Caste system in Zashissan

A carving of Hanhassimur, the Zashissani god of storms, whom is said to have created the Hassak

The caste system in Zashissan, known as the Hassak (Zashiren: Հասսակի, Hassaki; Vardani: Հասակը, Hasaky), is an ancient system of social stratification that remains the predominant social system in the Kalzashi mountain region of east Scipia. The name, Hassak, comes from Old Zashiren and is understood to roughly mean "the rule of birth" or more poetically interpreted as "knowing [one's] origin". The Hassak divides people into castes that are intended to serve certain roles in society based on the caste of the family they are born into. While the nature of the Hassak has flexed and bent throughout history, the broad structure has remained much unchanged.

Today no nation legally recognises aspects of the Hassak however aspects of it have been legally enforced throughout history. Its pervasive nature in the Kalzashi mountain region remains a controversial topic in Alanahr, Vardana and Happara.

Concepts

Caste Hierarchy

The Salassanu (Zashiren: Սալասսանու), roughly meaning "[the] greater order", describes the first part of the caste hierarchy. It divides society into three groups ordered by prominence:

• The Hannassu (Zashiren: Հաննասսու), meaning "[to] rule well";
• The Maniya (Zashiren: Մանիյա), meaning "[to] work/[to make] grow";
• And the Kannar (Zashiren: Քաննար), meaning "[to be] prostrate".

Each of these groups can be described as Salassanu individually and collectively. Further each can be divided further into Ilan, meaning "rank", Ilans are ranked by prominence within each Salassanu.

The Hannassu are divided into three Ilan.

The Maniya are divided into two Ilan

The Kannar have no Ilan however there is a ranking within the Salassanu based on the ranking of the caste member they work for. For example, a Kannar that works for a Hannassu Tappar will be considered of greater rank than a Kannar who works for a Maniya Atalla.

Outsiders

The place of outsiders in this hierarchy is ambiguous and generally far more flexible and fluid. While they may be treated with a caste prejudice based on their profession or the profession of their parents, they are not restricted in the same way those already integrated into the Hassak are. If an outsider were to marry someone already integrated into the Hassak, they would inherit their partner's place in the caste system and no longer be considered an outsider.

Origins

Myth

The mythical origin of the Hassak is that the god of storms, Hanhassimur, instructed the first tribe of the system as his chosen people.

Theories

There remain two main theories on the potential origin of the caste system:

• A system was created initially as a way of social organisation for an early urban society. Eventually becoming enforced through a mixture of religious justification and oligarchic power seizure.
• Hanhassimur was a real King who created the Hassak as a way of enforcing his rule. Similar systems where then forced upon or adopted by the other peoples of the Kalzashi mountain region.

What is known is that by the time of the earliest written records about the social organisation of the region, the Hassak could be described as socially universal.