ABSTRACT
Despite the great ethnic diversity of the North Caucasus, it is possible to speak of a distinct North Caucasus culture common to all the peoples there. This is not simply a matter of mutual influence of peoples living in close proximity to one another in relative isolation, but also a necessary factor in their mutual interrelations. Despite particularities of each local adat (system of traditional law), a general set of rules for behavior allowed the North Caucasus peoples to develop economic ties, resolve disputes, and freely migrate from one area to another.1 At the same time, the Northwest Caucasus was less influenced by Islam than the Northeast and after 1400 faced continuous attacks by the Crimean Tatars, and so society there developed features unique to the region.
