CIRCASSIAN CULTURE - ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC PHENOMENON IN THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLES OF RUSSIA

The aim is to make an historical research of the formation of the Circassian culture, especially economic activities and original ways of life in extreme mountain conditions, which allowed maintaining a regional model for sustainable social and economic development with its ethnic and cultural characteristics.

Discussion. Cherkessia is valuable in terms of studying the history of wildlife management by the people of the North Caucasus, which has generated variable original forms of economic activity, and the original specific system of sustainable environmental management. Circassian culture evolved on favorable lands of the West of Caucasus with rich flora and fauna. It is distinguished by rational use of nature, respect for natural resources and environmental management. Circassian tribes, being the bearers of ancient indigenous culture, have become an example of a favorable interaction between nature and society, and a great adaptation of the highland peoples to the landscape niches of mountains. It was a powerful stable civilization which developed highly distinctive farming and gardening systems. Understanding the historical experience, the principles of sustainable development of the Circassian culture, ecological coexistence for many centuries represent an interesting issue and provide an opportunity to consider acceptable, reasonable ways of development of "modern" civilization. Circassian tribes have developed their own forms of adaptation to the environment as well as original ways of life in extreme mountain conditions, which allowed maintaining a regional model for sustainable social and economic development with its ethnic and cultural characteristics in a geographically difficult environment.

Conclusion. The anthropogenic impact on the landscape in the region was extremely high; nevertheless the ecological balance has not been devastated thus the environment has been saved. Long experience of highland tribes has contributed in saving the balance between the possibility to recover biological resources and the paces of exploitation of natural ecosystems, needs of the economy, level of development of the productive forces.

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