Assianism
In the 1980s, a group of nationalist intellectuals in North Ossetia began reorganizing ancient Scythian traditions into a conscious religious movement. They initially called this faith Ætsæg Din, which translates to "True Faith". The word Ætsæg means truthful and refers to a foundational kinship in the Nart sagas. The term din corresponds to the Avestan daena, meaning divine understanding or conscience. By 2010, linguist Tamerlan Kambolov proposed an alternative name: Uatsdin. This new term became the most common designation for the religion within Ossetia. Daurbek Makeyev, a leading exponent of the movement, prefers calling it Æss Din, meaning the religion of the Æss, As, or Os. These are ancient names for the Alans preserved in Russian and Georgian usage. Khetag Morgoyev, leader of the organization Ætsæg Din, uses the simple name Iron Din, translating as "Ossetian Faith". He rejects the term Uatsdin entirely. Slava Dzhanaïty, an architect and painter, drew the first symbol of the faith after a fire destroyed the Rekom Temple in 1995. His design represents the theological trinity known as the Three Tears of God.
Scholar Richard Foltz reconstructs seven distinct phases in the evolution of Ossetian religious history. Phase one began with original Scythian Paganism across the Eurasian Steppe during the first millennium BCE. A second wave of Christianization occurred under Byzantine and Georgian influence from the tenth to thirteenth centuries. Following Mongol invasions, phase three saw re-Paganization between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries when contacts with Byzantines ceased. Partial re-Christianization followed during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries through Georgian missionaries. Russian Orthodox missionaries conducted further re-Christianization beginning in the late eighteenth century. Enforced state atheism dominated from 1921 until 1991 under Soviet rule. The seventh phase marks the resurgence of traditional Ossetian religion since the 1980s and 1990s. Victor Shnirelman notes that certain traditions survived with unbroken continuity in rural areas while urban intellectuals developed systematic doctrines. Sergey Shtyrkov argues that Soviet anti-religious activism drove ancient practices from ethnic tradition into the sphere of organized religion. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Ossetian politicians have openly supported this revival. In 1994, sacrifices began at a field dedicated as a holy site thirty kilometers west of Vladikavkaz.
Assian theology defines Xwytsau as the supreme God who is both creator and universe itself. This deity has no tangible personal qualities nor extension in space or time. Xwytsau exists as pure light within what adherents call the World of Light or True World. The material dimension of life constitutes the Illusory World where dead souls return. Lesser gods function as intermediaries representing forces and spirits through which the supreme God governs reality. These entities are God's immanent manifestations endowed with form and specific functions. A fundamental triad structures existence: Xwytsau represents heaven and wisdom; Iuag denotes substance-matter; Ud signifies universal self attained when individual soul identifies with Mon, the universal mind-spirit. On the phenomenal plane, another triad emerges involving Uas meaning Truth or Good Word alongside Uastyrdzhi, the good-spell incarnated in humanity. Duagi refers to deities continuously molding the world according to divine order. Seven planetary deities known as arvon daudzhita hold particular importance among approximately ninety recorded gods. Uastyrdzhi serves as chief among them since he accesses directly the supreme Xwytsau. All other deities enter through his mediation. Herodotus attested seven Scythian gods including Papaios corresponding to Zeus and Tabiti associated with Hestia.
Ceremonial feasts called fyng or kuvyn honor specific deities within Assian practice. A holy man known as dzuary læg leads each ceremony by invoking the deity through offerings of kuyvd, a toast also meaning prayer. Beer typically serves as libation though any strong liquor may substitute. Participants consume ceremonial cakes made from cheese called ualibakh alongside meat from sacrificed animals. Only herbivorous creatures like bulls, rams, goats, lambs, or fish qualify for sacrifice. Omnivores such as pigs and chickens remain forbidden per ancient Scythian custom documented by Herodotus. Sixty fixed celebrations occur throughout the year linked to lunar phases, solstices, and weekly days. The Week of Uastyrdzhi begins on the last Tuesday of November marking the most important observance. Ossetian New Year falls on the second Thursday of January. Three solar holidays connect Uastyrdzhi representing Winter Sun, Uatstutyr embodying Spring Sun, and Uatsilla symbolizing Summer Sun in full splendor. During ceremonies participants engage in simd, a circular dance where one circle stands upon another's shoulders. Slava Dzhanaïty designed the three-legged ceremonial table representing reality's threefold model with its round surface depicting infinity. An equilateral cross carved on animal foreheads marks the point of divinity's manifestation. A nine-pointed star forms when viewing triangular pies arranged atop the main cake.
Communal ceremonies take place at natural shrines called kuvandon often featuring wooden or stone temples built within groves, forests, hills, fields, or caves believed to hold strong energy fields. Alan Mamiev observed that every family maintains its own shrine on their land while some regions contain hundreds of sacred sites. The Alagir region alone hosts approximately three hundred such locations. Ruslan Kuchiev served as president of the Styr Nykhas council in 2019 overseeing these spaces. The Rekom Temple located in Tsey, Alagirsky District dates back to the second century BCE though rebuilt multiple times including after an accidental fire in 1995. Slava Dzhanaïty projected its reconstruction following the blaze. This sanctuary dedicated to Uastyrdzhi remains forbidden to women who perform rites nearby instead. Major festivals like Rekomy Bærægbon occur mid-June drawing large crowds. Private households maintain khadzar areas containing hearths and chains representing goddess Safa connecting sky, sun, water, and earth realms. Gaiat village in Digoria houses a temple honoring the cosmological seven deities. These shrines serve as venues for oaths, contracts, weddings, and identifying violators of divine law Ard.
The Uatsamongzh cup represents truth revealing divinity through inverted vault imagery saturating worthy heroes with unearthly knowledge. Origins trace back to earliest Indo-Europeans appearing later in Celtic and Germanic cultures before Christianizing into Holy Grail legends within medieval Western Europe. Another central symbol involves horses associated with funeral rites celestial forces terrestrial powers serving as steeds for many deities. Slava Dzhanaïty first perceived and drew the Three Tears of God symbol depicting three equilateral crosses inside each tear shape. This design appears everywhere across North and South Ossetia on t-shirts car stickers advertisements. The three tears correspond to Rekom Temple Mykalygabyrtæ Temple southeast of Rekom and Tarandzhelos Temple south of Mount Kazbek in Georgia. Crosses carry meaning dzuar signifying manifestation of divinity itself. Thunder Horse artwork by Russian artist Lola V. Lonli created in 2000 exemplifies modern artistic interpretations of ancient symbolism. These visual elements reinforce theological concepts while connecting contemporary practitioners to ancestral traditions spanning millennia.
In 2009 Aleksandr Dugin hosted a conference at Moscow State University's Center for Conservative Research discussing Ossetian roles in Russian history. Daurbek Makeyev attended representing Atsætæ organization founded to foster traditional religion sharing heritage worldwide. Dugin praised Scythian culture preserving pristine Indo-European heritage impacting Finno-Ugric Turkic Slavic developments despite European neglect. Makeyev declared preserved Ossetian elements constitute global rather than merely local inheritance. Christian authorities have responded with hostility seeking to silence critics like Makeyev through legal challenges labeling books extremist literature. Archbishop Leonid attempted bans leveraging Federal Security Service contacts. The Russian Orthodox Church unsuccessfully tried destroying Rekom Temple replacing it with churches. Islam spread among Ossetians partly as alternative avoiding forced Christianization according to Dzuary Lægtæ historical critiques. Orthodox Christianity viewed as alien religion corrupting souls through coercion police measures luring children poor with gifts causing family disintegration farm ruin. Political forums like the 18th of May 2014's Forum of Ossetian Kins proposed constitutional recognition of worldview religion as most important cultural part recognizing mountainous regions material basis spiritual enlightenment standardizing language state status. Twenty-nine point four percent North Ossetia population adhered to Pagan religion per 2012 Arena Atlas complementing 2010 census data while movement leaders claim over fifty-five percent ethnic adherence.
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Common questions
What is Assianism and when did it begin as a modern religious movement?
Assianism, also known as Uatsdin or Iron Din, began in the 1980s when nationalist intellectuals in North Ossetia reorganized ancient Scythian traditions into a conscious religious movement. The faith was initially called Ätsæg Din meaning True Faith before linguist Tamerlan Kambolov proposed the name Uatsdin by 2010.
Who are the main leaders of Assianism and what names do they use for the religion?
Daurbek Makeyev leads the movement and prefers calling it Äss Din while Khetag Morgoyev uses the simple name Iron Din to mean Ossetian Faith. Slava Dzhanaïty designed the first symbol of the faith after a fire destroyed the Rekom Temple in 1995 and represents the theological trinity known as the Three Tears of God.
When did the seven phases of Ossetian religious history occur according to scholar Richard Foltz?
Phase one began with original Scythian Paganism during the first millennium BCE followed by Christianization from the tenth to thirteenth centuries under Byzantine and Georgian influence. Phase three saw re-Paganization between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries after Mongol invasions and enforced state atheism dominated from 1921 until 1991 under Soviet rule.
What is Xwytsau and how does Assian theology define the supreme God?
Xwytsau is the supreme God who is both creator and universe itself existing as pure light within the World of Light or True World without tangible personal qualities. This deity has no extension in space or time while lesser gods function as intermediaries representing forces and spirits through which the supreme God governs reality.
Where are the main sacred sites for Assian ceremonies located and when were they established?
The Rekom Temple located in Tsey Alagirsky District dates back to the second century BCE though it was rebuilt multiple times including after an accidental fire in 1995. In 1994 sacrifices began at a field dedicated as a holy site thirty kilometers west of Vladikavkaz while the Alagir region alone hosts approximately three hundred such locations.