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Georgians

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Georgians
ქართველები
File:Geopeoplerev006.jpg
Regions with significant populations
Georgia:
   3,906,314 (2006)[1]

Turkey:
   1,500,000 (est)[2]
Russia:
   198,000 (2002 census)
United States:
   150,000 (est)
Azerbaijan:
   50,000 (est)
Iran:
   50,000 (est)[3]
Ukraine:
   34,200 (2001 census)

Western Europe (various):
   50,000 (est)
Languages
Georgian
Religion
Georgian Orthodox, Islam.
Related ethnic groups
Laz
Chechens
Ingushs
Abkhaz

The Georgians (ქართველი ერი (Kartveli Eri) or ქართველები (Kartvelebi) in the Georgian language) are a nation or an ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus. The Georgian ethnic group (as a single entity) is one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world. Georgians are a part of the Ibero-Caucasian peoples (იბერიელ-კავკასიელი ხალხები) and are classified in the South Caucasian family both linguistically and culturally. The Georgian language has a rich literary tradition and the Georgian Alphabet is one of the fourteen unique alphabets which exist in the world today. The turbulent history of Georgia was marked by the national struggle for its existence and self-preservation. However, this ancient nation has managed to survive after numerous invasions by foreign powers for 4,000 years.

Origins

Most historians and scholars of Georgia as well as anthropologists, archeologists and linguists tend to agree that the ancestors of modern Georgians inhabited the southern Caucasus and northern Asia Minor since the Neolithic period. Scholars usually refer to them as Proto-Kartvelian tribes. Some European historians of the 19th century (eg, Humboldt, Krettschmer) as well as Georgian scholars (R. Gordeziani, S. Kaukhchishvili and Z. Gamsakhurdia) came to the conclusion that Proto-Kartvelians were closely related linguistically and culturally to the indigenous (pre-Indo-European) peoples of ancient Europe including the Etruscans, Pelasgians and Proto-Basques.

Proto Georgian tribes:

  • Tubalcain, associated with a proto-Georgian tribe, mentioned in Bible as an "instructor of every artificer in brass and iron." (Genesis 4:22)
  • Mushki (present day Meskhetians), tribe of king Mita, now thought to be none other than the famous King Midas of the golden touch.
  • Tubal, proto-Georgian tribe also mentioned in Bible (known as the Meshech in Ezekiel 38:1-43). The Greeks called this tribe the Tiberani, which may have given rise to the name Iberian, by which the classical world knew the eastern Georgians.
  • Daiaeni in Assirian sources and Taokhoi in Greek, lived in the northeastern part of Anatolia, a region that ones was part of Georgia. The Georgians of today still refer to this region, which now belongs to present-day Turkey, as Tao-Klarjeti. Some people there still speak Georgian.

Georgian character

Georgians are irreverent, good humored and generally high spirited. A good demonstration of the Georgian character can be seen as a guest in a Georgian home, where you'll be treated like a monarch and fed and watered untill you can take no more. Few things can offend a Georgian, but refusing to drink is one of them. Georgians are proud of their culture, language, history and traditions, but nationalism is rarely felt. It has been noted that Georgians tend to poses special talents and abilities in the field of arts, which includes but not limited to music, cinema, theatre, painting, literature, poetry, etc. The example of this claim can be seen throughout Georgian history which is dominated by the overwhelming number of great and world-renown poets, musicians, painters, and novelists. Georgians like to identify with their own regions but they all share a common sence of strong national unity.

File:TL021414.jpg
Most of the Georgians are religious people and have deep attachment to their ancient Christian heritage.

The Georgians are among the most hospitable people on Earth, with strong traditions of chivalry and codes of personal honour. They believe that guests come from God. Friendship is prized highest among all the virtues. It is celebrated in the great national epic, The Knight in the Panther's Skin, by Shota Rustaveli and which provides an insight into daily life, in which a person's worth is judged not by how much money he has in bank but how many friends he has. The Georgians are proud, passionate, and fiercely individualistic, yet deeply connected with each other through a shared sense of belonging to a greater Georgian family. Women are highly esteemed in society and are accorded a respect endowed with great courtliness. The statue of Mother of Georgia (kartlis deda) that stands in the hills above Tbilisi perhaps best symbolized the national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine with which she greets her friends and in her right is a sword drawn against her enemies. [1]

Population and geographical spread

File:AZ003863.jpg
Georgian women are well known for their beauty.

The total population of Georgians in the world is estimated to be around 6,000,000.

  • Around 4 million Georgians live in Georgia (where they comprise 83% of the population),
  • In Turkey, Georgians form the majority in parts of Artvin Province east of the Çoruh River in Shavsheti (შავშეთი) region (Upper Machakheli in the north of Borçka district, Imerkhevi in the north of Şavşat district, and Murgul district) and in individual villages along the Çoruh valley of Livana (ლივანა) vicinity in the territory of the ancient Georgian regions of Tao-Klarjeti (Klarjeti (კლარჯეთში) is presently a village renamed officially as Bereket in Ardanuç district), southwards to the district of Yusufeli (Kiskim) in Amier-Tao (ამიერტაო) subregion. They also live as Chveneburi (ჩვენებური) muhajirs in various provinces. The total population of Georgians in Turkey is estimated to be more than 1,500,000.

Ethnographic subdivisions

Ethnographic groups of the Georgian people are: Megrels (მეგრელები), Svans (სვანები), Lazs (ლაზები), Imeretians (იმერლები), Guruls (გურულები), Ajarians (აჭარლები), Meskhs (მესხები), Lechkhums (ლეჩხუმელები), Rachvels (რაჭველები), Kartlis (ქართლელები), Kakhetians (კახელები), Khevsurs (ხევსურები), Tushs (თუშები), Pshavs (ფშაველები), Mokhevians (მოხევეები), Ingilos (ინგილოები), Fereydanians (ფერეიდნელები)

Notable Georgians (selection)

See List of Georgians for a more complete listing, including notable people with Georgian heritage.
Queen Tamar of Georgia

Kings and chieftains

Prince Ilia Chavchavadze

Literature & the arts

Military

Prince Alexander Chavchavadze
File:Jkakhidze01.JPG
Jansug Kakhidze

Music

File:Andjaparidzeveriko001.JPG
Veriko Anjaparidze

Actors

Philosophy & religion

File:StGrigolPeradze.jpg
St Grigol Peradze

Politics

Sports

Notes

  1. ^ Roger Rosen, Georgia, 2004, p 15.

See also

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