old.

A Tatar wife is obedient and submissive to her husband, devoted in love; from childhood, girls are prepared for a long-lasting and only marriage. Women are inquisitive, clean, hospitable, attentive to people, love to cook and raise children. Among the dishes that the Tatars eat are kazylyk (dried horse meat), gubadia (layer cake), talkysh kaleve (dessert), and chak-chak. The basis of culinary masterpieces is dough and a thick layer of fat.

Tatar women follow fashion, are interested in new products and love beautiful clothes: despite being submissive to their husbands and being faithful to customs and traditions, you won’t find her in a black burqa.

The photo shows singer Alsou (Safina/Abramova).

It is believed that Tatar women are passionate in bed, and men are skilled lovers.

Religion does not prohibit marriages with people of other faiths, so a Tatar wife and a Russian husband meet, and vice versa. Such families are quite happy, each member adheres to his own religious beliefs. From a mixture of Russians and Tatars, mestizos are born. Children of mixed blood are often outwardly attractive, combining the features of 2 nationalities.

An interesting fact is the appearance in some infants of a sign of belonging to the Mongoloid race - a specific spot (Mongolian). This Tatar mark in a child is a bluish patch of skin on the buttocks, sacrum, and thighs.

Sometimes it is mistaken for a bruise, although this is considered a sign of oriental blood. With age, the spot disappears.

Tatarov emphasizes worship and respect for elders.

The marriage ceremony is interesting. After the wedding, the guy and the girl do not live together for another year. It is considered correct that at this time the young woman remains with her parents, and the husband (in Tatar the word sounds “ir”) comes as a guest.

Differences from other nations

By comparing the appearances of the Tatars and similar peoples, identical and distinctive features are identified.

For example, the Bashkirs also belong to the Turkic family, have a similar language and adhere to the same religion. However, there are differences in appearance. Tatars are predominantly characterized by Caucasian features, while Bashkirs are characterized by Mongoloid features.

Bashkirka

There is a theory that Jews are similar to Tatars. This is due to the similar structure of DNA. Proponents of the hypothesis believe that the majority of Ashkenazi Jews did not belong to Israel and are Turks.

There is a commonality between the Tatars and the Turks. This is their belonging to the Turkic peoples.

The Tatars also have a close connection with the Kazakhs. Previously, they were classified as one people, connected by the Turkic community. However, it is not difficult to distinguish nationality by appearance.

For visual comparison, the picture shows the anthropological types of different peoples.

Stereotypes

There are many stereotypes about the Tatar people, right and wrong, which have outlived their usefulness or are still their distinctive features to this day.

• An uninvited guest is worse than a Tatar!- phraseological unit refers to the time when the Russians were under the yoke. The Tatars were cruel invaders, they showed violence and ferocity. The Russians accordingly considered them a nasty people and hated them with all their hearts. Therefore, the uninvited guest in the proverb appears as an unexpected invader, like the Tatarva, as they were disparagingly called in Rus'.
• The Tatars are cunning and stingy. People are characterized by frugality; they do not like to waste money. The Tatar is thrifty and prosperous, creates comfortable living conditions for himself, managing his finances wisely.
• Self-love and arrogance. Sometimes Tatars call themselves special, arguing that their roots are inherent in great people. This is the reason why representatives of the nation are not liked. However, it is also common for other nationalities to extol their people and consider them better than others.
• Tea lovers. Not a single event or meeting takes place without a drink.
• Hospitality. Tatars are friendly and inquisitive. They are happy to receive guests in the house. The hosts will put exquisite Tatar delicacies on the table and maintain a pleasant conversation