Sandra Jones, age 15, of Utica, N.Y., for her question:

WHO ARE THE CIRCASSIANS?

The Circassians are a people living on the northeast shores of the Black Sea. They are called Cherkesses by the Russians and turks, they their word for themselves is Adighe.

The Circassians are less round headed than the Caucasians and are the tallest and darkest of the peoples of Caucasia. They are related to the Bulgarians, Romanians and the Ukrainians.

The Circassians have always been noted for the fierceness of their warriors and the beauty of their women, who are often called "Circassian belles."

Circassian women were once sold into Turkish and Persian harems by their fathers.

Upper class Circassians are Muslims. The lower classes practice a mixture of paganism and Christianity.

The Caucasus is a region in southwestern Russia, with a population of about 23 million. It is divided by the Caucasus Mountains, which extend 750 miles from the Black Sea to The Caspian Sea.