Social-legal status of a widow of the peoples of the Northern Caucasus in XIX – early XX centuries

The position of women in traditional society, its social, economic and legal status is one of the most pressing issues of historical and ethnographic science. The increased role of women in the modern world makes the problem of the study of the role and place of women in society, especially relevant. On how society treats women, what position it occupies in it, you can judge the character of the society. Currently, the science of history poses challenges that need a specific solution. Are relevant and matters relating to traditional stereotypes of everyday behavior, including in relation to age and gender characteristics of the Terek Cossack. The peoples of the North Caucasus, and in particular from the Cossacks, the widow had been largely protected, both by customary law, and by the Russian legislation. This paper presents an analysis of the socio-legal status of widows among the peoples of the North Caucasus. All of these issues are highlighted, involving literary, archival, field and ethnographic material is introduced into scientific field ethnographic material collected by the author in 2002, which allows us to reconstruct the structure of the family, family relations and the position of women in the family.