TURKIC HISTORY PRESERVED IN CHRISTIAN RITUALS

Abstract

This article analyzes ritual memory within the context of cultural and historical continuity, drawing on the notes of 19th-century European and Russian authors as well as examples of Georgian folklore. Adopting a linguo-anthropological approach to the historical status of the Azerbaijani language in the Caucasus, the study’s primary innovation lies in identifying the dominant role of Azerbaijani in Christian rituals (specifically in feast and celebratory ceremonies), a language that served as the regional lingua franca for centuries.
Based on linguistic facts of Turkic origin preserved in Christian rites and the names of several ancient temples in the region, the author posits that the Turkic community of the Caucasus was an active participant in the Christian milieu prior to the adoption of Islam. According to the author, following the transition to Islam, the Azerbaijani Turkic community abandoned certain ritual prac-tices involving alcohol, while these same rituals were preserved in their original form by other peoples inhabiting the same geographical space. The article also provides a critical examination of modern distorted interpretations of ritual memory. It concludes that ritual memory, passed down through generations, serves as the most credible evidence of the historical dominance of the Azer-baijani language in the Caucasus and the shared spiritual heritage of the region's peoples.