258 CHAPTER 5
Gornoe Ekho which had garrisons that presumably consisted of Bulgars.163 Of
particular interest is the Bulgar (?) Kazazovo necropolis (containing 190 buri-
als) where weapons have been found (swords, spears, bows, etc.)—a feature
which is not inherent to the Bulgar burial rite. It gives S. Pletneva reason to
assume that these Bulgars served as a military unit (garrison).164 Between the
tenth and the twelfth centuries, there were more than ten large fortresses in
the vicinity of the upper reaches of the Kuban. In I. Arzhantseva’s opinion,
their erection coincides with the consolidation of Khazaria’s domination in
the North Caucasus during the eighth century.165
An interesting account of Al-Masudi about the western parts of the North
Caucasus has not yet received a satisfactory explanation. A part of it reads
as follows: “near Khazaria and Alania, to the westward, there lie four Turkish
nations, who trace their descent originally from a common ancestor. They are
both nomad and settled, and are difficult to approach and very courageous.
Each of them has a king. The extent of each kingdom is several days’ journey.
A portion of their territory touches the sea of Nitas (the Black Sea—Author’s
note). Their raids extend to the lands of Rome and almost as far as Spain. They
have the mastery over all other nations in these parts. Between them and the
king of the Khazars is a truce, and so with the ruler of the Alans. The region
where they live is contiguous with Khazaria. The first of these nations is called
Bajna [?], next to which is the second, called Bajghird [Bashkir] (presum-
ably the Magyars are here meant). Next to the latter is a nation called Bajnak
[Pecheneg], which is the most warlike of these nations, and next again another
called Nukardah [?]. Their kings are nomads.”166 It is presumed that Nukardah
is some group of Bulgars.167
In regions where the prevailing population was Bulgar, the garrisons were
made up of another ethnos (for example, of Oghuz in Sarkel and Samkerts).
Parts of the Bulgars in the North Caucasus probably had a similar role. This was
probably also true for that unknown ethnic group whose presence in the West
Caucasus within the territory of the Kasogs and in the Alano-Bulgar region
along the middle reaches of the Severski Donets is attested by cremation
graves. While there are different views regarding the question of its ethnicity
163 Arzhantseva 2007a, 84; Bidzhiev 1984, 124.
164 Pletneva 1999, 191.
165 Arzhantseva 2007a, 85–87.
166 Dunlop 1967, 212.
167 Novosel’tsev 1990, 107.