Montenegrin

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June 17, 2026

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Montenegrins are an ethnic group primarily inhabiting Montenegro. The distinction between Montenegrins and Serbs is a subject of ongoing discussion, with many Serbs viewing Montenegrins as "Mountain Serbs" due to shared Orthodox traditions and the use of the Cyrillic alphabet. However, Montenegrins have developed distinct characteristics and institutions over centuries of separation from Serbia, including their own church until 1920 and a preference for their language to be called Montenegrin, despite mutual intelligibility with Serbian.12

Historically, the region was inhabited by Illyrians before the arrival of Slavs. The area served as a borderland between Roman and Byzantine influence, and later between Latin and Greek churches. Due to its rugged terrain, it became a refuge for various groups escaping Romanization. Today, besides Montenegrins, the largest minorities are Bosniaks and Albanians. The population has shifted from predominantly rural to more urbanized, with Podgorica being the largest city.314

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headhunting
…complete head was taken by Montenegrins as late as 1912, being carried by a lock of hair worn allegedly for that purpose. In the British Isles the practice continued approximately to the end of the Middle Ages in Ireland and the Scottish marches.
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…complete head was taken by Montenegrins as late as 1912, being carried by a lock of hair worn allegedly for that purpose. In the British Isles the practice continued approximately to the end of the Middle Ages in Ireland and the Scottish marches.
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Montenegro
Ethnic groups
Differences between Montenegrins and Serbs are a matter of continuing controversy. Although isolated from each other for centuries during the Ottoman period, when Albanian families came to dominate the intervening Kosovo region, both groups retained their Orthodox religious traditions and many other common cultural attributes—including the Cyrillic…
Read More
Differences between Montenegrins and Serbs are a matter of continuing controversy. Although isolated from each other for centuries during the Ottoman period, when Albanian families came to dominate the intervening Kosovo region, both groups retained their Orthodox religious traditions and many other common cultural attributes—including the Cyrillic…
Read More