Lekos (Lek, Lekas, Lekan) - the legendary
ancestor-eponym of "Lek" tribe of the North Caucasus. In Georgian sources, the fifth son (or offspring) of
Togarmah
Togarmah (Hebrew: ''Tōgarmā'') is a figure in the "table of nations" in Genesis 10, the list of descendants of Noah that represents the peoples known to the ancient Hebrews. Togarmah is among the descendants of Japheth and is thought to repres ...
.
Ancient History
According to
Leonti Mroveli
Leonti Mroveli ( ka, ლეონტი მროველი) was the 11th-century Georgian chronicler, presumably an ecclesiastic. ''Mroveli'' is not his last name, but the adjective for the diocese of Ruisi, whose bishop he probably was.Rayfiel ...
: "Gave to Lekan territories from the Sea of Daruband to the river Lomek, to the north up to the great river of Khazareti". In all likelihood, Lekos was the first king on the territory of Dagestan.
Historical background
In the Georgian sources ethnonym "Leki" is usually used to refer to all the peoples of
Daghestan.
There can be several historical backgrounds given. Geographically Georgians are close to the Tsakhurs and Avars, who are "Leki" for Georgians in the first place.
History of Dagestan is closely connected with
Kazi-Kumukh. Shamkhals of
Lakia
Lakia, Lakistan ( Lak: ''Lak'', ''Lakral kanu'', ''Lakku bilayat'', ''Lakkuy'') is the name of the ethnic territory of the Laks in Dagestan in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe. Kumukh is the main historical, cultural, spiritual and political ...
and the kings of Georgia had centuries-long history of relations that could be reflected in the name the Georgians give to Dagestanis.
In the history of Georgia 18th century is called "Leki-anoba" (i.e. the invasion of Daghestanis) that had direct relevance to military interventions of Daghestanis into Georgia, and more of the Avar ruler.
Etymology
Georgian "Leki " is naturally associated with the Laks, as indicated by P. K. Uslar and others.
[P.M. Магомедов, В. П. Дзагурова. Народы Советского Дагестана. — Махачкала, с.20.]
References
{{reflist, colwidth=30em
See also
*
Laks
*
Dargins
Dargins or Dargwa (, ''darganti'') are a Northeast Caucasian native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus, and who make up the second largest ethnic group in the North Caucasian republic of Dagestan. They speak the Dargwa language. The ...
*
Avars
*
Lezgins
*
Kumyks
*
Dagestan
Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North C ...
*
Northeastern Caucasian languages
The Northeast Caucasian languages, also called East Caucasian, Nakh-Daghestani or ''Vainakh-Daghestani'', is a family of languages spoken in the Russian republics of Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia and in Northern Azerbaijan as well as in ...
Japheth