Albegovs

The surname unites a blood-related group of people. A characteristic feature of surnames is the transition of a name from generation to generation, that is, it is a constant part in the names of representatives of one kind or another. The issues of the origin of Ossetian surnames were studied by prominent scientists V. F. Miller, V. I. Abaev and others. Like the surnames of other peoples, Ossetian surnames have their own long process of formation. According to one version, the surname Albegov (Ælbegatæ) was formed from the Turkic male name Albek. The name Albek, in turn, consists of two parts. The first of them is formed from the dialect version of the name Gali - Ali, which is translated into Russian as "great." The second part of the name from the Turkic “bek” is “prince, ruler, chief, head, lord”. Initially, the word “bek” was used as the ancient Turkic military term, but over time it began to be actively used in the formation of composite Turkic names. An earlier example of the genealogical traditions of Ossetians is the Nart epic. The genealogies of the main characters are built in it, their family ties are shown in detail. Thus, in the Ossetian (Nart) epic, a division of the structure of the Nart society into three groups is noted (three Nart tribes - Alægatæ, Æxsærtæggatæ and Boræt [) [Tuganov 1925: 373]. In addition to these three genera, less significant surnames (Albegatæ, Alytæ, Astæ, Sawmæratæ and Čelæxsaratæ) are found in the epic, which are not part of the “three Nart surnames”. They do not participate in the annual meetings of the Narts and feasts of glory in the house of Alagat [Gagloit 1989]. These surnames can be considered secondary. Historians noted that the Albegatæ “Albegovs”, or Ælumbegatæ “Alumbegovs” were considered famous. Sozyryko decided to destroy the Albegat clan and, as the story goes, Totradz, the representative of Albegat was cunningly defeated by Soslan and this clan "disappeared from the earth", leaving only a few representatives (Ossetia. Historical and Ethnographic Handbook / Comp.: Torchinov V. A., Kisiev M. S. -SPb. -Vladikavkaz, 1998, -S.194-195). Dwelling on later studies, it should be noted that the genus "Albegatæ" historians refer to Urs-Tualtæm (Tsalagom). This is the region of the northern highlands of South Ossetia, in front of the Ruksky pass, in the headwaters of the Greater Liakhva. This area is divided into societies: Dzomag, Ruk, Sba, Cheliat, Zgubir, Yerman, Ursdzuar, Aphids. Surname of the gorge was divided into three tribes-estates - Aguzatæ, performing military functions, Kusagontæ and Sidamontæ. In the book of Z. D. Gagloit “Essays on the Ethnography of Ossetians” (Metsniereba Publishing House, Tbilisi, 1974) it is noted that Albegat’s originate from Sidamontæ, which (Sidamontæ), descend from the children of the Ossetian ancestor Os-Bagatar - Tsarazon. Surnames whose genealogy goes back to the tribe of Sidamontæ, the heirs of Os-Bagatar, are recognized in the rank of the all-Ossetian Cult Elite. V.I. Abaev associates the eponym of the name "Sidamontæ" - "Sidamon" (Spitamen) with Scythian-Sarmatian priestly functions. Although it is noted that there is no information about the actual priestly functions of this surname. In addition to the Albegovs, the Bidarov and Ikaevs are also referred to the Sidamont tribe. It should be noted that the ancestors of these three genera were siblings - Albeg, Bitar and Ika. I came to this conclusion on the basis of the census of 1886, where, when describing the names of the Albegovs, Bitarovs and Iakovs, they were written in the census documents by almost the same names (Bitarov, aka Albegov, Ikaev, aka Albegov). Based on the cult of seniority among the mountain peoples and the etiquette code of Ossetians, I assume that the eldest of the brothers was Albeg. The elder brother could not publicly represent himself on behalf of the younger. For example, Albegov aka Ikaev. Based on the label code of Ossetians, the youngest could introduce himself on behalf of the elder, but not vice versa. These three surnames have not yet lost a kinship and call themselves “ærvadæltæ” (immigrants from the same bonfire, that is, relatives leading their descent from one common ancestor, but who are members of different surnames). Ærvadæltæ are considered close relatives and the exogamy rule prevails among them, that is, the prohibition of marriages not only between members of the same kind, but also between members of all clans belonging to the same brotherhood of surnames. Marriage between such related surnames among Ossetians was allowed no earlier than the ninth generation. The Bitarovs and Albegovs had to wage lengthy wars. By the 17th century, they were exhausted by constant raids. Weakened by the devastating invasion of Lame Timur, the Ossetians of the Sadon Gorge tried to conquer the Kabardians and Digorians from the neighboring gorge (according to legend, the Avsaragov Digors played a dramatic role in the fate of the Bitarovs). Exterminated by warriors and diseases, the Albegovs and Ikaevs left the Sadon Gorge. Many of the Bitarovs moved to Zakka (village of Suarh), and from there, through the Main Caucasian Range, part of the Bitarovs' surname moved to South Ossetia and further to Georgia. The confidence that the Albegovs' homeland is Sadon Gorge has been preserved in the tradition of my family. As the elders said, my ancestors lived on the banks of the Sadon River in the village of Bachetta. Once, having prepared dinner, a family in a cauldron discovered a cooked snake. It was assumed that a snake got into the boiler with river water. In my opinion, the snake crawled into the cauldron during the day and in the meager evening light they did not notice it. After this incident, my ancestors left this area, and the inhabitants of Sadon had the proverb “Bachyettag Kalm”. In some sources, in addition to the Albegovs, Ikaevs and Bitarovs, the Alizayevs and Gusaevs are also referred to the ærvadaltæ Albegovs. There is a third interpretation of the ærvadaltал list (Khudalovs - Albegovs - Sedanovs - Kataevs - Gagatsovs - Ikaevs - Godzhievs - Gergievs). This can be explained by the fact that the meaning of the term ærvadaltæ goes back to the so-called large family (стыstr ryggag ’), which included not only relatives, but also cousins, second cousins, etc. brothers and sisters. In this regard, the list of ærvadæltæ is far from complete, for sure there may be other options. So, the most reliable is the information that the Albegovs, Bitarov and Ikaev belong to the "tribe of Sidamont" and their homeland is the Sadon Gorge. In the 17th century, all three surnames (Albegovs, Bitarovs and Ikaevs) were exterminated by constant wars and diseases. This served as their exodus from the Sadon Gorge.

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