The ancient Oriental dyestuff madder red was avidly sought by Europeans and finally cracked by the French in 1760, and it became the main crop in the Caspian Caucasus. The quest for Turkey Red spurred an avalanche of research that led to its chemical synthesis in 1870 and subsequently the collapse of the world-wide madder industry.

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Daghestan is home to more than 30 distinct peoples. Each has their own language yet they share a surprisingly homogeneous culture that has both withstood and absorbed centuries of external influences. A fascinating account of change and adaptation in the villages of this area.

Situated in the rugged mountain peaks and deep valleys of north-eastern Caucasus, Daghestan is home to more than 30 distinct peoples. Eachof these peoples has their own language yet they share a homogenous culture that has both withstood and absorbed centuries of external influence. This text offers an account of the swiftly vanishing traditional ways of life in the villages of this inaccessible mountain area, and how the Daghestanis of today are adapting to change.

Dagestan – History, Culture, Identity provides an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of Dagestan, a strategically important republic of the Russian Federation which borders Chechnya, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and its people. It outlines Dagestan’s rich and complicated history, from 5th c ACE to post USSR, as seen from the viewpoint of the Dagestani people. Chapters feature the new age of social media, urban weddings, modern and traditional medicine, innovative food cultivation, the little-known history of Mountain Jews during the Soviet period, flourishing heroes of sport and finance, emerging opportunities in ethno-tourism and a recent Dagestani music revival. In doing so, the authors examine the large number of different ethnic groups in Dagestan, their languages and traditions, and assess how the people of Dagestan are coping and thriving despite the changes brought about by globalisation, new technology and the modern world: through which swirls an increasing sense of identity in an indigenous multi-ethnic society.