The djamaat is a centuries-old political unit, traditionally consisting of up to ten tribal or ancestral structures known as tuhums, which are broadly extended families.
The djamaats were, in turn, governed by the adat (common law, prescriptions).
The role of the djamaats in Dagestani history has been compared with that of the poleis in Ancient Greece.
Although members of the djamaat often spoke the same language, ethnicity was not the primary connecting factor.
The Dagestani political life began to be dominated by "ethnoparties", whose key positions were often filled by djamaat members.