Each nation has its own distinctive features, which allow almost without error to determine the nationality of a person. It is worth noting that the Asian peoples are very similar to each other, since all are descendants of the Mongoloid race. How can you define a Tatar? What is the difference between the appearance of the Tatars?
Uniqueness
Without a doubt, each person is unique, regardless of nationality. And yet there are certain common features that unite representatives of a race or nationality. Tatars are usually attributed to the so-called Altai family. This is a Turkish group. The ancestors of the Tatars were known as farmers. Unlike other representatives of the Mongoloid race, the Tatars do not have pronounced facial features.
The appearance of the Tatars and the changes that are now manifesting in them are largely caused by assimilation with the Slavic peoples. Indeed, among the Tatars, fair-haired, sometimes even red-haired representatives are sometimes found. This, for example, cannot be said about Uzbeks, Mongols or Tajiks. Do the eyes of the Tatars have features? They do not necessarily have a narrow slit in the eyes and dark skin. Are there any common features of the appearance of the Tatars?
Description of the Tatars: a bit of history
Tatars are among the most ancient and populous ethnic groups. In the Middle Ages, mention of them excited everyone around: in the east from the shores of the Pacific Ocean and to the Atlantic coast. A variety of scientists included references to this people in their writings. The mood of these notes was clearly polar: some wrote with rapture and admiration, while other scientists showed fear. But one thing united everyone - no one remained indifferent. It is quite obvious that it was the Tatars who had a huge impact on the course of development of Eurasia. They managed to create a distinctive civilization that influenced a variety of cultures.
In the history of the Tatar people there were both ups and downs. Periods of peace gave way to cruel times of bloodshed. The ancestors of modern Tatars took part in the creation of several strong states at once. Despite all the vicissitudes of fate, they managed to preserve both their people and their identity.
ethnic groups
Thanks to the works of anthropologists, it became known that the ancestors of the Tatars were not only representatives of the Mongoloid race, but also Europeans. It was this factor that led to the diversity in appearance. Moreover, the Tatars themselves are usually divided into groups: Crimean, Ural, Volga-Siberian, South Kama. The Volga-Siberian Tatars, whose facial features have the greatest signs of the Mongoloid race, are distinguished by the following features: dark hair, pronounced cheekbones, brown eyes, a wide nose, a fold over the upper eyelid. Representatives of this type are few.
The face of the Volga Tatars is oblong, the cheekbones are not too pronounced. The eyes are large and gray (or brown). Hump nose, oriental type. The physique is correct. In general, the men of this group are quite tall and hardy. Their skin is not dark. Such is the appearance of the Tatars from the Volga region.
Kazan Tatars: appearance and customs
The appearance of the Kazan Tatars is described as follows: a strongly built strong man. From the Mongols, a wide oval of the face and a somewhat narrowed slit of the eyes are noticeable. The neck is short and strong. Men rarely wear a thick beard. Such features are explained by the fusion of Tatar blood with various Finnish peoples.
The marriage ceremony is not like a religious act. From religiosity - only reading the first chapter of the Koran and a special prayer. After marriage, a young girl does not immediately move to her husband's house: for another year she will live in her family. It is curious that her newly-made husband comes to her as a guest. Tatar girls are ready to wait for their lover.
Only a few have two wives. And in those cases when this happens, there are reasons: for example, when the first has already grown old, and the second - younger - now runs the household.
The most common Tatars of the European type - the owners of blond hair and bright eyes. The nose is narrow, aquiline or aquiline. Growth is not high - in women about 165 cm.
Peculiarities
In the character of a Tatar man, some features were noticed: diligence, cleanliness and hospitality border on stubbornness, pride and indifference. Respect for elders is what distinguishes the Tatars. It was noted that representatives of this people tend to be guided by reason, adapt to the situation, and are law-abiding. In general, the synthesis of all these qualities, especially diligence and perseverance, makes a Tatar man very purposeful. Such people are able to achieve success in their careers. The work is brought to the end, they have a habit of achieving their goal.
A purebred Tatar seeks to acquire new knowledge, showing enviable perseverance and responsibility. Crimean Tatars have a special indifference and calmness in stressful situations. Tatars are very curious and talkative, but during work they are stubbornly silent, apparently so as not to lose concentration.
One of the characteristics is self-esteem. It manifests itself in the fact that the Tatar considers himself special. As a result, there is a certain arrogance and even arrogance.
Cleanliness distinguishes Tatars. In their homes, they do not tolerate disorder and dirt. Moreover, this does not depend on financial capabilities - both rich and poor Tatars zealously monitor cleanliness.
My home is your home
Tatars are very hospitable people. We are ready to host a person, regardless of his status, faith or nationality. Even with a modest income, they show cordial hospitality, ready to share a modest meal with a guest.
Tatar women stand out with great curiosity. They are attracted by beautiful clothes, they watch people of other nationalities with interest, they follow fashion. Tatar women are very attached to their home, they devote themselves to raising children.
Tatar women
What an amazing creature - a Tatar woman! In her heart lies an immeasurable, deepest love for her loved ones, for her children. Its purpose is to bring peace to people, to serve as a model of peacefulness and morality. A Tatar woman is distinguished by a sense of harmony and special musicality. She radiates a certain spirituality and nobility of the soul. The inner world of a Tatar woman is full of riches!
Tatar girls from a young age are aimed at a strong, lasting marriage. After all, they want to love their husband and raise future children behind solid walls of reliability and trust. No wonder the Tatar proverb says: “A woman without a husband is like a horse without a bridle!” Her husband's word is law for her. Although witty Tatars complement - for any law, however, there is also an amendment! And yet these are devoted women who sacredly honor traditions and customs. However, do not expect to see a Tatar in a black veil - this is a stylish lady who has a sense of dignity.
The appearance of the Tatars is very well-groomed. Fashionistas in the wardrobe can see stylized things that emphasize her national identity. Here, for example, there are shoes that imitate chitek - national leather boots worn by Tatar girls. Another example is applications, where patterns convey the stunning beauty of the earth's flora.
And what's on the table?
A Tatar woman is a wonderful hostess, loving, hospitable. By the way, a little about the kitchen. The national cuisine of the Tatars is quite predictable in that the main dishes are often based on dough and fat. Even a lot of dough, a lot of fat! Of course, this is far from the healthiest food, although guests are usually offered exotic dishes: kazylyk (or dried horse meat), gubadiya (a layer cake with a wide variety of fillings, from cottage cheese to meat), talkysh-kaleva (an incredibly high-calorie dessert flour, butter and honey). You can drink all this rich treat with ayran (a mixture of katyk and water) or traditional tea.
Like Tatar men, women are distinguished by purposefulness and perseverance in achieving goals. Overcoming difficulties, they show ingenuity and resourcefulness. All this is complemented by great modesty, generosity and kindness. Truly, a Tatar woman is a wonderful gift from above!
As a separate nationality, they appeared approximately in the 15th century. Before that, various tribes and peoples lived on the territory of the peninsula, from which this nationality was formed. Now the appearance of the Tatars faintly resembles the one that it was 500 years ago. Moreover, people living in different countries and regions are completely different from each other.
Representatives of this nation live mainly in the south of Ukraine, in Russia, Romania, Turkey and Uzbekistan (where they were massively deported from the Crimea in the middle of the last century). In connection with this resettlement, the Crimean Tatars (whose appearance at that time was mostly close to Slavic) were forced to coexist with Asian peoples, as a result of which many national signs were lost.
Now, after returning to their historical homeland (as early as the end of the last century, they began to return to the Crimea), this people is trying to revive their traditions. But not only cultural and historical values were lost in exile, the appearance of the Tatars also changed. The "purebred" representatives of this nation are quite with light (often blond or red) hair, light eyes and skin. However, having mixed with the Uzbeks and other representatives of the eastern peoples, many Tatars became swarthy, brown-eyed, with dark hair and a characteristic Asian
Despite this external difference, life away from the homeland did not lead to significant internal discord. Now, like dozens of years ago, Crimean Tatars are trying to live together, children in families are brought up with traditional morality and religion (most of them profess Islam), mutual assistance and support.
Despite the fact that Tatar youth do not observe some rituals and behave more and more like Europeans, the main traditions (respect for elders, holidays, weddings and some other events) still retained their originality. Of course, the appearance of the Tatars now differs little from the appearance of representatives of other nationalities: no one wears women, despite belonging to Islam, they allow themselves to use cosmetics, wear revealing outfits and attend various events alone (which was absolutely unacceptable a few decades ago).
But all this mainly concerns residents of large cities, in remote settlements and the outback of the Crimean steppes, many people live in a completely different way than in the city, including the Tatars. Appearance (man, woman, child) is more reminiscent of those representatives of the nation who lived in the last century. Girls are more modest, children are more obedient. In many villages, all traditions are observed with jewelry precision, including fasts and holidays, weddings and funerals.
From a geographical point of view, representatives of this people are divided into mountain foothills (tatlar), steppe (nogai) and south coast (boylu). The appearance of the Tatars also depends on this affiliation. So, the legs have a more pronounced Asian dense physique and short stature. Tatlar are more like Slavs - they are fair-skinned and tall. As for the boilies, they are usually swarthy, but taller than the Nogai and Tatlar, their facial features are more pleasant, although large. At present, representatives of all three directions are so mixed up that a clear boundary between them no longer exists.
Quoting I:
For N, the Tatars have old info. The sample is small, in fact, Tatars have much more N, this can be seen from the tests.
Someone also lied to you about the Z93. The Polish-Lithuanian "Tatars" have this snip. This is a small nation of several tens of thousands of people sent at one time from the Western Horde to help the Mongolian troops. You understand that these are not Tatars, it is incorrect to refer to them.
Kazan Tatars do not have Z93, but Baltic snips. You can check it with FTDNA. There is one single Z93 in Mishar in Bashkiria, but this does not mean anything. Here, your Bashkir neighbors have Z93 all the time.
In the above table, there is not even J, E, although the Tatars have a lot of them according to the latest data.
But J, E, N were not found in the Scythian-Sarmatian bones.
Forget about phenotypes, this is irrelevant.
1. If there are Baltic snips, then most likely from the Balts of the Imenkovskaya culture.
2. Anthropology is relevant. First of all, she says that the Tatars are racially different from the Finno-Ugric peoples and Russians. The predominance of the Pontids already speaks for itself.
3. Tatars are dominated by non-European snips R1a:
Z93 + and L342.2 + If there is another infa - throw off the link. I'll take a look.
4. There is a DNA project on the tatforum. According to it, it turns out that R1a Tatars by haplotypes have nothing in common with Finno-Ugric peoples and Russians: www.tatforum.info/forum/index.php?showtopic=6803&st=520
___________________
There is an official anthropology. Finally, there are eyes. Although crack - the Tatars are basically not Finno-Ugric, not Balts and not Russians, but Pontids (North-Iranids).
What are you trying to prove to me?
As for the Mishars, the Finno-Ugric peoples are generally ridiculous.))) They have completely pronounced pontids + the nomadic tradition has not been lost. At the same time, they sharply differ from the Russians and the surrounding Finnish peoples. The ancient Finnish meshchera, if anything, had the Upper Oka type. Steppe Misharsky is from the Scythians:
* Proceedings of the Society of Archeology, History and Ethnography at the Imperial Kazan University. - Kazan, 1903
//. Traditions and historical data about the Mishars. Gainetdin Akhmerov.
The Mishars call themselves Tatars, and consider the name "Mishar" to be an insulting expression in relation to themselves. To the question "Mishar"? they often respond with swear words with the addition of the consonant verb “Tishar” (pierce, pierce), while other foreigners, for example, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, talking about their nationality “without Bashkorts” (we are Bashkirs), “without Cossacks” (we are Kyrgyz), they strike their chest with their hands - as a sign of pride. The Kazan Tatars, calling themselves Muslims by faith or Bulgars by origin, do not respect the name “Tatar” for themselves.
The Mishars, although everyone is engaged in agriculture, everywhere show a tendency to cattle breeding, they breed a lot of livestock, especially sheep. Tatars living in the neighborhood of the Mishars do not have such a penchant for cattle breeding.
In the provinces of Simbirsk and Samara, the Mishars trade in sheep; each horse-dealer grazes his own herd.
In the autumn, the Mishari hawkers rent winter fields from neighboring landlords, where they graze their sheep until the very winter; they do not have enough fields for this. The Mishars do not have a special inclination for poultry farming; they generally have few domestic birds. They do not even have their own names for some poultry, heap (Russian kochet) - a rooster, silazan - a drake, and among the Tatars, a rooster has been used to determine the time since ancient times and it is often discussed in children's fairy tales. Among Tatars, Chuvashs and other foreigners of the Volga region, poultry farming is an economic support, especially chicken farming, for example, many eggs are sent from the provinces of Kazan and Vyatka to St. Petersburg, Riga and from there abroad.
Beekeeping and hunting are also not habitual crafts for the Mishars, however, in Bashkiria, the Mishars and their murzas are partly engaged in falconry and wolf racing. They have special horses for this, which are considered laudable.
In former times, the Mishars of the Nizhny Novgorod and Simbirsk provinces led tame bears, which is why the Tatars often call them "ayuchy" (bear leader).
The Mishars began to engage in trade, mainly peddling, only recently, and even then not everywhere, but only in some provinces, for example, Nizhny Novgorod, Simbirsk, Penza and Saratov and in the cities of Kasimov and Chistopol. Many of them live in the capitals. In St. Petersburg, they are known under the name of negligents, since they mostly sell old clothes. In Moscow, they sell "knots" (i.e., they carry their goods in a bundle), lace and junk. In Nizhny Novgorod they serve in grain mills and in various factories. In Kostroma, they are partly cabbies, partly serve on various ships, there are also shipbuilders. In Astrakhan, for the most part, drafters (visitors from the provinces of Nizhny Novgorod and Penza).
There are a lot of Konovalov from Mishars. In some villages of the Simbirsk province, the Mishars are completely engaged in this trade. Of the Tatars of Kazan, there are no konoval at all. Mishar horse-drawn horses can be seen all over Russia, except for the Kirghiz steppes. In the summer of 1898, three Mishar teachers from the Karsun district of the Simbirsk province came to Kazan for teacher training, one of whom brought a piece of Japanese cloth to sew a dressing gown in Kazan. This cloth was bought from horse-dressers visiting Japan and China.
It turns out that the Mishar horse-drawn horses, going into the depths of Asia, end up in China and Japan, from where they bring various kinds of Asian fabrics and carpets, which are sold here as a rarity for expensive prices.
In the summer of 1899, the Mishars of the Karsun district of the Simbirsk province, visiting the Amur Territory, asked the government for access to Sakhalin Island, but they were not allowed to.
In the provinces of Simbirsk, Samara and Kazan, the Mishari are also engaged in horse-stealing, and they show remarkable courage, resourcefulness and patience. This is supposed to be the remnants of the former equestrian prowess. We see the same passion for horse stealing among the Kirghiz and Kalmyks. In the west of Tsivilsky and in the Buinsky counties there are Mishar villages, the inhabitants of which are completely engaged in this shameful trade. Gangs of horse thieves are always well organized, if not from one village, then from several villages - two or three people each; usually meet at markets and fairs. In the neighborhood with the Mishars, or simply by misunderstanding, this vice is attributed to the Kazan Tatars, while among them horse stealing is a very rare occurrence. In the Vyatka province, where herds walk without a shepherd in fenced fields and forests, horse theft is also a rare occurrence.
The Mishars have a particular inclination towards animal food rather than vegetable food. The most favorite meat is lamb and horsemeat sausage. Horses are slaughtered only when they are old and emaciated; a foal is never slaughtered. And the Tatars, on the contrary, slaughter fat horses and they are often fattened with bard, where there are distilleries; many young foals are slaughtered to free the uterus during field work.
Mishars do not have national Tatar holidays, like Sabantuy (plow holiday), Zein - summer fun holidays in May and June. However, in some places, due to the Tatar influence, Sabantuy and the Mishars celebrate.
6 H-654
VII. About the suit.
The costume of the Mishars, both for men and women, is the same Tatar, but they wear clothes of a more ancient form.
From the information delivered to E. A. Malov by the Tatar S. A. regarding the form, the following can be seen: “the clothes of the Mishars are like the clothes of old times, they have no new fashion.” Among the Kazan Tatars, the form often changes, like a trading people and having constant relations with various peoples. E. A. Malov says that the clothes of the Mishars are simple, of ancient cut, and not the exquisite clothes of the Mohammedan form. E. A. noticed that the shirts of the Mishars, like those of the Russians, are red or variegated, i.e., red-blue checks.
In some places (the provinces of Penza, Tambov, Nizhny Novgorod and Simbirsk), a Russian-village influence is noticed on the male costume of the Mishars, for example, sometimes the Mishars wear a Russian sheepskin coat, Russian hats, boots with wide tops or Russian bast shoes.
The Tatars, on the other hand, have recently begun to notice Russian urban influence on both men's and women's costumes.
The headband of the Mishars has a special shape, completely similar to the Kirghiz one. First, they wrap the head with a veil (tastar), and tie a scarf over it, spreading its ends from behind, as if from a turban. E. A. Malov and Cheremshansky also pointed out this feature of the headband of the misharok. I. N. Smirnov noticed that, under the influence of the Mishars, the Mokshan women also wear the same form of headdress.
Misharks do not wear caps and hats; Tatar women often wear white felt hats during field work, and on holidays and at a party they wear hats with a beaver band, sometimes decorated with a braid on top. However, the lace decoration of hats is already going out of fashion among the Tatars. The hat is also given as a kalym from the groom, and is recorded in the metric, among other outfits.
Misharkas have their own national camisole-rod of an upper dress with short skirts and sleeves to the elbows, with an open collar, pleated waist. The camisole is fastened with only one clasp, more than silver, the front edges only touch, and do not cover each other. We see exactly the same camisole among the Kirghiz and Nogai Tatars (in the provinces of Orenburg and Astrakhan). Tatar women also wear a camisole, but not like this, it is without folds and without sleeves, the collar is slightly open, the front edges cover each other. The camisole of the Tatars is usually warm (with fur), and is also given in kalym.
The Mishars wear knitted stockings, while the Tatars and Chuvashs wear white cloth stockings.
The Kostroma Mishars have nothing national left, except for the headband of women, who can only be distinguished from Russian women by this outfit.
The costume of the Mishars in the provinces of Orenburg and Ufa, judging by the descriptions of Cheremshansky, does not differ at all from the costume of the Bashkirs and Tatars of that region.
CONCLUSION ON PEOPLE AND ORIGIN.
Among Russian scientists, there was an opinion that the current Mishars or Meshcheryaks, as they are called in Russian literature, come from the Finnish Meshchera tribe that lived on the Oka and its tributaries.
This assumption, based solely on the name "Mishar" and the disappearance of Meshchera, needs scientific verification. Literature about the Mishars is extremely poor; no one studied the language and way of life of this people, which is why there are frequent mistakes and inaccuracies in the few sources available.
The bare name "Mishar", of course, is not enough to determine the nationality of this tribe, since neighboring peoples often give each other erroneous names, for example, the Kirghiz call the Bashkirs Ostyaks (Istak), the Meadow Cheremis call the Tatars Chuvashs (Suas), Votyaks they are also called bigers (biger), the Chuvashs call the Kirghiz nogays (nogai), and the Kirghiz themselves call this name the Volga Tatars in general, the Altai Kalmyks call the Russian Cossacks (Cossack). The disappeared Meshchera tribe was of the same origin as the Mordovians, and in Russian chronicles it is constantly mentioned along with the Mordovians and Cheremis.
Mordva, like other Volga Finns, has been leading a sedentary life since ancient times and from time immemorial has been engaged in arable farming and beekeeping, hunting for animals and fishing.
The Mishars, however, not only have no inclination towards these branches of the economy (except for agriculture), but there are absolutely no words in the language related to these crafts. And their agriculture is in a much worse state than that of the Mordovians and other foreigners of the Volga region. The Mordovians, like other Finns, do not notice a nomadic character at all, which was preserved quite freshly among the Mishars.
6* 163
If the assumption about the origin of the current Mishars from the Meshchera is considered reliable, then under the influence of what people could this Finnish tribe so soon and completely Tatar? In the language of the Kazan Tatars, as the closest Turkic neighbors of the Meshchera, we do not notice some phonetic features of the Mishar dialect and a lot of its words and Turkic archaisms, found only in the dialects of the Siberian Tatars, which never came into contact with the Meshchera.
The question is, by virtue of what favorable circumstances did the other neighbors and fellow tribesmen of the Meshchers (Mordva and Cheremis) not suffer the same fate and remain, as it were, isolated from the Tatars? Meanwhile, the Mordvins (Moksha), occupying now their historical places (and in the Meshchera region, as the name of the river - Moksha shows), is a constant neighbor of the Mishars in the provinces of Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Tambov, Simbirsk, etc. How can we explain, finally the current Mishars have the most Turkic type, and where could they have had so many murzas and princes?
The Mishars consider themselves Tatars, the Kirghiz call them Nogays (Nogai), the Kazan Tatars claim that they are of Turkish origin; other foreigners and the Russian people indifferently call them Tatars.
The language and the names of settlements derived from it prove that this is a nomadic people of the Turkic race, who came out of Central Asia at a relatively late time. Their own legends and some historical data say that these are fragments of the Golden Horde.
Personal names and surnames derived from them also serve to some extent as indicators of their Tatar origin.
By type, the Mishars belong to the Turkic race and have more similarities, for example, with the Crimean Tatars and even distant Yakuts.
Their occupations, manners and customs are of a nomadic nature and are similar to those of the Kirghiz.
The women's costume is of purely Asian origin and is completely similar to the Kirghiz and Nogai.
The totality of all these data excludes the possibility of the Finnish origin of the current Mishars and serves as irrefutable proof of their Turkic origin. I came to a deep conviction that these were representatives of a more numerous and once strong tribe, namely the descendants of those nomads of Asia who in the 13th century poured into Europe through the Ural River and established themselves on Akhtuba under the name of the Golden Horde. After the collapse of the last part of this tribe, led by Prince Kasim, in the middle of the 15th century, it established itself on the Oka and began to be called by the main city of Meshchera, where their leader Ka-sim sat down. Another significant part, nomadic for a long time and known under the common name of the Nogais, after conquering the kingdoms of Kazan and Astrakhan, gradually established itself in the current provinces of Samara, Saratov, Simbirsk, Penza and the southern part of Kazan, when the region began to be settled by Russians. When the complete dominance of the Russians on the Volga was established, various circumstances forced the Mohammedan foreigners (Tatars and Mishars) to move to Bashkiria, where they live to this day. And also many Tatar princes and murzas with their squads left the Horde for Russian service at different times. This whole element is currently called mishar.
VII. About the name Mishar.
The Turkic tribes have a custom to call themselves and their neighbors by the names of their leaders (Uzbek, Nogai, Chagatai, etc.), or by the names of settlements. For example, the Turks call the Russians in general by the name "Moskov", the Volga Bulgars were also known by their main city. The Mishars of the Nizhny Novgorod province call the Tatars the name "Kazan", the Astrakhan Nogai call them "Kazans". Mishar murzas in the Ufa province are known in Bashkiria under the name "Toman" as they came out of Temnikov, Tambov province. The Mishars of the Ryazan province generally call themselves "KaciM", and the city of Kasimov is called "Kirman".
In the cities of Moscow and Astrakhan, there are many Mishars from the Nizhny Novgorod province, who are generally known under the name "Nizhgorod", as they call themselves. The city of Kasimov, before being occupied by the Tatars, was called "Meshchera", as well as "Meshchersky town". The name of the ancestor of the new settlers (Kasim) gradually replaced the ancient name, which later passed to the people who lived in it (and in its region). The Kazan Tatars imposed this name without distinction on all the Tatars of the Volga region, speaking one common dialect.
_____________________
Tell me what you are trying to prove to me and why?
That Tatars are brothers to Russians and Finno-Ugric peoples?
The history of the scientific study of the physical appearance of the Tatars is more than a hundred years old and its beginning dates back to the 70-80s of the 19th century, when in 1869 the Society of Naturalists was formed at Kazan University. The initiator of these studies was the famous scientist and teacher P.F. Lesgaft, who determined the importance of studying the anthropological composition of the peoples of the Middle Volga and Ural regions in order to clarify the issues of their origin. The real embodiment of the ideas of P.F. Lesgaft was put into practice by the teacher of Kazan and then Tomsk University N.M. Maliev and his student S.M. Chugunov. The anthropological study of the population was accompanied by the collection of craniological (cranial) and paleoanthropological material with its subsequent use as a historical source on the problems of the ethnogenesis of local peoples. The works of these researchers laid the foundation and determined the main directions for future research in the field of ethnic anthropology of the Tatars (Alekseev, 1963).
The first work on the somatology of the Tatars was published in 1879, it describes the physical appearance of the Kasimov Tatars (Bezenger, 1879). In 1886, I. Blagovidov published materials on the anthropology of the Simbirsk Tatars, and in 1891, Yu. Talko-Grintsevich presented data on the Tatars of the Ufa province (Blagovidov, 1886 (g.); Talko-Grintsevich, 1891). In 1904, the doctoral dissertation of A.A. Sukharev on the study of the Tatars of the Kazan district (Sukharev, 1904). A more particular problem - about the pigmentation of the Tatars of the Laishevsky district - is devoted to the article by M. Nikolsky (Nikolsky, 1912). The results of the study of the anthropology of the Volga-Ural Tatars in the pre-revolutionary period were summed up in a review article by M.M. Khomyakov (Khomyakov, 1915).
Research on the anthropology of the Siberian Tatars is associated with the activities of well-known Kazan anthropologists N.M. Maliev and S.M. Chugunov, transferred to Tomsk University. If N.M. Maliev was mainly engaged in anthropological survey of the local indigenous population, then S.M. Chugunov paid more attention to the study and collection of paleoanthropological and craniological material. The results of these works were reflected in 15 issues of "Materials on the Anthropology of Siberia", which were published from 1893 to 1905 (Rozov, 1959). With the termination of their scientific and pedagogical activity, research on the anthropology of the Siberian Tatars practically disappears and is of an accidental nature (Debets, 1948).
In anthropological terms, the Astrakhan Tatars turned out to be poorly studied. From the works of the pre-revolutionary period in the travel notes of P.I. Nebolsin provides visual descriptions of the anthropological appearance of the Karagash belonging to the Mongoloid type, and in the work of the medical-statistical nature of A. Dalinger, the growth and chest circumference of the Tatars of Astrakhan were studied (Nebolsin, 1852; Dalinger, 1887).
The main conclusion of anthropological surveys of the late XIX - early XX century. there was a provision on the mixing of Tatars in racial terms.
The next stage in the study of the anthropology of the Tatars is mainly associated with the many years of scientific activity of T.A. Trofimova. For the first time, she managed to conduct so-matological studies of the main groups of the Tatar people according to a single methodology. So, in 1929-1936. within the framework of an anthropological expedition of the Institute of Anthropology of Moscow State University, a study was made of the physical appearance of the Volga-Ural Tatars (Trofimova, 1949).
In 1937, as part of the West Siberian expedition, she explored groups of Tobolsk and Baraba Tatars (Trofimova, 1947). The results of these expeditions were reflected in a number of articles and summarized in the monograph "Ethnogenesis of the Volga Tatars in the light of anthropological data", where for the first time not only an exhaustive description of the physical appearance of the Tatars was given and the main anthropological types were identified, but an attempt was made on the basis of paleoanthropological materials available by that time trace the stages of the racial genesis of the Tatars in close connection with ethnopolitical history (Trofimova, 1949). Unfortunately, in the post-war years, research on the somatology of the Tatars practically ceased, apart from the incidental study of certain groups of Mishars and Siberian Tatars (Alekseeva, 1963; Mag, 1970; Rozov, 1961). In connection with the expansion of archaeological work in these years, the emphasis of anthropological research has shifted to the field of studying paleoanthropological material, which made it possible to outline the stages in the formation of the physical appearance of the Tatar people and to identify its ethno-genetic origins (Trofimova, 1956; Akimova, 1964, 1968, 1973 ; Alekseev, 1969, 1971; Postnikova, 1987; Yablonsky, 1987; Efimova, 1991; Bagashev, 1993; etc.).
In recent decades, along with the traditional methods of anthropological research (somatology, craniology and paleoanthropology), studies on dermatoglyphics, odontology, serology, genetics, etc. with the exception of Astrakhan (Rynkov, 1965; Hit, 1983, 1990; Efimova and Tomilov, 1990; Rafikova et al., 1990; Shneider et al., 1995).
Summarizing the results of more than a century of studying the anthropological appearance of the Tatars, we note their racial heterogeneity both within the main ethnic groups and between them, which probably reflects the specifics of their racial genesis and ethnogenetic ties. So, in the composition of the Volga-Ural Tatars, four main anthropological types are distinguished.
* Pontic type - characterized by mesocephaly, dark or mixed pigmentation of the hair and eyes, high nose bridge, convex nasal bridge, with a lowered tip and base, significant beard growth. Growth is average with an upward trend.
* Light Caucasoid type - characterized by subbrachycephaly, light pigmentation of hair and eyes, medium or high nose with a straight back of the nose, moderately developed beard, medium height. A number of morphological features - the structure of the nose, the size of the face, pigmentation, and a number of others - bring this type closer to the Pontic.
* Sublaponoid type (Volga-Kama) - characterized by meso-subbrachycephaly, mixed pigmentation of hair and eyes, wide and low nose, weak beard growth and a low, medium-wide face with a tendency to flattening. Quite often there is a fold of the eyelid with a weak development of the epicanthus.
* Mongoloid type (South Siberian) - characterized by brachycephaly, dark shades of hair and eyes, a wide and flattened face and low nose bridge, often occurring epicanthus and weak beard development. Growth, on a European scale, is average.
Each of these types is not expressed in its pure form in any of the groups, but their reality in the composition of the Tatars is confirmed by the accumulation of signs of the corresponding types in separate territorial groups. Only the Caucasoid type with relatively light pigmentation does not have a distinct geographical localization in the composition of the Tatars and can only be assumed as an admixture. According to T.A. Trofimova, among all studied Tatars, the dark Caucasoid (Pontic) type prevails (33.5%), then the light Caucasoid (27.5%), sublaponoid 24.5%) and, finally, the Mongoloid (14.5%) (Trofimova, 1949, p. 231).
When comparing the data on the somatology of the Volga Tatars with those of neighboring peoples, a general typological similarity is revealed, which differs in the degree of expression of individual types. So, with a light Caucasoid type, the Tatars are associated with the Mordovians-Erzei, partly the Mari, Udmurts, Chuvashs and Russians. The sublaponoid type unites the Tatars with the Udmurts, the Mari and some groups of Russians. The dark Caucasoid type of the Pontic appearance can be traced in some groups of Mordovians-Mokshas and partly in the southern Chuvashs. The Mongoloid component of the South Siberian type, most pronounced among the Tatars of the Arsk region of Tatarstan, is observed only among the Turkic peoples of this region - the Chuvash and Bashkirs. Materials on dermatoglyphics, odontology, serology and genetics of the peoples of the Middle Volga and Ural regions also reveal common features in the racial genesis of the population of this region.
Thus, the formation of the anthropological appearance of the Volga-Ural Tatars and neighboring peoples took place in close ethnogenetic interaction, which had a different focus and intensity depending on the specific historical situation in the region.
The Middle Volga and the Urals, occupying a geographically advantageous position between Europe and Asia, between the forest and the steppe, and possessing rich biological resources, has long been a zone of contacts between peoples that differ not only in origin, language and culture, but also in anthropological appearance. Thus, judging by the materials of paleoanthropology, the first contacts at the genetic level between the forest population (representatives of the western variants of the Ural race) and the inhabitants of the steppe zone, who are generally characterized by a Caucasoid appearance, are recorded already in the Neolithic and Eneolithic eras (Yablonsky, 1992). In the Bronze and Early Iron Age, the region under study becomes the scene of migration flows, going both in the latitudinal and in the meridional direction. As a result of these migrations and extensive marital relations between the local and newcomer population, the formation of that anthropological type, which stands out among the Volga Tatars as sublaponoid, took place. This type in its various variants is the main one for the local Finnish-speaking population (Akimova, 1973; Efimova, 1991).
With the beginning of the Turkic era and the arrival of the Bulgarians to the Middle Volga, active ethnocultural and ethnogenetic relations between the Turkic-speaking tribes and the Finno-Ugric population are observed within the framework of the newly formed state association - Volga Bulgaria. These assimilation processes, which lasted more than 300 years, on the eve of the Mongol conquest, led to the formation of a new ethnic community - the Volga Bulgars.
Analyzing the craniological series of the Volga Bulgars of the pre-Mongolian period, one can single out those morphological complexes that are subsequently traced in the anthropological appearance of the modern Volga Tatars. At the same time, it should be said that the identification of direct analogies between the anthropological type of the living population and the type determined by bone remains is not always correct (due to the incompatibility of features) and requires certain assumptions and special reservations. Thus, the mesocephalic dark Caucasoid (Pontic) type, which prevails among the Tatars, and especially among the Mishars, can be associated with the long-headed Caucasoid type, which was characteristic of the population of the Khazar Khaganate, living on the territory of the so-called Saltov-Mayak culture. With the decline of the Khazar Khaganate, part of this sedentary Turkic-speaking population, mainly of Alan-Sarmatian origin, moved to the Middle Volga, where it became one of the main components in the composition of the Volga Bulgars and determined the handicraft and agricultural nature of the economy of the Volga Bulgaria. Actually, the Bulgarians, connected by their origin with the Turkic-speaking tribes of Central Asia, Altai and South Siberia, who played a decisive military-political role in the formation of a number of state associations, including the Volga Bulgaria, had a slightly different anthropological appearance. It was generally characterized by mixed Caucasoid types with the inclusion of Mongoloid elements of the South Siberian morphocomplex. This type can also be traced in later materials on the anthropology of the Volga Bulgars, being one of the main ones in its anthropological structure. Perhaps the insignificant Mongoloid component distinguished among the Volga Tatars comes from the early Bulgarians and later groups of the steppe population, mainly of Kipchak origin, which were part of the pre-Mongolian Bulgars.
The sublaponoid and light Caucasoid components in the composition of the Volga Bulgars and Tatars are most likely associated with the local Finno-Ugric population. If the sublaponoid (Subural) type is characteristic primarily for the population of the Kama-Priural sources, then the light Caucasoid was most likely common among the western and northwestern groups of the ancient Finnish population, who actively contacted the ancient Baltic and Slavic tribes. It is possible that the Caucasoid population with light pigmentation penetrated the territory of the Volga Bulgaria from the northern regions of Ancient Rus' and from the Old Russian principalities as part of military squads, merchants and artisans, who subsequently dissolved in the local Turkic-speaking environment.
The conquest of the Volga Bulgaria by the Mongols and its entry into the Golden Horde did not introduce fundamental changes in the physical appearance of the Volga Bulgars and neighboring peoples. At the same time, the influence of the Golden Horde on the course of ethnogenetic processes in the Middle Volga and Ural regions was expressed in the purposeful policy of the khan's administration to regulate migration flows, which could not but affect the ratio of different anthropological components. In particular, there was a certain increase in the Mongoloid admixture of the South Siberian appearance in the Golden Horde period and among the Turkic-speaking population of the Middle Volga and Ural regions.
A few anthropological materials on the era of the Kazan Khanate and subsequent periods also testify to the Caucasoid basis of the Kazan Tatars and their genetic proximity to the previous, Bulgar population (Efimova, 1991, p. 72; Alekseeva, 1971, p. 254).
Thus, the anthropological structure of the Tatars of the Middle Volga and the Urals developed in the main features even in the pre-Mongolian time, within the framework of the Volga Bulgaria. The main factor in racial formation was miscegenation between the newcomer, Turkic-speaking and local, Finno-Ugric-speaking population. The political, economic, cultural, and especially linguistic changes that took place in the Middle Volga during the Golden Horde period and in subsequent historical epochs did not significantly change the racial makeup of the local peoples. At the same time, the ratio of anthropological types identified among the Volga-Ural Tatars was not always the same and changed from the specific historical situation in the region over the past millennium.
Among the Tatars of Western Siberia, several racial types stand out. Thus, the Ural type (Mongoloid, with Caucasoid features) is the main one for all groups of Siberian Tatars occupying the northern area of their residence, and as a component can be traced among the more southern Tatars. The Mongoloid type of the South Siberian appearance is characteristic primarily of the Tatars of the Baraba steppe and is noted as an admixture in almost all Siberian Tatars, tending to increase in the southern, steppe groups and to decrease in the northern, forest ones. The Mongoloid component of the Central Asian type was recorded only among the Baraba Tatars, and the peculiar, so-called Chulym type was noted only among some groups of the Tobolsk and Tomsk Tatars. And finally, the Caucasoid type (according to T.A. Trofimova, the Pontic appearance) is more pronounced in urban residents and to a lesser extent in rural ones.
According to the main racial diagnostic features, the Siberian Tatars occupy an intermediate position between the population of the forest zone of Western Siberia (carriers of the Ural anthropological type) and the Turkic-speaking population of Southern Siberia and Altai-Sayan (representatives of the South Siberian morphotype). The different ratio of anthropological types in the racial composition of individual groups of Siberian Tatars may indicate both their different genetic origins and the nature of genetic ties with the surrounding peoples.
Judging by the linguistic data and materials of archeology, ethnography and written sources, the closest historical ancestors of the Siberian Tatars were the Kypchak Turkic-speaking tribes, some of which at the end of the 1st millennium AD. mastered the modern habitats of the main groups of Siberian Tatars, entering into various relations with the local aboriginal population. The penetration of Turkic-speaking elements into the local environment continued at a later time (Valeev F.T., 1993; Konikov, 1982). However, paleoanthropological and craniological materials from the territory of Siberian Tatar settlement paint a somewhat different picture of the formation of their anthropological type (Bagashev, 1993).
Distinguished among the Siberian Tatars as the main Ural anthropological type and the so-called Chulym type can be associated with the local Ugric and Samoyed aboriginal population. The South Siberian Mongoloid component, apparently, was introduced by the steppe tribes of the Kipchak circle and the late groups of the Turkic-speaking population from South Siberia and Altai. The Mongoloid features of Central Asian origin traced among the Baraba Tatars are probably the result of close contacts of this group of Tatars with the Kalmyks during the 17th century. (Trofimova, 1947, p. 209). The strengthening of Caucasoid features in the Siberian Tatars is the result of mixing with the Volga-Ural Tatars and immigrants from Central Asia, the so-called Bukharans.
Thus, the formation of the anthropological appearance of the Siberian Tatars proceeded on the basis of the local substrate, on which throughout the 2nd millennium AD. an alien component of various ethnogenetic origins was layered. The participation of this component in the racial genesis of the Siberian Tatars was not always and everywhere the same, but in general there was a tendency to decrease from south to north. The Turkization of the local region, which took place within the framework of the Kimak Khaganate, the Golden Horde and the Siberian Khanate, was not necessarily accompanied by a mass resettlement of Turkic tribes and was probably limited by the political, economic, cultural and ideological impact on the local population.
Among the Astrakhan Tatars included in the composition, T.A. Trofimova identified three anthropological types - Mongoloid South Siberian, Mongoloid Central Asian and Caucasoid. If the South Siberian type can be traced in the Volga-Ural Tatars as an admixture, and in the Siberian as an independent component, then in the Karagash it is the main one. The remaining types are almost absent in their pure form and are noted only as an admixture (Trofimova, 1949).
Judging by the linguistic data and historical sources, before moving to the Lower Volga steppes at the end of the 18th century, the Karagash. were part of a conglomerate of Nogai tribes, whose origin is closely related to the Kipchak population of the era of the development of the southern Russian steppes, the Golden Horde, and then the Nogai Horde (Ars-lanov, Viktorin, 1995). Anthropological and paleoanthropological materials do not contradict this. So, among all groups of Nogais, the same anthropological types were distinguished as among the Karagash (Trofimova, 1949). The slight difference is explained by the concentration of Caucasoid traits. Compared to the Nogai, the Karagash are more Caucasoid, which is probably due to their late contacts with the surrounding Caucasoid population, Tatars-migrants from the Volga and Ural regions, and immigrants from Central Asia. It is possible that the Caucasoid admixture among the Nogai and Karagash genetically goes back to the local Caucasoid population, which was included in the composition of the Turkic-speaking tribes when they moved from east to west. The Mongoloid features of Central Asian origin, traced among the Karagash and, to a greater extent, the Nogai, may be the result of the racial genesis of the South Siberian type (a mixture of Caucasoid and Mongoloid types, with the latter prevailing), the influence of the Mongoloid population within the Golden Horde and late ties with the Kalmyks (Trofimova, 1949). Thus, the formation of the anthropological appearance of one of the groups of Astrakhan Tatars is based on the South Siberian Mongoloid type, characteristic of the Turkic-speaking population of the steppes of Eurasia.
Summarizing the above, we note that the territorial confinement of individual anthropological types in the composition of the Volga-Ural and Siberian Tatars reflects the nature of ethnogenetic ties between the newcomer Turkic-speaking and the local, mainly Finno-Ugric, population. The most active genetic interaction between these components occurs within the early feudal state formations - the Volga Bulgaria and the Kimak Khaganate. The formation of the anthropological type of the Astrakhan Tatars is directly related to the formation of the South Siberian Mongoloid type, which took place in the era of the first Turkic Khaganates to the east of their modern habitat. The subsequent course of historical events did not introduce significant changes in the anthropological structure of the population. Thus, the formation of the physical appearance of the Tatar people was completed, in the main, long before their current ethnic formation.
What racially unites the Tatars of Russia? Firstly, the South Siberian and Caucasoid anthropological types, distinguished among all ethnographic groups of the Tatars. If the first type is largely associated with the early history of the Turks, then the second - with the later stages of the ethnogenesis of the Tatar people. Secondly, the interregional and interethnic marital relations of the Tatars lead to the leveling of their physical identity among the surrounding peoples, primarily Russian, which is the real history of our and future days.
Of course, all people are different, but still there are certain features that unite a separate race, a group of peoples, a people. Tatars belong to the Altai family, the Turkic group. The ancestors of the Tatars were farmers. Tatars, unlike other representatives of the Mongoloid race, do not have pronounced common features in appearance. The appearance of the Tatar has undergone changes due to infusions of Slavic blood. Indeed, Tatars can be not only dark-haired, but also fair-haired and even red-haired, unlike the Mongols, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, Tajiks. Also, Tatars do not necessarily have narrow eyes and very dark skin. However, they still distinguish common features of the Tatar appearance. Anthropologists have revealed that modern Tatars had ancestors of both the Mongoloid and Caucasoid races.
It is in connection with this that the representatives of this people are so different. In addition, there are several types of Tatars: Ural, South Kama, Crimean, Volga-Siberian. The last type is closest to the Mongoloid race. have a wide nose, pronounced cheekbones, dark hair, brown eyes, a crease above the upper eyelid. But this type is very rare. Volga Tatars have an oblong face without pronounced cheekbones, large gray or brown eyes, an oriental-type nose with a hump. The physique is correct, tall, hardy, the skin is not swarthy. More often, however, there are Tatars of European appearance, with blond hair, light eyes. Almost all Tatars have a narrow nose, sometimes with a hump or aquiline. Often, Tatars are not tall, the average height of women is 164 cm.
The character of the Tatar also has its own characteristics. Representatives of this people are hardworking, hospitable, stubborn, clean, but proud, indifferent, unshakable. In their traditions, respect elders, be guided by reason, be law-abiding, adapt to the situation, be able to adapt. They are also deeply religious, patient, love order and power. Thanks to their hard work, perseverance, straightforwardness, they achieve success in their careers, a commercial streak is certainly inherent in this people. They are disciplined and persistent, work to the end, achieve their goals.
Tatars strive to gain knowledge, they show perseverance and responsibility. The main distinguishing feature of the Crimean Tatars is their unusual indifference and calmness, even in the most difficult situation. Tatars are very talkative and curious, although they are silent and concentrated during work. In addition, these people have a pronounced sense of their own dignity, consider themselves special, sometimes arrogant, arrogant. Everything is done with some innate dignity. Tatars are also incredibly clean, their homes are always in order and cleanliness, regardless of whether they live richly or poorly. They take care of their appearance, neat and clean. In relation to their co-religionists, the Tatars are incredibly respectful, very honest, thefts are a rarity among their own.
The Tatar people are very hospitable, despite belonging to a particular faith, social status, etc. they accept everyone on an equal footing. Even if they are not rich, they will always invite a guest to the table and share their modest lunch and dinner. Incredible curiosity is distinguished by women. Tatar women, being tied to the house, busy raising children, are literally surprised at various trifles, they try in every way to look beyond the veil of public life, their eyes are attracted by beautiful outfits, interesting trinkets, they love to watch people, especially Christians, Europeans who have different traditions, foundations. How to define a Tatar, if certain character traits can be quite inherent in other nationalities. It is only necessary to combine external features and character traits. Since the Tatar people are a Muslim people, they are nevertheless similar to other peoples who profess Islam. But they also learned a lot from the Europeans, because many Tatars live on a common territory with them.
