Girls generally marry at about 15 years of age. Although the parents' wishes are considered in selecting a partner, personal preference is also important. Traditionally, a divorce could only be requested by the husband, but now the marriage can be dissolved by either partner. The traditional clothing of the Avar is similar to that of other Caucasian groups. It includes felt cloaks and quilted coats.
Women also wear special headdresses called chikhtas.
However, many modern Avar wear ordinary western style clothes. Efforts have been made to develop an Avar handwriting based on Arabic, Roman, and Cyrillic scripts. Well-developed literature is presently available in a language called Bolmata, which is based on the northern Avar dialect. Sunni Islam has been the prevailing religion of the Avar since the thirteenth century. Two important holy places are located within their region.