| Kumukh Gumuchi |
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|---|---|
| — Village — | |
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Kumukh
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Dagestan |
| District | Laksky District |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,483 |
| Time zone | MSK (UTC+3) |
| • Summer (DST) | MSD (UTC+4) |
| Area code(s) | +7 87267 |
| Website | http://www.gazikumuh.ru/ |
Kumukh (also Gumuchi, Gumuk, Gumik, Kumuk, Gazi-Gumuk) is a village and the administrative center of Laksky District in Dagestan. It is located on the banks of the river Kazikumukhskoye Koysu.[1]
Previously known as Kazi-Kumukh (Lak: Gazi-Gumuchi).
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An ancient polity on the Lak territory was the principality of Gumik.[2] The first reliable information about Kumukh dates to the 6th century CE. Kumukh was then the historical center of the Lak people, and existed before the Laks converted to Islam. In the Middle Ages Kumukh was a large trading center.
In the 8th century Lakia, being part of the Arab Caliphate, adopted Islam and a mosque was built in Kumukh ("Gumuksa Kunmizit", i.e. the grand mosque of Kumukh, in Lak).[3][4] The viceroy of Caliph with the title "Shamkhal" asserts his authority in Kumukh.[5][6][7]
In the 10th century in the era of Arab influence in Dagestan, Kumukh is named by Ibn Rustah, according to the authors of translation from Arabic, as "Alal and Gumik", which is undoubtedly identified as "Al-Lak and Gumik".[8][9]
From Arabic Gumik, or Gumuk came its Turkic name Kumuk and later the Russian name Kumukh.[10]
At the end of 11th century Kumukh became the stronghold of Islam and a military center used by Islamic warriors ("Gazies") in Dagestan. The new prefix "Gazi" ("Kazi"), meaning "warrior for faith", was added to the name of the city.
Kazi-Kumukh — one of the oldest villages in Dagestan, the capital of the Shamkhalate of Kazi-Kumukh and later the Khanate of Kazi-Kumukh.
Before the accession of Lakia into Russia the main market for products of Kazi-Kumukh Khanate population was bazaar in Kazi-Kumukh where one could see not only Laks with their goods, but also Avars, Dargins and Lezgins. Inhabitants of Kazi-Kumukh supplied almost all of Dagestan with copperware (pitchers, pots, etc.) and many other goods. Kazi-Kumukh was one of the centers of arms production.[2] Among the Lak craft centers Balkhar was popular. Products of Balkhar pottery enjoyed great demand among the peoples of Dagestan.
O. V. Markgraf, one of the leaders of the Committee on artisanal crafts of the Caucasus, wrote in his book "Essay on the artisanal crafts of the North Caucasus in 1882" — "In the past the Kumukh village deservedly became famous as a kind of capital and production center of the district, famous for the most exquisite examples of weapons-grade art.
Prior to the first quarter of 19th century Lak artisans were mainly engaged in weapons graft. After the complition of Caucasian War, Laks began to develop other types of crafts — gold and silver processing, production of footwear and clothing, copper work. The best known jewellers were from Kumukh, Nitsovkra, Duchi, Khurukra, Chitur, Churtakh, Tsushar, Chari and Unchukatl. Gold and silver produce decorated with enamel and ivory of Kumukh masters was especially famous. There were 150 goldsmiths in Kumukh along.
In the second half of 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, there has been a mass movement of rural artisans from Lakia to other cities of the North Caucasus, Azerbaijan, and Russia. Lak jewelers, brothers Haji and Khanaki, gained worldwide fame for dressing swords and shields with "gurd". At the Paris exhibition in 1889 there was presented a copper washstand with a lantern of Lak master Ali Buta Shaban. Names of other masters of Kumukh — Munchayev, Shakhshaev Abdurahman, Haji Mohammed.
Among Lak gunsmiths families of Guzunov, Abdullah Akiyev and Mulla Omarov were famous. In 1868 Alexander Komarov wrote that from the District of Kazi-Kumukh "almost all adult men travel to work in different places. In winter a man from Kazi-Kumukh can be found everywhere — from Orenburg to Tabriz.
In Kutaisi province there were over 50 registered Lak jewelers, 120 in Tiflis province, and 90 in Tiflis along.[11] Gunsmiths to Vladikavkaz came mainly from Dagestan, and largely from Kazi-Kumukh District and Kubachi.
Osman Omarov — master of cold arms, native of Lak Kazi-Kumukh, born in 1850. At the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th century, led a workshop in Vladikavkaz that employed 15-20 workers. Osman's blades were highly prized and enjoyed the greatest popularity. Frequent customers were the Cossacks. Osman earned a deserved reputation as one of the best producers of bladed weapons.
Guzun Guzunov (1844-1913) — a native of Lak Kazi-Kumukh, master of cold arms and silversmiths, led the workshop with his brother Durpal. In 1889 Guzun had in Vladikavkaz five journeymen and three apprentices. Later the workshop has expanded and employed 20-30 people, partly from Kazi-Kumukh and partly from Kubachi. Workshop of Guzunov produced sabers, swords, daggers, belts, sword belts, pistols (after the end of the Caucasian War the tsarist administration banned residents of the Caucasus and master gunsmiths to produce modern firearm), holsters, men's and women's belts, breast hooks to the women's suits, umbrellas, knobs for sticks and umbrellas.
In 1882 Kazi-Kumukh was visited by Russian scientist Dmitry Anuchin (earned a worldwide reputation in research on archeology and ethnography) who wrote: "Kazi-Kumukh is frequented very seldom, meanwhile it is one of the most famous in Dagestan. Some residents are engaged in agriculture, but more in manufacturing of weapons, copper utensils, as well as trade.[12][13]
The Lak scholar and madrassa teacher Ali Kayaev was born in Kazi-Kumukh. The city's historic craftsmen, including Munchaev, Abdurahman Shakhshaev, Haji-Muhammed, are well known.
The city's economy centers on farming and construction, and the city is served by a school and hospital.[14]