The monograph shows the process of formation of the costume of the peoples of the North Caucasus during the 7th-14th centuries. in line with the social and historical dynamics of culture, ethnographic parallels to archaeologically attested forms of costumes are considered. The book is illustrated with graphic reconstructions, drawings and photographs of archaeological finds. CONTENTS: M.V. Gorelik. From the scientific editor 5Introduction. COSTUME AS A HISTORICAL SOURCE 6Chapter 1. COSTUME OF THE 7th - FIRST HALF OF THE 11TH CENTURY 131.1. Costume complex 13Men's suit 13Women's suit 18Children's suit 261.2. Appearance of the population of the North Caucasus in the early Middle Ages 281.3. Costumes of characters from the reliefs of the Kyafar Tomb 301.4. Caucasian textiles of the 7th - first half of the 9th century 36Chapter 2. COSTUME OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE 11th - 15th CENTURIES 522.1. Polovtsian ensemble 52Men's complex 52Women's complex 532.2. Costumes of the local population of the second half of the 11th - 12th centuries 55Men's costume 55Women's costume 592.3. Costumes from the era of the formation and heyday of the Golden Horde. XIII - first half of the XIV century 612.4. Costumes from the period of the collapse of the Golden Horde. Second half of the XIV - XV centuries 73Chapter 3. COSTUME IN THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE MIDDLE AGES 823.1. Interpretation of elements of Caucasian costume in historical events and phenomena 823.2. Medieval costume of the peoples of the Ciscaucasia in the context of the Nart epic 84Chapter 4. COLOR PREFERENCES IN THE COSTUME OF THE PEOPLES OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS 954.1. Dyeing craft 954.2. Costume and the Natural Environment 974-3. Social symbolism of color 98Chapter 5. ORIGINS AND ETHNOGRAPHIC PARALLELS OF MEDIEVAL CAUCASIAN COSTUME 1015.1. Men's suit set 1015.2. Complex of women's costume 107Conclusion. MEDIEVAL COSTUME OF THE PEOPLES OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS AS A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PHENOMENON 113Bibliography 117List of abbreviations 123Annotated index of names 124Annotated index of names of costume elements 126Annotated index of archaeological monuments 128Index of geographical and ethnic names 130Summ ary 131