AVARS, or AvARI, an East Caucasian people, the most renowned of the Lesghian tribes, inhabiting central Daghestan (see LESGIJIANS). They are the only Lesghian tribe who possess a written language, for which they make use of the Arabic characters. They are often confused with the Avars whose empire on the Danube was broken by Charlemagne; but Komarov asserts that they are of more recent origin as a tribe, their name being Lowland Turki for " vagrant " or " refugee."