North Ossetia

North Ossetia is a citadel of ancient culture. The Alans, who lived there approximately two thousand years ago, were known to the Ancient Romans. The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg owns treasures of decorative and applied art found in the burial mounds of Alania. Dating from the fourth to the sixth centuries AD, these masterpieces include works of gold, silver and bronze decorated with inlays. The Alans adopted Christianity in the tenth century and built many interesting churches. The Nart Epos is a famous work of Alan literature. Ossetia and Kabardia were annexed by the Russian Empire in 1774, following the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ending the Russo-Turkish War (1768–74).