Tradition: Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Inyzh, Adau
Category: Giant
The Myth
The Inyzh are giant beings appearing in the Nart epic and the mythologies of the Caucasian peoples, including the Ossetians, Abkhaz, Adyghe, Balkars, and Karachays. They are commonly portrayed as wild giants of immense size and strength, often possessing multiple heads or a single eye. In the Abkhaz versions of the Nart epic, giants of this kind are known as Adau.
In the Nart traditions, giants are generally depicted as enemies of the Nart heroes. They inhabit remote landscapes and represent a formidable threat because of their supernatural strength and monstrous appearance. Some are described as having two, three, seven, nine, or even twelve heads, while others possess a single eye. Their appearance is sometimes accompanied by a hurricane, thunder, and lightning, and they may be associated with fire or water sources.
Despite their extraordinary physical power, these giants are often portrayed as unintelligent and easily deceived. Nart heroes defeat them through cunning, exploiting their weaknesses rather than relying on strength alone. In some stories, a giant’s severed heads continue to grow or transform into snakes and other creatures. Their bodies may also turn into stone, contributing to the mythological explanations for unusual features of the landscape.
The Inyzh belong to a wider tradition of giants in the Nart epic, where such beings embody a dangerous, chaotic force opposed to the heroic order represented by the Nart people. They are not necessarily ancestors of humanity or primordial beings; instead, they primarily function as monstrous adversaries whom the heroes must overcome.
Sources
“Inyzh.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/inyzh