Who Are the Lezgin?
The Lezgin (Lezgi, Lezgian) are a Northeast Caucasian people divided between southern Dagestan (Russia) and northern Azerbaijan, numbering approximately 800,000-1,000,000 total. They speak Lezgin, a Northeast Caucasian (Lezgic) language with literary tradition dating to the 19th century. The Lezgin are the largest ethnic group of the Lezgic peoples, a broader linguistic family including Tabasaran, Rutul, and others. Known historically as skilled craftsmen—carpet weavers, metalworkers, and woodcarvers—the Lezgin maintained distinct identity despite successive Persian, Russian, and Soviet rule. The Soviet-era border now divides them between Russia and Azerbaijan.
Carpet Weaving Tradition
Lezgin carpet weaving represents one of Dagestan's greatest artistic traditions. The "Derbent carpet" style, associated with Lezgin and neighboring peoples, features distinctive geometric patterns, medallions, and color palettes. These carpets were traded throughout the Caucasus, Persia, and beyond. Weaving was primarily women's work, passed from mothers to daughters. Natural dyes—madder red, indigo blue, walnut brown—created characteristic colors. Industrial production and synthetic dyes have affected the tradition, but handmade carpets using traditional techniques are still produced. This weaving heritage connects Lezgin to broader Caucasian and Persian carpet traditions.
Divided People
The Soviet border between the Russian SFSR and Azerbaijani SSR divided the Lezgin homeland, separating communities that had been united for centuries. Since 1991, this has become an international border. Lezgin in Azerbaijan face pressures to assimilate to Azerbaijani identity; those in Dagestan navigate Russia's federal system. Lezgin nationalist movements have sought autonomy or unification, particularly during the upheaval of the Soviet collapse, but have not achieved political goals. Cross-border family connections continue despite visa regimes and border controls. This division—and the differential treatment of Lezgin in two states with different national projects—shapes contemporary Lezgin identity.
Contemporary Lezgin
Modern Lezgin in Dagestan are the second-largest ethnic group (after Avars) in one of Russia's most ethnically complex regions. In Azerbaijan, they are a minority seeking cultural rights within a state emphasizing Azerbaijani identity. The Lezgin language is taught in Dagestan schools but faces pressure from Russian; in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani dominates education. Traditional crafts—carpet weaving, metalwork—continue but face economic challenges. Agriculture and pastoralism employ many rural Lezgin. Migration to Russian cities provides economic opportunities but weakens community ties. How the Lezgin preserve language and culture while navigating division between two states shapes this carpet-weaving mountain people's future.
References
- Haspelmath, M. (1993). A Grammar of Lezgian
- Wixman, R. (1980). Language Aspects of Ethnic Patterns and Processes in the North Caucasus
- Bennigsen, A. & Wimbush, S. E. (1986). Muslims of the Soviet Empire