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Trimetabelba Miko gen. nov. a new genus of damaeid mites within Metabelba sensu lato is proposed after redescription of the species T. propexa (Kulczynski, 1902) comb. nov. based on topotypical material from High Tatra Mountains (Carpathians). Two further new species are described: T. proxima Miko sp. nov. from multiple localities in Slovakia, Czechia and Switzerland, and T. prolixa Kolesnikov et Murvanidze sp. nov. from Georgia. Generic concepts of Metabelba sensu lato are discussed, and another new genus – Prometabelba Miko gen. nov. – is proposed with P. centurion (Miko et al., 2014) as its type species. An identification key is provided for all known genera and subgenera of the generic complex Metabelba sensu lato, as well as all species of Trimetabelba.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EB176C50-C71A-49BA-AE8D-208323CCA4C5 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks into why, to date, discourses of peace in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict context failed to present a challenge to the hegemony of ethnonationalism. With the liberal world order in crisis and Armenian and Azerbaijani identities entering a period of redefinition following the latter's overwhelming military victory and exodus of the Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh, the article argues for a sustained effort towards rethinking peace and ongoing dialogue among realist, liberal, and post-liberal thinkers a road towards a multifaceted and interdisciplinary process that could move the South Caucasus away from violence and towards peace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten populations of Caucasian juniper J. communis var. oblonga were analyzed using seven microsatellite nSSR loci to draw conclusions about migration routes and genetic relationships with populations in the northern part of their range. These new data were combined with data previously obtained from the main Eurasian range. The results of nSSR analysis confirm the data on the cpDNA structure of J. communis var. oblonga about the existence of a deep divergence between the populations of the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus and the populations of the main range, which is likely due to the long-term isolation of juniper in this part of the Caucasus. At the same time, the results indicate the existence of a juniper gene flow from the main range toward the Western Caucasus, which was more intense with seeds. The migration routes of birds established during interglacial periods contributed to the dispersal of seeds over long distances and contacts of juniper from the main part of its range with juniper in the western part of the Caucasus, which was reflected in the structure of nuclear DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The little-known western Eurasian taxa of the Phaedusinae (land snail family Clausiliidae) are Tertiary relicts, which are widely separated geographically from the rest of the subfamily occurring in eastern Eurasia. In order to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of this group, we carried out molecular analyses with 11 of the 16 genera using nuclear gene sequences. Our results revealed that within the subfamily, Nothoserrulina and Pamphylica , together with Caspiophaedusa , Dobatia , Pravispira , and Serrulina , belong to a clade that is sister to that of all east Eurasian Phaedusinae except Synprosphyma. In contrast, Graecophaedusa , Laeviphaedusa , Pontophaedusella , and Serrulinella , together with Pontophaedusa , belong to paraphyletic lineages diverging between the branching point of these clades and that of the most basal Synprosphyma lineage. Laeviphaedusa and Pontophaedusella represent the earliest western Eurasian lineages, estimated to date back to the Eocene–Oligocene boundary. Comparison of our phylogeny to morphological traits of the genera identified clade-specific character states of the shells and the reproductive organs. Based on fossil records and on palaeogeographical and palaeofloristic data, we also propose a model for the geographical origin and radiation of this subfamily in Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Georgia is part of two biodiversity hotspots, the Caucasus and the Irano-Anatolian, both of which are characterized by high biological diversity and endemism rates. Eighty-one species of small mammals (Eulipotyphla, Chiroptera, Rodentia, and Leporidae) have been recorded in Georgia so far based on morphological identification. However, a comprehensive understanding of small mammal diversity requires integrative taxonomic approaches due to the cryptic nature and sympatric distribution of some taxa. Here, to develop a DNA barcode library, we re-evaluated the small mammal diversity of Georgia. Samples for DNA studies were collected during the last nine years throughout Georgia. The Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) region of the mitochondrial genome was barcoded for collected samples, and a DNA barcode library was assembled. As a result, nearly 80% of the known species of Georgian small mammals were covered. Two species, Microtus rossiaemeridionalis (Ognev, 1924) and Myotis tschuliensis (Kuzyakin, 1935), were detected for the first time in Georgia. Furthermore, several problems were identified within the Chiroptera and Rodentia orders, requiring further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dayekut'iwn, a practice of fostering found in early medieval Armenian sources, formed a significant basis of social interaction between families in the historical Caucasus and Iran. This article presents a new and extensive analysis of fostering in the context of early medieval Armenian sources written between the fifth and seventh century, illustrating the broad context in which early medieval Armenian social history can be understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Danzy Senna explores the challenges of racialized intersubjectivity in transracial mothering in her 1998 novel Caucasia. Transracial mothering pertains to mothers who possess a different racial identity from that of their children, most often in mixed-race families. The literature on mixed-race identity and experience is notably limited, particularly concerning motherhood in mixed-race settings. This article addresses this gap and explores racialized intersubjectivity in mother-daughter relationships by analyzing motherhood in Danzy Senna’s novel Caucasia. Racialized intersubjectivity describes how racial differences affect the interchange of thoughts and feelings, both conscious and unconscious, that provide a shared perception of reality between two or more persons. This paper builds upon the literature regarding the effect of race on maternal competence by looking further into racial dynamics in mixed-race families. A careful analysis of the text demonstrates how racial differences between mothers and daughters inherently impact their intersubjectivity, thus complicating their reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β‐Thalassemia is a disease traditionally associated with thalassemia belt countries. Nonetheless, as global migration intensifies, β‐thalassemia–causing variants spread far from their origin. We investigated this process to detect some patterns underlying its course. We analyzed β‐thalassemia–causing variants and the origin of 676 unrelated participants in Moscow, the largest city of Russia, far away from the thalassemia belt. Our analyses revealed that modern Russia has one of the broadest spectra of thalassemia‐causing variants: 46 different variants, including two novel β0 variants. Only a small proportion of the reported pathogenic variants likely originated in the resident subpopulation. Almost half of the variants that supposedly had emerged outside the Russian borders have already been assimilated by (were found in) the resident subpopulation. The primary modern source of immigration transferring thalassemia to a nonthalassemic part of Russia is the Caucasus region. We also found traces of ancient migration flows from non‐Caucasus countries. Our data indicate that β‐thalassemia–causing variants are actively spilling over into resident populations of countries outside thalassemia belt regions. Therefore, viewing thalassemia as a disease exclusive to specific ethnic groups creates a mind trap that can complicate the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last glacial period is known to have greatly influenced the demographic history of temperate forest trees, with important range contractions and post‐glacial expansions that led to the formation of multiple genetic lineages and secondary contact zones in the Northern Hemisphere. These dynamics have been extensively studied for European and North American species but are still poorly understood in other temperate regions of rich biodiversity such as the Caucasus. Our study helps filling that gap by deciphering the genomic landscapes of F. orientalis across the South Caucasus. The use of genome‐wide data confirmed a past demographic history strongly influenced by the Last Glacial Maximum, revealing two disjunct glacial refugia in the Colchis and Hyrcanian regions. The resulting patterns of genetic diversity, load and differentiation are not always concordant across the region, with genetic load pinpointing the location of the glacial refugia more efficiently than genetic diversity alone. The Hyrcanian forests show depleted genetic diversity and substantial isolation, even if long‐distance gene flow is still present with the main centre of diversity in the Greater Caucasus. Finally, we characterize a strong heterogeneity of genetic diversity and differentiation along the species chromosomes, with noticeably a first chromosome showing low diversity and weak differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the midlatitudes of the planet, we are facing the imminent disappearance of one of our best high-resolution (pre)historic climate and anthropogenic pollution archives, namely the loss of glacial ice, through accelerated global warming. To capture these records and interpret these vanishing archives, it is imperative that we extract ice-cores from midlatitude regions where glaciers still survive and analyse them within frameworks of inter-disciplinary research. In this paper, we focus on Georgia, part of the Greater Caucasus. Results of ice-core analyses from the region have never, to date, been integrated with its other abundant palaeo-environmental, archaeological and historical sources. We review the results of international projects on palaeo-environmental/geoarchaeological sediment archives, the archaeology of metal economies and preliminary ice-core data in Georgia. Collectively, we show that the different strands need to be integrated to fully explore relationships between climate/landscape change and human societal transformations. We then introduce an inclusive interdisciplinary framework for ongoing research on these themes, with an ultimate future goal of using data from the past to inform societal resilience strategies in the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioarchaeological studies provide a valuable contribution to the understanding of the economy and activities of prehistoric populations in mountain regions. The Late Bronze Age in the Caucasus is an epoch of fundamental transformations that is accompanied by the development of a semi-stationary pastoral economy and ultimately by the emergence of combined mountain agriculture. So far, only a few archaeozoological assemblages from this period have been published. The site of Ransyrt-1 in the North Caucasus offers a substantial collection of bone material from the remains of a mountain sanctuary. Analysis of the animal remains as well as preliminary isotopic analyses of strontium, oxygen, and carbon shed light on animal exploitation at this site. Comparisons with slightly later settlements in the North and South Caucasus illustrate the development of intensive livestock management strategies in the Late Bronze Age in this region at the interface between Southwest Asia and the Eurasian steppe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published just prior to WWII in German, allegedly by a Jewish convert to Islam who had fled the Bolshevik Revolution, and currently dubbed the national novel of Azerbaijan, Kurban Said’s Ali & Nino gets less attention than it deserves. And to the extent that this little-known work of classical stature is recognized by the international reading public, it is for its combination of the East-West dichotomy and cosmopolitanism. But even as Kurban Said’s love story between a Muslim bachelor, Ali, and a Georgian damsel, Nino, does favorably present cosmopolitan yearnings within the framework of westernization, this article highlights the evil Armenian leitmotif in it, through surveying the misdoing of Ali’s rival Nachararyan and how that relates to ethno-political conflict in the Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—It is generally recognized that the formation of the fold-and-thrust tectonic structures of mobile belts on continents is associated with crushing and narrowing of the Earth's crust due to collision of lithospheric plates. The deformation of the Caucasian lithosphere in the recent time is generally consistent with these ideas. However, the block differentiation of the Caucasian lithosphere brings specificity into the directionality of recent vertical and horizontal movements. In this paper, we analyze vertical movements of the Caucasus estimated by means of high-precision leveling over a period of more than a century and consider their spatial correlation with the tectonics, seismicity, stress-strain state, and geophysical fields. A clear correlation indicating the deep tectonic nature of the long-term uplifts of the Caucasus crust is revealed. The differentiation of the Arabian plate movement causes partitioning of the Caucasus territory into provinces that differ by the pattern of recent movements, orientation of faults, and stress-strain state of the geomaterial. These provinces also have distinctions in seismicity in terms of the number of seismic events and focal mechanisms of the earthquakes. We propose a model of a deformation mechanism of the Greater Caucasus, which accommodates the long-term trend of the Caucasus uplift in the conditions of general shortening of the Earth's crust. The results of the analysis provide a basis for discussion of a probable mechanism of neotectonic evolution of the Greater Caucasus, which can be used in the seismic hazard assessment of the North Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, two bark beetle species were recorded in Russia for the first time based on findings in Sochi: the cypress bark beetle, Phloeosinus armatus, on Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) and the black twig borer, Xylosandrus compactus, on southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), noble laurel (Laurus nobilis), and cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus). P. armatus is a Mediterranean pest attacking exclusively Cupressaceae. In Sochi, it was recorded on cypress trees in several locations, including on plants for planting imported from Italy. X. compactus is a highly polyphagous pest from East Asia. In Sochi, it has established populations in ornamental planted areas. The paper provides species descriptions with identification keys. One specimen of X. compactus from Sochi was DNA‐barcoded and compared with 31 specimens deposited in the BOLD and GenBank under the name of X. compactus. High genetic variability (>7%) was detected highlighting the difficulty of identifying 'true' X. compactus using DNA data. Genetically, the specimen of X. compactus from Sochi was identical to those from Italy, Spain and France. An accidental introduction with ornamental plants for planting from Italy is considered the most probable pathway of invasion of both bark beetle species into the Russian Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomorphosite inventory remains an urgent task for many geographical domains where it can facilitate the exploration of geoheritage resources. The present study reports a new and sufficient portion of information from Mountainous Adygeya in southwestern Russia, which is a geoheritage-rich area in the western part of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. The Cossack, Monk, and Three Teeth mountains were analyzed qualitatively and semi-quantitatively. Their morphology and geological settings were described, their geoheritage properties were scored by several criteria, and their cultural meanings were considered. It was established that the total heritage values of these geomorphosites are comparable. The challenging accessibility of these landforms is offset by the availability of sites for distant observation. Each proposed geomorphosite has its own cultural meaning reflected by its name. The proposed geomorphosites are constituents of the geoheritage resources of Mountainous Adygeya, and they can be exploited via local product branding and georoute functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inter- and intra-specific structure of genetic variability was studied using 18 microsatellite loci (nSSRs) in closely related roburoid white oaks in the Crimean-Caucasian region. The seven most widespread Quercus taxa in the region were studied in 29 morphologically pure populations from different parts of the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Crimea and northeastern Europe. Most taxa were studied using nSSR markers for the first time. Among the 492 trees studied, Bayesian clustering method implemented in STRUCTURE identified clusters corresponding to the pedunculate oak Quercus robur, the Hartwiss oak Q. hartwissiana, the Caucasian oak Q. macranthera, the downy oak Q. pubescens and three subspecies of sessile oak: Q. petraea ssp. petraea, Q. petraea ssp. iberica, Q. petraea ssp. medwediewii. Geographic structure was identified within Q. robur, Q. pubescens and Q. p. ssp. petraea. The 18 nSSR loci used are efficient in the taxonomic assignment of individuals, and identifying hybrids. The close relationship between the "long-peduncle" roburoid oaks (Q. robur and Q. hartwissiana) is shown, with a greater difference from other species. For one of the subspecies of sessile oak, widespread in the North Caucasus and Crimea Q. petraea ssp. medwediewii (syn. Q. calcarea), or limestone oak, significant differences from other taxa were found, reaching the inter-species level. The assumption of a possible hybrid origin of this taxon as a result of hybridization of Q. petraea and Q. pubescens is not confirmed by genetic analysis. The other two subspecies of Q. petraea (Q. p. ssp. petraea and Georgian durmast oak Q. p. ssp. iberica) are differentiated to a lesser extent and are related to each other, which confirms the legitimacy of distinguishing two geographically isolated taxa at the rank of subspecies. The highest variability was observed in Q. pubescens (He = 0.777). In Q. p. ssp. medwediewii variability was lower than in other widespread taxa (He = 0.652), and was approximately at the level of variability of Q. hartwissiana (He = 0.633) and Q. macranthera (He = 0.659). Clear differentiation of taxa by nuclear markers shows the limited introgression in closely related oak species in the Caucasus and Crimea. The identified genetic clusters can be used as reference groups for further population genetic studies of oaks in the Crimean-Caucasian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turbulent Tertiary and Quaternary history of Europe and the Ponto-Caucasus has had a strong impact on its biota, resulting in unusual patterns of speciation, diversification, and dispersal. Our study reveals the Late-Tertiary diversification and biogeographic history of Mniophila , a Western Palaearctic endemic moss-inhabiting flightless flea beetle distributed across Europe and the Ponto-Caucasus. We assembled samples across the whole range of the genus except Crimea. Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis, we found that the diversification of Mniophila started in the Balkan Peninsula, and was followed by at least two independent colonizations of other parts of Europe. The Ponto-Caucasian species are all descendants of a single colonization from the Balkans, followed by species' radiation. The Mniophila beetles are, therefore, one of the first-known cases of the colonization of the Caucasus from Europe. We integrated our DNA data with morphology, allowing us to uncover the cryptic diversity of Mniophila and to revise its European species. We describe Mniophila haveli sp. nov. from the Carpathians and Balkans, M. wroblewskii Wańkowicz, 1880 from Central Europe and the Balkans is restored as a valid species, and M. bosnica Apfelbeck, 1914 is newly recognized as a Dinaric endemic. We reveal an exceedingly large distribution range for M. muscorum (Koch, 1803), which is unusual for a flightless beetle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caucasus region is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. Nature conservation and nature-based tourism are promoted to preserve the region's vulnerable mountain ecosystems. Understanding the cultural value of the ecosystems and the services they provide is essential for conservation efforts. In our study, we use the case of Dilijan National Park, Armenia, to develop a framework to assess the potential of cultural ecosystem services. This framework can be adapted into various assessment matrixes calibrated for local cases in mountain regions. To make the assessment more comprehensive and the results spatially interpretable, we developed a 5-level scoring system using a set of criteria for 2 river catchments in Dilijan National Park. We then conducted an assessment of the rivers' ecological statuses under the condition of no visitors as a reference for further comparisons. To avoid biases, the scoring system for some aspects of the spatial assessment, such as the preference for land use/land cover, was justified using participatory methods. The results highlight a significant potential for cultural ecosystem services in areas where recreational amenities and infrastructure are close to rivers. The mixed-methods approach used for the overall assessment of the cultural ecosystem services potential indicated that, while visitors do exert some pressure on ecosystems, the impacts observed in the 2 catchment areas under study remained relatively low and fell within the carrying capacity of these vulnerable ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity of 52 Erwinia amylovora isolates from pome fruit trees with fire blight in Central and Eastern Georgia from the years 2020–2022 was examined using specific PCR and genotyping of CRISPR repeat regions 1 and 2. The analysis identified three distinct genotypes: (A, a, α), matching historical Western European strains; (A, z, α), distinctive for Georgia and differing by a three-spacer deletion in CRR2 (2034–2036); as well as novel genotype (A, ä, α), which was not observed previously. Genotypes (A, a, α) and (A, z, α) were found to coexist geographically in all four regions investigated, whereas genotype (A, ä, α) was reported only in one case in the region of Kvemo Kartli. On separate instances, multiple genotypes were detected even within the same orchard or tree, illustrating the complex genetic landscape of E. amylovora in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old World vultures (Aves: Accipitridae: Gypini) are large diurnal birds of prey, the characteristic inhabitants of open biotopes in Africa and southern Eurasia. Fossil remains of vultures are rather rare; the evolution of the group is poorly studied. This article describes the skull and tarsometatarsus of the large vulture Torgos platycephalus sp. nov. from the Upper Pleistocene of the Binagadi locality (Azerbaijan). This is the first fossil record of the genus in the Caucasus and second confirmed record outside its current range (Torgos sp. is also known from the Middle Pleistocene of China). The coexistence of three species of large scavengers in the Late Pleistocene of the Absheron Peninsula (in addition to Torgos platycephalus, Aegypius monachus and Gypsfulvus are also known from the Binagadi locality) can be explained by the richness of the food supply, which included a noticeable diversity of large mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A report is given on two collections of Muscidae (Diptera) from Georgia, made around the village of Kazbegi (now Stepantsminda) in 1983 and on Mount Kudigora (Lagodekhi Reserve) in 2014. A total of 66 species are newly recorded from Georgia, and a checklist of the 156 species now known from Georgia is given.

The article elucidates the issue of representation in Soviet cinema of historical events that transpired during the formation of the Caucasian frontier and the interactions that emerged between the indigenous population and the tsarist troops. The term “Eastern” is analogous to the term “Western” which refers to films about the exploration of the Wild West. This is a useful way of conceptualizing Soviet silent films created on Caucasian material from the 19th–early 20th centuries. This article aims to examine feature films from the 1920s that depict Russia’s advance into the Caucasus. It seeks to identify similarities and differences between these films and the first Soviet “Easterns/Osterns” and “Westerns,” as well as to analyze the influence of ideological attitudes in historical science on the interpretation and depiction of events that took place on the Caucasian frontier. The visual sources utilized in this study include the silent films ‘Abrek Zaur’ (1926), ‘The Law of the Mountains’ (1927), and ‘Zelimkhan’ (1929). Additionally, published materials from the 1920s, including periodicals such as newspapers and magazines, were consulted. The study yielded insights into the stylistic similarities between classic Westerns and the first Soviet Easterns, including the portrayal of protagonists, the use of action and stunts, and the incorporation of jumps. The content of the films is correlated with real historical events, but they reflect the Bolshevik paradigm of history in the study of ethnosocial conflicts in the Caucasus. In films about highlanders, masculine culture is a dominant feature due to gender attitudes and the national cultural identity of the peoples of the Caucasus. Films about mountaineers were instrumental in shaping perceptions of the Caucasus during the early decades of the twentieth century. They illustrate the attributes of traditional culture, daily life, customs of mountain village inhabitants, the characteristics of the landscape, and architectural features. In general, films of an adventurous nature created on Caucasian material are of interest to those with an affinity for classic cinema, particularly the earliest Soviet Eastern films, as well as to researchers seeking to gain insight into significant historical and cultural information. This article is intended for those engaged in the study of the history of Soviet cinema.

In this work we describe 47 new Trichoptera species most of them from Georgia: Wormaldia kala sp. nov., W. khizabavra sp. nov., W. kokoa sp. nov., W. kulbaka sp. nov., W. lopota sp. nov., W. varjanulia sp. nov., Tinodes abana sp. nov., Plectrocnemia zekaria sp. nov., Hydropsyche adjaria sp. nov., H. gouria sp. nov., H. svanetica sp. nov., Rhyacophila aragva sp. nov., R. chakvistskala sp. nov., R. kakhetia sp. nov., R. kokoa sp. nov., R. namona sp. nov., Agapetus kintrisha sp. nov., Thremma balcanum sp. nov., T. svaneticum sp. nov., Martynomyia svanetia sp. nov., M. zazai sp. nov., Apataniana bakhmara sp. nov., A. gouria sp. nov., Drusus stephantsmind sp. nov., Badukiella markha sp. nov., Kelgena bakhmara sp. nov., K. bellae sp. nov., K. goderdza sp. nov., K. lapankura sp. nov., K. levani sp. nov., K. samtskha sp. nov., K. tetnulda sp. nov., K. tobara sp. nov., K. vekona sp. nov., Rizeiella keda sp. nov., R. sashuala sp. nov., R. tbetia sp. nov., R. varjana sp. nov., Stenophylax almat sp. nov., S. kulbak sp. nov., Ernodes bakhmarensis sp. nov., E. mingreliensis sp. nov., Schizopelex akhalchala sp. nov., S. mingrelia sp. nov., S. jvaria sp. nov., S. masula sp. nov., S. nazhala sp. nov. Moreover, 9 other species are new for Georgia: Wormaldia hoska Oláh, 2020, W. obola Oláh, 2020, W. sakaorum Oláh, 2020, Diplectrona robusta Martynov, 1934, Rhyacophila kora Oláh, 2020, Agapetus caucasicus Martynov, 1913, Lepidostoma iranicum Schmid, 1959, Grammotaulius nigropunctatus (Retzius, 1783) and Ernodes ordubadensis Oláh & Kerimova, 2020. The family Uenoidae and the genus Thremma are new for Georgia.

For well over a hundred years, Russian expansion into the Caucasus put it face-to-face with the Circassians. This small group of Muslims successfully waged war against Russia, both militarily and diplomatically. By leveraging the demands of a liberal foreign policy currently in vogue in Britain, as well as the Ottoman Empire's tenuous hold on power in the region, the Circassians manoeuvred their plight onto the international stage. As the liberal tide in Britain ebbed and flowed and the Crimean War erupted, Circassia's ability to leverage the political context in which it found itself grew more tenuous. Ultimately, Russophobia and liberalism failed to secure freedom for the Circassians, who were killed or expelled from their lands in 1864. The Circassian diaspora now resides largely in Turkey, Jordan, Syria, and Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides information on the 10th century Qabq history on the basis of translation, commentary and comparative analysis of excerpts in relation to the history of Caucasian peoples from the Arabic geographical works Aḥsan al-taqāsīm fī maʿrifat al-aqālīm (The Best Divisions in the Knowledge of the Regions) of al-Maqaddasī who undertook in a period of twenty years a series of journeys throughout the Muslim world. For this study al-Maqaddasī’s work might be considered as a valuable source because it contains information on the eastern Caucasus (Dagestan, in particular) like: the characteristics of cities, religious trends, distance between various settlements of the region etc. Moreover, I compared some reports on Qabq by al-Maqaddasī and al-Istakhri’s Kitab masalik al-mamalik (“Book of Kingdoms’ Roads“) in order to find out whether the origin of the material is the same for both authors. Also, I noted that N.A. Karaulov’s translation of fragments from al-Maqaddasī’s work on the history of Caucasus people which contains not just stylistic flaws and interpretational errors, but some fragments are missing from the Arabic texts. The results of this research can further the source study in writing the medieval history of Caucasus.

With the rapid development of aeromagnetic (primarily uncrewed) methods for measuring the magnetic field, the possibility of detailed magnetic research in hard-to-reach mountainous areas, forested areas, swamp areas, desert areas, and water areas has emerged. The conditions for interpreting the magnetic field are most difficult due to the vector nature of the magnetic properties of rocks, the wide range of their properties, and the presence of residual magnetization. The physical and geological conditions of the territory of Azerbaijan are characterized by rugged terrain relief, inclined magnetization (~58°), and complex geological environments. Along with using a probabilistic approach, deterministic methods for solving inverse and direct problems of geophysics become of great importance since it is possible to identify relatively extended reference boundaries and analyze magnetic anomalies from separate bodies of relatively simple shape. The article briefly outlines the main stages of processing and interpreting magnetic data under complex environments. The theoretical examples discussed include a block diagram of various disturbances, interpretive models of thin and thick beds, an intermediate model, a thin horizontal plate, and a horizontal circular cylinder on the flat and inclined surfaces under inclined magnetization conditions. The process of assessing magnetization on sloping terrain relief is shown. The presented field examples for the Caucasus Mountains show the quantitative interpretation of aeromagnetic data at the Big Somalit and Guton sites (southern Greater Caucasus, Azerbaijan), a deep regional profile through the Lesser and Greater Caucasus, magnetic field studies in the area around the Saatly superdeep borehole (Middle Kur depression between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus), and 3D magnetic field modeling at the Gyzylbulag gold deposit (the Azerbaijani part of the Lesser Caucasus). In the Caspian Sea, we demonstrated the use of an information parameter to identify faults in the Bulla hydrocarbon field (Gulf of Baku) and, for the first time, obtained the relationship between the generalized aeromagnetic data (2.5 kilometers over the mean sea level) and the central area of the mud volcanoes distribution in Azerbaijan.

Introduction: Removing legal barriers to HIV services is crucial for the global 2030 goal of ending the HIV and AIDS epidemic, particularly in eastern Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia. Despite state commitments to uphold human rights, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM), along with transgender people (TP) still face stigma and discrimination. This article presents an analysis of rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) and HIV reported in 2022 across six countries, highlighting features and their links to legislation and law enforcement practices. Methods: We examined documented cases of rights violations among gbMSM and TP in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine in 2022 using the REAct system, a tool for documenting and responding to rights violations against key populations. Initially, we employed directed content analysis based on Yogyakarta Principles to analyse narratives of violations. A codebook was developed through contextual, manifest and latent coding, with themes, categories and codes converted into quantitative variables for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the characteristics of violations. Results: A total of 456 cases of rights violations related to SOGI and HIV were documented, ranging from 22 cases in Tajikistan to 217 in Ukraine. Most violations concerned gbMSM (76.5%), with one‐fifth involving TP, predominantly transgender women. Complex violations with multiple perpetrators or infringements were documented in Armenia and central Asia. Privacy rights were commonly violated, often through outing. Cases of violations of the right to the highest attainable standard of health (13.6%) and protection from medical abuses (2.6%) were also documented. Other rights violations were sporadic, with each country exhibiting distinct patterns of violated rights and types of violations. In Ukraine, the full‐scale war in 2022 influenced the nature of documented cases, reflecting the challenges faced by gbMSM and TP. Conclusions: Monitoring rights violations proved effective for assessing the situation of gbMSM and TP, particularly in the insufficiently studied and diverse eastern Europe, Caucasus and central Asia regions. As rights violations are linked to both legislation and law enforcement practices, comprehensive interventions to minimize structural and interpersonal stigma are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of species distribution and, for migratory species, seasonal occurrence is particularly important for vulnerable and protected animals such as bats. The former European bat species Pipistrellus pipistrellus was split into two, Pipistrelus pipistrellus s.s. and Pipistrelus pygmaeus, over 20 years ago. However, their distribution, breeding and winter ranges as well as migratory status in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus remained obscure.In our study, we scrutinised records of both species and assessed the sex ratio during their breeding season in this region.We show that Pipistrellus pipistrellus s.s. has a significantly smaller range than previously assumed, being restricted to the southern part of the study area. On the contrary, Pipistrelus pygmaeus has a broader distribution, covering the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, up to ca. 59° N. Hence, all historical records and long‐distance movements of Pipistrellus pipistrellus sensu lato from Eastern Europe within the inferred allopatric occurrence of Pipistrelus pygmaeus should be attributed to Pipistrelus pygmaeus.The high portion of adult males in breeding localities, mass wintering within the breeding range and lacking evidence of long‐distance seasonal movements imply that Pipistrellus pipistrellus s.s. is a sedentary species. In Pipistrelus pygmaeus, the sex ratio among adults during the breeding season varies latitudinally. The female‐biased sex ratio, absence of mass wintering and the historical long‐distance recoveries of ringed individuals suggest that this species is migratory in Eastern Europe. The male‐biased sex ratio during the breeding season, along with late autumn records, suggests that the Caucasus represents its winter range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of a fragment of the cytochrome b (cytb) gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the genetic diversity of the little ground squirrel Spermophilus pygmaeus Pallas, 1779 of the Central and Eastern Caucasus was studied. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of two clusters A and B within the western clade of S. pygmaeus 2. Cluster A is formed by haplotypes of ground squirrels from the Eastern Caucasus and the right bank of the Volga River, while B, only haplotypes of Central Caucasian animals. The distance between clusters A and B reaches 1.3%. The relatively isolated position on the phylogenetic tree of the ground squirrel population of the Central Caucasus, the absence of identical haplotypes in Central and Eastern Caucasian animals, and the distances obtained indicate genetic heterogeneity of the ground squirrel in the North Caucasus. The results of molecular dating showed that the evolutionary age of S. pygmaeus mtDNA haplotypes from the studied areas of the Eastern Caucasus was approximately 260 000 years, and that of the Central Caucasus, 163 000 years. A decrease in haplotypic and nucleotide variability was noted in the Central Caucasian populations of the little squirrel as compared to those from the Eastern Caucasus, which in general indicates the low viability of S. pygmaeus inhabiting the mountains of the Central Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early or proto-history of the Khazars is still far from being thoroughly investigated, in regard to the world wide popularity of the Khazar studies. There are still many vague points to be discovered, despite the great attempts especially for the last hundred years of modern Khazar studies. We may differentiate between the terms Khazar and Khazarian , the former referring to the ethnie in the core of the process making Khazaria, and thus to the proto stage, and the latter to the well-known imperial formation in Eastern Europe. The scattered but rich sources of Khazarian history are not, on the other hand, very helpful in Khazar history. The debates on the meaning of the ethnonym Khazar are also a part of the proto-history. We are bound, for the early parts of the history, with the eastern, i.e., Chinese and Turkic sources. Previously the Chinese sources were effectively used in that regard, and with the publication of the readings of the two Uyghur inscriptions Tes and Terkhin from the 750s some fifty years ago opened a new chapter for the early history of the Khazars and the etymology of their name. This paper suggests a new frame for the early history of the Khazars in Asia and Europe and slightly revises the etymology of what we may call the French school, supposing that the Khazars came from South Siberia to the Caucasus in the wave of the Suvar union, after being defeated by the Uyghurs during an internal strife likely instigated by the Türks and their overlords Juan-juans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigation the effect of environmental changing associated with the elevation gradient on cytogenetic traits of Taraxacum officinale during its invasion in high altitude areas. We chose common dandelion as the object of research, because representatives of this species are able to inhabit a large range of elevations. The cytogenetic characteristics of the plants growing at altitudes of 200, 600, 1300, 2050, 2700 and 3050 m a.s.l in the Central Caucasus region have been studied. We determined the frequency of micronuclei, chromosomal aberrations, mitotic index and chromosome number in the cells of the apical root meristem using seed progeny of plants growing at different elevations. In the populations of natural habitats studied by us, all individuals were triploid with the exception of single ones. The level of ploidy increased in accordance with the altitude gradient when T. officinale invade in the disturbed highland areas. In the seed progeny of highland plants cell proliferation and the ratio of mitosis phases do not change along the elevation gradient. The frequency of chromosome aberrations increased by 1.3–4.6 times in the highland populations. The main types of mutations were fragments, lost and lagging chromosomes. The reasons for this are the influence of unfavorable conditions of high-altitude areas and high level of ploidy in plants of these populations. Despite the significant increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations, no similar increase in the frequency of micronuclei resulting from these mutations was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karachay-Cherkessia is the region in the Russian Federation that has been overlooked in terms of research on the human bacterial pathogens transmitted by ticks. In this study, we investigated the infection status of ticks with Rickettsia, Borrelia, Coxiella burmetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis/Ehrlichia muris associated with natural focal infections in Karachay-Cherkessia. A total amount of 159 ticks from three species across three genera (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma scupense) removed from humans were collected for analysis. Additionally, we used 53 individual ticks and 40 tick pools from the vegetation of three species (I. ricinus, D. marginatus, and Rhipicephalus bursa). Screening of the studied pathogens was performed by using commercial qPCR kits. Sanger sequencing utilizing partial sequences of gltA and ompA genes was employed to identify the Rickettsia species. Our findings revealed the presence of DNA from five species within the spotted fever group Rickettsia, namely Rickettsia raoultii, R. slovaca, R. helvetica, R. monacensis, and R. aeschlimannii. Moreover, two distinct genotypes were identified within R. aeschlimannii, R. helvetica, and R. monacensis. Additionally, DNA from Borrelia burgdoferi s.l., B. miyamotoi, and A. phagocytophilum was detected in the tested ticks. This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and the diversity of bacterial pathogens transmitted by ticks in the Karachay-Cherkessia region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supra-glacial debris cover is important for the control of surface ice melt and glacier retreat in mountain regions. Despite the progress in techniques based on various satellite imagery, the mapping of debris-covered glacier boundaries over large regions remains a challenging task. Previous studies of the debris-covered glaciers in the Greater Caucasus have only focused on limited areas. In this study, using the Sentinel 1–2 imagery (2020), DebCovG-carto toolbox, and existing glacier inventory (2020), we produced the first detailed assessment of supra-glacial debris cover for individual glaciers in the entire Greater Caucasus. Our study shows that in 2020, 10.3 ± 5.6% of the glacier surface in this mountain region was covered by debris. A comparison of sub-regions such as the Elbrus Massif and other individual glaciers from the central Greater Caucasus shows an increasing trend of supra-glacial debris cover from 2014 to 2020. The total area of supra-glacial debris cover expanded from ~4.6% to ~5.8% for Elbrus and from ~9.5% to ~13.9% for the glaciers of the central Greater Caucasus during the same period. Supra-glacial debris cover also expanded upward on these glaciers between 2014 and 2020. A recent increase in rock-ice avalanche activity in combination with increased air temperature and decreased precipitation in the Greater Caucasus may be responsible for this upward migration and expanded area of supra-glacial debris cover. This study provides valuable insights into the spatial distribution, temporal evolution, and factors influencing supra-glacial debris cover in the Greater Caucasus. The findings contribute to our understanding of glacier dynamics and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and assessment of supra-glacial debris cover in the context of climate change and glacier retreat. We recommend using the DebCovG-carto toolbox for regional assessment of supra-glacial debris coverage in other mountain regions as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the era of rapid decline in insect diversity, the role of protected areas (PAs) in conserving current insect diversity is more significant than ever. Previous studies indicate that the species‐diverse regions in Iran fall within two global biodiversity hotspots (GBHs): the Irano‐Anatolian hotspot in the north and the Caucasus hotspot in the west. However, there is an extensive conservation gap between species‐diverse regions and PAs for different vertebrate taxa. Additionally, mega‐diverse groups of insects have been overlooked in previous conservation assessments. In this study, using the most comprehensive occurrence dataset of 1974 species from nine families of Lepidoptera, we delineated regions with statistically significant high diversity as diversity hotspots of the group. Furthermore, we defined the regions with higher conservation priority. Finally, we applied a gap analysis to assess the mismatch between the network of PAs and the most species‐diverse regions. Most species‐diverse regions of Lepidoptera fall within GBHs and particularly the Irano‐Anatolian hotspot. Overall, the results of our gap analysis revealed that less than one quarter of currently established PAs cover priority areas for conservation, which indicates a dramatic deficiency of the network of PAs in conserving higher priority areas of Lepidoptera. Misplacement of the PAs in Iran, beside pressure of human footprint, can reduce the effectiveness of the established PAs to conserve the current biodiversity. Hence, enhancing the existing network of PAs and designing new ones, while considering mega‐diverse taxa such as insects, will be essential for implementing effective conservation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to a critical analysis of the legacy of Edmund Spencer – a nineteenth century British travel writer and author of numerous books and articles on Circassia and the Caucasus. The widespread use of Spencer's work by historians notwithstanding, until now there has been no published biography of the author, which led to a proliferation of claims about his background and the timing and circumstances of his visit to Circassia. This article contributes to the correction of this omission by presenting the results of the latest biographical research on Edmund Spencer, based on manuscript and printed primary sources. Despite doubts expressed by some historians about the existence of such a person, the article conclusively proves that Edmund Spencer was indeed a real historical personage. Furthermore, since until now no attempt has been made to evaluate the reliability of Spencer's works on Circassia as historical sources, the article examines references to Spencer in contemporaneous manuscript sources, such as the British, French and Russian diplomatic, military and intelligence correspondence and reports, finding that available documentary evidence refutes the author's claim of a visit to the interior of Circassia. The attitudes of Western scholars of the period and of foreign visitors to Circassia raise further serious doubts about the authenticity of Spencer's travelogues. The article calls into question Spencer's account of his travels in Circassia as a source of geographic, ethnographic and sociological knowledge, concluding that it was a nothing more than a fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic flora of Dagestan, the diverse region connecting the Caucasian and Aralo-Caspian floristic provinces, received little research effort. Therefore, we conducted two expeditions across aquatic and wetland habitats of Dagestan in June and September 2021 and analyzed public records of aquatic plants from the GBIF database. We report new data on distribution of 35 aquatic vascular plants taxa in Dagestan. A hybrid between Ranunculus peltatus and R. trichophyllus was firstly reported in Russia, although no occurrences of R. peltatus are known in the country. Najas major and hybrid Potamogeton × salicifolius (P. lucens × P. perfoliatus) are new to the Caucasus, and five more species are new to Dagestan (Myriophyllum sibiricum, Najas graminea, Potamogeton pusillus, Typha domingensis, Utricularia minor). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1901 the Empress Alexandra Russian Muslim Boarding School for Girls, better known as Taghiyev's Girls' School for the industrialist who founded it, opened in Baku to celebration in the press and to protests in the street. Its opening initiated a period of expanded educational opportunities for Muslim girls in the southern Caucasus and increased the visibility and social and political influence of Muslim women teachers. This article investigates how girls' schools marked a transformation in Muslim women's sociality in the southern Caucasus. Heterosocialization characterized this transformation, enabling women's participation in public life through venues such as the theater, the press, and voluntary associations. These late imperial transformations and the women who led them would play an important role in shaping early Soviet Azerbaijan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located at the crossroads of two continents and at the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Basin, Anatolia was one of the most important Pleistocene glacial refugia in the Western Palaearctic. As part of the Irano-Anatolian, Caucasus and Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspots, this region is also home to a rich avian community including nearly 400 breeding species. Nevertheless, research addressing the genetic structure and diversity of local bird populations is limited, and information on glacial refugia in this region is still scant, especially when compared to other large Mediterranean peninsulas, namely the Balkan, Italian and Iberian ones. In this study, we contribute to filling this gap by addressing the biogeographic pattern of four common resident songbirds—the Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), the great tit (Parus major), the Eurasian chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)—and one endemic species—the Krüper's nuthatch (Sitta krueperi)—by amplifying two mitochondrial DNA genes in individuals from Anatolia (n = 329) and comparing their sequences to those of conspecifics from the rest of their distribution range across the western Palaearctic (n = 357) deposited in public databases. The overall genetic structure of these species is consistent with a scenario of isolation for multiple populations in different refugia across Anatolia and subsequent secondary contact in the wake of ice retreat, which makes this region a hotspot of genetic diversity for both widespread and endemic avian species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the Kutaisi Trial (1878–80), a little-known case of blood libel in the Caucasus, in which nine Jewish men stood accused of involvement in the killing of a Georgian girl. All defendants were acquitted. While the accusation of killing for allegedly Jewish ritual purposes was not pressed explicitly by the prosecution, the case was widely discussed in terms of blood libel not only by the jurists but also by the authorities, the Georgian villagers, and the press. Existing scholarship on blood libel in Russia has stressed the influence of the Russian administration over court cases and in stirring up intercultural hatred. This article, however, shows much diversity among local and central, administrative and legal actors, and paints a more complex picture of Russian imperial courts and colonialism. It is based on an analysis of archival records from Tbilisi and Kutaisi, published court transcripts, and local and regional newspapers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have carried out a correlation analysis to study relationships between the trace element (TE) composition of mud-volcanic and carbon dioxide fluids in the Greater Caucasus on the one hand and the chemical composition of upper, middle, and lower crust, as well as various kinds of biota on the other hand. It has turned out to be possible to relate the roots of the associated fluid flows with definite stages of the Earth's crust, as well as to point out, in several cases, the kind of the dominant original organic matter. The roots of both carbon dioxide fluids and mud-volcanic fluids were shown to reside in the middle crust. We have compared correlative relationships for deep-seated fluids in the Caucasus with those for oils in several major oil-gas basins in Russia and in the fluid systems of Kamchatka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of the degree of tectonic fragmentation for upper lithosphere following the method of Yu.V. Nechaev (2010) is based on calculations of specific lineament lengths. We used data for three regions—Northwest Caucasus, the Voronezh Anteclise, and the Malko–Petropavlovsk zone in Kamchatka—to test whether other morphometric parameters could be used: specific lengths of "weak" zones, elongation lines and water streams, as well as relief curvature. Their anomalies are confined to seismic areas and to areas of hydrothermal and magmatic activity. We show that the most information is provided by 3D models of tectonic fragmentation that incorporate specific lengths of "weak" zones and water stream lengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reconstructed the technical chaîne operatoire of silver seed bead production in the Maikop culture on the basis of tracewear analysis and experimental research using silver beads from the Early Bronze Age dolmen (c. 3200–2900 bce) in kurgan 2 at Tsarskaya (1898). The results demonstrate that such beads were produced as a "garland" lost wax casting, when a garland of beads is formed on a hollow dry stalk (straw) that burns out during the casting process. The technology of "garland" casting is an original and, probably, the earliest solution in history that helped address the issue of large‐scale production of uniform cast precious metal seed beads. It is not yet clear whether this technology was originally developed in the Caucasus or brought here from Western Asia, where the Maikop culture has its roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speleogenesis in hypogene karst settings may be closely tied to regional tectonic dynamics and concomitant hydrochemical evolution of karst waters. However, placing temporal constraints on these processes can require a wider array of field observations and techniques than for typical karst systems. Herein, we present a comprehensive study of Novoafonskaya Cave (Western Caucasus, Abkhazia). The updated speleogenetic history of the cave comprises four stages: (1) the most ancient, a low-T hydrothermal (ca. 40-50°C) priming stage; (2) the main stage enabled by mixing of upwelling thermomineral and locally recharged common karst waters; (3) the late sulfuric-acid speleogenesis (SAS) stage, which left significant mineralogical overprint (gypsum and a suite of minerals resulting from the alteration of silicate sediments) but did not alter the morphology of the cave appreciably; and (4) the contemporary stage, occurring predominantly in the phreatic and epiphreatic zones. Ages of speleogenetic stages were constrained by radiometric dating (230Th-U and 40Ar/39Ar) and paleomagnetic data, alongside the Quaternary geological history of the region and paleodynamics of the Black Sea level. Conditions for the low-T hydrothermal karstification occurred from Miocene-Middle Pliocene. The main stage, which created the main volumes of the cave, took place from Late Pliocene-Middle Pleistocene. The cave emerged from the phreatic into the vadose zone after ca. 400 ka ago, due to the combined effect of the Black Sea regression and intensification of tectonic uplift in the Caucasus. The presence of sulfidic waters during dewatering led to the development of transient SAS processes during Middle to Late Pleistocene. Dating of calcite underlying SAS-associated overgrowths constrains the cessation of this SAS activity to within the last 147 ka. In its present state, the cave has no connection with thermomineral waters; however, such waters are found deeper in the southern parts of the karst massif (based on the hydrochemistry of Psyrtskha spring), implying that hypogene karstification, primarily driven by mixing corrosion, may still be active deep in the phreatic zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first assessment of dietary exposure to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and associated health risks through milk and dairy product consumption in Armenia. Data on AFM1 in raw milk were obtained from an annual residue monitoring program. Additionally, commonly consumed dairy products (pasteurized milk, cheese, sour cream, curd cheese) were sampled, considering the sources of raw milk used by dairy companies. Per capita consumption of raw milk was sourced from national food balance databases, while individual consumption data for dairy products was collected via a 24 h recall survey with 1400 adult respondents. Detectable levels of AFM1 were observed in 7.14% of raw milk samples (up to 0.334 μg/kg) and, albeit at lower amounts (up to 0.009 µg/kg), in 30% and 40% of sour cream and curd cheese, respectively. The AFM1 levels were lower than the national maximum permitted level (0.5 μg/kg); however, levels in raw milk exceeded the EU ML (0.05 μg/kg). The estimated margin of exposure values for dairy products indicated no significant risk, whereas a reasonable worst-case estimate, using the measurable levels of AFM1 in raw milk consumption indicated a potential public health concern. This study provides a scientific basis for evaluating aflatoxin issues in the Caucasus area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NEW AND DISTINCT CERAMIC TYPES emerged from the cultural centres of the Islamic Caliphate in Western Asia beginning in the eighth century AD. Islamic potters carefully added colour, glaze, and finishes to their vessels, which became luxury items throughout the Caliphate. People within the sphere of influence of the Islamic Caliphate slowly adopted objects, such as unique styles of glazed pottery, which symbolised status and power. The Byzantine Empire and Islamic Caliphate both influenced the material culture of the Southern Caucasus, which ebbed and flowed between them both. In particular, the emerging Caucasian polities in medieval Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan began to produce splashed sgraffito ceramics in the 9th and 10th centuries AD that were very similar to those created by Islamic potters in centres such as Baghdad, Samarra, and Nishapur. Scholars have explained such changes in Caucasian consumption patterns as the result of influence and trade between the Islamic Empire and the Caucasus; however, they have not considered the cultural implications of such a change. My paper discusses how Caucasian elites and eventually even the peasantry used splashed sgraffito to construct their individual and group identities. I examine three sites from the Caucasus where local potters produced and used splashed sgraffito ceramics. I assess Ani in Armenia, Shamkir in Azerbaijan, and Tbilisi in Georgia. My analysis suggests that ceramics played a larger role in the construction of political and individual identity at a time when independent kingdoms were emerging in the Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]