SeLAr4 Up [eh Ate The | Abkhazians Colcol George Hewitt curzon CURZONCAUCASUS WORLD, The Amcyaa Abkhazians a handbook edited by George Hewitt os ea) CURZON36 The Abknasins le der dhe re-der and chamois. Wid oar are very common. rom the reprtenaine rps and aniblans oe cn single out the Caucasian viper (Viper Annalee), endeml wo the Cavesss, the ‘Asculain grace snake (ple lini), the Mediterranean tori (larnadn gra), che grey toad (Bufo Bf verrmsisina). This ast Fepreens a subspecies ofthe rey ton, the args ofthe pies over Chewboleareoftebabiae reeset Inthe mountain svers of Ai the mos wiespread Sa edhe tivo (Sti frat) ich ea reaater wary ofthe Blak Sa Salmon Inthe marshy lakes on the coastal depressions the most ‘emma le nm wd cota wie the eof th ‘ater pr of Abas ne find eset ish. From the conparntvely variegated inzct uns on can mention tw elie speci flange predatory bee, Carr cs and Brome “The protected natrereerves of Abia ate represented by two reser and one national park — the Pisunde-Misea and the tho GGumist (Pahey-Grna) reserves andthe Rita rlic national park, The general acx fal dhe retete lands consis of 20D hecaes ‘Bourn er cent ofthe ero ofthe counry. "The war of 199293 lod to the lying of lage numberof mies, special inthe sout-et ofthe repbe, which remain to he presen {iy (carly 1998), Sukhum’s renowned Insoeute of Experimental Pathology and Therapy, bared on the Ape Nursery, a great tourist, tttacon, wat destroyed and the apes let lowe. Many es were cot ‘dn for fa nd, with a severe load posed by Rosin fo ery 10% in response to requ for pressure on ADKhaze from Georg thi destin cam be expected wo cone. A community 50 rece Fig or very srl site ine and eons prseeng 2 The origin of the Abkhazian people Vjacheslav Chirikba te cthnognesis ofan peopl is complex problem, which may be Tuc by mars evidence from 3 are of such dsipins as Linguistic, archaeology, andopolony, Below sal dal omowhat Inet with te fst bo of thes tense ad arcaeoogeal esol woving era in the ere forthe orgs ofthe Aaron people roto. West Caucasian The common ancestor ofthe modern Abthaxo-Adyghean languages Provo: West Caucasian can be dated approximately tothe third ila BC Atte el tage of ts developmen pn at eas Uhvee dice Proto-Cireassan, Proto-ABEhsm, and roto-Ubyk Though Ubykh ingusiealy ecipies n inermedinepeison between Alki and Crean, some features indicate that originally i was “ee o Abhay ter undergoing sential Circo inence ‘One my, therfore, suppose tht intially Proo-Wese Cavin was “ive nsoProo-Ciessian and Proto Abshae Ubylh dale tet ‘plc ino Pro Abar ad Prto- Ugh “Te Spit of Proto west Caucasian Pooivest Cascio ‘oknagn branch Cres branes ‘Taplorta ——Abknae—Ubyiey—Ayghe Raber28 The Abknzztans ‘ORIGIN OF THE ABKHAZIAN PEOPLE Ey Yond mide she mpc one logon ad Wi ee ign fe nd tpn psig st rn ate ef Per OO. p 353, Parnes side Apa anguge ‘Te sae ew wt Pi ety sey er) Te a Yup a cur nes tery coe we fy berths sc lunguge fn nr xnct ee Wee ere Mesa Bevan the language f he Wet Bs Tie nce wetter dese by Pena Woy Baker and Aa 979, Ths ee Pea ce meal cortspndences fae) teach Pia Wc Crease G08) repel many Hat We Hines saath ina a fl more Ise se compris req comeing Cor Bie ara er iat sey ad pte Wii odessa ce hit Hee Vee Bee eres ecco aod gamma av been fares ey i an ll ee gee ic Haws ge of alle SAE hing te we nti eet Binet isc inte Aton Bk Sree. Te Mibese tint aes foe er hh ened erste ete atinourng Hite Kingdom, nos ls ad Te wed ett ans Se eye 3 ens he Rr Ha eam by Ke An analysis ofthe common Atkiao-Adyghean lesion allows one ‘peeaate onthe economic sctvcr ofthe dane ADazo-Adyohal ‘ecstrs they grew fiferen lane (ple, eas, plans, ys, aM ‘eds Gncoding diferent sorte of met) bed xt, sheep, goa Seine, hoes, donkey, and were honing and fishing: they deve ras such a wervig, pining, met-werking Ga copper, ea, li {ld they fad 2 slg cle wonbipyng ner ab gods ofthe Smithy (Shel = Cicestan Aap nd ehunder and lighenng (A a Gresion (66 (Chiba, 986, pp 397-401). ‘sternal connections of the Wet Caueson languages Bae aces "nthe bts of rach by me chlat ‘pe 490198); Dame (115, Baiwr (90 Me Sobor G07 Aas C71, 08) ond Ni Sah Tee man 1x, tm pny comin he We {ltcsn lngoges tao be pare gently from the Ea Gitcoian lnponesAidokov and Niles with Starostin hae vias ple ubcenwyniecn roe all Icio Caran ingages behing coma! dona dhe Nth Chen Ingram Thr works prove w Bhatetente ealpafn the eitence f+ compact Ned CREP ipl ty ws re tranches Weer AMIE St aver Nal Doge conning the Na feat Ring of Chae Ingham opr be Dag Ter. tah sohe i lnganges uch re ang, Lake Deg ‘Spada ec The ten Noth Cana haggis tome eal ‘Hate see ber of tie Bly espe in Tessa eeSulhse boy Ua. The tor lbco-Caucsn engage (cdonl in Soviet Crcasogy which proposed» genet ‘toni ere bth anche f Noe Cac on he Kind and Karon on hoc gerbe mie. Wi enonbers Terk Ketan ound he power ate of " Maisie of Keskian personal names and toponym allowed Hone ie, pp 20°10) cone iit ings ari 0 Monte cs hut tp Dstonor 196, pla). Ove of he Fae ee th Kaan el ion were the Abela, who Wire oe contemporary sores og. Ania es ofthe 2h Wellin iso ten x gnome or Kanan taps 196, Mis ee sagged tee se Kas (Hin bn Mon hse tan Kb) cold be conncted i he at Pele’ ie Crease com cerry Arabic be, Od Pin ste O11 Kemet gat, Od Resin ow Onetc Mp ijscog ick sung emit, cA th same ine he wesc eer decane he DAhucns (Od seal apts Od amen lr form ape, 2. Matic Besides the modern West Caucasian languages, othe fonnges belonging to the une gro might have exe inthe Pa ‘Gran hcnt dei shes heen gsi round according srbich' wenescrlationahip existed between Abuhazo-Adyea Tnnguages amd Hats, the mom ancient Known language of Asia Minot {modern Trkey) spoken some for to Gwe thousand yas 2g. Texts i this langue, writen by Hite sebes in une sxp, were ou thrng the xcavatons n Hats capital of the Hite Expie Cet of Irodern Akar) Haan, who had ered suite» hgh cation of ‘heir own and who are reared a the invertors of dhe mellury of0 “The Abkhazions (Geek api, Latin go] Aa). Thee fics Frm the bss for de Inppthns cording to which Kala erent the ancient ancestors of the Circassians, and Abesha the ancertore ofthe Abkbasans. This ‘woul mean tha aleady at tha period Kean (ter Ciena beable ater AbkBazian) were Searte, though dowel elated ees (lvl, 1960, po, Dian 168 2; nap 176, p12 ‘On the other hand, i is probable tha the Nabh- Daphesanian languages ean be linked with the ancient (exe) Haran end Uren Inguages. whose spears lived some fie to thee thon yeas 3p ‘on the ety ofthe Armenian plteas and ajacent ares cating te ig cation of Hort and Urs (Diskonor & Stari, 1986) “Tne origin ofthe Abknazo-Adyghean peoples “There exit ever hypotheses elaining tne formation ofthe Abo ‘Mghoun pees ale 10% ae tle, 10s Martin 1938, yp 28-825; Fedron 198, pp 3731, 3941, 56 SO; Klin, 1986, p32), According to one ach hypothesis, cee peoples were formed pprosinately within the trstory of their moder habe (the Were (Caos, which ean be cofinal by the exstence of sarl lexcoo tefleing the character features ofthe geography ofthe Caen Black Ses coare aes, beach, big Gah, (Guth) mountain, ie, snow ‘olros wood -e, beech, ak come, cesout, well bea ete (o Kimo 198, p32) Important sport fords hypoth isthe seis of ‘West Caucasian tponyme ad hydrnyms interpre ony in toms of Abszo-Adyghean languages On the other hand, popular ative ‘radon indicates s more sather origin or the Ahan Ages. Tn decing the cg of he AbthewrAapgiern people, one at dirs atleast three important questions ike t this problem: the frie identity of the people belonging tothe Maikop clare; the tpperince inthe West Canara of the doler-clerey the probable etc nk of ce West Causing with Anatolian Htc and probably ako Keskin The ently evo f the famous Map clare sated tthe mide tf the third milenniom BC: Ie orgnted onthe ee ofthe Nor ier Ormenne (eroued tae ally ofthe Riper Kaban ane burs) aa then spread eas, opt mera Chechen, Inge td the borders of Daghenan, where approached the reso nother Imujpe Cassin cvlton, the Koro: Ara clue. The mos al found sear the Alyghe cy of Maik (hich pete calere mae) ‘onal large quanses of gud and ther manent and ve, which Tetemble silat finds from As Minor eg Alea Hyak in north ‘ental Anatol o trary mest probably populated by Hatin) acd (ORIGIN OF THE ABKHAZIAN PEOPLE a in the Mideast (Us sou Mesopotamia). The Maa ealear can be eaplied by lol development, whe posing evden of nese ‘nts withthe ancient southem evans I notable tht the tery of Abkhuis email may out the spre of clr The monument ofthe mysterious deler-clure appeared abot the same time asthe Maikop culture developed (he- mid-thied ‘lennism BC). ‘The aes ofthis cltre coves the whole Western Canc (Abas inclad, but dolmens (url stone *ousee) ae Sk in Georgi, or ined in oer pars ofthe Cauca, esting ‘nly inthe aren populated (or historically popated) by Abhszo ‘aygheans. The Resa ivetator of the Went Cavin dlens, Markoni, who undertook comparative anal of the dolmens of rasa, found thatthe earliest West Cauesnan dalmens closely resemble similar montments found in Thrace (modern European Turkey) Spin, Poel sotto Freee, Surin, Sri, eran, ae Nor Ae, Acsrdingt the rather pasible cancion of Markovin (Gora, pa) the dlien ute doce not have fs genet rcs inthe ‘ure ofthe Kuban ron and Caucsan Blak Sea cout bur an be feganded as an inport frm the south-west of Eyope. A Markovin ‘Ses lnge group of Msicranean bers of doles might hare Inet by seat the Westen Cauca and seed hee. The st ‘Sontact with the Tos! people of the Maikop clare wil have bee enc o that oth co-ed bat ate, according to Marko, the Ttmen-builers may have pashd the people of Maikopeastards, Sic coud explain the eastward spread of this eulre Subsequent, ‘he dimen-peonle mig have fen under the cla ifoeee ofthe tribes ofthe Maloy and the ter North Casein clues, becoming "smite by the ndigenou population and adopting tet lange Ts to Altharn the Medierrancans wre perbape rather quick sssimlaed by the prowo-Abllarians. Markovin even noticed loca Aiferences i the achitecrural estates of the stone owes, which ‘rakes pombe to dtinguish brween te two dole clare aes orth ester, which colnides withthe Cites speaking domain, {nd south-eastern, now occupied bythe Abkbasina, By the second “ompletely merged with the local Abkhazo-Adyghean ees, for ‘refer no rsble population change are perceptible inthe Wester Chen‘ allows Marvin (197, pp 321-29) co conchde thatthe igomp of people who brought the iden of dolmens tothe Western ‘Gioeas would have been one of the major components in the formation ofthe Ao Adyghean ethos ‘Other authors, boweve, deny the imported chater of dolmens2 “The Abinazians and atwibute thie constuction exclasnely to the ancestors ofthe Abhaao-Adygheans. Fedoeoy (1983, p29) thought that Malkopin vere prot-Crasians, while the dlne-bulders were apes of he [Abthasans, But doles ae found in mach greser nombers i the ‘Nord Cauca han in Abas nd ee ie 0 soppom a ao [bison expansion che Nor Case rar to the peri a he [Abkhison Kingdom and the bter northward migraon of he anon: ‘ofthe Abuinans (Abs) On the other hands te sdotcton of the people ofthe Mako calure wit he anes ofthe Crema se fie ple ‘According to Lavrov (1940, the idea of building dolmens wa ‘brooght tothe Caucasus noe by s group of neweomers but by West CGaueasians who themselves had travelled to the Mediterranean ‘counties, bringing home from there the idea of dolmens. na {Go76, pp 79-10), oh ales expat te ton Se dal ‘rere ble by foreigner argued that both archacologieal ai ‘thoographic evidence undeniably point o the local population Sacer ofthe AblhazoAdyghean the balers of the doen ‘Western Casa. The question, however etme soca how the iden of bliding dolnen reached the Casas, ii imposible feparste the West Crocilandoltmens Gomneoaterporsty pall fatnd i the Mediterranean, Tes noterorthy thas dite difrences in opaion av the nna the Wese Caucasian dolmen-ulare, mast authors (Lavo, [nlp Markwin, Foro) agree tht teres mst hase bon one of the _msor component inthe formation of he Abkann-Ayghene. Noe in Norther Anata doen are uname, which mean ht ee bailing tem could mothe ben bong om thereto the Case [Let ot now turn tothe third of the afore-mentioned theme camccrued wilh the hnagcoes of the Aber gions al problem of Hate: With etc ud probably ao Kean bang Hal {orepresent the most ancien spormens of ADEhaz-Adyhea 0 Imgorane qustons ate: Res axe Hate be regarded 2 theo seated West Caucasian dst or shoul we rather pein terms ‘elon to the fst ofthe Indo-European languages? Secondly, Wa ‘ppeuance of Hacc (and Keskan) tn ental and port-estern A Minor de n migration from the Cassi or onthe contrary dl he ancestor of Abtharo-Adygean speaker cone inhabit We Casal trent of migation fom their mcieot Astalon homes ‘hin pablo that he whole are ncadngnorth-eser Anais sd West Caves, was ozuped by ei sad ngs ORIGIN OF THE ABKHAZIAN PEOPLE a Nikhaco-Adyghcan tribes, who became extinct in Anatolia but who Manayel to preserve themselves inthe mountains ofthe Westra Bair, hs la hyphen inde reaction in he op of oth Hic Sto sd wet sad these Georgy which mig Hin txces ofan Aha. Adygbean presence, ‘Thos, the ey Hist Caccsisn toponymic cement py ‘water: river i probaly Win in ssc cee Aen ops so (oy and foes Inui» soa Dishonor 96, ck the ode name Be River Choro in Aria auth-west Geog) od norvester Bley, nancy pre carer calle emp andthe nae of he hy Apres io Byzantine Larca (somewhere on the horde betweea Modern Aja and TorkepParchermore, the elemen pss 0 Mili es Gg Spa apop be fre the Attic Adghersroponpne (mort pte, Iptronys re fod nox ony in he Wester Caucus bt a in he Bh (n Wes and Sout Georgia nd in no-emtem Anol coal Tri stn dwt he er of the dan send lean BC Toul col ae, pponinoey rom made Sse in Takey We Alisa farher othe norcewer, was pope by proto Wilo.\avehean bes (Dakonoy 1968p; Gordian 1975: 8, Myton re p11, 11) Wes gate foe tae se of ee Hibs igs bve bc migrating within ths var ean ving ces Iii persis cent eine ofthe pope Tam, he ct Binh eighth contry BC Kaki were il ed in Aran amo he pop iting Anata mig insted ony hese thes had moved tothe Caucus, whit the ret Fein! in Aaa Minor, whee they were subsequent asimiated by Mee ngr Atchacological dat ho point to the southern connections of Havient West Caucasian, the mose impressive of which are the Honunens of she Maiop ere, Links with the ancene Mid lors cations ar ao atesed by the scaled Maik Tablet, Mn! nex Naikop covsinng an endeciphered tex, che wing Mich feces elope aot pom mn yer Punish come BC) end ness 0 He Hop oF fon Sucre ‘he formation of tne Abkhazian people Mpg to the daa provided by archaology, fom as early a the Hin re one can trace cla cocina in Aha wp to the His wher nepal Abkhazian tribes become known to history“ The Abkhacians thanks tothe report of Greek and Roman authors. This means th since he second millennim BC the Western Caueass had not ‘ieee any signs poplin change Inthe later pr of these lea BC and the begining of crate population of the Caucasian Black Sea cone was carer ‘substntal teal diversity, a noted by contemporary Greek al Roman ter who mention hee such thera Heo, Aue Kerke, Koakar, Soni, Misimian and v0 on Is posible dh ttont of them repecsented lngucally apd calerally related tbe "Though Romans and Greeks, ss knot record specinens of the pooch ofthe Caucasian eriber wich whom they were directly inact fay, some of he names signed wo them fom she Sat of the terme con corily be lowed references to the ane ‘Abehaine The fst known mention of one of chs ike, namely the (en Akar Ape), oars a the Natal Bri of Gals Seed Pliny Major (First century AD). The modern continuation ofthis ‘einen the Albans’ slf-lesignaon Apawa (© p20 the second century Artan hae Grek pl, whi werent conta Gece tes aia = Armenian ahd Aba A igh tiferene eaition is the Old Georgian form apr eserted ino he “Maram sn Machabi msc ofthe ebronile known a HS tn Eulogy of se Monte’ by 2 seibe presumably deronstating ‘raion and Enowledge of neighbouring langage. "The ex info tr that Queen Tar of Georgi (11213) ge her son Glog hg ‘cond ame Lahn ~ “which want” dhe conic explains“ Silumintor ofthe work? in the language ofthe Apeus” Gin ABE geen ight), Enymologcally Proto-Abthax “spose (refletng the albeaos lal cate sll wad in the Biyp dlc) probably derived Fe {he oe ps’ (being «dete profi she oa ens sli tn ergially meant ‘mortal onefone destined to di’, ering 8 {ger deigation for oman hing. The designation of ara ‘Moral common in many raion, had in ancient dimes ie aM “ological signicance: ll che world was. wo the arele mene ‘isided into the resims of immortal gods and mortal humans. The ‘Semantic evolution fom moral to he ethnonyn ‘Aba’ can Be imagined thm mortals ‘people’ > Abkhazian peopl’ (Chit 1990) The name of the tbe snien Abharan tbe, abr Sie sted in Ava, privered inthe for Aha, which the rode ‘Sdeigaton of the Abrnins (alo Tilt aca Abra [azinian O14 Armenian anes apd Old Rossianobad Abkhazian) ORIGIN OF THE ABKHAZIAN PEOPLE 4s nvibly th Grek plural Ahaha it source in Crean ae Wie poral of sbase, which today signifies in Cirexssian only Ean) ive moden ane by which the Abhi are known in Rason Au wther European languages came vin Georgen, where spas Misr’ pets relay ate nthe Mie Ages: its erga! frm, Asus probably oat (ck Greek Ahoy) The ranformaion of Melt ncoaptbvet could have occurred ia Mingelian (a 38 tela the arto he 20h ceary boy Mae, where metathesis 1 “Ihe Spit of Prote-AbKhaz poster / counicm satin / i rca Athoryu Sade Anetypy BaP Aahywe vition of sounds) isa regular phenomenon in consonant [ples This Mingrinsed om with adiona devicing of 0 Pion) wal have boen Borrowed by Geongan, who then cs ito to the Armenar al) Perans (if) and Rasins 1) whence ako English seed Asari) 1s mos probable, vitae Mngrlins trove she sem not rectly om Tffunsin stece-e bo fom Greek. One ean conjecture that the Mlaplsn torn mith p Grom") was borrowed before Greck bet, nc wa sped to whi he presence of Honk rrve indicates that atthe time in gestion Greek gum uly Ie, hod aready been sptanised to (Bat even the cue tr te Gre sh of be Phe set ine Five! Stingrlion form okbas (om "aac, 6 Georgian Piola’ he Georgian chronicle of Juans) could Rave Mr ae known frm ancient sources which orf oan th hs ee the Grek Msn “Mimians ih etary Wiha he mose coming explant Fr ths enonye, referingres Encl ‘econ past a tum yay Fragment of fag one mentrng cre one er of Asa ie Fanart eu fom Puna endo eee hen en) ORIGIN OF THE ABKHAZIAN PEOPLE a Ws ibe inhabiting the mountains of ancient Abtharia in the upper Mches othe River KPador, ders i fxn the name ofthe dominant Miterionsvistecati family ia that region (around modern Matures) who in terns ae own ss Mor Sens ‘the Mans tnal-tp 1976, 00 233-30, iis somuiable tha the mover Abkasian name for thr coun, ene els en ae ein Hirai = the form Pinan (Bubs 1990, pp 12-13). The ancient Dilton vik len became consolkated ino singe maton during pepe fe Aharan Kingdom lgh-en entre), Berween ein i mre Mi no fo al Trancrvtan ond the North Casey ino regions vl by bain speaking Ain who al ben deed by ry and had Del the ae. Thee Abt neweomers Hel on ais ofthe River Kuban (Grea and Lite Zen bento kiver ina. The moe sex nr gle a veriooe Hilton cons at ieee wee coming he Grent Cac Pinan ont moter ops ch od and ste The denen of thee magne ae the presney Taian Dy Ainains Though in pein erate (nly sore de Moda apt Abate cane to the North Caveass fom the Avis ot north wecerm Abas an adjoining areas there ae Wilenioos(oiklrestoponymic,hinorcal and archeological) st othe Nara he arg place fora le ne GE Mite Taam romp Gaba 191, pp 1202. Ana of Hesham petal, Miglin loan in Pop arta spats in hn vice (Dahon 199), Lae pba atthe being of Thome acter group of Abkkazans mig wo the North anu fons Abhi mounai-reions — whence thei name Thiiane' in AbLhne a fw-ty-ne means mountaineer), Some Dotan spekor sill tcoctes auc AbLcan’ To the hy the fata lec ech cloner to Aba proper Wine Taree hough some festres of may be regard a5 Mls! oven he te Ince contac Between aan td Wiltiaryes stimulated che process oftheir convergence, with Mein ere gown tsuneo ap'nty om hh Wn Ata toed. Nove tac ee mainly Asana who Wiens 10tn cnrry to Tarkey. Th tel silyl Wibieed by + coacabe Kaban inocne on both of these Fn Cacssan dialer