Greater Caucasus Mountains

The ridges of southern Dagestan form part of the eastern Caucasus, a landscape of steep valleys and high pastures north of the Samur. Streams descending from the mountains feed larger rivers that run towards the Caspian Sea. Agul, Lezgi and other mountain communities occupied separate valleys among these heights, preserving distinctive languages and traditions. Paths over the ridges linked their villages, while the difficult terrain helped protect settlements from armies approaching from the lowlands.