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The article is devoted to the study of the process of cultural interaction between paganism and Christianity as semiotic systems in the first centuries after the Baptism of Rus. The authors studied the originality of ancient Russian paganism, the problem of adapting Christian discourse to the situation of the significant presence of a pagan worldview in the semantic space of Ancient Russia, the dialogue and mutual influence of these two religious systems. The article traces the internal inconsistency of the process of adopting Christianity and its variability in social and territorial dimensions.

Introduction. The sociopolitical commotions of 1917 caused the rise of national liberation ideas in the North Caucasus. These ideas attracted representatives of various social groups of the indigenous population of the Nalchik district to the revolution. But the national question was intertwined with the task of seizing power and the economic interests of individual circles, which formed four options for solving the national question. It is necessary to pay attention to them and highlight the perspective of the picture of the events of the Civil War. Analysis. The article presents an analysis of the main variants of national ideas through the characteristics of the main characters of the dramatic period in Kabarda and Balkaria. This is, firstly, Shakmanov’s policy of national neutrality, aimed at preventing armed uprisings and civilian casualties. Secondly, this is the program of Dautokov-Serebryakov, which offered complete self-determination of Kabarda, but could not stand the collaboration with Denikin’s idea of a “great and indivisible Russia”. The third position, presented by Katkhanov, combined the national liberation aspirations of the people with religious consciousness. The fourth was manifested in the rhetoric of Kalmykov, who interpreted the early Bolshevik documents on the right of nations to self-determination in the context of a federation. Results. The complex of methods of objective historical analysis gives an understanding of some of the reasons that attracted various social groups, predominantly the agrarian population of Kabarda and Balkaria, to participate in the Civil War. Authors’ contribution. Development of the concept of the article, analysis of the results and general editing belongs to M.A. Tekueva. The introductory section was written by M.Kh. Gugova. The analysis of the idea of national independence during the Civil War in the Nalchik region was carried out by A.A. Konovalov.

The article deals with issues of everyday life of Adygs (Circassians) under conditions of a protracted military conflict during the Caucasian war in the first half of 19th century. Based on the recollections of eyewitnesses and direct participants in the events (Russian military officers and foreign observers), literary works of local authors and folklore sources, authors of the study explore a human factor in the history of the Caucasian War, in terms of emotions, dramatic experiences, fears, and transformation of ethnic consciousness. In this regard, histories of everyday life, gender history, and history of mentality appear to be the most productive research methods and approaches. Using related research tools allowed analyzing an inner perception of death of Adygs in the violent conflict. Adygs appear in the study not as a faceless side of the conflict, but as an active and personalized historical subject. The Caucasian war was not only a chain of political and war events, but was full of personal stories, tragedies of loss and sorrow, female experiences. The routine of death strengthened a respect for the dead, rebooting related symbolic content and ritual practices. At the same time, an erosion of the mental foundations of traditional culture occurs due to the fundamental changes in the conditions of prolonged war.