Намиток, Айтек. Происхождение черкесов. / Второе издание.
Краснодар : Традиция, 2018.
572 с. Мягкая издательская обложка, обычный формат.
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Namitok, Aitek. The Origin of the Circassians (Proiskhozhdenie cherkesov). / Second edition.
Krasnodar : Traditsiya, 2018.
572 pp. Softcover, standard format. In Russian.
This 2018 edition marks the return of a seminal work in Adyghe (Circassian) studies, originally written by the prominent political figure and scholar Aitek Namitok (1892–1963). While Namitok is widely known for his political activism within the Circassian diaspora and the Caucasian independence movements, this volume represents his most significant academic achievement: the first rigorous, interdisciplinary investigation into the ethnogenesis of the Adyghe people.
Namitok’s methodology was revolutionary for its time, as he moved beyond traditional folklore to synthesize data from a vast array of sources. He examined archaeological findings, decoded references in Sumerian texts, and scrutinized the accounts of Classical, Byzantine, and Medieval European chroniclers. Furthermore, he integrated Russian chronicles and native Adyghe historiography with the burgeoning field of comparative linguistics, drawing heavily on the European academic standards of the mid-20th century.
The monograph argues for the ancient roots of the Circassian people, tracing their lineage through the diverse tribes of the Black Sea coast and the Northern Caucasus. Namitok explores the linguistic and cultural parallels between the Adyghe and the ancient civilizations of the Near East, positioning Circassian history within a broader Mediterranean and Eurasian context.
For Caucasologists, ethnographers, and historians of the Northern Caucasus, this second edition of The Origin of the Circassians is a vital reference. It not only provides a wealth of historical data but also stands as a testament to the intellectual legacy of the Circassian intelligentsia in exile, striving to preserve and document their national identity through modern scientific inquiry.