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The History of the Caucasus as Preserved in Georgian Sources

26 May, 2013
Abazuki and Bazuki abas Kuli Khan; Abraam (Abraham Albataneli); Abulabazi; Adam Aregatsoteli; Alans; Amberdi; Ali Sultan; Amberdi; Amirgune-Khan; Anisi; Ararat; Artavazi; Bardosi; Barzabodi; Baku; Bakatari; Biriti Gagiki; Armenians’ Catholicos of Gandzasari, Garnisi; Grozny; Guaspuragani; Daviti (Soslani); Davrish Mahmadi; Dariali; Darunabdi; Daud-Khani; Lak people; Dvini; Tsez people; Yerevan, Ejmiatsin Church; Vardan Mamikonian; Targamosi; Iarvandi; Iob Bishop, etc. are only part of the geographic and historical names connected with the history of the Caucasus which have been preserved in Georgian sources.
 

Tbilisi State University was awarded a grant from Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation to create a Georgian-English encyclopedic dictionary The Caucasus in Georgian Sources (foreign countries, tribes and historical figures), which was recently published. The grant was awarded to the authors and implementers of the project, including Giorgi Otkhmezuri, Ketevan Nadiradze (Institute of Georgian History at TSU), Tamar Koridze (Georgian University), Eka Kvachantiradze (Caucasus School of Business).

It is universally acknowledged that many tribes and peoples have lived in the Caucasus, and it has always been known for its population diversity. Georgian sources provide unique information on the north and south Caucasian countries, indigenous people and foreign peoples of Turkish background, the Lak people, Chechen-Ingush, Khazars, Kipchaks, tribes or historical figures of Albania, North Azerbaijan, Armenia, Circassia, Ossetia, Dagestan, etc. Furthermore, Georgian sources include valuable information on cross-border relations in the Caucasus, with a focus on Caucasian countries’ relations with Georgia.
Gathering and studying existing information from Georgian sources on the neighboring countries, even with the aim of exploring the past of these countries was a very rewarding job. The historical encyclopedic dictionary covers all existing information on the Caucasus region (except Georgia) from Georgian sources. The range of sources include: narratives, family chronicles, historical chronicles, documentary sources, epigraphic monuments and hagiographic literature. Thus the encyclopedic dictionary The Caucasus in Georgian Sources comprises information on the existing countries, tribes, historical figures and geographic points of the Caucasus (except Georgia) found in Georgian medieval written sources dating from the 5th to the 18th centuries.
The dictionary includes 240 articles in alphabetical order, in Georgian and English. It offers some clarifying remarks and dates are in brackets. While working on the dictionary, the authors employed a very wide selection of relevant scientific literature--mainly Georgian and partially foreign (Azerbaijani, Armenian).  Additional features include a glossary of terms, a glossary of geographical names and a bibliography.

 

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