Tsakhurs

Tsakhurs

 

a people inhabiting the western part of Rutul Raion of the Dagestan ASSR and the neighboring Zakataly, Kakhi, and Belokany raions of the Azerbaijan SSR. According to the 1979 census, the Tsakhurs number 14,000. The Tsakhur language is a member of the Lezghian group. The literary language of the Tsakhurs in Dagestan is Russian; that of the Tsakhurs in the Azerbaijan SSR is Azerbaijani. Religious believers are Sunni Muslims. The major occupation is the raising of livestock, primarily sheep; there is also land cultivation. Weaving and the processing of wool are highly developed among the Tsakhurs.