Korotakh Cap in the Light of New Epigraphic Data

         In the 70s of the XX century, during the study of the tower-like crypt of the XV–XVIII centuries. A headdress was found in the village of Koroty in the historical and geographical region of Malkhista (Itum-Kalinsky district of the Czech Republic), which is the object of research in this publication ^{[1, p. 95; 2, p. 208]}. The item, now kept among the exhibits of the National Museum of the Czech Republic, was first introduced into scientific circulation in 1977 by R. A. Dautova and subsequently mentioned in articles repeatedly ^[3-6]. Z. D. Daudet and R. A. Dautova also determined the chronological framework for the manufacture of the headdress. "The hat itself," the authors note, "was sewn from dark cherry–colored velvet with an ornament woven with gold threads; such fabrics were made in Italian weaving centers in the XV – mid XVI century. This indicates the lower date of the headdress – not earlier than the XV century, which is confirmed by the finds of similar fabrics in synchronous North Caucasian monuments (Belorechensky, Zaragizh, Satayi-Obau)" ^{[2, p. 208]}.

         According to the results of radiocarbon dating carried out at the Center for Isotope Research of the University of Georgia (USA), the time of manufacture of the fabric itself with a probability of 95.4% was determined within the framework of 1430-1480. ^{[2, p. 209]} Earlier Z. V. Daudet had already indicated that similar fabrics, the manufacture of which begins in the XV century. "in Italian weaving centers", could get in the interval XV – ser. XVI century. "in exchange or as gifts, salaries or trophies" ^{[4, p. 62]}. In addition, Z. V. Daude and R. A. Dautova believe that even before the appearance in the mountains of the North Caucasus, "golden-patterned velvet was used for church embroidery" ^{[2, p. 208]}. At the same time, A. S. Petrov suggested the probability of a connection between the headdress and Georgia. Finally, according to researchers, the fabric from which the headdress was made was a trophy of the local population, who "did not feel reverence for Christian shrines" ^{[2, p. 208]}. In this view, Z. V. Daudet agrees with R. A. Dautova and H. M. Mamaev, asserting the opinion that "the mountaineers really did not feel reverence for Christian shrines" ^{[4, p. 64]}.

Assuming the connection of the local population with the Genoese trading factors, Z. V. Daudet still considers it unlikely that the fabric will appear in the region due to peaceful relations with the Italians. Moreover, the researcher believes that the fragment of fabric used to make the cap was intentionally cut out with damage to the images of the figures of the archangels and the halo of Christ ^{[4, pp. 61, 63]}.

         While familiarizing ourselves with the exhibit in question, we became interested in the origin and semantics of the preserved part of the inscription on the hood, hoping that this would allow us to advance in the question of the ways of the appearance of the headdress in the mountains of Chechnya. Earlier, R. A. Dautova and H. M. Mamaev had already paid attention to the remains of an unknown inscription on the hood ^{[3, pp. 31-32]}, although this topic is nowhere and, apparently, no one else is developing.

         Assuming that the inscription is an example of medieval Georgian writing, bearing in mind also the above opinion of A. S. Petrov, we turned to the associate Professor of Ilia Chavchavadze State University (Tbilisi, Georgia) Temo Jojua. Having studied the embroidery on the headdress, the researcher identified in it a Georgian–language inscription composed in italics, in asomtavruli font, dating, according to the scientist, approximately XIII-XIV centuries. (in our case, the XV century.). Moreover, T. Jojua expressed the opinion that "the author of the inscription wrote out the old Georgian text from old books in a later font." There is no beginning and end in the inscription, only one word is clearly read (""), the rest is restored by T. Jojua from experience with similar texts. As a result , the researcher suggests the following version of the original two - line text: «1. [?(?)] 2. [?()?] ?()?, ?[()?]». Translated: "Rest his human soul, God. Amen."

         Thus, we have an example of an inscription in asomtavruli font, where one old Georgian word (man) is clearly defined and the rest is approximately restored. In any case, taking into account the new data, a number of questions arise.

         First of all, I would like to express concern that in the publication of Eric Powell in the journal of the Institute of Archaeology of the USA "Archeology" (No. 3, 2015), where the author refers to and quotes Z. V. Daudet, the Korotakh find is presented as an object from a Mongolian burial ("Mongol burials"), previously removed from "Russian churches" ("Russian churches"). The wearer of the headdress was called a "Mongol warrior" who, "wearing an inverted Christian motif to battle, may have thought that he would neutralize this threat" ^[6]. Judging by the photos of the headdress presented in the magazine and the fact that the subject was studied at the Center for Isotope Research at the University of Georgia (USA), E. Powell really received information from Z. V. Daudet. If this is true, then it is not entirely clear to us what served as the basis for the presentation of the object – discovered in the Chechen ancestral crypt (in the highest mountainous region of the republic – Malkhista) and equipped with an old Georgian text, so also sewn, if you listen to the authors' opinion, with disregard for the semantics of Christian symbols – as "Mongolian Russian Russian "artifact" taken from Russian churches" (i.e. sewn by Orthodox Russians?). It is disappointing that when covering an archaeological find in international resources, not only the origin of the find is ignored, but also the mention of the specific region where the object was discovered.

         In the light of the above, we have an alternative version, which, meanwhile, is not declared by us as unambiguously true. Meanwhile, taking into account the Genoese origin of the fabric, a transitional stage is obvious for it, since the text in Asomtavruli demonstrates religious semantics, which means that before being in the possession of the buried in Korotakh, an inscription in the Old Georgian language was applied to the fabric. Only then it was used to make a hood out of it. In this case, how reasonable was it to purchase Italian fabric in order to apply sacred texts in Georgian on it, and then store it without using it for making a specific headdress or clothing, waiting for it to turn out to be a trophy in the border and culturally exposed Georgia Malchista? If the main version inclines to the fact that the velvet was bought or fell into the hands of the buried as a result of payment or as a trophy, and only then was processed to make a cap, then it seems to us illogical against the background of the identification of the inscription on asomtavruli on it. On the other hand, this does not clarify that the images on the header are fragmented and are in an inverted position, leaving this question somewhat open.

Anyway, it is impossible to ignore the prevalence of Georgian writing in the Argun gorge, especially when it comes to the XV–XVI centuries. Recently and earlier, a number of epigraphic monuments have been discovered within the Argun Gorge. Among them there is an inscription on the stone of the tower in the village of Keshta (Zumsoy; fonts asomtavruli and nushuri); on a stone block from the village Bauloy (Terloy; fonts asomtavruli–mrglovani and nushuri) ^{[7, pp. 343, 345; 8, pp. 226-229; 9, pp. 12-13]}; on a stone block of the tower of the village Eld-Pha (Terloi; asomtavruli font); in Keishta village (Mulkoi; asomtavruli and nushuri fonts) ^{[7, pp. 343, 345]}; on a stele in Khenakh village (Terloi; mkhedruli, asomtavruli-mrglovani, nushakhutsuri fonts) ^{[10, pp. 64-66]}; a cup, two bowls and a wooden one a glass from the burials of Tsoi-Pede aul (Malkhista; the first two items are asomtavruli fonts) ^{[7, pp. 344, 345; 11, pp. 334-336]}; on the stone block of tower No. 1 in Tsoi–Pede aul (Malkhista; asomtavruli font) ^{[7, pp. 343-345; 12, pp. 88-89]} and etc .

The results of radiocarbon analysis of a glass and a cup from the religious buildings of Tsoi-Pede show that in the XIV century in the mountains of Chechnya, the ancient Georgian script was widely used, including the asomtavruli font, which by that time had already been displaced in Georgia itself ^{[9, pp. 12-13; 13, pp. 68-69]}. Recall that a Georgian source from 1310 reports about the church of the people "Nakhche" (the endonym of Chechens), which is under the patronage of the Georgian church ^{[14, p. 50; 15, p. 76-77]}. During the reign of George the Brilliant (1318-1346), Georgia's cultural influence on Chechnya only intensified: "builders of fortresses and monasteries" were sent here ^{[14, p. 47, 50; 16, p. 145]}. In the second half of the century, the situation does not seem to change. "Initially,– writes Vakhushti Bagrationi, –says Teimuraz, Kistins, Gligvas and Dzurdzuki (ancestors of Chechens and Ingush. – Z. T.) spoke Georgian and were Christians. And the Lezgins were Christians and kept the Georgian language until the invasion of Temur-Leng, who, having conquered them, seduced them into Mohammedanism with flattery, then threats and appointed them mullahs from the Arabs ... however, Tsar Alexander (1414-1442) managed to expel the Arab mullahs from Lezgistan and bring the country back to its former state (the text is highlighted by us. – Z. T.)" ^{[14, pp. 51-52]}. By 1431 Alexander managed to capture the Lori region in Armenia ^{[17, p. 302; 18, p. 131-132]}, by 1437 he conquered Ganja, Shirvan and Derbent ^{[14, p. 54]}. Thus, by the second third – the middle of the XV century, having recovered from the devastating consequences of Timur's campaigns, Georgian influence in the region was again at its peak. Moreover, according to A. I. Shavkhelishvili, in one way or another it was felt in the highlands of Chechnya "up to the XVI century" ^{[16, p. 132]}.

In this regard, attention is drawn to a Georgian-style cross with a recess for an icon, which stood at the entrance to the Argun Gorge on the site of the former Russian Vozdvizhenskaya fortress, named in his honor ^{[19, p. 7; 20]}. It is highly unlikely that this object survived the invasion of Timur, who destroyed "all churches and temples in Chechnya" ^{[21, p. 123, 183; 22, p. 89]}. Most likely, the cross, which previously attracted the attention of academician V. F. Miller, was installed just the same in the XV century. In addition, the aforementioned stone block of the tower in the village of Keshta (Zums) with the text in asomtavruli and nushuri fonts may also date back to the XV century: according to legend, the village itself was built from the ruins of the complex destroyed by Timur in 1395 ^{[23, p. 28]}. This is also indirectly indicated by an arched stone embedded in the blank wall of the residential tower of the village almost at the base, which indicates its secondary use, moreover, not for its intended purpose (photographed by us in 2019).

So, taking into account the results of radiocarbon analysis of epigraphic monuments (the end of the XIII – XIV centuries), the results of radiocarbon dating of the investigated headdress (1430-1480), the prevalence of Old Georgian writing and the cultural influence of Georgia in the region in the XIV–XV centuries, noting the location of the village of Korotakh near the border with Georgia, as well as taking into account all of the above facts, the "trophy" origin of the Korotakh find seems very doubtful to us. During the period under review, mountainous Chechnya and Georgia are more likely to act as strategic allies (against the background of incessant threats from the north and south from Tatars, Turkmens, etc.) with serious mutual influence on the border strip.

Thus, it seems to us that the situation with the Korotakh cap (distortion of the fabric pattern) most likely has a more banal explanation: the ritual, but not the reverent attitude of the locals to the fabric and the symbols on it (before sewing the cap, if it was made by Chechens), or the headdress was sewn in Georgia, and a cut of part of the image it is explained by simple technical reasons and /or illiteracy of the performer (seamstress).

Korotakh hat with embroidery-inscription ^{[2, p. 210]}