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DOI: 10.46698/VNC.2025.30.23.002

CULT OF THE SUPREME GOD XUCAW AND THE DIVINE ORIGIN OF ACAMAZ IN THE OSSETIAN NARTS’ EPIC

Plaeva, Zarina K.
Kavkaz Forum. 2025. Issue 23.
Abstract:

The article deals with the reflection of religion in the Narts’ epic of the Ossetians, namely the divine origin of the Acamaz family, connected by blood ties with the deity of hunting and animals Æfsati and the Supreme God Xucaw. Acamaz is a musician who serves as a mediator between different worlds, he receives a magical flute from Æfsati. The one-eyedness of the hero indicates his mystical wisdom. The relevance of the study is due to the increased interest in the ancient Iranian heritage in the Ossetian epic and the ancient Iranian sources of the Ossetian ethnic religion. The purpose of the study is to investigate the specifics of epic ideas about the close relationship of some Narts with the supreme God and the epic image of the supreme God himself. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that this relationship is considered for the first time, and Xucaw, as the supreme deity of the Ossetians, is similar to Ahura Mazda and is presented in the epic as a creator, arbitrator and source of justice, related to the celestials and epic heroes. His cult dates back to the Alanian era and is preserved in folk festivals and prayers. Using comparative historical methodology, the author of the article examines the image of the Supreme God Xucaw in Ossetian mythology and epic, his functions, anthropomorphic features and close family ties with the heroes of Nartiada, first of all with Acamaz. The results of the study show that Xucaw appears as an ancient, archaic deity, dating back to common Iranian religious ideas. He actively participates in the lives of epic heroes, bestowing artifacts and aiding in battles and weddings. Divine kinship is attributed to Acamaz, Batraz, Eloy and other figures, underscoring their chosenness and special status. Through the motifs of mythological kinship the article reveals universals of the pre-Christian pantheon, stable ethno-religious models, and conceptions of divine justice, power, and magic. The image of Xucaw as a high-ranking relative of Acamaz and other Narts is seamlessly integrated into the structure of the Ossetian epic, demonstrating its profound connection to ancient Iranian beliefs and its role in shaping Ossetian national identity.

Keywords: Ossetian Narts’ epic, mythology, divine origin, Acamaz, God (Xucaw), Ahura Mazda.
Language: Russian Download the full text  
For citation: Plaeva, Z.K. Cult of the Supreme God Xucaw and the Dıvıne Orıgın of Acamaz ın the Ossetıan Narts’ Epıc. KAVKAZ-FORUM. 2025, iss. 23 (30), pp. 32-43. (In Russian). DOI 10.46698/VNC.2025.30.23.002
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