The book opens to the reader a colorful panorama of the life of the peoples of the North Caucasus in the 19th century. Based on a variety of ethnographic and historical materials, the authors talk about the original culture and ancient customs, the structure of mountain society and family, unique arts and crafts, costumes and food, holidays and entertainment, medicine and centenarians, as well as other aspects of the life of the mountain people. Many of the described traditions have been preserved and are clearly manifested in the modern life of mountain peoples. In terms of coverage of topics and variety of materials, the publication has no analogues and is a kind of encyclopedia about the life of the highlanders of the North Caucasus.