In Regard to the Question on the Genesis of the Chechen Taip

The author of the article makes an attempt to examine the genesis of the Chechen Taip, to determine chronological frames of Taip formation processes in Chechnya, to consider its ethnic and social nature, as far as infl uence of migration processes and geographical environment on the ethnogenetic processes in Chechnya before the middle of the 19th century. The author concludes that the Taip appearance was caused by practical needs of the Chechens aimed at close and distant relatives’ protection and realization of their living, agricultural and land interests. The author considers that Taip ideology had been taken by territorial communities, professional and military alliances. The author in his thesis considers that the names of the Chechen Taips are not originated from ethnonyms – there is not any Chechen Taip called after predecessor name. The Chechen Taips are originated from class, caste, professional, national, geographical and landscape characteristics. The author determines that Taip’s social nature doesn’t come from a classical сlan breakup but segmentation of paternal family. The Chechen Taip is not classic clan, but brotherhood, i.e. association of relative and non-relative social groups, united by single social, economic interests and mythological relations. The Taip is a reaction of the Chechen society at the inner and outer expansion of the society. Since 16 century with the beginning of mass migration of Chechens to the plain territory of Chechnya, when territorial unity of the Taip had broken and economic interests had weakened, the Chechen Taip gained the status of relative solidarity institute – Tayp’s brotherhood-voshalla. Since that period social, agricultural functions of Taip transferred to blood-related group – family.