Universal History Annotation << Back TRADITIONS OF NAVIGATION AND PIRACY AT THE PEOPLE NORTHWEST THE CAUCASUS FROM ANTIQUE TIMES TO MODERN TIMES A.S. Marzey Article is devoted to research of tradition of a piracy and navigation at Circassians from antique times to modern times. Efficiency of navy of natives of the Northwest Caucasus, allowing to compete with powerful flotillas of the people and the states which had developed seaworthy traditions, was a consequence of set of factors – socio-political, natural and geographical and some other. Specific natural and geographical conditions, and also clan character and political decentralization of seaside societies of mountaineers of the Northwest Caucasus brought to developed at them since an antique era of the tradition in shipbuilding, navigation and related sea attacks. The Circassian galleys represented rather medium-sized modifications of the ships which have been well adapted for coasting swimming in coastal waters of the Northwest Caucasus, and also to features of a military way of life of the natives practicing a piracy and sea robbery. Keywords: navigation, shipbuilding, Circassian galleys, piracy, sea attacks, military mobility. Contacts: E-mail: marzeibach@mail.ru Pp. 03-10.