In his formative monograph on abrechestvo, Yuri Botiakov argues that the abrek exists on the threshold dividing death from life. He counter poses this view with Russian and Soviet ethnography’s traditional reading of abrechestvo, which has typically seen it simply as an exalted form of robbery. Botiakov asks his readers, “Is it correct to see ‘professional robbery’ as the main idea, which united abreks in all the various incarnations of this social institution?”

The origins of the Weinakh people has long been a topic of interest to researchers. Among the Kistis (community of Chechen-Ingush origin residing in the Pankisi Valley in eastern Georgia), disputes and important socio-economic matters are regulated according to customary law, known as qiel, which continues to enjoy great respect and authority. Each member of the community is expected to abide by the decisions concluded by customary mediators (qielxuay).

Documents describing the population of the first quarter of the XVIII century provide a very interesting presentation of the social-political, economic, demographic and national religious situation of the Pankisi Valley in medieval times. The document is worthy of attention because of the fact that after the time of this description, the Pankisi Valley became completely depopulated because of the frequent intrusion of Dagestanian feudal lords: most of the population was devastated, some of them resettled.

ბასკური და ქართველური კულტურის შესწავლა ფოლკლორულ-ლინგვისტური მასალის გათვალისწინებით მეტად საინტერესო სურათს იძლევა. ჩვენ შევისწავლეთ და გავაანალიზეთ ბუნების აღორძინებისა და აგრარული კულტმსახურებისთვის განკუთვნილი მრავალდღიანი ქართული ხალხური დღესასწაული ბერიკაობა-ყეენობა და პირენეის ნახევარკუნძულზე მცხოვრებ ხალხთა დღესასწაული “fiesta”/“fista”.