The Khazar Economy: Economic Integration or Disintegration? 203
Kabanovo (Kaganovo) hillforts. The Khumar hillfort on the upper reaches of
the Kuban River served a similar purpose.138
4.5 The Khazar “Climates”
In his letter to Hasdai ibn Shaprut, the Khazar ruler Joseph names the main
centers of the western Khazar lands.139 It is hardly a coincidence that out of
the twelve mentioned settlements, eleven (excluding only Sarkel) are located
on the Crimean and the Taman Peninsulas. Among them only one (Samkerts)
is situated on the Taman Peninsula: the other ten are in the Crimea. Thus this
peninsula is presented by Joseph as one of the most important regions of the
khaganate. According to Eastern sources, a similar concentration of Khazar
administrative centers could also be found in Dagestan. Ibn Khordadbeh and
the author of Hudud al-ʿAlam mention nine cities in Dagestan (from a total
of ten, together with Itil).140 These accounts, together with the finds from the
hillfort excavations prompt M. Magomedov to define the culture of the Khazar
part of Dagestan as a “culture of cities”.141
The larger part of the Crimea territory is an extension of the steppe zone.
The southern part of the peninsula is dominated by a mountain range which
reaches a height of 1500 meters. The coast, stretching south of the mountains,
is a narrow fertile plain with a typical Mediterranean climate, suitable for
138 Afanas’ev 1993, 134 and 138; Pletneva 1967, 32 and 2002, 118–119; Svistun 2007; Bidzhiev 1984
and 1989, 35–40. The Khumar hillfort is one of the largest fortresses of the Saltovo culture.
It exceeds in size (reaching 40 hectares) all other fortifications in the region of the Lower
Don and the Severski Donets (Flerov 2007, 66–67). A quick comparison: the inner city
of Pliska covered 48 hectares, and together with the outer one it reached 2300 hectares
(Rashev 2008, 129). The size of Sarkel was 2.08 hectares, and the Semikarakorsk hillfort
stretched over 4.3 hectares (Flerov 2002, 156). Aksenov 2006a, 76 regards the Verkhnii
Saltov hillfort as an administrative center in the northern lands of the Khazar Khaganate.
The settlement was a trade and craft center. A numerous and multiethnic military con-
tingent (made up of Alans, Bulgars, Finno-Ugrians and Slavs) secured the trade routes, as
well as the subordination of the neighbouring tribes. The complex near Verkhnii Saltov
has yet to be fully examined and the fort itself is small in size (Flerov 2007, 60–62).
139 Baranov 1990, 54.
140 Pletneva 1976, 30.
141 Magomedov 1983, 46. Pletneva 1999, 180 assumes that the hillforts that exceeded 30 hect-
ares in size could be regarded as remains of cities (see also Pletneva 2002). Five such
hillforts can be found in Dagestan: Targu (30 hectares), Urtseki (35 hectares), Tarki (60
hectares), Andrei-Aul (68 hectares) and Verkhnii Chiriurt (120 hectares) (Magomedov
1983, 45). See as well the opinion of Flerov 2007, 67–73. Also, Romashov 2004, 185–217.