Regional features and main centers of Caucasian weapons production in the 19th — early 20th century

Samples of weapons of the main regions and weapon centers of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia are presented in the exhibit hall. Weapons made by the gunsmiths of Circassia, Ossetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have their own characteristic features. As a rule, each region of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia differed in the features of decoration and ornaments used in the design of cold-arms and firearms. For the first time, such a wide range of unique weapons produced in these regions is demonstrated at the exhibition.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the phenomenon of leaving for seasonal work started to develop. Looking for ways to earn a living, masters would leave their traditional place of residence, moving to larger and richer centers of weapons production of the Caucasus region, Transcaucasia, Transcaspia and cities of the southern provinces of the Russian Empire. Due to the mixing of several regional ornaments and finishing techniques, new artistic styles were formed.

Caucasian weapons were used by Caucasian Cossack, guards and national units, which were located both on the territory of the Caucasus and beyond it since the 1830s. Since the middle of the 19th century, Novocherkassk, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Zlatoust and other cities' local gunsmiths and natives of the Caucasus promoted repairing and updating these weapons, as well as establishing the production of high-quality weapons in the Caucasian style, samples of which are displayed at the exhibition.