"Caucasus" - The Etymology of the Word
Serving as the bridge between Europe and Asia, the Caucasus have with time become an exponent of a unique culture. For example, no other place in the world can boast such a concentrated variety of languages on comparatively small territory. The Caucasus and the mountain ranges to the north and to the south served in antiquity as the crossroads of great civilizations, competing with Babylon for the right to be called the Center of the World. The Caucasus engage a vital place in Greek mythology (the myths of Prometheus, the Amazons, etc.), and in the Bible the Caucasus are referred to as the place where humanity was rescued from the Flood (in particular, on Mt. Ararat). The people who founded such powerful civilizations as Urartu, Sumer and Hittite are considered by many to have come from the Caucasus. However, the image of the Caucasian mountains and the mythological and legendary notions connected with them were received primarily from the Persians (Iranians). Iranian nomads brought with them a new religion - Zoroastrianism -and, connected with it, a specific understanding of the world. A trace of Iranian cultural influence is perceptible up to now. Zoroastrianism also seriously influenced other world religions - Christianity, Islam and, to a lesser extent, Buddhism. The mountains and rivers of the Caucasus preserve Iranian names (the river Aba -"water", the mountain Elbrus - "iron"). It could be noted that in the East the suffix "start" in the names of countries (for example Daghestan, Afghanistan and Pakistan) has its source in Iranian and is translated roughly as "country." Iranian is also the source of the word "Caucasus", for Iranians named the mountain range in honor of the epic ruler of ancient Iran - Kavi-Kaus. The first part of his name, "Kavi" (or "Key"), in Iranian mythology refers to the estate of priests who created ritual texts. In the "Avesta" (the main holy book in Zoroastrianism) priests were considered as the adherents of the pagan shaman cults and opponents of Zoroastrianism. Later "kavi" came to mean the title of king, from which also emerged the first dynasty of Iranian kings - the Keyanid dynasty. Kavi-Kaus (in the "Avesta" - Kavi-Usan) was the second king in the Keyanid dynasty. In the world - famous epic poem "Shah-Name" (Book of Kings), a classic of Iranian literature, Abu'l-Kasim Firdousi recounts that Kavi-Kaus ruled 150 years. Wishing to eradicate an evil, Kavi-Kaus set off on a campaign against the devs (demons), but soon found himself blind and in the captivity of the White Dev. The hero Rustam rescued Kavi-Kaus and returned his eyesight to him with the help of the White Dev's liver. Later Kavi-Kaus found himself in misfortune again. Having fallen in love with the beautiful Sudaba, the insidious daughter of the Yemen king, he set off to him and on the way fell into captivity. Rustam once again rescued Kavi-Kaus.
The "Avesta" refers to Kavi-Kaus as a king who had dominion over the whole world. The birds, beasts and even black demons submitted to him and helped him to raise a miraculous palaces on the summit of Mt. Elbrus. The demons weighed out for him 7 magical palaces of gold, silver, bronze, etc. Upon entering there, old people were made young.
Of course, authority over the world and the splendor of the palaces only increased the pride of Kavi-Kaus. Eagles carried him up into heaven so that he could establish his power even there. However the eagles dropped him above the river Amul (probably above Amu-Daria) in the forest, where his body was found by servants. Kavi-Kaus' defiance of the gods can link him with Prometheus and his fall from heaven with Phaeton or Icarus. The image of Kavi-Kaus also recalls that of Solomon, the Biblical king of wisdom, in the Syrian apocrypha "The Story of Solomon" and the Slavic "Tale about Solomon and Kito-vras". When building the temple, Solomon was helped by demons who were captivated by him. When Solomon became proud, the commander of the demons, Samael, carried him to the edge of the earth. Samael took the appearance of the king and replaced Solomon on the throne, while Solomon had to wander about the earth in poverty, begging forgiveness from God.
So, for such a short word, "Caucasus" hides a rich history of various peoples, the fates of which are interlaced and mixed with accumulated myths and legends. And it reminds us that myths are reflections of larger archetypal patterns.
I. Karasev