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How Georgians became known as hospitable and freedom-loving people. Where did Georgians come from? Georgian nationalities

The ancestors of the Georgians are mentioned in the Bible; the legendary Colchis, where the Argonauts sailed, was located on the territory of Georgia. It seems to us that we know a lot about Georgians, but their history and culture holds many mysteries.

1. Georgians call their country Sakartvelo. This toponym translates as “all of Kartli” and goes back to the name of the region of the same name. The toponym “Georgia” goes back to the name “Gurjistan” (country of wolves), found in Arab-Persian sources.

The European name of Georgia “Georgia” is also compared with the Arab-Persian name associated with the Georgian cult of St. George. A golden sculpture of the saint rises in the central square of Tbilisi.

2. The number of Georgians in the world is more than 4 million.

3. Georgians were one of the first peoples to adopt Christianity. According to one of the most common versions, this happened in 319. It is significant that, despite the global trend, the number of believers in Georgia is growing. Today, 80% of Georgians consider themselves Orthodox.

4. Georgian is an ancient written language. The oldest written monuments in the ancient Georgian language date back to the 5th century. These include a mosaic inscription from the first half of the 5th century near Jerusalem, as well as an inscription at Bolnisi Zion (60 km south of Tbilisi) from the end of the 5th century.

5. Georgians have a unique alphabet. In Kartvelian studies there are different hypotheses about the prototype of the Georgian letter. According to various theories, it is based on Aramaic, Greek or Coptic writing.

6. The self-name of Georgians is Kartvelebi.

7. The first state mentioned by historians on the territory of Georgia is the Colchis kingdom. It was first mentioned in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. Greek authors Pindar and Aeschylus. It was to Colchis that the Argonauts sailed for the Golden Fleece.

8. There is no accent in the Georgian language, only the tone rises on a certain syllable. Also, Georgian does not have capital letters, and gender is determined by context.

9. Joseph Stalin is deservedly considered the most famous Georgian in the world.

10. In the Georgian language, the decimal system is used for naming numbers. To pronounce a number between 20 and 100, you need to divide it into twenties and say their number and remainder. For example: 33 is twenty-thirteen, and 78 is three-twenty-eighteen.

11. Words familiar to us from childhood in Georgia do not have the meanings to which we are accustomed. “Mama” in Georgian means dad, “deda” means mother, “bebia” means grandmother, “babua” or “papa” means grandfather.

12. There is no “f” sound in the Georgian language, and in borrowed words this sound is replaced with a “p” sound with a strong aspiration. The Russian Federation in Georgian will sound like: “Rusetis paderatsia”.

13. According to economist Kennan Eric Scott of the Washington Institute, during the Soviet Union, Georgians supplied 95% of tea and 97% of tobacco to Soviet shelves. The lion's share of citrus fruits (95%) also went to the regions of the USSR from Georgia.

14. On the territory of Georgia in 1991, the remains of Dmanisian hominids were found, initially called Homo georgicus. They are almost 2 million years old (1 million 770 000). They were given the names Zezva and Mzia.

15. In Georgia, it is customary to eat kebabs and khinkali with your hands.

16. Despite the fact that Georgia traditionally has a high level of homophobia, the level of tactile contact between Georgian men is very high. While walking, they can hold hands, sitting in coffee shops - touch each other.

17. In everyday communication, Georgians use words that for some reason they consider Russian, although for us they will not always be understandable. Georgians call slippers chusts, wallpaper - trellises, beans - lobio, a T-shirt is often called anything worn above the waist, and boots are sneakers.

18. Georgians are rightfully proud of their wine. It began to be produced here 7,000 years ago, and today there are 500 varieties of cultivated grapes in Georgia. Every year the country hosts the Rtveli grape harvest festival.

19. Georgians are known for their hospitality. The guest in the house is more important than the owner. Therefore, in Georgian houses it is not customary to take off shoes.

20. Georgians are known for their love of long toasts, but not everyone knows that it is not customary to make toasts while Georgians drink beer.

Illustrations: Niko Pirosmani

Georgians. General information about cards,

Mingrelians, Lazakhs and Svanakhs


Georgians (self-name - Kartvelebi, Georgian ქართველები) are the people of the Kartvelian family. Most of the Georgian nation is concentrated within the borders of Georgia, a state on the Black Sea coast. There are also many Georgians living in the eastern provinces of Turkey and in the interior of Iran - especially in the city of Fereydan. Most Georgians have dark hair, but there are also blondes.

Most Georgians have brown eyes, although 30% have blue or gray eyes. (In general, the different subethnic groups of Georgians differ from each other quite noticeably.) Most of them anthropologically belong to the Pontic and Caucasian types of the Caucasian race.

Due to the distance of the Georgians from the main routes of invasion and migration, the territory of Georgia turned out to be the object of great demographic homogeneity, due to which modern Georgians are direct descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of the Caucasian Isthmus. According to linguistic principles, Georgians are divided into three groups - Iberian, Svan and Mingrelo-Laz. The majority of Georgians traditionally profess Christianity (Orthodoxy), which was adopted on May 6, 319.

The Georgian people were formed on the basis of three closely related tribal associations: Karts, Mingrelo-Chans and Svans. The process of formation of the Georgian nation was completed mainly in the VI-X centuries.

Number


The number of Georgians in the world is more than 4 million people, of which:
About 3.66 million people live in Georgia (84% of the country's population) (2002 census).
According to the 2002 census, 198 thousand Georgians permanently reside in Russia, but in fact - from 400 thousand to 1 million people.
in Turkey - from 150 thousand to 300 thousand.
in Abkhazia - 40-70 thousand people
in Iran - 60 thousand people
in Ukraine - more than 34 thousand people (2001 census)
in Azerbaijan - about 15 thousand people (1999 census).

Ethnographic groups


Adjarians - the population of Adjara, profess both Christianity and Sunni Islam.
Gurians live in the region of Guria and speak the Gurian dialect of the Georgian language.
Kartlians - live in the historical region of Kartli, speak the Kartli dialect of the Georgian language.
Kakheti people live in Kakheti.
Imeretians - inhabit the region of Imereti, speak the Imeretian dialect of the Georgian language.
Imerkhevites live in Turkey and profess Sunni Islam.
Ingiloys - live in northwestern Azerbaijan , profess both Christianity and Sunni Islam.
Lechkhumi people - residents of the Lechkhumi region on the Rioni River, speak the Lechkhumi dialect of the Georgian language.
Meskhetians are an ethnographic group of Georgians, the indigenous population of Meskheti, they speak the Meskhetian (Meskhetian) dialect of the Georgian language.
The Mokhevians are residents of the historical region of Khevi.
The Mtiuls are the indigenous population of the mountainous region of the East-South Caucasus, Mtiuleti.
Pshavs - live in the Dusheti region of Georgia, speak the Pshav dialect of the Georgian language.
Rachin residents - residents of the historical region of Racha (modern On and Ambrolauri municipalities), speak the Racha dialect of the Georgian language
Tushintsy
Fereydans - live in Western Iran , profess Shiite Islam.
Khevsurs are residents of the regions of Georgia bordering Chechnya and Ignushetia, the indigenous population of the mountainous region of Khevsureti.
Chveneburi - live in Turkey, profess Sunni Islam.

Subethnic groups

Mingrelians


Mingrelians are the largest sub-ethnic group of the Georgian people. To the south of the Mingrelians live the Gurians, to the east the Imeretians, to the north the Svans, and to the northwest the Abkhazians. Mingrelians are very musical - among their tunes there are very melodic ones (recorded with notes by X. Grozdov in the “Collection of materials for describing the localities and tribes of the Caucasus”, XVIII, 1894); They perform their songs to the accompaniment of the Georgian folk instrument chonguri.

In addition to songs, Mingrelian folk art was also expressed in fairy tales; a number of them are written down in Russian translation by Sh. Lominadze. Mingrelians profess Orthodoxy and belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church.

In the late Middle Ages, the Mingrelians enjoyed relative independence from the Imereti kings (the Principality of Megrelia) and had their own dynasty of ruling princes (Dadiani). In 1803, the ruler of the Megrelian principality entered into Russian citizenship. Since 1857, Russian administration was introduced.

The principality was abolished in 1867 and became part of the Russian Empire (Kutaisi province). The Dadiani princes (the Most Serene Princes of Mingrel) subsequently became part of the Russian nobility (after the liquidation of the principality in 1867).

Svans


Svans - the main, indigenous population in the Mestia and Lentekhi regions in northwestern Georgia, united in the historical region of Svaneti - speak Georgian and a separate Svan language, belonging to the Kartvelian family.

Lazy


Lazy - live in the northeast of Turkey, in the historical region of Lazistan. Laz speak Georgian and a related language to Mingrelian - Laz, belonging to the Kartvelian family, as well as Turkish.

The material is taken from the free online encyclopedia - Wikipedia.

History of Georgia (from ancient times to the present day) Vachnadze Merab

Origin (ethnogenesis) of Georgians

Problem origin (ethnogenesis) of Georgians is extremely complex and controversial. This is due to several reasons. The formation of any nation or any people is a long process that takes place in such a distant past that, naturally, there is no need to talk about any written sources testifying to the historical reliability of the origin of a particular people. Historical sources for studying the origins of a people are the reports of historians of a later period and their statements and thoughts on this topic. Some of this information is very dubious. In addition, there is no absolutely pure race, since ethnogenesis is a complex and lengthy process in which many tribes and nationalities participate.

This process sometimes involves completely different ethnic groups, which, although they undergo assimilation, but, for their part, influence indigenous people.

When studying the problem of ethnogenesis, they are of great importance archaeological, ethnographic And linguistic data and other materials. Analysis and comparison of existing sources do not always lead to an unambiguous conclusion. The question of the origin of Georgians has always been debatable, and even now it is not fully established, since there is no consensus or generally accepted theory on this issue.

1. Sources on ethnicitygenesis of Georgians. Georgians showed interest in their own origins back in ancient times. According to an 11th century Georgian historian Leontiu Mroveli, the Caucasian peoples had one ancestor - Targamos. He was the son But I and grandson Japheta. Targamos had 8 sons, who were considered the ancestors of all Caucasian peoples. The ancestor of the Georgians is considered Kartlos, son Targamos. It is clear that this theory is related to Noem: According to the Bible, the nations of the world are descendants of sons But ISima, Hama And Japheta. But something else is interesting, the main point of Leonti Mroveli’s theory about kinship of all CaucasiansChinese peoples and theirethniccheswhat community. Here it is necessary to take into account that the author of this theory is a figure of the 11th century. At that time, despite the difficult situation, the country's development was on the path to recovery. The ground was created not only for the unification of the country, but also for masteredthe unification of the Caucasian peoples under the banner of a united Georgia. The implementation of this task required ideological justification, which was partially served by the theory of Leonti Mroveli. Although, it is possible that there was a tradition or idea according to which the peoples of the Caucasus descended from one ancestor. Interesting information about the ethnogenesis and original location of the Georgians was preserved in the chronicle “Conversion of Kartli” (“Moktsevai Kartlisai"). After Mtskheta class, Azo goes to Arian Kartli and returns from there with his compatriots, whom he resettles in Kartli. Based on this information, the Georgians (more precisely, the indigenous inhabitants of Eastern Georgia) arrived from Arian Kartli. This refers to the territory of Eastern Georgia, which was part of Achaemenid Iran (the upper reaches of the Chorokhi River). It is interesting that the movement of individual Georgian tribes from the south towards Kartli is actually confirmed. Front sights (meskhis) from Anatolia they move in a northeast direction to Kartli. On the path of their progress, you can now find the following names: Samtskhe (Sa-mtskhe, Sa-meskhta, Sa-meskhe) And Mtskheta (Mtskhe-ta, Mesk-ta).

We also find information about the origin of Georgians in foreign sources. Greek historian of the 5th century. BC e. Herodotus claimed that Colchians are descendants Egyptians. This statement has nothing to do with reality. Regarding the population Kartli, or Iberia, as the Greeks called it, then, according to the Greeks, they were from western Iberia, or Spain on Caucasus resettled by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. The Greeks also called the Iberian Peninsula Iberia. It is assumed that this consideration was based on the identity of the names of these two geographical regions. Apparently, this point of view was also widespread among Georgians.

2. Scientific theories about the ethnogenesis of Georgians. Outstanding Georgian historian Ivane Javakhishvili put forward the idea of kinship of the Georgian people with the Caucasian peoples, because he believed that the Kartvelian languages ​​(Georgian, Mingrelo-Zan, Svan) are genetically related to other Caucasian languages ​​(Abkhaz-Adyghe and Veinakho-Dagestan). This point of view is generally accepted and widespread. Kartvelian And Caucasian languages form one group Iberian-Caucasian languages. Ivane Javakhishvili believed that Georgian and other cavasKaz tribes came from the south and settled Kavkaz step by step. This migration began in the 14th century BC. e. The last wave of Georgian tribes arrived in the Caucasus in the 7th century BC. However, after new archaeological excavations and obtaining new materials, this hypothesis lost its relevance.

On the issue of ethnogenesis of Georgians, Georgian scientist Simon Janashia expresses a different point of view. In his opinion, 5–6 thousand years ago, most of Western Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe (Iberian, Apennine and Balkan peninsulas) were inhabited by related peoples. Then they came to Europe Indo-Europeans who were influenced by these ancient peoples: Basque- in the Pyrenees, Etruscans- in the Apennines, Pelasgians- in the Balkans, Hittites And subarov- in Western Asia. Subars occupied the territory from Mesopotamia to Caucasus. Hittites And subars were the ancestors of the Georgians. In the 13th century BC, the population of Kheta-Subareti dispersed in different directions. Of these, the strongest tribes were flies And Tubals. Later, in the 11th–8th centuries BC, tribes Hittite-Subari formed a state Urartu.

After the fall of Urartu in the 6th century BC, a large state formation was formed on the territory of present-day Georgia - Iberia and even more intensified - Colha.

Simon Janashia does not report anything about the resettlement of tribes from the south, but points to the movement state And cultural center from south to north. All this took place over a large territory inhabited by people of the same origin. Hypothesis about the relationship between Georgians and Basque has its supporters and opponents. The relationship of the Georgian tribes with Hittites And Khurites.

In solving the problem of the ethnogenesis of Georgians, first of all, a large role belongs to archaeological materials, on the basis of which the continuous historical process of development of the Georgian tribes who lived in the Caucasus since ancient times can be traced.

3. Some aspects of the linguistic and ethnic processes of the Georgian people, the territory of historical residence.

The Georgian people have gone through a very long period of development and are one of the oldest peoples existing in modern times, distributed since ancient times over the vast territory of the Caucasus.

In modern science, starting with S.N. Janashia and B.A. Kuftin, as indicated, rejected the previously widespread opinion that the ancestors of the Georgian, as well as other Caucasian peoples, came to the Caucasus from the south, from Asia Minor only in the first half of the 1st millennium BC. Study of ancient Georgian names of plants, animals, etc. eras of existence common Kartvelian language basics (III millennium BC) or Georgian-Zan (Mingrelo-Chan) unity (2nd millennium BC) indicates that Georgian tribes already in this era lived in the Caucasus, in particular in its mountainous zone.

IN III millennium BC, existence is assumed the basis language of the Kartvelian languages, as well as the base languages ​​of other groups of Caucasian languages ​​(East Caucasian, i.e. Nakh-Dagestan, and West Caucasian, or Abkhaz-Adyghe languages). Some researchers believe that these groups of Caucasian languages ​​are related to each other, descending from one ancestor - a common base language, from which a number of ancient (now dead) Central Asian languages ​​(Sumerian, Proto-Hetian, Hurrian, Urartian, Elamite) originated through linguistic differentiation. , as well as the current Basque language, however, this hypothesis currently causes a very skeptical attitude among many scientists and does not have a strictly scientific basis.

Researchers date the beginning of the collapse of the single language - the basis of the Kartvelian languages ​​- to the beginning II millennium BC. At this time, the first impulses were released Svan, the Kart-Zan (Mingrelo-Chan) linguistic unity that existed for a long time and after that apparently disintegrated in VIIIV. BC.

It should be noted that many lexical innovations of Kart (Georgian) and Mingrelo-Chan, by which they jointly differ from Svan, could have arisen only in the era after the middle II millennium BC We are talking about the designation of technical and cultural achievements that these tribes became familiar with only during the designated period, as well as lexical phenomena that appeared as a result of contact with the southern Hittite-Hurrian world.

Since the Kart-Zan group of Kartvelian tribes had contacts with the southern Near Asian world (Hittites, Hurri-Urartians), it apparently occupied the relatively southern regions of present-day Georgia and partly territories located even further south (in particular in northeastern Asia Minor, where subsequently we also find Kartvelian tribes). As for the Svan group, it is already in II millennium BC should be localized in northern part of the distribution of Georgian tribes, although at this time, as well as in the 1st millennium BC, they were apparently widespread not only in the mountainous, but also in the lowland parts of Western Georgia. In particular, the study of the ancient toponymy of this region leads us to this conclusion. For example, even the name “Lanchkhuti” is considered Svan. Svan etymology is found in the names of large centers - Sukhumi (Georgian Tskhumi - Wed Svan. Tskhum - rtskhila). An analysis of information from ancient writers also leads to the conclusion about the wide distribution of the Svan population on the territory of Western Georgia; It turns out, in particular, that the Svan element is implied mainly in the Geniokh tribes, often mentioned in ancient times in Western Georgia.

On the issue of the spread of Georgian tribes in a southern direction, one cannot help but draw on the material about the Asia Minor flies and tabals. They are known to be often mentioned first Assyrian inscriptions of the 8th–7th centuries.dabout AD In these tribes we can see individual Georgian tribes spreading far to the southwest. Having become largely Hettised, they (in particular the Mushki) later played a certain role in the emergence of East Georgian statehood.

Currently, Georgians, like many other peoples, have sub-ethnographic groups, in particular there are the following: Mingrelians, Kartlians, Kakhetians, Khevsurs, Pshavs, Tushins, Mtiuls, Mokhevians, Javakhis, Meskhis, Imeretians, Rachinians, Lechkhumis, Svans, Gurians, Adjarians, Ingiloys, Taois, Shavshets, Parkhals, Imerkhevs, etc.

The indicated names of Georgians, in fact, are connected and come from the name of one or another locality of their historical residence on the territory of Georgia (See attached "Map of the Main Historical Provinces of Georgia").

It should be noted that such sub-ethnographic groups of Georgians as Svans and Mingrelians, speaking the national and national Georgian language, also use Mingrelian and Svan languages, which constitute the invaluable linguistic and cultural wealth of the entire Georgian people.

Georgians have been widespread since ancient times, both within the modern borders of Georgia and across the wider territory of the borders of historical Georgia.

In particular, even now, ethnic Georgians (Parkhalians, Taoisians, Shavshetians, Imerkhevians, Adjarians, etc.) live, already in significantly reduced numbers, in the territories of “Tao-Klarjeti” in the historical part of Southwestern Georgia. These vast territories of Georgia with a Georgian population entered the state borders of the modern Republic of Turkey.

In addition, Georgian tribes from ancient times (in particular, the Khalibs, who are mentioned in the Bible as the creators of metallurgical culture) lived in the direction of the eastern part of Anatolia, in northeastern Asia Minor, covering the Pontic Mountains and nearby territories, which modern Republic of Turkey.

This territory is inhabited by the descendants of Georgian tribes, which are the current Laz (Chans), distributed along the Black Sea coast in its southeastern part, speaking (like the Mingrelian Georgians) a language related to the Georgian Mingrelo-Laz (Mingrelo-Chan) language, and are carriers of Kartvelian culture.

The so-called “Ingiloi”, a relatively small ethnic group of eastern Georgians, lives in the territory of the historical part of Eastern Georgia (Hereti), in the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan (modern Zagatala region).

Georgians, as evidenced by the Armenian historical chronicles (Favstos Buzand, Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi and others), traces of material culture, were also widespread in the original Georgian territories in the southern part of Georgia (Kvemo Kartli), in the regions of Lore and Tashiri, which now make up the northern part of the Republic of Armenia.

Currently, a significant number of ethnic Georgians live in Iran, in a number of its provinces Feyredan, Mazandaran, Gilan and others, forcibly resettled there from the Eastern part of Georgia (Kakheti-Hereti) at the beginning of the 17th century by the Iranian Shah Abass I. This group of Georgians , despite the fact that it has been located for a long time (about 400 years), far from its historical homeland, and in modern times, it retains its ethnic identity, Georgian language and culture.

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Georgian Christian My father loved to read aloud, he read a lot. And I, when I was no more than five years old, often found myself nearby, listened to him and, although for the most part I did not understand the meaning, I tried to understand, I was very interested. My father often repeated: “Georgian is a Christian.

All people are divided into types according to their appearance. In Georgia this is especially noticeable, and this applies more to men. In different parts of Georgia you will have to deal with different types of Georgians: bald and dark-haired, thin and stocky, pot-bellied and skinny, wide-cheeked and looking like “Italians” or “Armenians”.

How many regions are there in Georgia?

There are 12 regions in Georgia. The people of these regions differ in character, appearance, cuisine and surnames. Representatives of some regions make fun of others, but not at all out of malice.

The most popular region in terms of the number of jokes is Svaneti.
The ethnic group of Svans is quite small and isolated. The Svans are jokingly called “wooden-headed”; the logic of the Svans’ behavior is very difficult to understand; often stubbornness overshadows logic to an extreme degree. A lot of jokes have been made up about them, sometimes even offensive.

And many people are afraid of the Svans, or rather, they are careful not to get involved with them, because they are hot-tempered, conflict-ridden, and in their veins, instead of blood, the spirit of “blood feud” flows.

The surname and them are similar to Italian and end in - ina, such as the famous mountaineer Khergiani, the ruler of Svaneti Dadiani, Iosediani, etc.

The Svans have their own language, and Svan cuisine is famous for its flatbreads with meat “kudbari”, “chvishtari” and Svan salt.
The Svans have always been famous for their bravery. Brave warriors were distinguished by broad shoulders and tall stature. Having never been conquered by anyone, they retained the original genotype with blond hair and eyes.

Megrelia

Mingrelians are the closest neighbors of the Svans. They are called "Georgian Jews". By nature they are very enterprising and cunning. They make good businessmen, traders and simply entrepreneurs.

This ethnic group also has its own language, like Svan, incomprehensible to anyone else. Mingrelians differ from Georgians from other regions in appearance; they are fair, red-haired, blue-eyed, tall and slender.

I consider myself purebred and prefer not to mix with other nations, including Georgians from other regions. Mingrelians are very hardworking and call themselves the “Georgian elite”.

The surnames of Mingrelians end in -iya, such as Beria, Gamsakhurdia, Danelia, etc. By the way, sometimes Mingrelians are called MenGrelians, and Megrelia MenGrelia.
From Mingrelian cuisine, such dishes as gomi, elarzhi, Mingrelian kuchmachi, Mingrelian kharcho and khachapuri came into general Georgian cuisine. Usually Mingrelian cuisine is very tasty and a little spicy.

Racha

Racha is called little Switzerland. Mountains, lakes, forests, waterfalls... The nature of this region is amazingly beautiful. The people are calm and kind. There was no blood feud here, as in neighboring Svaneti. Racha, located outside the main trade and military routes, was never conquered by anyone.

Racha people live in Racha. The Rachin people are the slowest of all known Georgians, but also the most cheerful. People laugh at them and call them “brakes.” A film called “The Fastest in the World” was made about their slowness in Soviet times. By watching it you can understand the character of the Rachin people.

Rachin residents are known as excellent cooks. You will be very lucky if you get to the Racha people for a feast, which is not complete without chants and traditional Racha dishes: Racha ham, lobiani, shkmeruli and, of course, the famous “Khvanchkara”.

Adjara

Adjarians live near the Black Sea. Batumi is the capital of Adjara. Who hasn’t tried to conquer this tasty morsel, the port, access to the sea. The Greeks and Romans, Persians and Turks constantly laid claim not only to coastal territories, but also to mountainous areas.

The Adjarians had to get along with different neighbors, endure conquerors, remain under Turkish rule for three centuries, and even change their faith.

Dances, songs and cuisine in Adjara are very different from all other regions. And among the dishes, the most famous and favorite among the guests was “Adjarian khachapuri” in the shape of a boat with an egg, which resembles the sun of this warm region. Otherwise, Adjarian cuisine is very fatty, heavy, with the presence of ghee in almost all dishes.

Imeretians

Imeretians live in Imereti. The capital of Imereti is Kutaisi. By the way, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. The Imeretians are proud of their glorious history, because they are the descendants of the Colchians - the inhabitants of the famous Colchis.

Impritinians have blue eyes and a hooked or fleshy nose. Imeritians are called sweet-tongued. They always say nice things, compliments and everything that will warm your ears.

In principle, “Aquarians” are found throughout Georgia,” but the Imeretians have earned a special reputation. You can only hope that the compliments addressed to you are sincere.

Imeritians are very hospitable; they will pour something into a glass and put it on a plate, as long as the dishes are not empty. They will wait patiently until you “roll out” from the table; there is no chance of leaving early.

By the way, we read about universal Georgian hospitality.
Imeritian khachapuri, Imeritian cheese, nadugi with mint, Tsolikauri and Tsitska wine are the main dishes of Imeretian cuisine.

Gurians

Sharp-tongued Gurians love to come up with rhymes, jokes, and jokes and know exactly how to “prick.” But no one is offended by them, because everyone knows the nature of the Gurian. They inherited swampy lands, with malarial mosquitoes and other horrors that contributed to the formation of the tough character of the Gurians.

Gurians are calm people, but you shouldn’t quarrel with them. If a Georgian has a wife from Guria, then sooner or later he will regret the choice he made. Gurian women are good housewives, but they are domineering and tough.

The cuisine of the Gurians introduced Gurian khachapuri, special cheese and Gurian khachapuri into Georgian culinary culture.

Eastern Georgia

Kakheti is a fertile wine region. Kakhetians are called hardworking donkeys, because from spring to autumn they will have to work in the fields. Vineyards, watermelon melons, sunflowers, peaches, nuts and pomegranates - all these gifts of nature are given to us by Kakheti.

Alazani Valley, southern spurs of the Caucasus Mountains, Iori and Alazani rivers. Trade routes passed through this territory, which meant merchants paid taxes. The rich, fertile region gave no rest to the enemies. Kakheti constantly suffered from enemy raids.

And the Persian Shah Abbas, who ravaged Kakheti at the beginning of the 17th century, forcibly resettled 200 thousand Georgian Kakheti to different regions of Iran, settling the Alazani Valley with Turkmens.

That is why Kakhetians are brunettes, many have black eyes and black eyebrows. They are often depicted as pot-bellied, because on long winter evenings there is nothing left to do but pass the time with a jug of home-made wine, snacking on supplies stored until next summer.

Kakheti people love meat dishes - shish kebab, khashlama, and, of course, wine.

There are several other regions in Georgia, such as the highlands of Tusheti and Khevsureti. In Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgians are in the minority, since due to various historical factors the Armenian or Azerbaijani population predominates in the region.

What others say about Georgians

Georgians are a beautiful nation with a characteristic mentality. Do not try to convey to a Georgian a “subtle hint” in Russian, they will not understand you. In general, Georgians are very characterized by excessive pride, stubbornness and touchiness.

As for the general features of the Georgian nation, it is worth noting that the external beauty of Georgians was noticed in ancient times by Herodotus, Gibbon and Strabo.

What do Europeans say about Georgians?

« Memoire sur l'ethnographie de la Perse“(Paris, 1866) “the Georgian nation has long been distinguished by the grace of its type and that the purity of the Georgian […] owes the Persians and Turks the improvement of their naturally rude type, which was helped by countless evictions, which have been carried out from Georgia for a long time […]” (Bakradze : “Archaeological journey through Guria and Adjara”, page VI)

The traveler Chardin (1671), who compiled the first guide to Transcaucasia for Europeans, Abbot Joseph Delaporte, the German scientist Ritzel, Pushkin and Lermontov did not remain indifferent to the Georgians.

Particular attention should be paid to the beauty of Georgian women. Their beauty captivated the Byzantine emperors, shahs and sultans. For example, the mother of Sultan Abdul-Mejid was formerly a Georgian slave, “even the noble posture and beautiful face of the founder of the Trebizond Empire are ready to be explained by historians as the origin of the great Komnenos from Georgian ancestors,” the mother of the luminary of the Orthodox Church Athanasius the Great was also Georgian.

The wife of the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine Palaeologus, should have been the daughter of King George XVIII, if not for the final fall of Constantinople in 1453.

Traveler and writer Schweiger-Lerchenfeld writes:

“... However, the Georgian women sold into slavery were not at all as unhappy as we usually think. In essence, the change in their position could be called brilliant, dazzling. Georgian women are much more intelligent than Circassian women, more power-hungry and more skillful in intrigue; therefore, they not only quickly got used to their new participation, but also knew how to achieve decisively complete power in the harems of the Mohammedan nobles.”

and finally:

“Since the time of Shah Abbas I,” says the late prof. Patkapov, the Persian shahs became in the habit of surrounding themselves with a Georgian squad and entrusting the Georgian princes with important positions of commander-in-chief, divanbeg, Ispagan “taruga” and khans in individual provinces. During the Sefid era, most of the Georgians, the upper class, traveled to Persia - to Kandahar, Khorasan, staying in these countries temporarily or forever. Their number in Persia during this time was so great (we also mean Georgians in the harems of the Shah and nobles) that they had a significant influence on the racial modification of the Persians of the upper classes.”

To meet representatives of different regions and learn something interesting about the country, feel free to choose a local resident with their signature excursions to


23. Peoples of Georgia.

The West of Transcaucasia is inhabited mainly by peoples who have received the integrated name “Georgians” or “Kartvelians”. Most of them speak various dialects of the Georgian language, which belongs to the Kartvelian group. This group of languages ​​also includes Mingrelian, Laz and Svan languages. Accordingly, in the 19th century, Mingrelians (then called Mingrelians or Mingrelians), Svans (Svanets) and Laz (Chanovs) were considered separate ethnic groups. Currently, the Svans are considered a subethnic group of Georgians, along with the Imeretians, Gurians, Kartlians (Kartalins), Kakhetians, Javakhetians, Khevsurs, Tushins, Pshavas, Adzharians, Meskhetians, Rachins... And as for the Mingrelians, who until the 1930s were considered a separate ethnic group, then there are two approaches: one part of the Mingrelians “Georgianized”, the other preserved their national identity, self-awareness, and language. The Laz, who speak a language close to Mingrelian, are considered a separate nationality.

The peoples of Georgia at the time under review had both common ethnographic features and differences due to habitat, occupation, and religion. In this part of the review, we will get acquainted with the life and customs of the Kartvelian people as a whole, and also consider the characteristic features of the main Georgian subethnic groups.

The sources of text information were the following publications:

- "Peoples of Russia. Ethnographic essays", (publication of the magazine "Nature and People"), 1879-1880;
- J.-J. Elisée Reclus. "European and Asian Russia", vol. 2, 1884;
- M. Vladykin. "Guide and interlocutor on a trip to the Caucasus", 1885;
- I. Kanevsky. "Curious corners of the Caucasus", 1886;
- Collection of materials for describing the localities and tribes of the Caucasus, issue 5, 1886.

The review uses photographs of contemporaries, illustrations from books and magazines, and paintings by artists of the 19th century.

The Kartvels or Kartalins themselves, who still retained the name that belonged to the whole nation, are Georgians living east of Suram, in a plain of lake origin, the center of which is Gori, and the extreme point is Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Kartalinia. In the eastern part, the Kartvelians mix with the Tiflis Georgians, and the name of the latter is often used as a common name for various nationalities of Georgia. The Kakhetians, occupying the easternmost part of Georgia, live in the valley of Iora and Alazan. To the west of Suram, the valleys of Rion, Tskhenis and the lower reaches of the Ingur are inhabited by Imeretians and Mingrelians; The Gurians occupy the northern slope of the Adjarian Mountains, and on the other side of this wall, and partly in the Chorukh basin, live the Laz. Finally, the Svaneti and some other tribes took refuge, as if in fortresses, in the mountain valleys of the Caucasus. Kartalins of different families cannot fully understand each other, due to the admixture of foreign words included in local idioms; nevertheless, from Trebizond to Tiflis, all dialects are extremely similar to each other. Among the literate Kartalians, the unity of the language was maintained with the help of writing, published in the Georgian language.

With the exception of most of the Laz who converted to Islam, all Kartalins are Christians of the Orthodox faith. They consider St. their patron. St. George the Victorious. It is believed, perhaps with good reason, that after the name of this saint the country itself began to be called Georgia, from where, from the local pronunciation, the Russian word came out: Georgia.



Upon entering into Russian citizenship, the Kartvelian tribe was divided into four independent parts: Georgia proper, or the Georgian kingdom, Imereti, Mingrelia and Guria, ruled by separate independent owners. The Georgian nation has been preserved in Imereti and Mingrelia much better than in Georgia itself. In these parts almost the entire population belongs exclusively to one Kartvelian tribe, while in Georgia the population is largely mixed with Tatars and Armenians. The reason for this is the historical fate of the Georgian kingdom, which was subjected to significant and frequent devastation.

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The Georgians living in the Kura basin, like their western neighbors the Imeretians, Mingrelians and Laz, are deservedly famous for their beauty; they have luxurious hair, big eyes, white teeth, a slender and flexible waist, small and strong hands. At the same time, they seem to be not as beautiful as the Kartvelians of the Black Sea coast, and their women are almost always lethargic, their gaze and smile are not illuminated by thought. Most Georgians have a red, almost purple complexion, caused, of course, by excessive drinking of wine.

At every opportunity, Georgians take a goblet of wine and, saying the Tatar words: “Alla verdi,” i.e., “this is a gift from God!”, empty it in honor of their friends. Kakhetians are especially proud of the wine that their land produces - the Georgian Eldorado - and drink it in large quantities. Their wine, almost the only drink consumed in this country, can, it is believed, sometimes compete with the best varieties of the West. One of the objects that so often strikes the eye in Kakheti is wineskins made of ox or pork skin, with protruding ends, usually hung at the doors of shops, or dragged in carts and shuddering with every push, as if alive. In order for the skin to retain its flexibility, it is sometimes torn off from a living creature, and after this barbaric operation the skin is smeared with oil, which gives the wine an unpleasant odor, which, however, the foreigner gets used to very quickly.

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Georgians are terrible hunters of feasting, but certainly in company. A singer and a zurna (pipe), somewhat reminiscent of our pity, with a dull drum - an integral part of every holiday, for which a Georgian is ready to spend everything. A feast in the open air, if the time is favorable, is preferred to a feast in the house. The company is first surrounded by an azarpesha (spoon-scoop), a kula (wooden jug), glasses, and then the turkish horns are used. The guests drink to each other’s health: “Alla verdi” (God gave), says the Georgian to his neighbor, raising the cup to his lips; - “yakshi-yol” (good journey, good health), he answers, doing the same.

A lot of wine is drunk, but Georgians are very rarely drunk: “here,” they say, “from the mother’s breasts straight to the foot of the wineskin”; They get used to wine from an early age. In Kakheti, a mother will not put her child to bed until she gives him wine; A ten-year-old boy can easily distinguish the admixture of water in wine. In this blessed part of Georgia, wine is not valued at all; The time is not far off when residents, out of laziness to fetch water, washed themselves with wine, cooked food with it and sprinkled it on the floor.


Women do not take part in noisy feasts: they dine on the side and, it happens, also have a great time. About 30 years ago, in Tiflis there was a Georgian woman named Guka, who gained fame for destroying an incredible amount of Kakheti. People came from all sides to look at this marvel and argue with her over drinks, but, however, no rival was found in all of Georgia. And there was no physical possibility for this: Guka drank wine at a time not in tungs (tunga - 5 bottles), but in buckets, and did not get drunk at all. She called the bucket a glass, and the tunga a glass. This became a proverb, which can still be heard in Tiflis.

"Guide and interlocutor on a trip to the Caucasus"


Georgian women are famous for their beauty. Despite the isolation and even slave position of a woman in the family, all housework is under the care of her husband. This indifference to work stems not from the Georgian woman’s nature, which is mostly lively and active, but from the fearful jealousy of a man to expose his wife to the disgrace of prying eyes, through her participation in activities outside the home. Georgians love to dress up; They are also not averse to gossip and are ready to chat all day long without stopping, they are ready, perhaps, to flirt on the sly, but they are far from real intrigue, and from the restless neighbors, and besides, there is no way to do anything secretly.

From early morning, a Georgian leaves his home and spends almost the entire day in shops or in the bazaar, where often, for lack of work, he confines himself to pouring from empty to empty. The bazaar in Transcaucasia, as well as throughout the east, is the central point of all activity and all news.

Both Georgians and Georgians are terribly superstitious and gullible. In general, the Georgian tribe is one of the most beautiful, capable and good-natured tribes in the world.

"Guide and interlocutor on a trip to the Caucasus"


Georgian villages are scattered along the hollows and slopes of the mountains. From a distance they appear to be an irregular mound or a pile of ruins. In Kartaliniya, many villages and hamlets are deprived of gardens; in Kakheti, on the contrary, all the buildings are drowned in greenery. There is nothing characteristic or definite in the very location of the village: a two-story house stands next to a dugout, barely visible from the horizon of the earth.

Everyone builds where he pleases, not paying attention to whether he will disturb the convenience of others or take up the road. There are no streets; the passages between the houses are so narrow and filled with such potholes that single horsemen can hardly pass through. Georgians are not in the habit of cleaning the streets; rubbish and carrion lie strewn before everyone's eyes and contaminate the air with their decomposition.

In the middle of the flat roofs of the houses there are cone-shaped mounds with a hole for the smoke to escape, and around them are piles of brushwood and thorns for the firebox. A plank chicken coop and a wicker body on stilts for corn, for bird feed, are necessary extensions to the house.

A commoner's hut (saklya) of primitive construction. It is built of wattle fence, with two compartments: one for the family, the other for the storerooms. The saklya is accessible only from the entrance. The roof and rear walls are level with the ground. It is surrounded by a squat, thorny fence and hickory, vine and weeping willow trees. The entrance to the hut is closed by a canopy arranged on small posts.

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The front door leads first of all to the “darbazi” - the main and largest room, in the middle of which there are two, and sometimes one, pillars that support the entire house. The reception room, living room, kitchen and the very family life of the villager are concentrated in this room. Attached to the ceiling is an iron chain with a hook on which the cauldron is hung. Here a fire is made or a depression lined with stone is built, a small hearth used for cooking and warming during cold weather. The family gathers to dine around the hearth; This is where she sleeps. The floor in the hut is earthen and uneven. Along the back wall of the darbazi there are wooden shelves with dishes. In the wall opposite the entrance of the sakli there is a large niche in which the bed is laid. The furniture consists of wide but low ottomans, made of boards and covered with carpets. Along the third wall are chests and a wooden box for storing bread. There are also water jugs and other small utensils.

The owner's military armor is hung on the walls, often covered with a significant layer of soot. Food is prepared in the hut itself, in a cauldron hanging above the fireplace, and therefore the constant presence of smoke in the room hurts the eyes and smokes the entire interior of the house. The flame, rising, heats the hut. A clay or iron scale containing melted lard is suspended from a beam resting on the ceiling. Its burning wick produces a dim, flickering light and, together with the flame of the fire, makes up the entire illumination of the saklya.

A Georgian's city house is somewhat different from a village house. Almost every house has a balcony with a wooden canopy and is fenced from the street. A small gate leads to the courtyard. The dwelling itself consists of one chamber, so large that it could be made into several rooms with a hall. The floor is either earthen or brick-lined; The ceiling is made up of either unhewn beams or planed boards. For warmth, there is a fireplace (“bukhari”), which has a large opening without a grate. Pushed by the wind, the smoke spreads throughout the room. There are niches in the room; when covered with doors, they form cabinets. Along the walls there are low sofas covered with multi-colored carpets. A tambourine (daira) and other musical instruments hang on the walls; there is a rifle with a bandoleer and a powder flask.

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In the above description of the common features characteristic of Georgians and their characteristic lifestyle attributes, Kartalinia (Kartli) and Kakheti were most often mentioned. These regions are located in the east and center of Georgia. Now, gradually moving west, we will get acquainted with the local features of the culture and life of the inhabitants of other parts of Georgia.

In Imereti, a region in central and western Georgia, lived the Imeretians, one of whom is depicted in this clearly staged photograph by Odessa photographer J. Raoul:

Imeretians are mostly brunettes and, moreover, slender, but they do not stand out for their beauty in front of men, who, if not superior to them, are not inferior to them in beauty. Men are predominantly of average height; in the face of their more pleasantness than correctness. Almost all men wear either a beard or a mustache; and they have a special attraction to the latter. The native is a passionate defender not only of his mustache, but also of every single hair of it; some left the service simply because they had to shave their mustaches. “What kind of conscientiousness can one expect from a person,” say the Imeretians, “who has neither a beard nor a mustache?”

Being kind, affectionate, courteous, the Imeretian is ignorant and a passionate hunter of processes and litigation of all kinds. Among the population appeared clerks, sneakers and lawyers, of whom everyone is afraid, to whom everyone bows low and seeks acquaintance and favor, as useful people. Such people enjoy fame, rob good-natured villagers and live comfortably at their expense.

But, despite such a great desire for litigation, the Imeretians are, in essence, very good-natured and honest.

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Javakheti is located south of Imereti...

And to the west of Imereti is the region of Samegrelo or, as it was called before, Mingrelia. And the inhabitants of this region of Georgia were called Mingrelians, and now they are called Mingrelians.

In the small space of Mingrelia you can find the sea, mountains of considerable height, valleys green with endless vineyards, and ridges of rocks crowned with castles and temples. There are both the delicate fruits of the luxurious south and the gifts of the harsh north. The whole of Mingrelia is a continuous garden, in which a vine with heavy clusters curls around each tree. Often spreading from tree to tree, the vines form a natural swing, on which women swing while sitting.

This wealth of nature helps residents preserve the primitive state of infant tribes. Laziness, developed to the highest degree, made the Mingrelian capable only of plowing his own field and sewing clothes, but many of them walk barefoot in winter and summer.

It costs nothing for a Mingrelian to build a house. You just need to dig a hole in the ground, two arshins deep, and whatever width you like, and line its walls with stone; make an entrance in one wall facing the light - then water will not flow into the house; divide the entire excavated space into two halves: on one - the spouse and family, on the other - the horse and cattle; Cover both halves with earth - and the hut is ready. A piece of wood and a board instead of a table serve as furniture for the Mingrelian; two or three cups made of plane wood and earthenware jugs make up all his utensils.

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Mingrelians have delicate and more feminine facial features; There is no male beauty in them, but the type of Mingrelian woman is one of the most graceful in the world. Even women from the peasant class amaze with their beauty. In Mingrelia you can find both brunettes and blondes equally. True, they are not as beautiful as their neighbors, the Gurians, but their slender stature, smart, expressive faces, pretty heads, long and silky hair curly over their shoulders, and regular luxurious body shapes attract attention. Their movements are bold, graceful, passionate.

The Mingrelian man is extremely capable, receptive, stubborn and vengeful, but in his manner he is modest and insinuating. It is difficult to rely on a Mingrelian and take his word for it.

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Theft, highly developed in Mingrelia, is the main vice that has penetrated deeply into the environment of the people and constitutes an exclusive feature of the Mingrelians. Theft mainly applies to livestock, especially horses, and in this regard the Mingrelians are extremely dexterous. They cannot look at someone else's horse with indifference, especially when it is roaming free. A native horse thief uses many tricks to hide a stolen horse. Almost all classes, not excluding the clergy, were involved in horse stealing. This activity has been brought to the level of art here.

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But this fertile land was inhabited not only by Mingrelians. Judging by the following text, someone else lived in the dense forests of Samegrelo...

South of Samegrelo is Guria, a small region adjacent to the Black Sea coast. In the 19th century, all of Guria was covered with dense, humid forests, impenetrable in places.

The type of Gurians differs significantly from the type of Imeretians and Mingrelians. The reason for this change in one and the same Georgian tribe was the influence of nature and the proximity of Turkish tribes, with whom the Gurians became related and were in constant relations through the sale of slaves. Such graceful children who look like frightened birds, such courageous beauty of men, such graceful thin profile of women are difficult to find in the Caucasus. In their manner and grace, Gurian women are very similar to southern Italians. The dominant character trait of the Gurian is extraordinary mobility, passion, liveliness, curiosity and enthusiasm.

All Gurians are brave, good shooters and excellent pedestrians in terms of distance and speed of crossings. It is not difficult for a Gurian to travel, for example, in one and a half days from Ozurget to Kutais, which is about 190 miles along the direct route.

The Gurian is selfish, but not for profit, but to fulfill his whims. A simple peasant will decide to commit the most terrible crime just to get himself a luxury item.

A Gurian woman enjoys more freedom than in Georgia. Men are very free in conversations with women, do not mince words even with their mother and sisters, and allow speech that is reprehensible in the opinion of Europeans.

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And south of Guria, in the very southwest of Georgia, is Adjara. Its inhabitants, Adjarians, were called “Muslim Georgians” until the 1930s. Now they are considered an independent ethnic group of Georgians. The culture of the Adjarians is similar to the Laz, who live near the Turkish border. The Laz are Muslims, just like the Adjarians. Most of the Laz now live in Turkey.

The inhabitants of Adjara are almost the same as Gurians in type, costume, and language. The language of the population is also Georgian, close to the Imeretian-Gurian dialect, of course, not without an admixture of Turkish words.

The Laz also belong to the Kartvelian race and are almost no different in type or costume from the Adjarians, but they speak a dialect very close to Mingrelian, at least the Mingrelians and Laz speak freely to each other.

Adjarian and Laz men, with average and above average height, are excellently built, stately, slender and agile, their movements and manners are extremely attractive. Their eastern bow is especially graceful when, with a graceful and quick movement of the right hand, they lightly touch the forehead, then the heart, and then move the hand downwards from the chest, towards the ground, with a slight bow of the head.

"Curious corners of the Caucasus"


The main grain plant in Adjara is corn, the breadwinner for most of the entire western Transcaucasia. “Chada,” an unleavened flatbread made from coarse cornmeal and a piece of goat or sheep cheese, is the usual and almost the only food of the inhabitants. They sow much less wheat and barley; in some places, right on the seashore, they sow and cultivate rice. Gardens are a significant help for the population. Excellent fruits grow and ripen here magnificently, higher up - apples, pears, cherries, mulberries, lower down - peaches, pomegranates, figs, excellent grapes and olives. Never in the entire Transcaucasus have we seen one of the varieties of pears found in Adjara: in appearance they look more like an apple, thick at the stem and thin towards the toe, almost regularly hexagonal, full of oily juice, with an extraordinary taste and aroma...

"Curious corners of the Caucasus"


And now from subtropical Adjara we will move to the north-west of Georgia, to the harsh mountainous Svaneti. The inhabitants of this region - the Svans, or Svaneti - are also very harsh. The Svans speak their own language, which, although belonging to the Kartvelian family, is significantly different from Georgian. Previously, the Svans were considered a separate nationality; now they are considered a subethnic group of Georgians.
Closed in the basin of the Caucasus ridge, Svaneti is considered one of the wildest places in the Caucasus, both in topographical terms and in relation to the morals of its inhabitants. Svaneti occupies a central position in the western Caucasus, so secluded and closed that this country seems like a separate island among an entire ocean of mountains. Such isolation had and has a great influence on the character, morals and customs of the people. Svanet is as inaccessible and wild as the nature that surrounds it. Access to Svaneti is only possible during the short summer and almost ceases during the long winter.

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Svaneti is more populated and better cultivated than many of the mountain domains. The only source of food and wealth for the people is arable farming, and it must be said that the work of the farmer is sufficiently rewarded, although the Svanet are extremely lazy and therefore poor.

The Svanet house is made of stone and consists of a large two-story building, whitewashed and with windows in the form of loopholes. The Svaneti like to build their houses on prominent hills near rocky cliffs in order to dominate the surrounding area. Their villages are spread out on terraces, on the slopes of mountains, and as they move further into the mountains and rise above sea level, they become more and more crowded. The house's wide side adjoins a high quadrangular tower, on four sides of which there are embrasures at the very top. The towers are divided into several floors, but do not belong to the houses of the entire Svaneti, and where the native does not need to hide under their protection, the towers are not built.

Svanet lives in the winter in the lower floor of his house and drives his cattle there, and in the summer he moves to the upper floor. The inside of the room is poor. At the very entrance to the house, a small box made in the shape of a house hangs on hemp ropes, where cheese and fresh milk are stored.

Almost every house has a vegetable garden where hemp and peas are sown; quadrangular and square arable land here and there is spread out near the village and surrounded by a fence.

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Svanet spends his free time, and especially holidays, shooting and drinking. Drinking parties happen day and night, first for one, then for the other. Usually the owner’s house is filled with people who sit anywhere: some on the ground, some on benches arranged in the form of armchairs and sofas with carved backs. Women bake bread right there; the meat is cooked in cast iron cauldrons hung in a hut on iron hooks.

Svanet food is simple and not varied. It consists of bread baked from rye flour in the form of lumps and without yeast, extremely salty cheese and arrack - a type of vodka distilled from millet.

The essential entertainment of the Svaneti consists of gatherings and dancing. Their songs are rude, harsh and glorify war, folk heroes and hunting. For the most part they are rhymed and borrowed from the Imeretians.

The wild and harsh nature of Svaneti has made its inhabitants no less harsh. They are some kind of remnant of ancient humanity, which has not been touched by a single speck of enlightenment. All residents are extremely attached to their native soil, and many of them rarely visit their neighbors.

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The facial features of the Svanet resemble mountain Georgians. Residents are more than average height, slender and consider excessive fatness a vice, as a consequence of an intemperate life. Having a healthy appearance, Svanetis are mostly blond; they shave their beards, but leave a mustache; their hair is cut into brackets and shaved a little at the back. The women are also blond, less often with dark blond hair, blue eyes, a straight, oblong nose, a small mouth and in general the complexion of the face is quite regular. Nature has endowed the Svaneti with significant physical strength, good mental abilities, and quick thinking, but their range of information is extremely limited, as is their language. Not having their own written language, they use Georgian script.

The moral side of character is a mixture of good and bad qualities. Svanet is extremely impressionable, remembers kindness, is grateful and always cheerful. He is hospitable, cordial, but loves begging and demands compensation for every minor service. Svaneti are chaste, faithful to their word and oath, but they are proud, vindictive, secretive and superstitious to the highest degree. Pride does not prevent them from having the lowest concept of themselves. The native does not hide his ignorance and his vices, and at the same time admits that he does not have the determination and willpower to correct himself.

According to the concept of Svanet, a beauty is one who has broad shoulders, small legs, a full chest and a thin waist. To preserve the slender figure, some dress girls in their tenth year with raw leather from the hips to the chest. The girl remains in this position until the marriage bed, when the groom cuts this lacing with a dagger.

"Peoples of Russia"


In the northeast of Georgia, near the border with Chechnya and Dagestan, we will find three more mountain peoples belonging to the Georgian ethnic group: Khevsurs, Tushins and Pshavs.

Pshavet is of medium height and strong build. Round face, brown eyes, brown hair, shaved head and beard, leaving a forelock on the head, similar to the one worn by Little Russians. The pshava has an important gait and a good-natured character. Pshavets is extremely wild, and not embarrassed by anyone’s presence, he does whatever he wants, without having any concept of modesty. Pshavian women are mostly blonde, pretty, and do not age as quickly as those of the Khevsurs, but they quickly become fat.

The Khevsurs call the Pshavs fat milk cows and oppress them. The claims of the Khevsurs against the Pshavs, presented in the courts, are as funny as they are absurd.

In the neighborhood of Tushins and Khevsurs, the Pshavas live only in spring and summer, because they have their own hayfields and pastures there. In autumn and winter, they migrate far away from their homes, to where they find more pasture for their herds.

"Peoples of Russia"






And at the end of the review of the peoples of Georgia - several scenes from the life of Tiflis. At the end of the 19th century, the Armenian population predominated in Tiflis, Russians were in second place, and Georgians were only in third...

In the next part of the review we will visit Eastern Transcaucasia, thereby completing our acquaintance with the peoples of the Caucasus.