Ossetians

Ossetians are an Iranian-speaking ethnic group of the Caucasus. They are primarily concentrated in North Ossetia-Alania, a federal subject of the Russian Federation, and in South Ossetia, a region in the South Caucasus whose political status is disputed and regarded as part of Georgia by most countries. Smaller Ossetian communities exist throughout Russia, Georgia, and in other areas with a diaspora.

Language: Ossetian belongs to the Eastern Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. It has two main varieties: Iron (northern Ossetian) and Digor (southern Ossetian). A standardized literary form is based largely on Iron. The language is written with a Cyrillic script, with orthographic norms that accommodate both varieties.

Origins and history: Ossetians descend from the Alans, a medieval East Iranian people who settled in the Caucasus and formed the region known as Alania. Over the centuries they developed a distinct highland culture influenced by neighboring Caucasian communities. In the 18th–19th centuries the area came under the Russian Empire, later becoming part of the Soviet Union. Following the breakup of the USSR, conflict over South Ossetia led to wars in the 1990s and in 2008; today South Ossetia remains de facto independent with Russian backing, while most states regard it as part of Georgia.

Demographics and geography: The Ossetians are the majority population of North Ossetia-Alania in Russia, and the largest group in South Ossetia. Smaller communities exist in Georgia and other former Soviet states, with diaspora populations in Russia and abroad.

Culture and religion: Ossetian culture preserves the Nart epic, distinctive folk music and dance, and traditional cuisine such as ossetian pies. The majority religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, with smaller Muslim and folk-adhering communities among some groups. Ossetian cultural life includes language revival and preservation efforts.