On the question of the origin of the Ingush endoethnonym – gIalgIai

Albogachiev Magomed Mikhailovich ORCID: 0009-0006-3925-1554 Student; Department of History; Ingush State University 386001, Russia, Republic of Ingushetia, Magas, Zyazikova ave., 7, room 302 magomed_albogachiyev77@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction. According to our research, the indigenous Nakh families come from two branches – Galgai and Nashkhoy (Nakhchoy). We associate the first one with the ethnarch Kavkas, which is found in Georgian medieval sources. The issue of the occurrence of this branch is investigated in this article.

The self–name of one of the autochthonous Caucasian peoples, the Ingush, is gIalgIai [yalya:y]. In Russian sources, this name in the form of kalkants was first mentioned in 1590 ^{[1, p. 65; 2, p. 154]}. In documents of the 17th century, the forms kalkany, kolkany, kalki, kalkasy are found ^{[1, pp. 62, 66; 2, pp. 154-155]}. The variants kalkan and kalkai are also found in the sources ^{[2, p. 54]}. Their country of residence is designated as Kalkania, Kalkan land, Kalkassky (Kalkan) kabaks ^{[1, pp. 62, 66]}. In our opinion, the term Kalki is a Russian translation of the Ingush self-designation g I alg I ai, and the Kolkans // Kalkans means "inhabitants of Kalkania // Colkania".

"In Georgian sources of the XVII– XVIII centuries, there is another form of Ingush self-designation - gligvi, "the earliest mention of which in the form of gleguda is found in a letter from King Teimuraz, written in Greek and dating back to 1639" ^{[2, p. 158]}. However, the gligs are also mentioned in the sources in the context of events during the reign of Mirian I (II century BC) ^{[3, p. 25]}, as well as the ruler of Kakheti Kvirike III (XI century AD) ^{[4, p. 31; 5, p. 128-129; 6, p. 30; 2, p. 158]}.

Versions of the etymology of the ethnonym g I alg I ai. The Ingush themselves currently tend to derive their national name g I alg I ai from the word g I ala – "residential tower in the mountains" ^{[7, p. 704]}. Therefore, it is not surprising that the most popular version – the ethnonym g I alg I a comes from the word g I ala – "tower" and translates as "inhabitant of towers". Such prominent scientists as, for example, A. N. Genko, Yu. D. Desheriev, I. Yu. Aliroev, etc. were inclined to this version. ^{[7, p. 703; 8, p. 70; 9, p. 15]}, although there were significant differences in their versions. For example, I. Y. Desheriev, erecting the self-designation of the Ingush g I alg I ai to the Turk. G. I. ala – "tower, fortress", considered it possible that it was of late origin ^{[8, p. 70]}. In our opinion, this version is fundamentally wrong and is based on folk etymology. Here are some facts that refute it:

1. Let's start with the fact that not only Galgai lived in the towers. Georgian researchers R. L. Kharadze and A. I. Robakidze also drew attention to this ^{[10, p. 21]}.

2. It should be noted that in the word g I ala the root vowel is long, and in the ethnonym g I alg I a it is short. "The initial sound [gӀ] is an aspirated, back–lingual consonant resembling the Ukrainian fricative [g]. The same sound is represented in the second syllable. The first syllable is stressed with a short middle–lingual [ǎ]. The second one is a long one. The sonorous non–syllabic [th] in the outcome of the mn.ch. form is the mn. ch. formant" ^{[11, p. 31]}. These are different sounds that change the meaning of a word, even though they are written in a letter with one letter (before 1938, the short sound and in the letter is the same. with the letter æ). Therefore, in the case of sounds, a free approach can lead the researcher in the wrong direction.

3. Contradicts the grammar and structure of the Nakh languages. Any agentive suffix in the Nakh languages is attached only to the base of the genitive case, and not the nominative ^{[12, p. 73]}. According to this rule, the ethnonym would have the forms "khalinoy // khailakhoy, Giankhoy // giananoy", and not gIalgIai.

K. Z. Chokaev rejects the connection of the ethnonym Ghalgai with the word Gala ^{[11, p. 35]}. A. N. Genko considered this version unconvincing and, among other things, noted that "this etymology does not count.": 1) due to the presence in the Ingush language of an older form of the Arabic word qa li "fortress, castle"...; 2) with the indication of the foreign-language forms of this word, which all seem to indicate the initial brevity of the first vowel" ^{[7, pp. 703-704]}.

The word gIala itself is considered borrowed from the Turkic languages, where it sounds like qala (qala) – "fortress, city" (Almurzayeva P.H. Borrowed vocabulary of the Chechen language : : abstract of dissertation ... PhD : 02/10/02, 02/10/20. M. [Place of protection: Institute of Linguistics RAS], 2012. - 22 p., p. 14. Retrieved from https://rusneb.ru/catalog/000199_000009_005018855 / ). "Words of Kumyk origin have penetrated into all spheres of life" ^{[7, pp. 759-761]}. Before the spread of the Russian language in the northeast Caucasus, the language of interethnic communication was Kumyk. This has been noted by many researchers ^{[13, p. 17; 14, p. iv; 15, p. 26-27]}. Therefore, in the Vainakh languages, as well as among other peoples of the region, there is a significant layer of borrowings from the Kumyk language, among which, most likely, is the word g I ala.

Below we will try to show that the ethnonym g I alg I ai existed long before the arrival of the Turkic tribes in the North Caucasus. E. Krupnov also believed that the term Galgai was formed in ancient times ^{[6, p. 26]}. The author saw the same term with the meaning "tower" as the basis of this name, but not the Turk. g I ala, a word from the local Caucasian substratum, is also noted by oset. galun – "tower" ^{[6, p. 26]}. A. N. Genko shared a similar opinion, linking the origin of the ethnonym with "the presence in the Ingush language of an older form of the Arabic word quli 'fortress, castle' — qall (which means in the mountains 'village, village'), which got into Ingush, perhaps through the older medium of the Ossetian language, whereas ghalae it comes from the Kumyks" ^{[7, p. 703]}. However, here we not only disagree with the construction of the ethnonym g I alg I ai to the word qall, but also with the fact that the latter is of Arabic origin, and also that the word got into the Ingush language as a result of the Ossetian language. Because, in the same way, we could assume that the Ossetian galun was borrowed from the language of the pre-Ossetian population of Ossetia, related to modern Ingush and Chechens.

In our opinion, kha(l)l (derived from an older form of khalle < hali) nahsk derivative. The verb kholla is "to cover, to cover" ^{[16, p. 99]}. From the same verb come words such as ing. khoalle // khoalleng, Chechen. khallor – "canopy (any room with a roof)" ^{[16, p. 98]}; ing. khaila, Chechen. khelina – "covered" ^{[16, p. 97]}; ing. khaille //khalleng, Chechen. kholar – "cloud, cloud" ^{[16, p. 97]}; eng., Chechen. khollar – "cape, veil" ^{[16, p. 99]}, etc. Apparently, in ancient times the word khalle // khali meant "a room with shelter", i.e. a house. Later, this word began to denote a settlement, that is, a cluster of houses. The same transformation occurred, for example, with the Turkic yurt – "village", which originally meant "enclosed space, house" (compare tur., chagat., kipch. jurt – "place of residence, parking lot, dwelling", alt. jurt "country, state, people", tat. jort "courtyard with buildings, Donsk. The Cossack. house, dwelling, yard, settlement, arrival) ^{[17, pp. 534-535]}.

Note also that in the word ghalæ, the root vowel is not palatalized, as in the word qall . In our opinion, this is due to the fact that in the Kumyk language, when it was borrowed from Arabic, the final vowel -i // -e turned into -a, as a result of which the root vowel was not palatalized.

Perhaps the word khalle was present in the language of the Ubaid tribes (or the so-called banana languages) in Mesopotamia, where it meant "settlement > "fortified settlement, fortress". Later, it was borrowed by Semitic tribes who migrated to the region, including the ancestors of modern Arabs. Further, the word khalleh came from the Arabic language to the Turkic languages.

Based on the above, we come to the conclusion that the word g I ala got into the Vainakh languages from Arabic through Kumyk. An indirect confirmation of this is the fact that the Kumyk sound k- in the Vainakh languages is initially replaced by the sound g I-: ing. gh aræbas – "slave girl" (< cum. to arabash); eng. gh uluq – "business, service, service" , gh uluqcæ – "employee" (< k ulluk, k ullukchi) ^{[7, p. 758]}. We do not observe the same process in the word Khall, which proves the non-Turkic origin of this word in the Nakh languages. Therefore, today in the Vainakh languages there are two words similar in spelling, sound and meaning to designate a settlement: originally Nakh. qäll (qäll) and borrowed from cum. g I ala (ghalæ).

It is difficult to agree with the opinion that the basis of the name g I alg I ai is the word khall (< khalle) for the same reason that in the word gIalgIai the root vowel (a) is short, and in the word khall (as in the word Gala) it is long. Where the term khall is actually present, we hear it clearly. For example, kha kha oi is a union of three settlements within the Galgaev society.

As for the second syllable -gIa (-gha), A. N. Genko noted the ambiguity of its meaning ^{[7, p. 703]}. To date, there are different opinions on this issue. A. S. Kurkiev sees it as a word-forming affix ^{[18, p. 181]}. According to I. Y. Aliroev, -GӀa is a Vainakh syllable denoting a place (cf. ma-GӀara — "up", EgӀa — "down") ^{[19, p. 11]}. According to another Chechen researcher, K. Z. Chokaev, -GӀa is a suffix of a person ^{[11, p. 32]}. Yu. D. Desheriev considers -g I a to be a transformation from the Nakh affix of tribal affiliation -ho" ^{[8, p. 70]}. However, as noted above, any agentive suffix in the Nakh languages is attached only to the base of the genitive case, and not the nominative ^{[12, p. 73]}. According to this rule, if we assume that the ethnonym is based on the word khayll (or g I ala), then it would have the form Giankhoy, khayll(n)hoi, and not gIalgIai.

There is also a version linking the ethnonym g I alg I ai with the word g I alg I – "shield" ^{[20, p. 8]}. According to it, the Ingush received their self-name due to the fact that they wore shields until the 19th century, while other peoples stopped wearing them. It follows from this that the term g I alg I ai is of very late origin, which is inconsistent with the fact that this ethnonym in the form of kalki, kalkany, gligv, gleguda, etc. is found in sources much earlier than this time (see above). According to the rules of the Kumyk language (and the Turkic languages in general), the "shield–bearer" is qalqanchy// qalqandar or qalqanyorychy, etc. Compare Azerbaijan. qalxandaşıyıcısı – "shield bearer" (online translator. Retrieved from https://translate.yandex.ru /), the Turk. kalkangemisi // kalkan taşıyıcı – "shield bearer" (online translator. Retrieved from https://translate.yandex.ru/ ). Or the Tatars. kalkan yortuche in the same meaning (online translator. Retrieved from https://translate.yandex.ru /) and so on. That is, a qalqan is a shield, not a shield–bearer. Thus, the version with the word kalkan – "shield" does not stand up to criticism.

Based on the results of our research, in our opinion, the version of K. Z. Chokaev looks the most plausible, who notes: "In both the Chechen and Ingush languages, the ethnonym is etymologically divided into two parts GӀal+GӀa in the form of a unit and GӀal+GӀai in the form of a plural" ^{[11, p. 31]}. The author draws a parallel with gielaga in the Gorno-Chechen dialects and believes that the name g I alg I ai is based on Gal, the name of the cult of the Sun and Sky of the pre–Islamic beliefs of the Ingush and Chechens, and the final GӀa is a suffix of the person, which together means "people praying to Gal" ^{[11, p. 32]} (interestingly, G. A. Melikishvili also saw the Urartian tribal suffix in the name of Kolkha in the final ha (see below)). According to Professor B. A. Alborov, the cult of Gala originated in the Assinsky gorge of Ingushetia ^{[21, p. 353]}. However, the scientist notes that the word Gal could have been formed from the more ancient Ingush terms Hal(a) and Al(a), which meant "god" ^{[21, p. 356]}.

While agreeing that the first part of the ethnonym g I alg I ai is associated with the name of the cult Gal // G I al, at the same time, in the final g I a(y) we see not a suffix of a person or tribal affiliation, but a tribal name associated with the eponym G I a in Vainakh mythology, with to which the Ingush attributed their origin and self-designation ^{[22, pp. 134-135; 11, p. 31]}. In other words, the term g I alg I ai is based on the ethnonyms gal (g I al) and g I ai. Perhaps, initially, they were the names of cults that the ancestors of the Vainakh worshipped in paganism. In the article "On the origin of the Georgian name of the ancestors of the Nakh peoples "Kists" and its connection with some ancient ethnonyms of the Near East and the Caucasus" (currently in the process of publication), we examined in detail the origin of the first part of the ethnonym gIalgIai and linked it with the ancient ethnonyms Gela, Hala, Khalda, Kola, etc. In this article, we will focus on the origin of the second part of the Ingush endoethnonym, which is an important component of it.

The origin of the ethnonym g I alg I ai in the light of folk traditions. The ancestors of the Nakh peoples are derived by scientists from the territory of the Armenian Highlands and the southeastern Black Sea region, and are considered related to the Hurrians-Urartians ^{[23, pp. 78-114; 24, pp. 164-207]}. Modern Armenians largely inherited the Hurrian-Urartian culture, and a considerable part of them joined the emerging Armenian ethnic group after the death of the Van state in the sixth century BC ^{[25, pp. 165, 236]}. Therefore, we decided that it would be useful for our research to compare information from Armenian and Georgian sources about the origin of the Armenian people, with information from the traditions of the Nakh peoples about their origin.

According to legend, the ancestor of the Armenians was Hayk (Hayk // Hayk, arm. Հայկ [Hayk]), the son of Torgom (Bibl. Fogarmy) ^{[26, p. 58; 27, p. 845; 28. 565]}. Gaik is also the founder of the legendary Aikazuni dynasty (Gaikids) ^{[26, p. 59; 28, p. 565]}. In the medieval work "The Life of the Kartlian Kings", the author of which is considered to be a Georgian bishop and historian of the XI century. Leonti Mroveli ^{[29, p. 8]}, Gaosa was named the ethnarch of the Armenians. ^{[29, pp. 3, 21, 44]}. According to the author's genealogical scheme, Gaos, like Hayk in Armenian sources, is named the son of Torgom (Targamos) and the first among his descendants ^{[29, p. 21]}.

The Vainakh tradition says that the ancestor of all the Vainakhs was a man named Ga (Nahsk. G I a) ^{[30, pp. 315-316; 31, p. 21]}. U. B. Dalgat writes: "If it is impossible to speak directly about the historical affiliation of the eponymous traditions of the Chechens and Ingush, about their mythical ancestors – Ga (one of the ancestors of the Chechen clans: Akkintsev, Melkhiy, Galai), Ako, Shoto, Tsikma with which they associate their origin and settlement, it is quite possible to recognize their historical meaning" ^{[32, p. 49]}.

The final -os in the name Gaos, apparently, appeared under the influence of the Greek language. L. Mroveli was an Orthodox priest ^{[29, p. 9]}, and Greek, as is known, is the language of Orthodoxy. The chronicler also used works, including those by Byzantine authors ^{[29, p. 13]}. In other words, Gaos is Ga, whose name we compare with the name of the legendary ancestor of the Ingush (and in general the Nakh peoples) Ga.

As for the Armenian form of the eponym Hayk, the final -k (-kh) here is a suffix, with the help of which the plural of nouns is formed in ancient Armenian ^{[33, p. 248 (approx. № 87)]}. We also assume that the final -k is an Armenian toponymic suffix, possibly related to the Hurrian-Urartian suffix of belonging (to the country). hi ^{[34, p. 90]}. Apparently, Gaik is both a country name and a tribal name, but it is formed not from a toponym, as Movses Khorenatsi believes, but from the ethnonym guy (hai) ^{[33, p. 248 (approx. № 87)]}. Perhaps the Georgian-Nakh Gaos // Ga is the eponym of the people, while Gaik is the eponym of the country of this people.

In the reports of L. Mroveli, Ga (os) is called the brother of other ethnarchs of the Caucasian peoples ^{[29, p. 21]}, and in the Vainakh account, Ga is called the father of the brothers ^{[30, p. 315]}. But in another legend, Ga already acts as a "brother" ^{[32, p. 49]}. In the legend "Turpal's Descendants", Ga is called the elder brother for Nakhcho and Arstho ^{[30, pp. 314-315]}, i.e. in this case, his status coincides with the status of Gaos in the work of L. Mroveli. Thus, Ga in some legends acts as a father for Gilg, Nakhcho, etc., and in others as a brother. In some cases, Ga and Galga act as one person. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Ingush remained pagan longer than the Chechens and, consequently, revered Ga longer, and the Chechens began to identify Ga with the Galgai. Or it indicates a close meaning of the eponyms G I a and G I alg I a, confirming the opinion that the final one is g I a in the ethnonym g I alg I a, the same root as the name of the ethnarch of the Vainakhs GIa. Thus, when in some legends, where Ga acts as a brother for other Vainakh eponyms, it is possible that Galga, more precisely Gal (i.e. Kist), is meant. Interestingly, in the legend of Turpal's "Offspring," a common ancestor for Ga, Nokhcho, and Arstkho is someone named Turpal. If in some legends, Galga acted as a brother to Nakhcho and other Vainakh eponyms, then here he is called the son of their brother Ga ^{[30, pp. 314-315]}. In this legend, Ga replaced Galg, and in later versions of the legend, the latter returned to the status of Ga's son.

It remains to be seen who Turpal was, who replaces Ga as the common ancestor of the Vainakhs. If we talk about Nakhcho, there is only one legend where he acts as the common ancestor of all the Vainakhs. Here he is called the father of twelve sons, from whom the societies "Ichkeri, Aukh, Chabirli, Shubukhi, Chateau, Dzumso, Brush, Tsori, Galash, Galgai, Jerakh and Angusht" allegedly originated ^{[35, pp. 89-90]}. But it is clear that this legend is of a later origin, because it includes the Aukhov, Ichkerian, Galashev, and Angushta societies, which were formed only after the Ingush and Chechens migrated to the plane. The appearance of this legend is probably connected with the strengthening of planar Chechnya, which was noted by B. K. Dalgat ^{[36, p. 60]}. Here we note that B. K. Dalgat uses the term Chechens in two meanings: broadly, it corresponds to the modern term Nakh peoples; in the narrow sense, it refers to the Chechens themselves ^{[36, pp. 40-42, 219-220]}. In this case, this ethnonym author is used in a broad sense.

Perhaps Turpal is an epithet of Ghana (Nahsk. G I an), which in some legends is found as the ancestor of Ga ^{[32, p. 427]}. However, we are still inclined to believe that in this case we are talking about Ga. The fact is that N. F. Yakovlev also cites a legend about the origin of the Ingush from a certain Turpal who came to the mountains of Ingushetia from Arabia ^{[37, pp. 39-41]}. According to other sources, the ethnarch of the Ingush came from Syria [Martirosian 1928: 35]. Another source mentions the name of this ethnarch: "The Ingush legend says that the ancestor of the Ingush people, a certain Galga, came from Syria to the Caucasus Mountains, the gorge of the river Assi, and built the multi-towered village of Ugi-Kal" ^{[38, p. 49]}. That is, Turpal's ancestor here is Galga. In the Chechen legend recorded by A. P. Berge, their ancestor is the son of Ali from Arabia, Turpal Nakhcho ^{[22, p. 138]}. That is, here Ali replaced Ga in the role of Nakhcho's father. Moreover, in the same legend Turpal Nakhcho is called a Galgaevite ^{[22, pp. 138-139]}. The conclusion suggests itself that Ali from the Chechen legend is the same Turpal from Arabia in the Ingush legend in the work of N. F. Yakovlev, and the same common ancestor of Ga in the legend of Ga's descendants. That is, we see the alternation of the names Ga, Galga, Ali and Turpal. And which of them is the real name of the ancestor? Turpal means "hero, hero" ^{[39, p. 205]} and, apparently, was an epithet to the name of the ancestor. Ali is a Muslim name and was borrowed after the adoption of Islam by the Vainakhs. By the way, Ali is the name of the cousin and son–in-law of the Prophet Muhammad (salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam), his closest associate and the Fourth Righteous Caliph. It is noteworthy that Chechens and Ingush also add the epithet Turpal to his name, and there are many stories about his bravery and valor ^{[31, p. 164]}. Consequently, the name of the eponymous ancestor of the Nakh peoples was different. Based on the above data, we are inclined to believe that the ancestor's real name is Ga, used in conjunction with the epithet Turpal – "hero, hero." The name Ha was replaced in some cases by the Muslim name Ali, and in others by the epithet Turpal. In some cases, Ga replaces Galga in this role. And the fact that in the legend Ga is called the common ancestor of the Vainakhs, in the Chechen legend Ali is associated with the Galgai (descendants of Ga), and his son is called Galgaev, indirectly confirms this conclusion.

The name Turpal is still widely used among the Ingush and Chechens. Therefore, it is quite possible that Turpal Nakhcho means "Nakhcho son of Turpal" (i.e. son of Ali). This is consistent with the fact that in the tradition cited in the work of N. F. Yakovleva ^{[37, pp. 39-41]}, Turpal (as well as Ga) is called the common ancestor of the Ingush. Therefore, we believe that the legend of the descendants of Ga ^{[30, 314-315]} reports the real name of the common ancestor of the Vainakhs, and Turpal is an epithet to his name. That is, in ancient times, the ancestors of the Nakh peoples called their mythical ethnarch Turpal G I a – "bogatyr (hero) Ga", but could be called without an epithet – G I a, or simply Turpal – "hero, hero".

Thus, Ga is not the ethnarch Galgaev (their eponym is Galga), but is the same "common ancestor" who received the epithet Turpal ("hero"), and after the adoption of Islam his name was replaced by the name of the Muslim hero Ali. This conclusion is consistent with the fact that in the legend Ga is called a "'powerful' man" ^{[30, p. 315]}. In the Armenian legend, Hayk is called a "mighty giant", famous among others for his bravery ^{[33, p. 43]}. L. Mroveli's reports about Gaos say: "And these brothers were heroes. But the best of those heroes was Gaos, for there was no one like him in body, strength, and courage either before or after the flood" ^{[29, p. 21]}. At the same time, the Nut is called a bogatyr (arm. Հայկ դյուցազուն [Hayk Dyutsazun] – "Hayk–Bogatyr") ^{[40, p. 165; 41, p. 621]}. The epithet "Bogatyr" corresponds to the description given in the message by L. Mroveli and M. Horenation of the personality of Gaos (Gaika) – "brave, mighty, giant". That is, Gaos is called a hero, and Gaik is called a "hero" ^{[42, p. 106]}, which in the Nakh languages sounds like turpal. A. N. Genko associated this word with bulk. tulfar – "big, strong", karach. tulpar – "brave, hero, giant" ^{[7, p. 759]}.

According to the genealogical scheme of L. Mroveli, the Gaos is the first among the equal "ancestors" of the Caucasian peoples ^{[29, p. 44]}. In the work of M. Khorenatsi, Gaik fights for equality between giants (giants) ^{[33, p. 43]}. We tend to believe that by "giants" we mean other "Caucasian brothers." In other words, both authors describe the brothers as mighty heroes.

L. Mroveli also cites the names of the Gaos brothers (Gaika): "the first is Gaos, the second is Kartlos, the third is Bardos, the fourth is Movakan, the fifth is Lek, the sixth is Eros, the seventh is Kavkas, the eighth is Egros" ^{[29, p. 21]}. In the work of V. Aravelzi, "Forgom gave birth to Haik and his seven brothers Kartlos, Kovkas, etc., who inherited the north" ^{[43, p. 18]}. The note here notes: "The history of the Syunik Province of Stepanos, published by us in Moscow this year, says that Forgom had eight, not seven, sons, as it stands, in the original of our Vardan, whose names are as follows: Haik, Kartlos, Bardos, Movkan, Lekan, Kheros, Kovkas and Egres. – Kartlos was the ancestor of the Iberians" ^{[43, p. 18]}. In other words, both sources speak of equality between brothers, but Gaos (Gaik) was the first among equals.

The Vainakh tradition does not explicitly mention equality between brothers, but it is reported here that the enemies "gradually introduced the concepts of "prince" and "slave" among the descendants of Ga" and thus defeated them ^{[30, p. 315]}. That is, they violated equality among the "brothers" in order to defeat them. Perhaps that's why the Nut (Ha(os)) He fought for equality between brothers, which was the reason for their ability to resist the onslaught of enemies. We also find this "equality of giants" in the management system of many ancient peoples, starting from the Sumerian lugals and ending with the Etruscan Lucomones.

According to the legend described in the "History of Armenia" by the historian V. M. Khorenatsi, the mythical ancestor of the Armenians Hayk (Hayk) in the summer of 2492 BC.e. moved from Mesopotamia to the coast of Van (to the territory of the future province of Vaspurakan) together with 300 husbands and their families, founded the state of Hayk (arm. Հայք,Hayk) here and he marked its borders around three lakes: Van, Urmia and Sevan, and all together – around Mount Ararat ^{[42, p.106; 26, p. 58-59; 33, p. 43]}.

At the same time, L. Mroveli reports: "Targamos came with his entire tribe and established himself between two mountains inaccessible to man — Ararat and Masis. And his tribe was great and innumerable, and he had many offspring, children and grandchildren of his sons and daughters, for he lived six hundred years. And the lands of Ararat and Masis did not contain them. These are the borders of the country that they inherited: the Gurgen Sea from the east, the Pontic Sea from the west, the Oretian Sea from the south, and the Caucasus Mountain from the north" ^{[29, p. 21]}.

In the Vainakh tradition, the descendants of Ga are reported: "They say that eight hundred and sixty years ago there lived a man named Ga. He was a very powerful man. Ga had four sons: Nokhcho, Galga, Myalkhe, Akke. They gave birth to a very large offspring; from each of them was formed .an entire tribe, and each of them bore the name of its ancestor. No one dared to fight these tribes. There were no firearms at that time. People wore chain mail, and fought with arrows and spears" ^{[30, p. 315]}. It does not say that the ancestor of the Vainakhs came from somewhere, although other traditions report this (see above).

Further, the legends tell about the struggle of Gaos with enemies. In the Armenian legend, the tyrant of Babylon, Bel Titanides, acts as the enemy of Gaik ^{[26, p. 58; 33, p. 43]}. In the work of L. Mroveli, this is the Mesopotamian ruler Nebrod ^{[29, p. 22]}. The Vainakh legend does not mention the name of the enemy. Here the descendants of Ha were defeated by the aggressors by cunning, violating their equality, and according to L. Mroveli, the brothers led by Ha defeated Nimrod, just as Hayk defeated Bela in the Armenian legend.

The Vainakh legend says: "The surviving descendants of Ga went to the mountains. The descendants of Nokhcho, Galgai, Akke, and Myalkhe settled in the mountains side by side and began to build strong towers. But the enemies, constantly attacking, did not allow people to live there either. They were not allowed to plow or graze cattle" ^{[30, p. 316]}. According to L. Mroveli, Gaos also moved to the mountain gorges: "When Nebrot found out [about this, he] marched on Gaos with all his own forces. Gaos did not have an army equal to [the army of] Nebrot, [but] he fortified himself in the defiles of Masis" ^{[29, p. 22]}. In the Armenian legend, judging by the fact that in honor of the victory over Bely, Hayk sets up a settlement at the site of the battle and calls it Hayk' ("village of Hay"), and the entire area is Hayoc' jor (i.e. Hay gorge) ^{[26, p. 59; 33, p. 43]}, the battle also It took place in the mountains. Moreover, the White Titanides offered the Haiku to submit to his authority and return to the plain: "You have settled," he tells the Haiku, "in the midst of cold glaciers" ^{[33, p. 43]}.

Further, the Vainakh legend tells about the resettlement of a significant part of the descendants of Ga to other areas: "It was then that one hundred and twenty of the best families, they say, left our country and went to live with other nations" ^{[30, p. 316]}. In the reports of L. Mroveli, it is reported that Gaos remained in the Targamos patrimony, the rest almost all moved to the Caucasus ^{[29, pp. 21-22]}. In the Armenian legend, the descendants of Gaik also move to other regions of Eastern Anatolia and Transcaucasia ^{[26, p. 59; 33, p. 43]}. We may be witnessing an anachronism in the Vainakh tradition, i.e., having moved to the northeastern Caucasus, the Vainakh ancestors transferred their ancient tradition to the history of the development of new territories.

All the above data from Armenian, Georgian and Vainakh sources indirectly confirm that we are talking about the same eponymous ancestor of Ga.

Next, we will talk about the country in which this ancestor settled. In the work of L. Mroveli, it is designated as "The Land of Gaos" ^{[29, pp. 21-22]}, and in Armenian – Haik // Haik (haj-kh with the sound հ ^{[25, p. 210]}) – "the land of Guy" ^{[26, p. 59; 33, p. 43]}. The legend says that after the construction of the tower in Babylon, Gaik refuses to obey the tyrant of Babylon, Bel Titanides, and goes with his large family to the northern lands ^{[26, pp. 58-59; 33, p. 43]}. "At the beginning, he stops at the foot of one mountain (Ararat /Arrad of Korduena; assyr. Niebuhr, Arabic/Turkish Judy). Then he leaves this place to Kadmos (perhaps the eponym kutiev (gutium); compare also with the name of a native of O. Cadmus of Crete from Greek mythology), the son of his eldest son Aramaneak (possibly the eponym of immigrants from the city of Shum. Ur) and comes to live in Armenia, in the county of Hark', northwest of Lake Van" ^{[26, pp. 58-59; 33, p.. 43]}. Apparently, it was this country (or rather what remained of it by that time) from the middle of the 2nd millennium BC to the northwest of Lake Baikal. Van is found in Hittite sources under the name Hayasha (Hayasa). I. M. Dyakonov localizes Hayasha in the upper reaches of the Chorokh and Euphrates rivers ^{[25, pp. 80-81]}. But it is possible that in an earlier period, this country occupied most of the Armenian Highlands. This is indirectly confirmed in the reports of L. Mroveli, where it is said that the Gaos received almost the entire fiefdom of Targamos ^{[29, p. 22]}.

A number of scientists etymologize the term Hayasha (Hayasa) as the "land of the Hays" ^{[44, pp. 25-66.]}. Apparently, Hayasha is the country that is referred to in L. Mroveli's work as the "Land of Gaos" ^{[29, p. 21]}. Regarding the ending -sa, I. M. Dyakonov notes: "The basis of the word հայք is հայո (and not, say, *հայա-), and there are no traces of the suffix -sa in it. G. A. Kapantsyan interprets it as an ancient Asian toponymic suffix -ssa(s), which is really widespread throughout Asia Minor.. But there is one area where this suffix does not occur at all, and that is Armenia. Therefore, in the word "Hayasa" the element -sa, if it is a suffix, is unrelated to the ancient Armenian language; but it is possible that it forms the basis of the word; it is very difficult to explain its absence in the word հայք, assuming its origin from the term Խայասա" ^{[25, p. 211]}. But this suffix, like the Haisha form, is present in the Nakh languages and toponymy, as will be discussed below. According to G. J. Gumb, Gaos// Haik is the eponym of the Hurrians-Urartians ^{[45, pp. 390, 403]}. In the 11th century AD, L. Mroveli calls Gaos the ancestor of the Armenians, which, in our opinion, is an anachronism (i.e., Gaos is the eponym of the indigenous population of Nairi, which largely became part of the modern Armenian people) ^{[46, p. 294]}.

Next, let's find out what the Vainakh legends say about the country from where they came to their modern place of residence. The Chechen legend tells about the Nakhchivan area as the homeland of the Nokhchis (Chechens) ^{[47, p. 214]}, which researchers associate either with the Azerbaijani city of Nakhichevan or the village of Nakhichevan in the Kagyzman district of the Kars region ^{[47, p. 214]}. There is no tradition in Ingush sources that traces their ancestors back to Nakhchivan. But here it refers to the area of Gaisha // Haisha (ing. I aisha), as the ancestral homeland of the Galgai ^{[48, p. 30; 32, p. 49; 36, p. 61-62]}. The ruins of the tower complex with that name (Chechen Geshi) are still visible on the right side of the Geshikha River at the foot of Mount Bastylam opposite the Bugichu Gorge in the mountainous Itum-Kalinsky district of Chechnya bordering Ingushetia (Ruins of the Geshi tower complex. https://www.checheninfo.ru/179043-razvaliny-bashennogo-kompleksa-geshi.html ; Timur Agirov. Geshi Tower Complex (18 photos, 4 panoramas) - Mountainous Chechnya. The Open Caucasus. https://openkavkaz.com/che/geshi/ ). The name G I aisha, in our opinion, means "the country of the GIA", where the final -sa // -sha – "country, region" ^{[11, p.30]}. Perhaps sha is a derivative of chu // cha – "in (postposition), inside (adverb)" ^{[39, p. 486]}, obtained as a result of deaffrication of the first element of the particle. This phenomenon is common in the Vainakh languages and dialects [see 49, pp. 38, 68, 81, 87]. The word chie derived from it is "inner room" (space) ^{[39, p. 486]} and today in the Ingush language it is used in the meaning of "country // inner region" (cf. from I alg I aiche – "Ingushetia"). But perhaps the ending -sha in the name of G I aisha is a Hittite suffix, also meaning "country".

The digraph g I in the Vainakh languages denotes a consonantal sound, which is a voiced variant of the x sound. Tomoki Kitazumi believes that the Hittite sound ḫ- (as in the word ḪAiaša) should correspond to the Armenian խ- (x-), and not հ- (h-) ^{[50, pp. 512-513]}. The Armenian sign խ in Eastern Armenian and in Western Armenian means the sound x, which is a deaf variant of the voiced uvular spirant ղ ^{[51, p. 13]}. The Armenian consonants խ and ղ are very similar in sound to the Nakh consonants x and g I, and these sounds alternate here ^{[8, p. 70]}. That is, the self-designation of the inhabitants of the Hayasha country could sound like hai or g I ai.

In our opinion, G I aisha in the Argun gorge was named by the ancestors of the Galgai in honor of their distant ancestral homeland in the area of the Chorokh River in the Southeastern Black Sea region. Compare with the fact that in the Armenian legend, Gaik "founds a village to the northwest of Lake Van and calls it by his name – Haykašen, that is, the 'village of Gaika'" ^{[26, p. 59]}. According to I. M. Dyakonov, V. Benetsian, and others, the Hurrians lived in Khayash, not Indo-European tribes ^{[25, p.225; 52, p. 115-116]}, which we agree with. But some historians put forward a version about the Indo-European population of this country, based on the fact that the kings of this country bore Indo-European names. Responding to this, I. M. Dyakonov states that "the connection of the Armenian people and language with Hayasa is unprovable and, in essence, very unlikely" ^{[25, p. 213]}.The scientist criticizes the attempts of some Armenian historians to derive the name Hayasha from Indo-European languages ^{[25, pp. 211-213]}. However, even if we assume that the Khayashi kings were Indo-Europeans, this does not prove that the population was Indo-European. For example, in Mitanni, the ruling dynasty, according to scientists, was Indo-European. I. M. Dyakonov writes that the range of Indo-European names "coincides with the range of the Hurrian language... and it belongs to the Aryan (Indo-Iranian) branch of the Indo-European languages (among other things, and the names of the kings of the Hurrian state of Mitanni)" ^{[25, p. 29]}. As the scientist points out, "proper names preserved by other sources give almost nothing ... it is not so much the linguistic affiliation of the dynasties as the people that is important" ^{[25, pp. 241-245]}. For example, Tarishmatum, the wife of an Assyrian colonist in Kanet (XIX century BC), "lived part of her life in Kanet, then moved to Ashur... During her stay in Anatolia, she gave birth to a daughter, who was given the name Hattium" ^{[53, p. 69]}.

In the 5th–4th centuries BC in Lycia, the nobility adopted Iranian names. "An Indian tombstone inscription of the fourth century says that the tomb belonged to Khlasigini (Lycian name), the son of Megabat (Iranian name)" ^{[46, p. 287]}. "The Persian satrap of Babylonia, Gubaru, named his son by the Babylonian name Nabugu. The Persians Artabar, Bagadat, Bagak, Ushtabazan and others, who lived in Nippur in the 5th century BC, gave their children the purely Babylonian names Nidintu-‘Bel’, ‘Bel’-ibni, Nana-nadin’, etc. The Babylonians also gave their children Aramaic Iranian and other foreign names" ^{[46, p. 291]}. It should be noted that "in most cases, the Egyptians who lived in Babylonia, ... trying to adapt to their ethnic environment, began to give their children Babylonian names" ^{[46, p. 293]}. "A colony of Armenians and Milidajs (urastaja, milidajs) was located on the banks of the Euphrates of Nippur – the first name meaning "Urartians" is an anachronism and means Armenians in this era..." ^{[46, p. 294]}. "There were also Babylonians in the Elephantine garrison... Sometimes the father has a Babylonian name, and the son has an Iranian name, or vice versa" ^{[46, p. 301]}. Both in L. Mroveli's work and in the Armenian sources themselves, Gaos (Haik) is called a brother to other Caucasian peoples, none of whom represent an Indo-European people in language. Perhaps, after the Indo–European invasion in the late 3rd - early 2nd millennium BC, the Hurrian formations located to the west, northwest and southwest of the Urartians took the brunt, and Indo-European dynasties came to power here, replacing local ruling families.

At the same time, I. M. Dyakonov notes a huge layer of substratum vocabulary in the Armenian language, which indicates that the local Hurrian-Urartian population was not displaced, but became part of the emerging Armenian ethnic group ^{[25, p. 230]}.

So, according to mythology, the ethnarch of the Armenians was named Guy(k), who is northwest of Lake Baikal. Van founded a village (or country) in the Khark area A nut and a Nutshare. In the Ingush legend, ethnarch Ga came from the area of Gaisha. L. Mroveli also reports on the country of Gaos on the territory of the Armenian Highlands (see above). At the same time, the existence of a country called Hayasha (Hayasa) in the area of the Choroh River is recorded in Hittite sources ^{[25, pp. 210-211]}, which speaks in favor of the realism of information from Vainakh, Georgian and Armenian sources.

If in the Vainakh tradition the father of Ha is called Gan (see below), then in Armenian and Georgian sources this role is performed by Targam. Moreover, according to L. Mroveli, Gaos settled on the territory of the Armenian Highlands, headed by his father, and the "country of Gaos" was originally called Targam. If we assume that all these names are eponyms of real-life peoples and tribes, then it is quite possible that Targam (Torgom) represented the ruling family among the descendants of Gaos. It is noteworthy that the medieval castle settlement of Targim (ing. I argam) remains in the mountains of Ingushetia, which (along with neighboring Egikal and Khamkhi) served as the capital of Galgai. Natives of this settlement among the Ingush acted as leaders when resettling to other places and the country. For example, in the area of modern Nazran, the Ingush settled under the leadership of Ortskha Kartskhal Targimsky ^{[36, p. 70]}. The Gaos people also migrated from Mesopotamia to the Armenian Highlands under the leadership of Targam ^{[29, p. 21]}. The first king of Urartu was named Aram, and in the mountains of Ingushetia there is the Armkhi River (eng. I Aramhiy), whose name we etymologize as "Aram River". Apparently, the ancestors of the Vainakhs transferred the ancient Hurrian-Urartian names to a new place of their settlement in the mountains of the Northeastern Caucasus.

The most important component of a nation is its religion. The main cult of the Van kingdom was Khaldi (Hal-di). Regarding the origin of his name, B. B. Piotrovsky writes: "The etymology of the name Khaldi is also unclear; it has been suggested that his name is based on the root hal, meaning heaven in the languages of western Transcaucasia, and then the name of the main Urartian 'god' will mean heavenly" ^{[54, p. 260]}. We etymologize urart. Khaldi is known as Khal-ardi, where the second part is associated with the name of the city of Ardini, the center of this cult ^{[55, p. 37; 56, p. 23]} and with the name of the tribe of the Orteans mentioned in Syrian sources, who lived in the Anjit region as early as the sixth century AD and spoke a peculiar language that differs from Armenian., and from the Syriac language ^{[57, p. 22 (approx. № 1)]}. According to the modern Ingush-Russian dictionary, erd(a) (or erdi ^{[31, p. 109]}) means "sanctuary//temple" ^{[39, p. 185]}. We associate the first part of the Hal with the cult of the sun, sky and thunderstorm Gela // G I eloy // XIalo in ancient Kazakh pagan beliefs ^{[58, p. 83; 11, p. 12, 28, 32]}, Helium in ancient Greek mythology ^{[28, p. 144]}. On the Ts I im-Lom ridge (i.e., the "Tsu Ridge" or "sacred mountain") is Mount Gaikomd (eng. Khei-Koam) ^{[59, p. 148]}, which also bears the name G I al-Yerd-Kort or Gel-Kort (compare. From Kaikhok is a mountain in the Fiagdon gorge of Ossetia. Retrieved from https://motivator-tour.ru/kaihoh2 ). On this mountain, where the sunrise horizon opens, the Gal Yerda Temple was discovered (Retrieved from https://ing-arheologiya.ru/index.php/218-osmotr-gory-gal-erd-kort ).

In ancient Kazakh mythology, the name Gela was used in conjunction with the word yerda (erdi) – as G I al-yerda (Gal-erdi) ^{[60, p. 126]}, or Gil-yerda // Gilerd ^{[31, p. 49, 50-51]}, etc. In other words, one of the main cults of the ancestors of the Nakh peoples, as well as the Urartians, was G I al-yerda // Khalardi.

The Armenians did not inherit the Urarto-Hurrian religion. It was replaced by the religion of the Medes or the Indo-European ancestors of the Armenians. Strabo (XI.14.16) reports: "The Medes and Armenians revere all the sacred rites of the Persians. The cult of Anaitis is especially revered by the Armenians, who built sanctuaries in various places in honor of this 'goddess', including in Akilisen" ^{[61, p. 501]}. And later they converted to Christianity.

Etymology of the name guy (hai). I. M. Dyakonov traced the endoethnonym of the Armenians hai to hat' ios ^{[62, pp. 34-63; 63, p. 173]}. However, there is no evidence that Armenians ever called themselves Khati(os). We tend to believe that the name hay was inherited by modern Armenians from the ancient Hurrian population of Nairi and Eastern Anatolia. It is believed that Hayk is the eponym of the Urartians, as well as Armenians of Urartian origin ^{[45, pp. 390, 403, 418]}. As noted above, according to medieval Armenian and Georgian sources, the descendants of Gaik (Gaos) migrated to the Armenian Highlands and the Caucasus from the territory of Mesopotamia ^{[45, pp. 388-391]}. This is also confirmed by DNA studies. The gene pool of the Caucasian population was formed by ancient migrations from the Near East ^{[23, pp. 78-114]}. In our opinion, the main part of the Hurrian-Urartians belonged to haplogroup J2, and this ‘Proto-Caucasian" and "Hurrian-Urartian" haplogroup, judging by the available data, migrated from the territory of Mesopotamia and Eastern Anatolia."The Hurrian-Urartian (according to genetic scientists) subgroup J2a1b-M67 originates in Anatolia... Their modern descendants, as well as the descendants of the first speakers of the J2a1b-M67 subgroup, belong to the Caucasian linguistic macrofamily and, moreover, they also show a genetic relationship with the Hurrian-Urartian languages" (see Chokaev H. K., Chokaev A. H., Arsanov P. M. "On the origin of the Chechen and Ingush peoples in the light of these genetic research. Retrieved from https://proza.ru/2014/05/25/119 )

If we proceed from the information provided by Armenian and Georgian medieval sources, and from the opinion that the Hurrian-Urartians and the Nakh peoples, as well as part of the tribes of the Arak, Maikop, Colchido-Koban (and other related) cultures, represent Ubeido-Uruk migrations from Mesopotamia and Syria, then look for the roots "the descendants of Gaos (Gaik) should be in the places of their exodus.

The cult of scribal art is found in Mesopotamian beliefs. Hay (ḪAya) ^{[64, p. 275]} and grain ^{[65, p. 17]}. The latter is disputed by M. Weeden, considering that "etymological considerations" may not be entirely reliable ^{[66, (b. p.)In the hymn, Indagara/Haya (along with Kusu) is called the supplier of "the magnificent dishes of An and Enlil in their large dining room" [64, p. 295]}.

Researchers link Haya is associated with Ea and Eblait Haya ^{[66, (b. p.)]}, although this is not generally accepted ^{[67, p. 98]}. M. Sivil also connects Haya with Ea, while noting that in ancient Babylonian sources these two cults were considered separate ^{[68, p. 43-64; 69, p. 422]}. Haya was already found in the lists of sacrifices and was actively worshipped, while Ea was found only among the theophoric names ^{[69, p. 423]}. However, all this does not mean that their names have different roots. We are of the opinion that the name Haya was borrowed by the Semites of Mesopotamia from Sumerian mythology, while retaining the initial consonant x [γ].

In the south of Mesopotamia, in the 6th-5th millennium BC, the Sumer civilization began to emerge ^{[70, p. 10]}. There is a consensus in modern science that the Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian civilizations, and after them the cultures of the entire Western Asia, have their roots in the territory inhabited by the Sumerians (the lower reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flowing into the Persian Gulf), the oldest people of Mesopotamia, which we know about from written monuments left by them ^{[71, p. 30; 72, p. 14]}.

A number of researchers associate the Sumerians with the Hurrians-Urartians ^{[73, pp. 1-23 ; 74, p. 14]}, (Sumerians had connections with the Caucasus. scientificrussia. Scientific Russia. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20210415032734/https://scientificrussia.ru/articles/shumery-imeli-svjazi-na-kavkaze). Based on this, let's try to identify the role and status of Enki in the Sumerian pantheon and etymologize his name.

Enki, Ea (Ea) is one of the three main cults in Sumerian mythology, the cult of underground waters and the World Ocean, the main cult of the city of Eridu ^{[71, p. 38]}, founded by Enki himself ^{[71, p. 46]}, and where his main temple, called Abazu, was located // Engurra (Akkad. Absu) ^{[71, p. 51]}. But, judging by the information from the myth "Enki and the universe", Ea was originally a cult of grain, bins, harvest, fertility and water ^{[71, pp. 45-46]} and was of great importance in the mythology of the ancient Sumerians, being the main one after An. The status of Enki in the Sumerian pantheon is confirmed in the myth of Enki and Ninn, which states that Enki originally owned me until they were stolen by Inanna ^{[71, p. 50]}. Possession of me, according to the beliefs of the Sumerians, meant the use of full power ^{[71, p. 46]}.

In the Akkadian-Babylonian myth, it is reported that originally Apsu, "his wise adviser" Mummu and Tiamat, "the mother of all living things" (analog shum. Nammu?) They lived in the Ocean, "mixing their waters together" ^{[71, p. 51]}. Lahmu and Lahamu were the first to appear. Anshar was born from him, who "created Anshar's firstborn son Anu in his own image" ^{[71, p. 52]}. Ea was born from Anu, who was also like his father, and "he had no equal among the 'gods', his brothers" ^{[71, p. 52; 72, p. 19]}.

The name of the country of gold, silver and copper Melukha is also interesting ^{[71, pp. 45-46]}, which probably means "sunny country" (cf. nakhsk. mailha – "sunny"). This is logical if we remember that the sun is associated with the golden color.

His Akkadian epithets were applied to Hai (Ea), such as "'lord' of wisdom," and in Hurrian sources he played the same role as in Mesopotamia ^{[75, p. 10.]}. According to A. Archi, his position in the Hurrian pantheon was comparable to that of Kumarbi or Kushukh and with the one he occupied in Babylonia ^{[76, pp. 28, 30]}. Such a high status of Ea is also confirmed in the Mitanni sources ^{[77, pp. 54-55]}.

Some researchers derive the name Haya from the Semitic language ^{[67, pp. 90, 97]}. However, we do not agree with this conclusion. It is believed that Enki merged with the cult of Ea (Haya). But here, apparently, this is not an entirely accurate definition. As noted above, Enki was also a cult of grain, bins, harvest and fertility, that is, he was associated with land and agriculture. Indeed, in Sumerian, ki means "land, country" ^{[78, p. 104]}, from which the name of the female cult of Ki in Sumerian mythology is derived ^{[78, p. 104]}. Apparently, the name of the cult was borrowed by the ancient Greeks in the form of Gaia, as well as the very word ki - "earth" (in other Greek. γῆ, γᾶ, ΓαῖΑ — "Earth"). In Mycenaean, Ma-ka, or Ma-ga, meant "Mother Earth" and contained the root ga ^{[79, pp. 269-270]} (cf. The Etruscan. Kel(e) – "earth". Retrieved from https://empycku.livejournal.com/1147.html ). We believe that Ki and Haya (Ea) are words of the same root meaning "arable land". Interestingly, scientists believe that Khai is connected with the Hutt Kite (cult of grain), whose name is written as ḫa-i-a-am-ma ^{[67, p. 94]}. In this regard, we note that in the Nakh languages, kha (k.n. unit.ch. khai) means "arable land, field, arable field" ^{[39, p. 234]}; k I a (k I i) means "wheat" ^{[39, p. 259]}. The root vowel in the word kha is "arable land", as in the eponym G I a, long and these words have virtually the same sound. The sounds kx, x, and g I often alternate in the Nakh languages ^{[8, p. 70]}. For example, an adverb. ukhaza – "here, here, here" ^{[39, p. 408]}, pronounced in live speech as ukhaz / ukhaz // ug I az. Or, for example, the word "Cossack" (from Turks. qazaq) ^{[25, approx. № 81]}. In the Vainakh languages, it has the form g I azkhe ^{[39, p. 116]}. Well, etc.

Thus, we etymologize the second part of Enki's name as ha(y) // kha(y) // g I a(y) – "arable land" and believe that in Sumerian mythology this was the name of the cult of arable land.

As for the first part (i.e., En), here, perhaps, we encounter the name of An // Anu ("sky") is the main cult in Sumerian mythology ^{[71, p. 46]}, considered the patron saint of Uruk ^{[71, p. 38]} and the son of Nammu – in Sumerian mythology, the daughter of the ocean, the "mother of all things" ^{[71, p. 40]}. We compare Namma with Nakhsk. Nana is the "mother" ^{[39, p. 314]}. Compare with Nakhsk. Tsien-nana – "mistress of the house" (literally "mother of the family") ^{[39, p. 473]}. Apparently, the name of Anu (An // En) is included in many names of Sumerian cults in the meaning of "lord, lord", and Nammu (Nan // Nin) – "lady, lady", which is consistent with her status in the myth of "Enki and Nimah" (Creation of people) ^{[78, p. 124; 71, p. 42-43]}, and "The Mountain of heaven and earth" ^{[71, p. 40]}. Enki is named the son of Nammu, and perhaps it was she who was originally worshipped in the Eredu – before the cult of Enki was promoted, which absorbed most of her functions ^{[78, p. 124]}.

Perhaps the word an in the Nahyan languages in ancient times, as well as in Sumerian, was the masculine equivalent of the word nana – "mother, mistress." However, we are inclined to believe that the name An originates from the word ha(n), which has two meanings in the Nahyan languages.: as a noun – "time, term"; as a verb – "to know // to know" ^{[39, p. 418]}. In other words, the name Ahn probably meant "time" or "to know (the world)."

This suggests a parallel with the name of the legendary ethnarch of the Etruscans, Aeneas, and the name of the cult of Jan (us)a (Latin Ianus) in Ancient Rome (also the name of the legendary king Latium, who, according to legend, lived at this place (Aeneas?)). The earliest information about Janus as the progenitor of the Roman people is contained in the Aeneid (Virgil. Aeneid. Book VIII. 355-358). In mythology, he was initially considered a ‘demiurge’, but then gave way to the supreme cult of Jupiter; it was believed that Yang (us) had the ability to know the past and foresee the future ^{[80, pp. 174-175; 81, pp. 689-690]}. This is consistent with our etymology of the name Enki, where the word khan is at the root – "to know," to know, time."

Yu. G. Chernyshov and a number of other researchers tend to see in the myth of Janus a reflection of such ancient, pre-Roman realities as "vague memories of the ancient Italian population about the arrival of some more civilized seafaring settlers in the country", including the Pelasgians led by Evander ^{[82, pp. 6-7]}. Perhaps the name Aeneas (< En-Hi // En-Ai?) It is the Greek form of the Sumerian Enki, and the name Yan (us) is the Latin form of noise. An(y).

Janus is associated with the name Janiculum, a long hill on the right bank of the Tiber, which, together with the adjacent bank of the Tiber, formed a suburb of Rome. Cicero calls the Janiculum the Vatican Mountains (montes Vaticani). Initially, this part of Rome beyond the river was part of the district of the Etruscan city of Veii, but in the early period of Roman history it had already gone to Rome, although it had never been part of Pomeria... The altar to the son of Janus, the Fountain, is the only trace that remains of the cult of Janus on the hill bearing his name ^{[81, p. 669]}. Under King Ancestor Marcius (7th century BC), the walled Janiculum became a Roman fortress in Etruria. Was it because the king took care of the place dedicated to Janus that he himself bore the name of the cult of Enki (> Ancus)?

We also associate Encom with the name of Enki, which is an alternative name for the state of Alashia and the city of the same name, the ruins of which are now considered one of the most ancient points of appearance of civilized life in Cyprus. The appearance of a settlement on this site dates back to 3 thousand BC (see Yuliya Ozerdze. Alasia and Enkomi. The country and the city of the Eteocypriotes. – Veles Property. Retrieved from https://velesproperty.ru/alasija-i-jenkomi-strana-i-gorod-jeteokipriotov/ ). The second name of the country, Alashia, is also interesting, which we compare with the name of the Hurrian kingdom of Alshe, and therefore with Dzurdzuki.

Cyprus has been called Alashia mainly since the 14th century BC. The state was located north of Salamis, the population of which, apparently, was related to the population of Encoma. At least, after Encomius was captured by the Achaeans and burned at the beginning of the 12th century BC, the surviving locals moved to Salamis (Iminany. The ancient capital of Cyprus is Alasia. Retrieved from https://zen.yandex.ru/media/id/5ba358d6605e5300aa1f1c13/drevniaia-stolica-kipra-alasiia-5dc967d0eec9e2085b0768a0 ).

"Ea is in Akkadian mythology the "lord of the bottom", corresponding to the Sumerian Enki" ^{[71, p. 54, note No. 5]}. Here the name Enki is used without the name (or epithet) An (En). This also confirms that the second part of Ki in Enki's name is identical to Ea (Haya).

Thus, An (u) in Sumerian mythology represented the sky and the ocean, and Haya (Ea) – the earth. It is possible that Ki is an earthly analogue of the celestial cult of Anu ^{[78, p. 104]}. The unification of heaven, ocean and earth in the view of ancient man may have meant the whole universe," as well as the unification of the masculine and feminine. That is, Enki (An-Hai) was the supreme cult in Sumerian mythology, combining the functions of Anu and Ea (Ki). It is logical that the two oldest Mesopotamian cults were associated with the three main components of the environment surrounding the ancient people – the sky, water and earth, whose common name was Enki.

Usually, ancient people called themselves by the name of the cult they professed. With the name Ea (Hai, Ki) we associate the eponym of the Armenians (and through them – the Hurrians-Urartians) and the Nakh peoples – Ha (os) (Guy(k). As for An(u), in our opinion, he also appears in Nakh mythology as the father of GIa (Gaosa // Gaika) named G I an ^{[32, p. 427 ; 83, p. 116]}. Although ancient Kazakh mythology does not say what function Gan had, the fact that he stands above Ga there suggests that this is the cult of the sky of An. (because above the earth in the worldview of ancient people, there was a sky). Therefore, GIan-GIa is probably the Nakh equivalent of noise. Enki (Khan-Hai // An-Ai), and Nahsk. G I a – noise. Ea, Hurrito-Akkad. Haya (the cult of arable land, grain). At the same time, we note that the main and oldest religious center where the temple of Enki was located was the city of Eridu ^{[71, pp. 38, 45-46]}, whose name we associate with Ardini, the main religious center of the Van kingdom.

In general, judging by the functions, the analog of Enki in Nakh mythology is "Dale // Dyala // Deeds – ('god’ is the father), in the ‘divine’ family, the name of Dyala became at the beginning of the names of his children: Dyala-Elta, Dyala-Yukh, Tusholi (Tusholi — face of Dyala), Dyala-Seli" ^{[48, p. 14; 84, p. 12]}. In the Sumerian myth Enki and Ninhursag (the wife of Enki ^{[71, p. 40]}) ruled in Dilmun (𒉌𒌇шум... kur.dilmun.na; Akkad. Telmun; Greek: τύλος) ^{[71, pp. 46-49]} – in ancient times the name of the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf ^{[71, p. 46]}. In the surviving mythological stories of the Sumerians and Akkadians, Dilmun appears to be the birthplace of mankind and the cradle of civilization in general and the Sumerian people in particular ^{[71, p. 46]}.

In Sumerian mythology, Dilmun is described as a "bright land" ^{[72, p. 19]} and Enki (the cult of underground waters) lived here along with Ninhursag (Ninsikila) ^{[71, p. 46-49]}. In the Ingush myth, "Dayla divided the universe into the world of the living, Dayli-Malhe, where the sun reigns, and the world of the dead, Dayli-Eli, where Ishtar reigns" ^{[48, p. 14; 84, p. 12]}.

Special attention in mythology is paid to the fresh underground waters of Dilmun, allegedly existing due to the deeds and cares of Enki and Ninhursag ^{[71, p. 47]}. Enki had a good attitude towards people ^{[71, pp. 45-46]}. Compare with the fact that according to the Nakh mythology, "in the minds of people, Dyala was a benevolent 'god'-father, combining the most perfect qualities: boundless kindness, justice and 'divine' beauty. He followed the course of life in nature, in human society, and in the world of "deities" to ensure that everything corresponded to the norms he established. He made sure that everything was perfect in the world he created, so that people could live well and comfortably in it" ^{[48, p. 14; 84, p. 12]}. This is also consistent with the description of the Dilmun country, which may be based on al-Nahyan. Daily Mon(t) (> Daily moth(t)) – "country Daily".

Enki in Sumerian mythology is considered a cult of underground waters and the World Ocean, and in the Nahyan languages hi // hi – "water, river" (compare. Chinese. Yong [he] - "river". Retrieved from https://translate.yandex.ru/ ). Therefore, we also assume that Enki translates as "master of water" and is the masculine equivalent of Hinana (Himehkinen), "mistress of water" from ancient Kazakh mythology ^{[31, p. 197]}

Next, we will offer our own versions of the etymology of some Sumerian cults.:

Enlil (wind, air, storm), whose cult center was Nippur ^{[71, p. 40]}. The third most important in the Sumerian pantheon. The first part of En is a form of An and means "lord, patron." The second part may have a connection with Nakhsk. The verb lala means "to drive" (meaning "to blow"), which is also consistent with its description in the myth "Mountain of Heaven and Earth" ^{[71, p. 41]}.

Ninlil (noise. dNIN.LÍL – "Lady of the air") – in Sumerian mythology, the wife of Enlil, the daughter of Nunbarshegunu (Anu's sister), who lived in Nippur ^{[71, p. 41]}. Perhaps it is the feminine counterpart of Enlil, where instead of En – "lord", Nin – "Lady" is used. In the myth "The Mountain of Heaven and Earth", it became the reason that Enlil was sent to the afterlife - the kingdom of Ereshkigal, where Ninlil followed him ^{[71, p. 42]}.

Innana (Akkad. Ishtar) is a cult of love, fertility and strife ^{[71, p.38]}. Perhaps the first part of yin means "love." Compare. nakhsk. the root kham (> kham-sarah – "dear, beloved" ^{[39, p. 448]}, Chechen. khomsara, khome – "dear, respected" ^{[85, p. 458]}), the Arabic root ḥab- (compare. حَبِيبٌ [ḥabībuⁿ] – "friend, lover"; حِبٌّ [ḥibuⁿ] – "friend, lover". https://bars.org.ru/ ). The Arabic sound [ḥ] corresponds to Nahsk. [x]. Genko connects the ing. khamsara with the Arabic. خنثى – "hermaphrodite") [Genko 1930, p. 754]. Perhaps the same root ḥab- // ḥ i b-, ḥa m- is found in the name Ḥ awa – Eve (Chechen eng. Hyava)? Compare. also, Hebrew a h av a, Russian. Latin. am ore, English l ov e, German l ieb en, etc. (perhaps the root -ab- (-am-, -ib-, -ov-, -in-, etc.) is the oldest layer of the universal language). In many nations, the husband addresses his wife, calling her simply "dear." We associate the second part, ANAS, with NAKHSK. Nana is the "mother".

We associate the first part of the name of Enki's possible spouse Ninmah (Ki) ^{[71, p. 43]} with Nahsk. ana means "mistress", and the second part of mah – s nahsk mokhk means "country, land". We compare the name Ninmah with Myagkinen (eng. Mekhkan) ^{[31, p. 157]}, and Himyagkinen – "Mother of Waters" ^{[31, p. 197 (approx. № 2)]}. Therefore, Ninmah means "mother (lady) of the land of waters." Or the max of the same root as the verb maga is "to be able" ^{[39, p. 291]}. In this case, Ninmah means "mighty mother (lady)."

The Anunnaki, according to mythology, are the children of An and Ki (Ninmah), assistants and servants of An ^{[71, p. 40]}. In our opinion, the name is produced by adding the names Anu and Nan-Ki (mother earth), where the latter is an analogue of Ninmah.

But, perhaps, the final -ki has a connection with the Nakh kyo - "son, descendant". Also compare. from English, nickname // nek (<nakyi) – the road, the way" ^{[39, p. 319]} ; narkie // some (< nakie) – "branch, genus" ^{[39, p. 316]} (cf. Saga-nankan – literally. "offshoot, descendants of the Saga"). In this case, Anu-naki–means "the offspring of Anu." Of the two variants of etymology, we tend to the first.

Ninhursag, Ninsikila (and also Ninhursanga ^{[78, p. 132]}), in the myth "Enki and Nishikila" is the immaculate wife of Enki, who lived on Dilmun Island ^{[71, p. 47]}. Ninhursag is "one of the common names of the Mother Goddess" ^{[78, p. 132]}. Her name is translated as "Lady of the Mountain" ^{[78, p. 120]}, or "Lady of Khursag Mountain" ^{[78, p. 132]}. Sometimes she appears as the mistress of the wild, uncultivated Khursang hills ^{[78, p. 132]}. Perhaps khursag is related to Nahsk. oartsag I a // artsakh (< artsukha) – "wooded mountains" and is the result of metathesis and epenthesis. Compare cheche, arts [arts] ing. oarts (ars in the Itumkalinsky dialect of Cheche. language) – "wooded mountain", "foothills" [Vagapov A. Etymological dictionary of the Chechen language. Tbilisi: Meridiani, 2011. 733 p., p. 94]. Arts (oarc) is a forested area on the northern slope of the mountains ^{[85, p. 36]}. The first part of Nineveh. "Mother, mistress." Thus Ninhursag means "Lady of a wooded (hence uncultivated) mountain," etc.

As for the Ninsikil variant, the first part is "mother, mistress." The second part is probably based on the name of the cult of fire ts I u // ts I i, from which the adjective ts I yong is derived – "pure, moral (immaculate)" ^{[39, p. 472]}. Compare with the fact that the Dilmun country, where Ninsikila lived, is described in myth as a "bright, pure and immaculate" country ^{[72, p. 19]}.

Ninsar is the first of the daughters of Enki and Ninhursag (Ninsikila)– the "lady plant" ^{[71, p. 47]}. We associate the first part of the name with Nakhsk. nana means "mother, mistress," and the second part is sar, possibly related to Nahsk. bazzara – "green", ba-tsovg I a – "plant, vegetation, greenery" ^{[39, p. 51]}, or is a metathesis variant of apc – "wooded mountain".

Utu (Akkad. Shamash) is the cult of the sun ^{[71, p.38]}. We compare Uta with Nakhsk. butt – "the moon" ^{[39, p. 74]}.

Thus, the Sumerian name Enki is the result of the addition of two names En and Ki (Ai // Hai), which corresponds to vine. G I an and G I a(y) // Kha(y). From the name of the cult of Ha (ya) (vine. GIa(y)) may be the origin of the ethnonym guy (Armenian h a y, Nakhsk. gIai), which modern Armenians inherited from the Hurrians.

1.4. Are Diauhs the key to the etymology and ethnic origin of the Hurrians? In the north of the Van kingdom and south of Kulkha, Urartian and Assyrian sources mention Diaukhi (Assyr. Da-ja-eni // Da-ja-ni a^{[86, p. 280 (approx. No. 3)]}, a tribal association in the mountainous region stretching from the Erzurum region to the Chorokh River basin, for the possession of which Urartu and Assyria fought for a long time ^{[54, p. 64; 87, p. 26-42]}. It is considered the largest country of Transcaucasia in the Ancient Eastern epoch ^{[57, p. 58]}. According to scientists, the territory of this country was located in the area of Erzurum and the upper reaches of the Kara-su, extending from the area of Erzurum to the basin of the Chorokh River ^{[57, p. 59; 88, p. 239; 89, pp. 57-58, 64-65]}. The country is later found under the name Taohi // Taoi (other-Greek. ΤάοχΟι), Taik (other-Armenian), Tao (other-Georgian) ^{[57, p. 58; 88, p. 239]}. Its capitals were the cities of Shashilu and Zuani ^{[57, p. 59, 60; 88, p. 239]}. The city of Utukha and Mount Sheshe are also mentioned on the territory of the country ^{[88, p. 239]}. "Diaukhi was rich in deposits of ores of various metals (gold, silver, copper); metallurgy, agriculture, horse breeding, and cattle breeding were developed there" ^{[88, p. 239]}.

It should be noted that the identification of Diaukha and Dayaeni is disputed, since there is an opinion that the location of the latter could be in the territory between the ancient region of Tsopk and Lake Van ^{[89, pp. 57-58, 64-65]}. But perhaps this is due to the fact that Urartian sources mainly report on the northern regions of this country, while Assyrian sources speak only about the southern part of this country.

Despite numerous scientific studies, the question of the population of Diaukha remains open. G. A. Melikishvili believed that the name of the country comes from the name of the tribe that lived in it ^{[57, p. 58]}. If so, who were these rumors? According to scientists, Daiaeni was inhabited by Hurrians ^{[25, p. 120; 90, p. 233-246; 91, p. 530; 92, p. 872]}. In this regard, it is interesting that instead of Xenophon's taohs (i.e., diauhs) Diodorus mentions the Khoi ^{[93, p. 6]}, and Hecataeus of Miletus in his "Land Survey" reports on the Khoi people who lived in this area to the west of Desir near Vehir ^{[94, p. 16]}. In the same place, a note notes that the name "maybe it should be read Taoi or Taohi" ^{[94, p. 16]}. Although the reading of the name may be incorrect, it is important for us that the inhabitants of Diaukha are identified as Khoi. A number of researchers believe that the Khai are Hurrians-Urartians ^{[45, pp. 388-391, 403, 418]}. However, we will clarify here by saying that the Khai were the Hurrians and the non-Aromanian part of the Urartians. This conclusion is consistent with the opinion of I. M. Dyakonov that the Hurrian kingdom of Dayaeni was formed on the territory of the Aztsi-Hayasa union, which collapsed back in the 13th century BC, and later its northern part (that is, historical Colchis) was occupied by Georgian-speaking tribes ^{[25, pp. 209-210]}

If Dayaeni was a Hurrian state formed on the territory of Hayasa, and its inhabitants were Khai, then it follows that the Hurrians and Khai are one and the same people. It is noteworthy that in Armenian mythology, Horus is the son of Hayk (i.e. Gaos) ^{[33, p. 46; 95, p. 192]} and Armaniak's younger brother ^{[33, p. 46]} (in our opinion, Armaniak is the eponym of the Eras and Urumaeans). This also supports the version of the Khai origin of the Hurrians.

Also note the name of the lake district. Van Khoyts dzor // Khayots dzor (Armenian) - "Valley of the Khays" ^{[96, p. 17]}. M. Khorenatsi, telling about the battle with the Mesopotamian ruler Bely, reports: "On the site of this battle, Haik built a village and, in memory of the victory, named it Haik. For this reason, this area is now also called Khoyots Dzor" ^{[33, p. 45]}. And this is not surprising, considering that the aboriginal population of the province was various Hurrian tribes that participated in the ethnogenesis of the Armenian people (see above).

The Agrydag range, which is located in the north of the territory where the Dayeni country was located in ancient times ^{[89, pp. 57-58, 64-65]}, was called Haykakan Par. According to J. Russell, Haykakan par may mean "an Armenian place" ^{[97, p. 18]}. Compare the final kan with the Lak k I anu – "place, country" ^{[98, p. 166]}. Although J. Russell derives the word steam from Iranian, but we still assume that it is the same root as Nahsk. phya – "village, settlement" (ust.) ^{[39, p.343; 85, p. 342]}, or mork (itum-kalin. dial. the form of the genus (unit – mark-in) is "region // country" ^{[49, p. 89]}. We adhere to the opinion of J. Russell, with the correction that perhaps we are not talking about the modern Armenian people as such, but about the Hurrians who lived on the territory of Hayashi and around Lake Baikal. Van, from which a significant part of modern Armenians originate, and the ethnonym of the Hurrians h and y became the common self-designation of the Armenian people.

Since the second half of the 8th century BC, Diaukha is no longer found in the inscriptions of the Urartian kings, and its territory is mentioned as part of the Kulkha country ^{[89, pp. 57-58, 64-65]}. We believe that the confrontation between Wang and Diauhi was due to the fact that the Alarodian dynasty ruled in the former, and the Hai dynasty ruled in the latter. After their defeat, the inhabitants of the latter, perhaps seeking protection from the Van people, joined Kulhai, where the Khai dynasty ruled at that time. This conclusion is logical, considering that Colchis was also inhabited by Khai (Khoi) and in ancient times this country was called Aya (see below).

As for the etymology of the name Dayani, the suffix -n i is probably a Urartian determinant that constantly occurs at the end of the name of a city or country, which can also be easily replaced by the formative -hi- ^{[54, p. 34]}, as we see in the name Diau(e)chi (Taohi). Experts note its possible relationship with the Nakh person suffix -x, which forms words with the meaning of belonging to a locality, to a professional or other community of people ^{[45, p. 161]}. Perhaps the Hurrian-Urartian hi/e is equivalent to the ancient Nakh toponymic suffix -gIa // -ha, which denoted spatiality ^{[45, p. 161]}.

As noted above, Diauhi was a part of Hayashi. The first part Dia // Dia // Tao is probably the name of the area in this country where the ancestors of the Hurrians who migrated from the south originally settled. Later, when the new country did not involve all the inhabitants,"they settled in other areas of Hayashi. If this is the case, then the name Dahiye is quite suitable for the area of the original settlement of Mesopotamian migrants (< Daikhiye) – Nakhsk. "the land of the fathers, which, in turn, comes from dai – "fatherly" and the suffix of spatiality -gIa // -ha. Today, the Vainakhs call their common homeland (especially when they find themselves in a foreign land) Daykastie, which we etymologize as: dai – "fatherly"; kasta – "separate" and the final – and e [ie] – locative. That is, in the semantic meaning of "a dedicated (sovereign) country of the fathers." In other words, the Hurrians (Khai) may have called their homeland in the mountains of the Armenian Highlands simply "The Land of the Fathers" (just like the Vainakhs called their homeland in the mountains of the North Caucasus).

Thus, Kulkha (more precisely, its western part – Aya) and Diaukhi were originally components of Hayashi, and the inhabitants of Dayani were Khai-Hurrians. However, the Hurrians' self-name, according to scientists, was ḪU-ur-ri. Perhaps only a part of the Khai had such a name. "For the first time, the root hur is found in the Huttian language. Scientists point to the word waahur-la1 of this language, in which the waa particle is identical to the preposition plural of many North Caucasian languages.… The hurri form is found in this form for the first time in the monuments of the Ancient Hittite kingdom, during the reign of King Hattusili I (1650-1620 BC)... In Akkadian syllabic writing, this name was written in the syllables hu-ur, which was identified with the name of the people known in the Bible as hori (Greek Χοραίος - "chorei")" (see Hovhannes Hakobyan "Bulls of Teshshub and ethnonyms of the Hurrians"). A number of researchers associate the ethnonym hurri with the name of the "bull of dawn" Hurri ^{[95, p. 193]} (see Hovhannes Hakobyan, ibid.). In this regard, it is interesting to note that in the Nakh languages, I urra means "at dawn", and I uyrie means "morning" ^{[39, p. 541]}. The sound of I is similar in sound to the Arabic ain. His deaf version on the letter is conveyed by the digraph x. That is, I urra could sound like hurra.

Perhaps information from Armenian sources will help us in the etymology of this name. According to M. Khorenatsi, the country is northwest of Lake Baikal. Van, where ethnarch Haik moved from his settlement of Haik and founded the settlement of Haikashen, was called Khark ^{[33, p. 42]}. According to N. Emin, the name comes "from the word Khair, — father; xap to,— fathers, many hours" a^{[33, p. 248 (approx. 38)]}. However, we fully assume that khar is the tribal name of the Hurrians, and the final k is a toponymic suffix, possibly related to the Hurrian-Urartian hi^{[34, p. 90]}, or the affix mn. ch. no^{[25, p. 223 (note. 87)]}. Interestingly, one Assyrian source reports that the Babhi (Hurrian mountaineers) took refuge on Mount Hirihu, "in a difficult area that is as sharp as the end of a dagger" ^{[86, pp. 270-278 (IV, 7)]}. In Akkadian syllabic writing, the first part of the word hur- was also read as har-. The vowels a and u often alternate in the Sumerian language ^{[99, p. 106]}. This version is also confirmed by the information provided by M. Khorenatsi that Haik "leaves two of his brothers in Khark – Khor and Manavaz, of whom Manavaz inherits Khark" ^{[33, p. 45]}. And further it is reported in the same place: "Khor, having multiplied in the north, built himself a village, and from it, they say, comes the family of Khorkhoruni, brave and distinguished men" ^{[33, p. 45]}. The eponym Manavaz is also of interest, which we compare with the name of the country Manna and Mittani (cf. with Mattivaz, King of Mitanni in the 14th century BC ^{[52, p. 113]}). Thus, the part of the Khai who settled in the country of Harkh (Hurihi?) It was named hurri // hurri.

Perhaps Hurri is the name of the indigenous population of Kharka, which was adopted by the Khai who settled here. In this regard, the name "Giarniani" is interesting — a mountainous country, the name of which is mentioned in the inscription of King Argishti I, discovered in 1963 during the excavations of the ancient Armenian fortress of Garni. The name Giarniani, dating back to pre-Urartian times, almost completely coincides with the late Garni" ^{[88, p. 239]}. We also compare this name with "Harriet I a – razv. on the village of TIargim. There is also a fairly extensive pasture under the same name in the same area" ^{[20, p. 39]}. Thus, Garni and Hark may be two forms of the same ancient name, derived from the language of the pre–Hurrian population, and which spread to migrants from Mesopotamia who settled in this country - the Khai. This version is consistent with the fact that in the legend both Horus and Armaniak (possibly the eponyms of the Hurrians, Urums ^{[52, p. 116]}) and the analogue of Eros in the reports of L. Mroveli) are named descendants of Haik ^{[43, p. 18; 27, p. 63; 33, p. 46]}. However, Khor and Manavaz are called the younger brothers of Armaniak, who appeared before the migration from Mesopotamia ^{[33, p. 46]}. That is, the Choir appeared after the resettlement to the territory of the Armenian Highlands. At the moment, we adhere to the version that the Hurri and Ur(m)s are the Khai peoples, but the first got their name by settling in Hark (Garni?).

But if we assume that the term Hurri comes from the Semitic language or from the language of a people related to the Nakho-Dagestanis, then we propose four variants of its etymology.:

1. It is possible that the term hur-ri is related to the Arabic. h'urr- < * h'urr "free-born, free > noble" (f.) h'urr-at ^{[100, p. 159]}. This etymology is quite suitable for the country (Kharq) where people settled in order to be free from the power of the Mesopotamian ruler ^{[33, p. 44]}. In this case, hurri means "free, free, noble." Perhaps that's what the Chinese elite called themselves.

2. The term Hurri (Chorei) comes from the Semitic word har – "mountain" (from the Common Semitic root dictionary. The letter ת. Slovar-axaz.org). After all, the Hurrians-mountaineers called themselves babankhi, from bab – "mountain" ^{[86, p. 267]}. However, in the Nakh languages there is the dialect urag I a // irh – "up, up, up" ^{[39, p. 410; 85, p. 191]}. The final -a g Ia // -x is an affix of the local case ^{[8, pp. 440-441]}. The root here is ur // ir – "top, height, elevation, plateau", for example, uratta – "stand up, rise" ^{[39, p. 411]}. In the ethnonym Hurri, there is probably a guttural consonant at the beginning of the word [ħ]. However, this may be due to epithesis or apheresis. Compare, for example, the Chechen word ottta, but the Ingush word otta means "to become // to settle down" ^{[39, p. 331; 85, p. 462]}.

With the addition of the plural suffix -ri to the base of hur [49 p. 45-46], the form hur-ri appears – "highlanders, inhabitants of the upland // inhabitants of the plateau". Or else, hurri comes from the form hur in the name of P. unit hur-ni ^{[34, p. 54]} (cf. Garni). Later, regressive assimilation occurs in the rn complex: hur-ni > hur-ri. In the Nakh languages, regressive assimilation in the ph complex is a fairly common phenomenon. For example, ing. varash [vara:sh], Chechen. varrash [varrsh] – "donkeys" ^{[39, p.89; 85, p. 88]}, derived from a more similar form of Varnish. In other words, hurri means "inhabitants of the highlands." Perhaps this was the name of those ancestors of the Hurrians who, during migration from Mesopotamia, occupied the hills around Lake Van. Like the Chechen society, the shatoevtsy (Chechen. shuot I oh) got their name by living on a hill. In the Nakh languages, shu means "height, hill" ^{[36, p. 55]}.

Also nakhsk. The dialect is khyal, with the meaning "up, up" and the cognate word khialkha is "forward" ^{[39, pp. 437, 445]}. In the Akkinsky dialect of the Chechen language, the first element of the Chechen-Ingush complex -lh- is replaced by the sound -r- ^{[49, p. 25]}. Perhaps this is the legacy of the alternation of consonants l > r that was present in the Pranakh language. And the same phenomenon could well exist in the Hurrian-Urartian languages.

3. The term Hurri (khorei) is a variant of the ethnonym hai (khoi), which uses the suffix mn. ch. -r, instead of -y. Compare, for example, in Chechen-Ingush, but in Batsbian ^{[8, pp. 411-415]}. The three main affixes of pl. ch. (-i, -b(i), -r(i)) were present in the Ancient Kazakh languages and are still more or less productive in them, as in the Dagestani languages ^{[49, pp. 45-46]}. Perhaps that is why the country founded by the Hayami is called by two names in the legend – Haik and Hark.

4. The term Hurri is associated with the name of the Urartian cult of the Ar (ni) hills and the name of the Urme region (perhaps there was a guttural sound in this name at the beginning). They are also brought closer by the alternation of root vowels y > a. In this case, hurri means "worshippers of the cult of Ar(ni) // Ur(ni). This version is indirectly related to the previous one, since both go back to the word ur – "elevation".

Thus, we come to the conclusion that the Hurrians who lived in Dayeni are Khai tribes, and Dayena itself (possibly called Khar(k) // Khur(k)) is the site of the original settlement of the ancestors of the Hurrians who migrated from the south. At the same time, the Van state was ruled by the Chaldeans. To the north of them was Kolkhaya.

Kolkhaya. The country of the Colchians is found under the name Q ul ḫa in Urartian, K/GilḫI in Assyrian, κολχίδα, Colchis in ancient Greek and Roman sources ^{[101, p. 143; 25, p. 75]}. The form Kulkhai (Qulkhai) is also found in the literature ^{[102, p. 349]}. The Urartian script did not distinguish between the sounds of u and o, and in many places where o sounded, they wrote u, including, perhaps, in the name of qul ḫa ^{[34, p. 46; 103, p. 152]}.

The earliest mention of the country of the Colchians is found in Assyrian cuneiform tablets and dates back to the reign of the Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta I of the Middle Assyrian Empire (1245-1209 BC), when he mentions "40 kings near the Upper (Black) Sea" ^{[104, p. 15.; 101, p. 143]}. According to a number of scientists, the Kulkha country is also found in Urartian sources under the name Qula ^{[105, p. 122; 102, p. 350; 34, p. 437-438]}.

In the 1st millennium BC, the name Colchis (i.e., "land of the Colchians") began to be used by Greek authors. The earliest mentions of this name are found in the ancient Greek poet of the VIII century BC Eumelus of Corinth as "Κολχίδα" ^{[106, p. 169]}. A later description of Colchis is found in Herodotus, Strabo, etc. ^{[106, pp. 167-187]}. It is believed that the name Colchis originated from the Urartian Q ul ḫa ^{[57, p. 63]}. N. J. Marr associated this name with Kakheti a^{[107, p. 70 (approx. № 2)]}.

The territory of Colchis of Greek and Roman sources mainly covers the modern provinces of Artvin, Ris, Trabzon, Samegrelo, Imereti, Guria, Adjara, Svaneti, Racha, Abkhazia, Sochi region and Tuapse ^{[108, p. 8]}. Since in a later era the name of Colchis became synonymous with the ethnonym Laza, the Byzantine sources northern border Laziki was represented somewhere between the Phase (modern Poti) and Dioscuria ^{[109, p. 64]}

It is generally believed that the Kolkhas were an early Kartvelian-speaking tribe, the ancestor of modern Western Georgians, and today this is the most popular version in the scientific community ^{[110, p. 69, 84; 111, p. 194; 112, p. 265]}. However, not all historians agree with this opinion ^{[104, p. 15]}. D. M. Lang considers the Kolkhovs to be one of the most important elements of the modern Georgian nation ^{[113, p. 59]}. We agree with this, but contrary to the opinion widely held in Georgian scientific circles about the Georgian origin of the ancient Colchians, we believe that they initially had no relation to the ancient Georgian tribes, although in the first millennium BC some of the ancient Georgian tribes lived among the Colchians ^{[25, pp. 209-210]}. And, apparently, not only the ancestors of Georgians, but also other ethnic groups ^{[104, p. 15]}.

Before the first state formations appeared on the territory of Colchis from the 10th to the 7th centuries BC, there was a Colchian archaeological culture belonging to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age ^{[114, p. 564]}, which is very close to the Koban culture widespread in the North Caucasus to the west of Argun. It is no coincidence that modern researchers often consider these cultures within the framework of the Koban-Colchian cultural and historical community ^{[114, p. 564]}.

G. A. Melikishvili traces the first part of the term Qul ḫa (i.e. Stake-) to the name of the Cola region ^{[57, p. 63]}. In the "Armenian Geography" this area is in the province of Taik (Urart. Diauhi) is referred to as Kog (arm. Կող) ^{[115, pp. 52-53]} (arm. language is characterized by the transition l > g). Some scientists express the opinion that the name Kul(x)a originally referred to the land to the west of Georgia ^{[116, p. 70; 117, 9-38]}. Others believe that Kulkha may have been located in the south, near modern Gel in Turkey ^{[118, pp. 717-748; 119, pp. 319, 322, 325; 107, p. 65]}. The inscriptions of Argishti I mention "Kulia" – the name of the tribe and the territory occupied by it – the "country" in the area of modern villages. Gulijan, on the northwestern slope of Mount Aragats (Alagez), near Leninakan" ^{[57, p. 64 ; 34, p. 438]}, which probably indicates the spread of the name Kula to the lake area. Sevan.

The name of the Kola region, apparently, comes from the ethnonym Kola, which we consider to be a variant of the name gela (hala). Ancient authors mention the Chaldean people (Chaldeans) and their country Chaldea (Assyrians) next to the Colchians. Halitu, arm Khaltik): "Chaldeans (Armenian chaltik (i.e. vats) of the 7th century. – Approx. Comp.) they also live near the Kolkhos" ^{[120, pp.200-203]}. B. B. Piotrovsky and N. J. Marr believed that the ethnonym hal was at the heart of the tribal name of the Chaldeans ^{[54, pp. 120, 260]}. The Kola are mentioned by ancient authors as inhabitants of the mountainous regions of the Western Caucasus (possibly in the upper reaches of the Kuban River), and their country is called Kolika ^{[120, pp.200-203; 121, pp. 262; 122, pp. 904-910]}.

As for the final ha(y), in our opinion, it is not the Hurrian-Urartian ending of tribal names, as G. A. Melikishvili believes ^{[57, p. 63]}, but the tribal name itself. As noted above, the ancient authors recorded the Khai people in this area. // Khoi ^{[121, p. 270; 123, p. 329]}. Ya.A. Manandyan writes: "Even before the deciphering of the Hittite cuneiform tablets found in Boghaz, which contained information about the country of Hayasa, scientists suggested that the Khai tribe (Khaoi) mentioned in Diodorus (VIX, 29) lived the vicinity of the Fasis River in High Armenia. Kretschmer considers these Khays to be the ancestors of modern Armenians, who, as is well known, call themselves Khays, and their country Khayasstan. Kretschmer points out that khai was mentioned in the form of khoi in the works of the Greek writers Aldinus and Hecataeus of Miletus, the corresponding evidence of which was preserved by Stephen of Byzantium. In the testimonies, these Khoi are mentioned next to the vikhiri: "the Khoi people are near the Vikhiri" or "the land of the Vikhiri is still there, but the Khoi live nearby" ^{[124, pp. 69-70]}.

The presence of the Khai in Colchis is also evidenced by the fact that Apollonius of Rhodes (III century BC) in Kitaida (i.e. in Colchis) mentions the city of Eyah" ^{[125, p. 417]}. According to ancient Greek mythology, Eya (Greek: ΑίΑ, Aea) is a mythical country on the other side of the ‘great’ The Northeastern Sea, where Aeetes reigned and where the Argonauts made their expedition for the golden fleece ^{[126, p. 260]}, where Helios rises (Homer. Odyssey XII. 4), i.e. it is Colchis ^{[127, p. 403]}. In other words, Aya is the ancient Greek name for Colchis ^{[8, p. 19]}. By the way, the name Ae(t) was often found among the local inhabitants of Colchis (Geography. I. 2. 39) ^{[128, p. 183]} and, possibly, was given in honor of their main cult Ai (G I a?)

All this indicates that the Khai (Khoi) lived in Kolkhai along with the kols, and the name Kolkha in ancient times had a broader meaning, including Kola (the land of the kols // gelov // halov) in the east, and the territory of Khayashi (the land of the Khoys // Khoys) in the west. It localizes Hayasha in the upper reaches of the Chorokh and Euphrates rivers ^{[25, pp. 80-81]}. Interestingly, the name of this country is often referred to in Hittite sources as Hayashi-Azzi. "In all probability," writes I. M. Dyakonov, "the dual name of Azzi–Hayasa is explained by the fact that this "country" consisted of two parts located in two adjacent valleys, while, judging by the sources, Azzi was closer to the core of the Hittite kingdom, and Hayasa was further away from it. If we do not assume, together with G. A. Kapantsyan, that the sea on which Aripsa was located is a swampy lake near Erzurum (which seems unlikely), then we have to admit that Azzi was located in Pontus, reaching the Black Sea, probably along the Kharshit River valley. In this case, Hayasa can be placed in the valley of the Chorokh River near modern times. Bayburt, from where its power could then extend to the Euphrates" ^{[25, pp. 80-81]}. Perhaps Azzi // Azzi is a variant of the name Yishuv, or a Hittite distortion of the Hurrian (Hayan) Alzi, as a result of regressive assimilation into the lz//rz> zz complex. In other words, the country got its name from the Hai people who lived in it and, possibly, its Ishu or Alz (Arz) tribe.

L. Gordeziani believes that although the Greek Colchis comes from the Urartian Qulḫa, the Greeks could have applied this name to a different region than that of the previous Urartians, and the confusion lies in possible differences in the Greeks' own use of the name Colchis in political and mythological contexts (i.e. in connection between "Aya" and "land of Colchis") ^{[129, p. 242]}. We explain this by the fact that the Greeks had more contact with the population of the lower reaches of the Phasis River, which was originally Khai (Kola, i.e. Alarodia, appeared later). Or the Khai dynasty ruled the country, although it is not known in science which tribe the ruling class of Colchis belonged to ^{[104, p. 15]}. Therefore, the name Aya is found in Greek mythology. And the Van people had more contact with the eastern and southeastern regions of Kolkhai, inhabited by Kols.

We also associate the name of the Ayada region south of Lake Van with Hayami. As G. A. Melikishvili writes: "Urartian tribes undoubtedly lived on the southern coast of Lake Van, as one of the central regions of Urartu, Ai(a)du, was located here" ^{[57, p. 106]}. One of the Assyrian sources mentions the country of Kharia and Mount Aya in the mountainous country of the Babkhis ^{[86, pp. 270-278 (III, 35)]}. The Armenian highlands may have been called Khaosi by the Georgians, which is very close in sound to the Hittite name Hayasha // Hayasa.

From the south, Hubushkia was directly adjacent to the territory of the Urartians, whose population may have been Hurrian ^{[57, p. 106; 54, p. 51]}. As we wrote above, Khai also lived in Diauhi. Judging by these data, the Khai-Hurrians lived in a semicircle around the Alarodians (i.e., the Kols and Ards). Apparently, the Khai (i.e., the tribes belonging to the Khai branch) originally settled in this area, and later the Alarodians came and penetrated into the settlements of the former, pushing them to the west, south and north.According to D. M. Lang, the Colchians settled in the Caucasus in the Middle Bronze Age ^{[130, p. 59; 75, p. 76-88]}. If we talk about hay separately, then, in our opinion, they appeared here even earlier. We partially agree with L. Gordzeiani's opinion and believe that in ancient times the name Kulkha extended to a wider territory in Asia Minor, the western regions of Transcaucasia and the mountainous regions of the Western Caucasus (in the areas of the Koban-Colchian cultural and historical community). This was the common name of the Alarodian Cola and Artani and the Haya Hayashi and Alzi ("the country of Gaos" in Mroveli's reports), as well as other areas.

In confirmation of the above, we would like to point out that the Armenians, in addition to the name hai, also had a second name, less common. According to the medieval dictionary of Jeremiah Megresi, Armenians were also called gełni (Armenian), gełnik (Armenian) or głni (Armenian) ^{[131, pp. 63, 67)]}. The final suffix -ni is probably related to the -ne formant in Hurrian, used to express possessive adjectives ^{[132, p. 383]}, or the Urartian membership suffix -ini, or the case affix -ni ^{[34, p. 48, 54]}, or it is an affix of many parts., which functions, in particular, in the modern Darginian language ^{[133, p. 511]}. In other words, gełni probably means "worshippers of Gela" or simply "gels// chaly" (cf. Galai – tape as part of vine. society of orchestras). In our opinion, the Armenians inherited this name from the Vanets-hal(d)ov, adding the Armenian affix mn. ch. -k (-kh) to the gełni form ^{[25, p. 223 (approx. 87)]}. Consequently, the Armenians inherited not only the Hurrian ethnonym hai, but also the Urartian-Alarodian–Khal name. And this is to be expected, because Armenians are a people who were formed in the territory inhabited by both Hurrians and Urartians. These two ethnonyms are native to the Hurrian-Urartian descendants among them.

According to A. E. Petrosyan, the ethnonym gełni (i.e. haly // geli) in the Armenian genealogy of Gaika is represented by the eponym Gelam (Gełam) ^{[27, p. 850]}. We compare it with the name of the Ingush teip Gelathoi, whose representatives derive themselves from the Ortskhoevsky (i.e. Khai) settlement of Erzya ^{[7, p. 697]}.

Thus, Aya // Ea in Greek sources, this same "Hayasha" in Hittite, "land of Gaos" in Georgian and "Haik" in Armenian sources. At the same time, Ga(os), Guy(k) and Ee(t) // Ayet, as well as the name of the mythical ethnarch of the Nahyan peoples G I a, are different forms of the eponym of the Hai (hoi) people, dating back to the Sumerian cult of the land of Ea // Haya. At the same time, Kolkhai // kulkhai is the common name of the Hurrian-Urartian tribes, and Kulkha (Colchis) means "the land of the Kols and Khai" (i.e., "the country of the Hurrians and Urartians"). In our opinion, today this ancient ethnonym (i.e. Kolkha / Kulkhai) is preserved as the self–name of one of the Nakh peoples, the Ingush, who call themselves gIalgIai. In medieval Georgian sources, this ethnonym is found in the form ghlighvi // ghlikhvi (Georgian) ^{[134, p. 151; 2, pp. 158-159]}. In the letter of King Teimuraz, written in Greek and referring to 1639, the form glegu (dy) is found ^{[2, p. 158]}. Khevsuri mountain Georgians call Ingush – ghilgh o ^{[7, pp. 698, 703]}, Tushins - ღიიი ^{[135, p. 97]}, Avars - gyalgai (al) ^{[2, p. 173]}, Andians - gyalgai(ol) ^{[2, p. 173]}, Kumyks - kalgai ^{[136, p. 132]}, Nogais – qalğay, kalgay (Russian –Nogai dictionary / Glosbe. https://ru.glosbe.com/ru/nog/ингуш ). We see that in the ethnonym g I alg I ai, the root short vowel a> i alternates. We observe the same alternation of the root vowel in the ancient ethnonym gela (gal > geli > gil) ^{[137, p. 180; 138, p. 93]}. It is noteworthy that the sources contain forms of the ethnonym g I alg I ai, with the root vowel y and its alternation y >O. For example, in the article lists of the XVI-XVII centuries, the Ingush are designated as Kolki // kolkany ^{[1, p. 62, 66]}, in the Avar sources of the XV century, the form of this ethnonym gulga is found ^{[139, p. 148]}, in Russian sources of the late XVIII – early XIX centuries, the Batsbian settlement area near Tusheti is designated as "Kulga district, or Gdanti" ^{[140, p. 239; 141, p. 157]}. To confirm the existence of the ethnonym form g I alg I ai with the root vowel o/u, we point to the Ossetian name of the Ingush – khulga(y) (qulya) ^{[142, p. 195; 143, p. 667, 800; 144, p. 68]}. In these forms, the first part of the ethnonym coincides with the name of the ancient Kola and the country of Kola (Kula) ^{[121, pp.200-203; 122, pp. 904-910]}. The consonant sound transmitted in Ossetian graphics by the digraph x, in Kumyk by the digraph k, in the Vainakh languages corresponds to the sound transmitted in writing by the digraph kx. The sound denoted by the digraph g in the Kumyk, Avar, Ossetian languages, in the Vainakh languages is denoted by g I. Therefore, in the Vainakh script, these forms would be written as khulg I ai (oset.), khalg I ai (cum.), g I ulg I a (avar.), etc. As noted above, the Nakh languages are characterized by the alternation of consonants x, gI [γ], kx in the beginning ^{[8, p. 70]}. It follows from this that the ancestors of the Ingush themselves at different times could call themselves gIalgIa, x algIa, kholkha, gIulgIa, etc. Perhaps in the name of qul ḫa, the letter q denotes a sound similar to the Vainakh sound, conveyed in writing by the digraph kx, and the letter ḫ denotes a sound similar to the Vainakh gI. In this case, it sounded like khulgYa (cf. the oset. hulgaa).

As can be seen from the above forms of the ethnonym g I alg I ai, the final -g I and also has a rearrangement a>o>y : gil-g o, gleg u(d), glig vi (< Here it is appropriate to recall that in the sources the endoethnonym of modern Armenians khai is also found in the form of khoi ^{[124, pp. 69-70]}. In our opinion, the functioning of two forms of the ethnonym g I alg I ai is related to the dialectal features of the Old Kazakh language: with the root o // u – in the Kist (Chaldean) dialect, and with the root a // e – in the Dzurdzuk (Khai).

Interestingly, Ossetians and Kabardians called the Western Ingush mahal // makal ^{[144, p. 68; 145, l. 858-860]}. The ethnonyms Kolkha and Makhelon are also found in Colchis. Therefore, we expect to find the ethnonym g I alg I ai // kholg I ai west of the river. The Terek River. In our opinion, it is found in the following toponyms:

The Klukhor Pass is located in the Main Caucasian Ridge 500 m northeast of the peak of Klukhorbashi. Two versions of the decoding of this toponym are given in the book by A.V. Tverdsky "Toponymic Dictionary of the Caucasus": "The name comes from the Georgian tribe of the Colchians, inhabitants of Colchis (Colchis). The Kolkhas used the pass at the top to communicate with the North Caucasus. Hence Kolkh-or – "the way of the Kolkhos." Other forms: Kulk-or, Klukh-or. It is believed that klykhura in translation from Abkhaz means "a narrow, narrow passage." For comparison, in the Abaza (Ashkharian and Tapant dialects) language of Kilkhara (k I ilkh I ara) – "passage", "hole" ^{[146., p. 179]}. The second option seems doubtful to us because, firstly, the name Klukhor is not only this pass. "The same name is given to: Mount Klukhorkaya (southwest of the Klukhorsky Pass); Mount Klukhorsky Finger (northeast of the pass); glacier draining from the northern slopes of Klukhor-bashi; river of the Klukhor glacier; lake under the pass" ^{[146, pp. 179-180]}. Secondly, in the Karachai legends and in the Karachai pronunciation, this name clearly indicates the Kolkhos. Despite the fact that Karachays, in general, nothing prevented them from pointing out the Abkhazians, who are their neighbors, in connection with this name. If it is known that in ancient times there was a country of the Colchians on the site of modern Abkhazia and, according to the legend of the locals, the passage is associated with the Colchians, then there is no good reason to abandon the version that ascribes Klukhor to the name of the ancient Colchians in favor of the Abkhaz version of etymology. In our opinion, the latter is an attempt to explain this name from the language of the people who today occupy the territory inhabited by the ancient Colchians. We believe that the first part of Klukh is the Georgian form of the name Kolkhai with the root y: kulkh > klukh. (compare cargo. lit. glikhvi and khevsur. gilgo is the designation of the Ingush). The second part, -or, probably really means "the way", or it is connected with the Nahsk. Ark is a "gorge". Perhaps the western Kartvelian tribes called the Kolkhov Klukhvi from the Kulkha form, and the eastern Kartvelians derived the name Glikhvi from the Gelkha form.

According to A. Tverdogo, the Kuban River in ancient times was called Kalkan from the Kalkans who lived here ^{[146, p. 190]}. We compare this name with Kalkany– the designation of the Ingush found in the article lists of the XVI-XVII centuries (see above). If we accept that the Kolkhai migrated to the North Caucasus through Klukhor, then they could well have settled in the valley of the Kuban River. At least, the ancient authors placed the kola in the mountains of the Western Caucasus ^{[122, p. 903]}.

In the Daryal gorge, in the Kazbek-Guimaraes mountain range to the east of Guimaraes (Shau-hoh), there is a mountain peak that was called Kolkhai-hoh in the first half of the 20th century. (Oct. Kholkhai-hoh) ^{[147, pp. 38-39, 41]}. The famous Kolka Glacier is located in the same area. Kholkha) in the upper reaches of the Genaldon River, near the Verkhne-Karmadon springs. ^{[147, p. 44]}. Kholkha(y), in our opinion, is the Ossetian (dialectal) form of the name Galgai.

A. Tverdy translates the name of Mount Guimaraes from oset. jimarak is a "wild chicken" ^{[146, p. 118]}. However, we compare it with the name of the village of Guimara in the Itum-Kalinsky district of Chechnya (in the Argun Gorge), which was liquidated in 1944 during the deportation of Chechens and Ingush ^{[148, p. 245]}. The village is located next to the ruins of the Geshi settlement (< Gaisha) – "the legendary ancestral homeland of the Galgai. In the Ironic dialect of the Ossetian language, the consonant g before the vowels of the front row naturally turns into j ^{[149, p. 268]}

All these names are found in the interfluve of the Terek and Kuban rivers, which, according to L. Mroveli, was part of the "Kavkas inheritance" ^{[29, p. 22]}. At the same time, beyond the Caucasian Ridge, on the coast of the Black Sea, which L. Mroveli called the western border of the "Kavkas inheritance", the Kolkhas lived. In other words, the traces of the Kolkhai people's presence begin from the Terek and stretch to the Black Sea, i.e. just across the territory of the "Kavkas country". According to L. Mroveli, part of this country was conquered by the Khazars (i.e., the Scythians) ^{[29, p. 25]}. In this regard, the Kolkhai migration to the east may have begun and eventually, approximately between the 1st century BC and the 7th century AD, some of them moved through the Argun gorge to the northern slopes of the Eastern Caucasus, where they established their settlements: the Khals (Gels) settled in Galanchozhe (Nakhsk. Galain-ch I oj – "gorge of the Galas"), and hai (gai) – in Gaisha. Further, the Kolkhai moved from this area to the Assinovo gorge, where they founded the Gialgiayche. It is not possible to say exactly when this migration took place, but already in the 9th century Galgayce was mentioned in Arabic sources ^{[32, p. 40]}

Thus, Kulkhai is a common ancient self–name of the Hurrian-Urartian tribes, which as a self-name was preserved by the Ingush (g I alg I ai). We associate the name Caucasus with this ethnonym.

Kavkas is a common ancient endoethnonym of the Hurrians and Urartians. For the first time, the name Caucasus (Greek: καύκασος) is found in the Tragedy of Prometheus by the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus ^{[8, p. 20; 150, p. 113 (st. 326)]}. Stephen of Byzantium wrote in the sixth century: "The Caucasus is a mountain, which is also called Paropanis, the 'greatest' of the mountains of Asia; prologue. the name of the peoples is Kaukasios, and in J. R. Kaukasia – about the country..." ^{[121, p. 261]}.

Linguists have no consensus on the origin of the word καύκασος ^{[151, pp. 310-318]}. There are different versions of the etymology of this name in the scientific literature, sometimes completely illogical and absurd. Here's what Fasmer's Etymological Dictionary says: "The word: Caucasus. The closest etymology: A new loan. from French. Saisase or German. Kaukasus. Dr.-Russian. Kavkasisk mountains (A Tale of Bygone Years) from the Greek Kaiksia, associated with the Gothic. hauhs "high", lit. kau~kas "bump", kaukara° "hill". Other names of the Caucasus; Arabic, Turk. Ka^f, cf.-Persian. Kap-kYf, arm. Kar-koh..." ^{[152, p. 153]}

The name is also associated with the Phoenician Baal-Zafon (-Kafon), which means "Lord of the north" ^{[153, p. 8]}. "The Arabic word kyafa means the end, completion, enough" ^{[154, p. 15]}.

Pliny the Elder reports: "The Scythians themselves call the Persians Khorsars, and the Caucasian mountains – Krovkasis, i.e. white with snow ..." ^{[137, p. 185; 152, p. 154]}. Yu.V. Otkupshchikov believed that With rou sa sim is a misread form of Latin by Roman authors. Caucasim, and rejected all such Indian and Iranian etymologies ^{[151, pp. 317-318]}.

Yu. D. Desheriev writes: "Attempts have been made to explain the origin of the word "Caucasus" on the basis of data from the languages of the peoples of the Caucasus. So, Klaproth believed that the Greek. Kaf is from Kofkaf, that is, Mount Kaf (Kof – “mountains”, and Kaf – “mountain bordering the sea and land” according to legend). According to Uslar, the coastal inhabitants could form the word “Caucasus” from two roots: gaug (mountain) and -az (in the old days Asia stretched to the Kuban and the inhabitants of the Kuban region were called the Azes), i.e. “mount Azov" ^{[8, p. 20]}. But this version was refuted by V. I. Abaev, because "such an interpretation does not agree with the laws of, for example, the Iranian-Ossetian language, in which the noun "hoh" - mountain always comes second, as in the names: Adai-hoh, Jimarai-hoh, Zylgi-hoh, etc. ... the reverse word order it is simply unthinkable in this language" ^{[155, p. 10]}.

In general, the meaning of the word Caucasus does not find a clear explanation either in Greek, Armenian, Iranian, or Georgian. Yu.D.Desheriev notes that "despite all these hypotheses, the question of the origin of the name "Caucasus" remains unresolved and open" ^{[8, p. 20]}. And here a natural question arises: why exactly do L. Mroveli call the ancestors of the Nakh peoples Kavkas ^{[29, p. 22]}? If we assume that ethnarch Kavkas was given his name from a geographical name, and not vice versa, then why exactly did he receive this ‘honor"? Indeed, in L. Mroveli's reports, the names of ethnarchs of the Caucasian peoples come from their ethnonyms: Gaos – hai, Eros – era, Egros – agra // argi, Kartlos – Kartli, etc.) ^{[29, p. 21]}. Consequently, the name Kavkas also comes from the name of the people and is its eponym. At least, there is no reason to make an exception for the ethnarch of Kavkas. And the opinion that a geographical name comes from an ethnonym is not new. For example, it was associated with the Hittite kaz-kaz, the name of a people who lived on the southern shore of the Black Sea" ^{[150, p. 113 (stb. 326)]}.

According to Plutarch, Chronos, fleeing from the wrath of Zeus, hid in the peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. There he killed a shepherd named Kavkaz, and in honor of the murdered man, Zeus gave this name to the mountain ^{[8, p. 20]}. Why on earth would an ordinary shepherd be honored to have the Caucasus Mountain Range named after him? In our opinion, the shepherd here represents the indigenous people of these mountains called Kavka(c), whose ethnarch is named Kavkas in L. Mroveli's work. And the message that he was a shepherd may be an indication of the main occupation of this people."Mela explains that the mountains he writes about (the Caucasus) have received different names in different places in accordance with the names of the peoples living there": Moschi, Amazonici, Caspii, Coraxsici, caucasii, etc. (Mela 1. 109.10) ^{[122, p. 908]}. Consequently, where the Kavkas lived, the mountains were named Kavkas. The kavkas in Mela's message, in our opinion, are the same kavkas that L. Mroveli wrote about more than ten centuries later ^{[29, p. 21]}.

The Caucasus Mountains and other places got their name from the names of the tribes that lived there during a certain historical period. For example, at the turn of the century AD, the mountains of the Western Caucasus were called "Korak" on behalf of the Kolkhian tribe of the Koraks who lived here ^{[156, p. 2]}, and near the Black Sea, where the Kola lived, they were called "Koliysky" ^{[156, p. 2]}. Strabo, referring to Eratosthenes (III century BC), reports that the locals (meaning, apparently, the inhabitants of the eastern regions of the Caucasus) called the Caucasus the Caspian Sea (XI. II. 15) ^{[61, p. 472]}, which perhaps indicates that the Caucasian Ridge received its names from the tribes that lived here.

We believe that the medieval designation of the ancestors of the Nakh peoples, Kavkasy, comes from the ethnonym Kolkha(y) and is related to the self-designation of the Ingush g I alg I ai. It should be noted that in Russian sources of the XVI-XVII centuries the Ingush are designated as Kalkasy ^{[1, p. 62]}, and in Russian sources of the XIX century the eponym of Galga in the form of Galgash is found ^{[157, p. 12]}. In Armenian sources, the name of the ethnarch Kavkas is found in the form Kovkas ^{[43, p.]}. That is, as in the ethnonyms of the ancient Kolkhai and modern Ingush – Galgai, the short root vowel a>o alternates in the term Kavkas.

L. Mroveli's report says that the descendants of Kavkas and Lekas migrated to the North Caucasus from the territory of Transcaucasia. It is logical to assume that the Lekans (the ancestors of the modern Dagestani peoples of Lezgins, Avars, etc.) migrated from the eastern regions of Transcaucasia, and the Kavkasi – from the territory of western Transcaucasia. In the eastern regions of Transcaucasia, ancient authors record the tribes of the Leges and Uti (Etiv). And what kind of people lived in the western regions of Transcaucasia? Of course, these are tribes that were united by the common name of Kolkhi (Kolkhai // kulkha). In the name of Lekas, L. Mroveli recorded the ethnic name of the Dagestani peoples – Laks // Lezgi. From this name, discarding the Greek ending -with, we get the name of the leka people, and from the name of Kavkas / / Kovkas – the name of the Kavka people // kovka.

Among the Dagestani peoples, the ethnonym leka has been preserved in the self-designation of Laks and Lezgins. Which of all the Nahyan ethnonyms is closest in sound to the term forging // kavka? Well, of course, this is the Ingush self–designation - galga (ing. g I alg I a).

Vakhushti suggested that Kavkassos is a combination of two ethnonyms – mountain dwellers kavkasy and wasps – inhabitants of the plains ^{[134, p. 136]}. However, one should be consistent here and apply the same etymology to all the names of the ethnarchs of the Caucasian peoples – Ga-Os, Badr-Os, Egr-Os, Er-Os, etc. Consequently, all these peoples had the same division and the inhabitants of the plains were called os everywhere, which is doubtful. But it is important for us that in the view of Vakhushti, the term Kavkas is an ethnonym.

Based on the above, it seems plausible to conclude that in L. Mroveli's message, the name Kavkas referred to the Hurrian-Urartian tribes who migrated to the north, united by the common name Kolhai // Khalhai. This conclusion is confirmed in the texts of the Assyrian king Tukultiapal-Esharr (Tiglath-Pileser I), who ruled in Assyria in 1115-1076 BC. He marched to the area east of the Euphrates, fought with the Nairi tribes and reached the Black Sea to the country of MAT. ḪAB.I ^{[86, p. 280 (17); 57, p. 25]}. Here we note that in mât Ḫab-ḫi – form rod. p. from the tribal name Ḫabḫu and therefore mât Ḫab-ḫi means "land of Habha" ^{[86, p. 263 (approx. № 1)]}.

Some researchers tend to see Lake Van in the "Upper Sea" of this inscription" ^{[57, p. 25; 63, pp. 155-156, 160 (approx. No. 42.)]}. However, as was convincingly proved by G. A. Melikishvili, here we are talking about the Black Sea ^{[57, pp. 26-27]}. The Kulkha country was located north of the Dayani country and the localization of the X abhu country coincides with it.

Analyzing the text of Tiglath-Pileser I, G. A. Melikishvili notes: "It follows from this rather clear indication that the territory of Khabkha extended to some kind of 'Great' Sea" ^{[57, p. 25]}. Perhaps this tells us that Kulkha was located not only in Transcaucasia, but also on the southern coast of the Black Sea ^{[57, p. 27]}. And there, as we wrote above, were the countries of Hayasha-Azzi, Chaldia, and to the east of them – Cola and Artani. Consequently, the name Khabhu could extend to a significant area (if not the entire area) between the lakes. Van and the Black Sea. "The fact that the center of the Kulkha kingdom was not in the far north, but in rather southern regions, is also evident from Urartian sources: the Urartian army reaches and captures the "royal city" (capital?) "the king of the Kulkha country" is the city of Ildamusha" ^{[57, p. 19]}

Apparently, the name Khabhu was used in an even broader sense and extended not only to the territory north of Lake Baikal. As far as historical Colchis in Transcaucasia, but also to the territory south of this lake, in the strip from the modern city of Diarbekir in the west, to the mountainous Zagra in the east, and other territories ^{[57, p. 23; 25, p. 87]}. In the story of the campaign of the Assyrian troops in the third year of the reign of Tiglath-Pileser I in the region of the country of Khabhu (K/Gilhu), it is reported that the Sugi region, located northeast of Lake Baikal, was part of this country. Urmia ^{[54., pp. 44-45; 56, pp. 24-28; 86, p. 263]}. "But, along with this, the name "Khabhi" also appears in connection with the territory lying far from here to the west, in Northern Mesopotamia, in the area of the Kashyyar Mountains (modern times). Tur-Abdin)" ^{[57, pp. 23-24]}. Thus, the Southern Habhu (let's call it that) was located south of the "Upper" and "Southern" Seas, i.e. Lake Baikal. Van and Oz. Urmia (according to G. A. Melikishvili, not reaching them ^{[57, p. 25]}), and occupied a fairly extensive territory stretching from west to east from the Kishiyar Mountains to Zagros.

G. A. Melikishvili in his work asks the question: "But what kind of name is the "land of Khabhi" of Assyrian sources, what did it mean?" ^{[57, p. 24]}. Answering this question, the author writes: "Khabkhi is hardly an ethnic term, a tribal name" ^{[57, p. 24]}. And G. A. Melikishvili explains this as follows: "Partially (in particular in the east of its territory) it was inhabited by Urartian tribes. For example, the Khabhi territories are referred to in the inscriptions of Tiglath-Pileser I as the countries of Khine and Luhh, which in the inscriptions of Shalmaneser I are called "Uruatri countries", i.e. ethnically, apparently, their population belonged to the Urartian tribes" ^{[57, pp. 24-25]}. And this is the territory where, according to scientists, the country of Urartu (Uru-atri) was originally formed ^{[54, pp. 43-51; 56, pp. 24-28]}. In other words, the place of Urartu's origin was included by Assyrian sources in the country of Khabhu (K/Gilhu). Further, G. A. Melikishvili writes: "Habkha's connections with the Urartian world may also be indicated by the presence of a mountain on its territory called Ararti (Arartu). The western regions of Khabkha, towards the Kashyyar Mountains and Northern Mesopotamia, were apparently inhabited by Hurrian tribes ^{[57, p. 25]}. Based on this, the scientist concludes: "Khabhi is more likely a geographical name or a common name" ^{[57, p. 25]}. It is unclear, however, why G. A. Melikishvili did not admit that khabhu (k/gilhu) could be a common ethnonym of the Hurrians-Urartians who lived in this territory, from which the geographical name is derived. Perhaps, if he had the data from our research, the scientist would have come to a different conclusion.

Thus, there is a country inhabited by Hurrians in the west and Urartians in the east, which is called Khabhu (K/Gilhu). The natural conclusion from this is that the country got its name from the common name of the tribes living in it, or the name of one of them. But considering all of the above, we adhere to the first option, i.e. that Khabhu is the common name of the Hurrian-Urartian tribes.

It should be clarified here that by the word "country" we mean the territory inhabited by Hurrian-Urartian tribes (i.e. Khabhu), and not a state entity. As G. A. Melikishvili himself writes: "It is clear that Khabkhi was not the name of any political entity - nowhere in the sources is the "king of the Khabkhi country" or the "royal city" of this country mentioned, rather it is, like "Nairi", the general collective name of the above–mentioned vast territory, in which there were many different political formations" ^{[57, p. 25]}. And it is normal for that time that all these Khabhi tribes did not have a national state.

I. M. Dyakonov admitted that the Assyrians used the term khabhu to denote some kind of robbers ^{[63, p. 160 (approx. № 42)]}. With all due respect to the scientist, it is difficult for us to agree with such an etymology, because I. M. Dyakonov does not give examples from the Assyrian (or Hurrian-Urartian) language about the presence of the word habhi (or consonant with it) with the meaning "robbers", as well as weighty reasons for such an etymology.

It should also be noted that G. A. Melikishvili did not connect the Southern Khabhi with the Khabhi near the Black Sea: ^{[57, p. 27]}. According to the scientist, the difference was in reading the names of these countries in the sources: "The wedge-shaped sign that spells the first syllable of this name, as noted above, has several different meanings: kir, kil, qil, gil, rim, rim (ri), hab/P. It can be assumed, for example, that in the case of the Black Sea country we are interested in, this sign was not used in the meaning of hab, but, for example, in the more commonly used qil or gil. So, it can be assumed that the country located off the southern (southeastern) coast of the Black Sea is mentioned in Assyrian sources as Kilhi (qil-hi) or Gilhi (gil-hi) (cf. with the cargo. The Ingush name is gilgo // gligvi – M.A.'s note) ^{[57, pp. 27-28]}. However, G.A. Melikishvili might just as well have assumed that Khabhu in Nairi could also be read as Gilhu. Perhaps the author was trying to separate the Khabha south of Lake Van from the Khabha near the Black Sea in order to neutralize some controversial issues during the so-called "Georgianization" of Colchis ^{[57, p. 28]}. Moreover, G. A. Melikishvili accepts the designation Khabhu and as K/Gilhu ^{[34, p. 14]}. Although I. M. Dyakonov expressed doubts about the correctness of reading the term as G/Kilhu // Kirhu a^{[86, p. 273 (approx. 37)]}, we are still inclined to assume that it was the Assyrian pronunciation of the Hurrian-Urartian Gilhu, or dialectal differences within the Hurrian-Urartian language array. The alternation of consonants l>c>b is also characteristic of other languages. For example, in Ukrainian, l is replaced by v: Russian to beat, to beat, to beat, but in Ukrainian to beat, to speak, to speak, etc. ^{[158, pp. 39, 125]}. The appearance of the form Habhu instead of K/Gilhu in the spoken language of the Assyrians could also be due to a misreading of the cuneiform sign (i.e. ḫ ab-ḫi instead of qil-ḫi).

G. A. Melikishvili notes: "By origin (judging at least by the Hurri-Urartian suffix belonging to – chi), it is most likely a term of local Hurri-Urartian origin" ^{[57, p. 25]}. It should be noted that the author saw this suffix in the name qul-ḫa (see above), just as some scholars see the Nakh suffix belonging to huo // -khav in the self-designation of Ingush g I al-g I a y (see above). However, we believe that in all these cases, the final -ḫu//-ḫa // -ḫi are different forms of the Khai (Khoi) tribal name. Note that "Khabhi, like the term Urartu, is found only in Assyrian texts" ^{[57, p. 22]}. Perhaps this indicates that khabhu is indeed the Assyrian pronunciation of the local name. At the same time, the Hurrian-Urartian tribes themselves may not have considered themselves a single people and used the term g/kilkhu (kulkha) in approximately the same meaning in which the Ingush and Chechens use the term Vainakh today for their common designation.

I. M. Dyakonov noted that the term Khabhu has a narrower meaning than Nairi ^{[63, p. 160 (approx. № 42)]}. And this is logical, since Nairi in the broadest sense is the name of a vast territory lying north of Assyria, around the Van and Urmian lakes, at the end of the II – in the first half of the I millennium BC ^{[57, p. 13]}, where not only Hurrian-Urartian tribes lived. The term Nairi is translated from Assyrian as "the land of rivers" and was a foreign, Assyrian name for the Hurrian-Urartian country ^{[57, p. 19]}. I. M. Dyakonov notes that "the term Khabhi denoted all mountainous regions of the Armenian Taurus and Kurdistan mountains, from the sources of the Tigris to the areas north of the Assyrian cities 34). The term Nairi referred to more remote mountainous regions, including the eastern part of the Armenian Highlands and Transcaucasia, then all the mountainous regions of both the Armenian Highlands and modern Iranian Azerbaijan and Kurdistan" ^{[25, p. 87]}.

In general, it is surprising that neither I. M. Dyakonov nor G. A. Melikishvili (as well as many other researchers) did not pay attention to the very close consonance of the term k/gilkhu with the designation of Ingush among mountain Georgians – gilkho, lit. gligu (dy) glikhvi (possibly dating back to gilkho), and the term khabkhu is the designation of the ancestors of the Nakh peoples in medieval Georgian sources – Kavkasy.

The country of Subi // Sugi is localized by scientists in the lake area. Urmia ^{[124, p. 45]}. In the Assyrian annals, in the third year of the reign of Tiglath-Pileser I, it was called the "Khabhi country" ^{[54, p. 44]}. We associate the term Sugi// Subi with the name of the Urartian region of Tsobani southwest of Lake Van. The form of Sugi is probably related to Nahsk. Ts I ukhi or Ts I ugi, where -gi is the Urartian suffix of tribal affiliation ^{[34, p. 90]}, or the suffix x (g I/a) with the meaning of spatiality, found in the toponyms of the mountainous regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia – Dzheyrakh, Nashakh, etc. ^{[159, p. 51-52]}. Also, for example, Gurzheh – "Georgia" ^{[160, p. 307]}. We compare the term Sugi with Tsiovge– a tract on the on the Shona side in the Dzheyrakh gorge of Ingushetia, a sanctuary dedicated to the QIu cult ^{[20, p. 37]}, or Sampai-qIuogIe, a sanctuary on the southern outskirts, 1 km away. from S. Jeyrah ^{[161, p. 25; 20, p. 13]}. Worship of the cult of Tsu // Tsov was widespread among the ancestors of the Nakh peoples during paganism ^{[11, 12-13]}. So Sugi (< Tsuvgi // Tsovg I i) means "The Country of Qi". Perhaps this was the center of this cult, or the people of sugi (ts I ukhoy?) lived here. – "professing Su // Tsu, where the final is gi of the same root as Nahsk. the suffix of affiliation is huo // -hav, the older version is x(a) ^{[11, p. 7]}).

Apparently, it is no coincidence that, along with Sugi, the Assyrian sources mention the country of Lukha, whose name we compare with the Georgian name of the Dagestani peoples – Leki, and the name of their ethnarch in medieval Georgian sources – Lekas // Lekan ^{[29, p. 22]}. Khabhu is mentioned together with the country of Ulluba. ^{[54, p. 83]}. The name of the latter is probably based on the same term Lukha. Also note that between oz. The ancient sources localize the region of Urmia and the middle course of the Araks, reaching the shores of the Caspian Sea in the east. The ancient sources localize the region of Andia ^{[86, p. 317]}, whose name researchers associate with modern Andia, the designation of the area of settlement and political education of the Andians, adopted in the old Russian geopolitical nomenclature since the beginning of the 19th century ^{[45, p. 198]}. Northeast of Assyria, south and southeast of Lake Baikal. Urmia was located in Manna and its Missy region, in the upper reaches of the Dzhegetu River ^{[86, p. 322; 57, p. 44]}. We associate the name of Manna with the ethnonyms batzbi and pheppi, and Messi with the ethnonym meskhi. Interestingly, the Assyrian annals report about the city of Meishta, which, according to G. A. Melikishvili, could be located in the Manna region of Messi ^{[57, p. 44]}, the name of which the author associates with the name of the city with Messi: "There is also a clear similarity between the names Missi and Maista (in pronunciation, probably mista or mesta. This latter probably contains the basis of mis, which is also present in the name "Missi" and the ending of the names of localities -ta" ^{[57, p. 44]}. Interestingly, the Ingush teip settlement of Beini is located near Metskhal. According to legend, the founding of the Beini settlement is connected with the parish of "torshkhoevce", who founded Metskhal (The legend of the founding of Beini, recorded in 1961 by Murzabekov Maksharip Usmanovich in the presence of 98-year-old Murzabekov Labzan Hunievich, 90-year-old Torshkhoev Murtsal Tosoltovich, <url>. 06/23/2016. Retrieved from https://beini.ru/2016/06/23/в-крц-дружба-прошла-акция-благодат / ). All this shows the connection between the terms Metskhal and Place.

We also compare the name of the city of Meishta with M I aista, the name of a high-altitude Chechen society. Perhaps meskhi, messi, mestoy, maistoy are the same root words.

In other words, on the territory of the oldest hearth of the Urartian civilization in the upper reaches of the Zab River, the distant ancestors of the Nakh peoples, as well as in the North Caucasus (in the Country of the Kavks), may have lived in the country of the Khabkhu, and in the east they were neighbors with the ancestors of the Leks and Andians, and the process of interaction and interpenetration of elements of their culture and language took place between them.

To the south of the location of Khabha, in the area where the Subareans lived in ancient times, was the city of Kalhu (Assyri. Calhoun, et al.-Heb. Kalakh) ^{[54, p. 10]}, which was built by the Assyrian king and commander Ashurnasirpal II (883-859)^{[54, p. 85]} (KozyrevaN V. V. History of ancient Mesopotamia: An educational and methodical manual. St. Petersburg: Publishing House of S.St. Petersburg University, 2007. 128 p. Retrieved from https://vk.com/wall-52136985_21756 , p. 97). Perhaps the city got its name from the area or tract where it was founded. This is logical if we assume that the Urartians themselves migrated from the territory of Mesopotamia.

It should also be noted that in the source of the XIV–XV centuries, Kavkasia and Ahokhiya are mentioned along with Alanya. We associate the latter with the Akkin people, who in the Russian article lists of the XVI-XVII centuries were designated as Akochans (Okoks), and their territory of residence is Okotskaya Zemlya ^{[1, pp. 80-82]}. As for Kavkasia, V. A. Kuznetsov believed that the name of this country contains specific geographical information about the Caucasus Mountains ^{[162, p. 82]}. But here the question arises: why exactly did this region of the Caucasus Mountains get such a name, if all the mountains are called Caucasian? For what reason was one of the regions in the Caucasus mountains called Kavkasia, while the others were not? In our opinion, there is no reason to make such an exception, and the basis of this term is not a geographical name, but an ethnic one (from which the geographical name also comes). In other words, the country of Kavkasia got its name from the term Kavkasy, which the Georgians used to designate the ancestors of the Nakh peoples.

Regarding the localization of Kavkasia, V. A. Kuznetsov came to the conclusion that the most possible option is to identify the Caucasian Bishopric with Upper Chegem in Balkaria, because there is a concentration of Christian antiquities here ^{[162, p. 82]}. It is noteworthy that according to the Ingush legend, Galga (Ingush) and Gaberte (Kabardian) are the sons of the ethnarch Ingush Ga ^{[48, p. 30]}. Perhaps the use of the eponym Gabert is an anachronism, since the territories of Kavkasia and Akhokhia were later occupied by Kabardians.

The term Babhi // Babanahi (Hurr. pabḫi, urart. pabanḫi), found in Assyrian texts, is also noteworthy. I. M. Dyakonov put this name on a par with Nairi and Khabkhi as having a general character and meaning simply "highlanders", without reference to a specific territory: "In the same sources, some terms of a more general nature are often used: Babkhi, Khabkhi and Nairi. The term babkhi (also babanakhi in Urartian sources) in Hurrian and Urartian means simply "mountaineers" and is definitely not localized; the term Khabkhi referred to all mountainous regions of the Armenian Taurus and Kurdistan mountains, from the sources of the Tigris to the areas north of the Assyrian cities 34). The term Nairi referred to more remote mountainous regions, including the eastern part of the Armenian Highlands and Transcaucasia, then all the mountainous regions of both the Armenian Highlands and modern Iranian Azerbaijan and Kurdistan" ^{[25, p. 87]}. B. B. Piotrovsky writes: "The "land of Babania" often found in Urartian texts is, apparently, a "mountainous country"" ^{[54, p. 32]}. Babhi or Pabhi means "highlanders" and "the land of mountains". (Hurr. pabḫi, pabanḫi — "mountain"; cf. Urartian. bab(ani) — "mountain") ^{[86, p. 267]}. Consequently, the Hurrian-Urartians, in addition to khabhu (gilhu, Kolkha), had another unifying name, babhi // babankhi, associated with their place of residence (perhaps originated at the time when their ancestors lived in the mountains of Southern Zagros). The Assyrians called their country Nairi ("The land of rivers"), Babaniya ("The land of mountains") and Khabhu ("The Land of Gilkhas"). It is noteworthy that before the beginning of the 20th century, the Ingush also had two common self–names - Galgai and Lamura, where the latter comes from Nakhsk. lam // loam – "mountain" and means "highlanders" (in contrast to Nahsk. "loamanhoy – "inhabitants of the mountains", loamaroy literally means "natives of the mountains". Perhaps this term originated not in the mountains, but after mountain dwellers migrated to the plain from their homeland in mountainous areas in some historical period ^{[39, p. 284]}. For example, I. A. Guldenstedt wrote in 1773 that the Ingush "also call themselves Khalkha" ^{[163, p. 37]}, and Simon Pallas wrote 21 years later (in 1794): "There is a certain people living in the Caucasus... their self–name is Lamur..., others call them Galgai (in the original it is written Kolgai – note M.A.) or Ingush. Their closest relatives in language and blood are Chechens, who call themselves nachkha" ^{[140, p. 278]}. B. K. Dalgat also noted that "Ingush people call themselves "galgai" or "lamur"… Kumyks and Chechens also call them Ingush Galgai" ^{[36, p. 42]}.

And here another question arises: if Dzurdzukos is descended from Kavkas, and Kavkas is Gilgia, then why is Gligvos (Gilgia) called a descendant of Dzurdzukos? In fact, this is the assumption of Vakhushti Bagrationi, when trying to explain the origin of the ethnonym gligvi ^{[134, pp. 150-151]}. Vakhushti also wrote: "Then Durdzuketiya was again divided into Dzurdzuk, Kist and Gligv and was named either by the sons of Dzurdzuk or by the oats who joined here" ^{[134, p. 137]}. It turns out that the country was previously divided into Dzurdzuk, Kist and Gligv? Perhaps all this is due either to the dominant position of the Dzurdzukis in the region at some historical period, or to the fact that Dzurdzukia was located closer to Georgia and all the tribes related to the Dzurdzukes were united by their name or derived from them. L. Mroveli reports that after the invasion of the Scythians, the Dzurdzuks began to dominate among the Kavkasi (i.e., the Kolkhais) ^{[29, p. 25]}.

On the same plane lies the question of the origin of the name Caucasus (Greek: καύκασος) in ancient Greek. Why didn't the Greeks call Colchis Kavkas, if these are the same root words? We explain this by the fact that the Greeks learned about the country of the Colchians even before their arrival in the Caucasus from some Semitic sources, where it sounded like Qabha. Perhaps from the language of the Phoenicians who closely communicated with the Greeks. And those, in turn, had the closest ties with the Hurrian tribes. For example, the ancient trading city-state of the Eastern Mediterranean and the birthplace of the Greek alphabet, Ugarit, located on the territory of modern Syria, was inhabited by Phoenicians and Hurrians ^{[164, p. 5]}. Among the ancient Greeks, it became the designation of the Caucasian Mountains. Since the ancient Greek language did not have a specific guttural sound q, it was replaced by the sound k; the transition of the sound b > c is natural in the Greek language (compare others-Greek βάρβαρος, Lat. barbaros – "the foreigner"; Akkad. Bābili or Babilim, etc.-Greek ΒαβυλώΝ – "Babylon", etc.). In the Nahyan languages, consonants b (n I) > c also alternate. For example, Chechen. khavsar, but bang. khabsar – "to look"; Chechen., ing, lavzar – bang. lap I ts I ar – "to play", etc. ^{[165, pp. 4, 10]}. The final -c in the term Kavkas is a Greek–specific ending. We also assume that the Kolkhais called themselves qolhas, where the final -s is the ending of the pl.h. In the Nakh languages, the affix pl. h. -i //-th is considered secondary to the affix -sh ^{[49, pp. 45-46]}. Under this name (i.e. Kavkas), the region entered the mythology of the ancient Greeks. As Professor Yu. D. Desheriev wrote: "There is reason to believe that the word "Caucasus" was originally found only in Greek myths and only later it became the name of a chain of mountains" ^{[8, p. 20]}. However, it is not clear who borrowed the myth of Prometheus from whom. Yu. D. Desheriev believed that the Greeks could have borrowed it from some Caucasian people ^{[8, p. 20]}.

The first information of the ancient Greeks about the Caucasus is associated with the semi-mythical campaign of the Argonauts ^{[166, pp. 140-142]}, i.e. in the years preceding the Trojan War (about 1300 BC). When the Greeks came to the Caucasus, they directly learned the self-name of the Colchians. But by that time, the term Kavkas in their view had become the name of a chain of mountains and the entire Caucasian region. They named the country in the Western Caucasus Colchis, unaware that these are the same root words.

Thus, we come to the conclusion that two variants of the country's name, Khabkhu and Kilkhu (Gilkhu), are the same as the name of the ethnarch of the ancestors of the Nakh peoples in medieval Georgian sources – Kavkas and the designation of the Ingush in Georgian sources of the late Middle Ages – gligvi // gilkho //gilgo //gilgu (dy), respectively. The fact that in Georgian sources the ancestors of the Nakh peoples, in particular, the Galgai, are associated with the ethnarch Kavkas, speaks in favor of the correctness of this conclusion. In other words, the Kavkasi in the reports of Mela and Mroveli, the Kulkha(y) in the Van sources and the Kolkhi in the ancient Greek writers are one and the same people. Kavkas is an ethnarch of the Kolkhai tribes (Kolov-Urartians and Khai-Hurrians). That is, the name of the ethnarch Kavkas goes back to the ethnonym kavka // kolkha and the same root as the endoethnonym of the modern Ingush – g I alg I ai.

The caucuses are in the west. If the tribes of the Khalibs, Amazons, Gargarei, etc. participated in the Trojan War on the side of Troy, then it is reasonable to assume the presence of the Kolkhai (Kavkasi) in the region. In this regard, the people of the Caucasus are of great interest, as reported by Homer (Iliad X. 429; Odyssey III. 366), Herodotus (IV. 148), etc. "The Caucasus, καύκωνες, are named by Homer along with the Leleges and Pelasgians among the allies of Troy, while in the catalog of ships about they are not mentioned, unless, perhaps, they are included among the Paphlagonians. The Kavkons were also in Greece; according to Strabo (8. 345), they were of Arcadian origin, divided into 2 tribes, lived in Triphylia and in the gentle Elida on Alphea, from where they moved to Achaia. They were driven out of Triphylia by the Minians. Hom. Od. 3. 366. Hdt. 4. 148" ^{[166, p. 266]}. In the Iliad (Book XIV, Canto X, 429), the Trojan herald Dolon reports on the location of Troy's allies, among whom the Kavkons are mentioned (Homer. The Iliad. / Translated by N. I. Gnedich. prepared by A. I. Zaitsev L.:Nauka, 1990., book XIV, song X, 430. Retrieved from https://ancientrome.ru/antlitr/t.htm?a=1344000010#430 ).

The eponymous ancestor of the Kavkon in Greek mythology is considered to be the Kavkon ^{[167, p. 196]}. As the son of Lycaon, Kavkon was an Arcadian (Apollodorus III. 8. 1), as the son of Kelen, a Messenian (Pausanias IV. 1. 5), and as the son of Astydamea, daughter of Forbant, an Elidian (Aelian Miscellany I. 24).

According to one version, "Kavkon, the son of Lycaon" ^{[167, p. 196]}. His genealogy is as follows: Uranus (the cult of heaven), Kronos (the son of Uranus and Gaia), Zeus, Pelasgus, Lycaon, Kavkon ^{[167, p. 60]}. Perhaps the name Lycaon is based on the Greek lyk (other-Greek. λύκος). –The wolf."

According to Pausanias, Kavkon was the son of Kelen (IV. 1. 5) ^{[168, p. 376]}. We compare the name Kelen with the ethnonym kola // gela. Interestingly, Pausanias (IV. 1. 5) traces the ancestry of Kavkon to the cult of the Earth (Gaia) ^{[168, p. 376]}. As we have already written above, the family tree of Kavkas (Galga) also goes back to the cult of the land of Hai (Ea, Ki, GIa). Therefore, it is quite possible that Kavkon of ancient Greek and Kovkas // Kavkas of Armenian and Georgian medieval sources are the same root words. Interestingly, in the Iliad (XX. 325-329), the kavkons are associated with Aeneas, the legendary ancestor of the Romans. Poseidon, saving Achilles, throws him into the ranks of the dragons preparing for war with the Greeks: "With a powerful hand he lifted from the ground and threw through the air: Many crowds of warriors, many crowds of horses. Quickly, Aeneas jumped over, directed by the hand of the deity. He flew to the confines of a field seething with battle, Where the militia of the Kavkons were preparing to move into the sich" (Homer. Iliad, L., "Science", 1990. / Translated by N. I. Gnedich.The publication was prepared by A. I. Zaitsev. XX. 325-329 https://ancientrome.ru/antlitr/t.htm?a=1344000020 ). Later, Aeneas migrated to the west and became one of the mythical ancestors of the Roman people. It should be noted that "in 1243 BC, the Bebriks (Greek: βέβρῠκες - a people who lived in ancient times on the territory of Bithynia), together with the Teucri and Sardis from Thrace, migrated to the western coast of Asia Minor. The area for the attack was divided between the attackers. The Bebriks seize the territory inhabited by the Kavkons, on which they create their own state, known in Greek sources as Bebrikia, and in Hittite as Assuva (Asshuva). The Teucers and Bebricians also attacked areas south of Bibricia, to the south of which a country appeared, which later became known as Mysia. Sardis, they capture the area of the Meander River and the country previously known in Greek sources as Luvia, and in Hittite sources as Artsava. From that moment on, the country got a new name – Sartaya, consonant with the Hittite name of the country" (Lebedev A.N. 05.08.2017 https://strah.mirtesen.ru/blog/43316965212/Dolg-platezhom-krasen ). We compare the names of Ashuva, Misia and Artsava with the names of the Hurrian-Urartian countries on the territory of the Armenian Highlands and Eastern Anatolia – Yishuva (and Azzi), Missy and Arzani (Alzi). Artsava is also interesting because, according to Herodotus (I, 94), the ancestors of the Etruscans, the Tirsens, migrated to Italy from the territory of this country ^{[169, pp. 51-52; 170, p. 42]}. In the time of Herodotus, Artsava was already called Lydia ^{[171, pp. 1-31]}. Apparently, it was not by chance that Aeneas was abandoned specifically to the Kavkons and is, perhaps, an indication of the relationship of the Tyrsenians with the Kavkons.

The Kavkons are considered to be an autochthonous pre–Greek people of western Anatolia, who later migrated to the western part of the Greek archipelago - to Arcadia, Triphylia and north to Elida. The Oriental origin of the dragons is also evidenced by Strabo's account (XII. III. 5) that some considered the Kavkons to be Scythians ^{[61, pp. 536, 509]}. In other words, the Kavkons were moving from Asia Minor to the west and possibly to the northwest. Strabo reports on the ancient land of the Dragons in Europe: "Invasions and migrations took place mainly during the era of the Trojan War and after that time, when barbarians and Greeks were seized by some kind of passion for the conquest of foreign lands. However, such phenomena existed before the Trojan War. After all, even then there was a tribe of Pelasgians, as well as Kavkons and Lelegs. As I said above,3 in ancient times they often wandered through many places in Europe. Homer portrays these tribes as allies of the Trojans, but not as aliens from the opposite continent (i.e., from Europe)" (XII. VIII, 4) ^{[61, p. 536]}. In this regard, it should be noted that in the second century A.D., the Alexandrian geographer Claudius Ptolemy (whose work is based on the work of his elder contemporary Marin of Tyre), who wrote somewhat later than Tacitus ^{[172, p. 64]}, mentioned the Cavci (Latin caucii) and the Caucones (Latin caucoensi i) among the peoples of Dacia They lived in the mountainous part of Moldova, in Bakau county, and traces of their habitat are also found in the Troculu Valley ^{[173, p. 46]}. On the map of Mercator in 1584, compiled according to the description of the geographer Claudius Ptolemy in the II century A.D., in the north of the Balkan Peninsula, near the coast of the Black Sea, the Cauconesii people are indicated [174. pp. 41-74], who, apparently, represent the Caucasians here. The names of the tribes adjacent to the Kavkons also attract attention.: to the north of them lived Costobocs (Latin Costoboci) or koistobocs (Claudius Ptolemy: A Geographical guide. Book III. 5. VIII, 21. Retrieved from https://rushrono.ru/istochniki_ant_031.html#vgv111text34 ); to the south of them lived the Cotenes (Latin Cotensi), to the south of the Cotenes are marked the Seine (Latin Sensi // Siensi ); Teurisci (Latin Teurisci) lived to the west of the Kostoboks; in the southwest of Dacia, Ptolemy notes the Albakens (Latin Albocensi) etc. (Geografia. III. 8, 3) ^{[175, p.16; 176, p. 33, 49; 177, p. 117]}. We compare the first part of the name Costoboci with the designation of the Nakh peoples in the Armenian and Georgian sources of brush // bushes ^{[2, pp. 43, 140 (approx. 18)]} and Akkad. a variant name of the Chaldeans is kashdu ^{[93, p. 7]}. Martirosian also draws attention to the fact that cysts are called K. Ptolemy as inhabitants of the Caucasus ^{[32, p. 38]}; Cotensi, we compare with the name of the Colchian city of Kitea (Koitea) ^{[121, p. 262]} and the Urartian people kuti (Gutium — in the late use of this term) ^{[86, p. 258]}; Sensi, perhaps, is associated with the name of the tribe of the southeastern Black Sea region – sannyas // tsany (Strabo XII. 3. 18) ^{[178, p. 158; 121, p. 262-263]}; Teurisci, possibly related to the Etruscans (Tuscans), and Albocensi – to the Albanians.

Ammianus Marcellinus in the IV century A.D. mentions the region of Kavki – Kavkalande (XXXI. 4. 12.), an area inaccessible due to high forested mountains in ancient Transylvania, where the Goths settled in his time ^{[179, p. 546]}. In the light of all the above, it does not seem a coincidence that the Carpathian Mountains (where the Kavkons, Kostoboks, Catenae, etc. lived) are called the Kavkasi Mountains in the Tale of Bygone Years ^{[180, p. 8; 181, p. 10]}. In the text under the "Kavkasi Mountains" – we are really talking about the Carpathians, which were called the "Caucasian Mountains" in some sources of the XI—XII centuries ^{[180, p. 540]} (PVL (elect. version). / Text preparation, translation and commentary by O. V. Tvorogov. 1997., note No. 7. Retrieved from https://drevlit.ru/parallel_text/povest_vremennyh_let.php#_edn7 ). Although there is also an association with the Caucasus ^{[152, p. 153]}.

In the time of Strabo, there were no more dragons in Greece (VIII. 3. 11) ^{[61, 325]}.

Surprisingly, it turns out that back in the early 20th century, the German linguist and ethnographer Adolf Dirr (confirming our etymology of the terms kavkas, kolkha, galga) compared the ethnonym galgai with the names of Kaukan (i.e. Caucasus), kavkony and Chachan.: "Chachan. If this is indeed the old name of the Chechen people, then it may come from Kakan, Kaukan, Kalkan (cf. Caucones), from which the name k, alk, – (Galgai, Kalkai) could have originated next to chachan" ^{[182, p. 10]}. The words "if this is really the old name of the Chechen people" attract attention. That is, A. Dirr believed that kauka kalka was filled with old names, trying to produce the term Chachan from them.

Conclusion. Thus, the data above suggests that Qolḫa, Qabḫu, Καύκασος, Καύκωνες (Caucōnes) – cognate words associated with self burrito-Urartian (halo-Gai) tribes, which Assyrian sources were combined under the title qabḫu, and called themselves qolḫay (vansk. lang.) and ḫalḫay (hurric. lang.). After their settlement in the western regions of the Caucasus, the Assyrian form of their self-name spread to the entire region. Today, as an ethnonym, the term qulḫa is preserved in the self–designation of one of the Nakh peoples, the Ingush, in the form g I alg I a(y).

In other words, kovka(ny), kavka(ny), kavkasy are single-root words with the name of the ancient inhabitants of the Western Caucasus, the Southeastern Black Sea region and the Armenian Highlands – kulkha(y) // kolkha, k/gilkhi, khabkhu, as well as with the names kalka(ny), kolka(ny), kalkasy from the article lists of the XVI-XVII centuries and other forms of the Ingush name – galga(y), Kalgai, kulga(y), gulga, gilgo, gilgu(dy), gligvi, etc.