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.

GEORGIANS are the people who make up the main population of Georgia. They call themselves Kartvelebi. Total number- over 4 million people, perhaps up to 5. At the same time, 3.6 million live in Georgia. They also inhabit Turkey (up to 300 thousand), Russia (150 thousand), Iran, Abkhazia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The language is part of the Caucasian family (Kartvelian language group). Contains a number of dialects.

Each of the subethnic groups of Georgians uses its own dialect. The alphabet is of Eastern Aramaic origin. According to religious views, they are Orthodox Christians; there are a few Catholics. Adjarians, Meskhians, and Ingiloys also include a number of Sunni Muslims.

The tribes of ancient Georgians are mentioned in written sources dating back to ancient times. The formation of this people took place in the 2nd-1st millennium BC, when tribal unions arose and the first kingdoms (Colchis, Kartli) were founded. During the 4th-6th centuries AD, Georgians adopted Christianity and writing arose. By the 10th-11th century, Georgians formed single state. However, later it turned out to be weakened. This began with the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars in the 13th century and continued with clashes with Turkey and Iran. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, part of the Georgian lands was occupied by Turkey. Turkish culture and the Islamic religion spread in the occupied territories.

Since 1783, Georgia found itself under the protectorate of Russia; at the beginning of the 19th century it joined Russian Empire. In connection with the unification of Georgians within Russia, the consolidation of this people and the development of culture began. Soon after October Revolution The Georgian SSR was proclaimed. It existed without changes until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Georgia's acquisition of independence was overshadowed by the Abkhazian military conflict, which caused active migration of Georgians (including to Russia).

Traditionally, Georgians were engaged in cattle breeding (residents of the mountains) and agriculture (in the foothills). Crops such as wheat, barley, rye, and lentils were grown. In western Georgia, the basis of the economy was millet and corn. Later, the cultivation of citrus fruits and tea developed. Significant Industry agriculture- viticulture and wine production, sericulture, beekeeping. Among the crafts, weaving and pottery, working with metal and natural materials, and the production of jewelry and carpets are developed. Now exists modern industry, which includes a number of industries. The degree of mechanization of agriculture is high, and the service sector is developed.

Traditional houses have different type in various regions of Georgia. In the west, villages are freely planned and spread out over a large area. In the eastern regions the layout is crowded. This is especially true in the mountains, where there is often not enough space, and villages rise in ledges up the slopes. Darbazi stone houses were usually built on the eastern plains. In the west, houses were built of wood and had one or two floors. In the 19th century, two-story stone houses became widespread. Such dwellings included several rooms, had windows, and wooden floors. The open hearth in the center of the house was replaced by a fireplace.

Georgians in different regions wore similar clothes. The traditional costume for men consisted of a shirt, pants, chokha and a short akhalukha underneath. In winter they wore a sheepskin coat and a warm burka. Georgian women wore a shirt, long pants and an equally long dress with an insert on the chest. The head was covered with a veil and a velvet bandage. When going outside, they covered themselves with a bagdadi scarf.

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 this or that 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 the ethnogenesis 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 Nov 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 Nov – Sima, Hama And Japheta. But something else is interesting, the main point of Leonti Mroveli’s theory about the kinship of all Caucasian peoples and their ethnic 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 liberation 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 Caucasian tribes came from the south and settled the Caucasus in stages. 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. e. Study of ancient Georgian names of plants, animals, etc. of the era 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 on the territory of the Caucasus, in particular in its mountainous zone.

IN III millennium BC e., 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 evokes a very skeptical attitude from 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 uh. 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 VIII century BC e.

It should be noted that many lexical innovations of Kart (Georgian) and Megrelo-Chan, by which they jointly differ from Svan, could have arisen only in the era after the middle II millennium BC e. We are talking about the designation of technical and cultural achievements, which 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 e. should be localized in northern part of the distribution of Georgian tribes, although at this time, as well as in the 1st millennium BC. e., 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. BC e. 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, Meskhi, 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 Türkiye.

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 in modern Republic of Türkiye.

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.

The problem of the 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 taking 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 this or that people . Historical sources for studying the origin of the 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 the indigenous population.
When studying the problem of ethnogenesis, archaeological, ethnographic and linguistic data and other materials are of great importance. 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 the ethnogenesis of Georgians. Georgians showed interest in their own origins back in ancient times. According to the 11th century Georgian historian Leonti Mroveli, the Caucasian peoples had one ancestor - Targamos. He was the son of Noah and grandson of Japheth. Targamos had 8 sons, who were considered the ancestors of all the Caucasian peoples. Kartlos, the son of Targamos, is considered the ancestor of the Georgians. It is clear that this theory is connected with Noah: according to the Bible, the peoples of the world are the descendants of the sons of Noah - Shem, Ham and Japheth. But another interesting thing is the main point of Leontiy Mroveli’s theory about the kinship of all Caucasian peoples and their ethnic 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 of recovery. The ground was created not only for the unification of the country, but also for the liberation 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 initial location of the Georgians was preserved in the chronicle “Conversion of Kartli” (“Moktsevai Kartlisai”). After occupying Mtskheta, 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. Mushki (Meskhi) from Anatolia are moving in a north-eastern direction towards Kartli. On the path of their advancement, even now you can find the names: Samtskhe (Sa-mtskhe, Sa-meskhta, Sa-meskhta) 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 the Colchians were descendants of the Egyptians. This statement has nothing to do with reality. As for the population of Kartli, or Iberia, as the Greeks called it, then, according to the Greeks, they were resettled from western Iberia, or Spain, to the Caucasus 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. The outstanding Georgian historian Ivane Javakhishvili put forward the idea of ​​​​the kinship of the Georgian people with the Caucasian peoples, since he believed that the Kartvelian languages ​​(Georgian, Mingrelian-Zan, Svan) are genetically related to other Caucasian languages ​​(Abkhaz-Adyghe and Vainakho-Dagestan). This point of view is generally accepted and widespread. Kartvelian and Caucasian languages ​​form one group of Iberian-Caucasian languages. Ivane Javakhishvili believed that Georgian and other Caucasian tribes came from the south and settled the Caucasus in stages. 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 the 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 the Indo-Europeans came to Europe, who were influenced by these ancient peoples: the Basques in the Pyrenees, the Etruscans in the Apennines, the Pelasgians in the Balkans, the Hittites and Subars in Western Asia. The Subars occupied the territory from Mesopotamia to Caucasus. The 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 most powerful tribes were the Mushki and Tubals. Later, in the 11th-8th centuries BC, the Hittite-Subar tribes formed the state of 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 strengthened - Colha.
Simon Janashia does not report anything about the relocation of tribes from the south, but points to the movement of the state and cultural center from the south to the north. All this took place over a large territory inhabited by people of the same origin. The hypothesis about the kinship of Georgians and Basques has its supporters and opponents. The relationship of the Georgian tribes with the Hittites and Khurites is also not fully understood.
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. the era of the existence of the common Kartvelian language of the base (III millennium BC) or the Georgian-Zan (Mingrelo-Chan) unity (II millennium BC) indicates that Georgian tribes already lived in this era in the territory of the Caucasus , in particular in its mountainous zone.

In the 3rd millennium BC, the existence of a base language of the Kartvelian languages ​​is assumed, as well as a base language 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 evokes a very skeptical attitude from 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 of the 2nd millennium BC. At this time, the separation of Svan received its first impulses, but the Kart-Zan (Mingrelo-Chan) linguistic unity, which existed for a long time and after that, apparently disintegrated in the 8th century. BC
It should be noted that many lexical innovations of Kart (Georgian) and Mingrelo-Chan, by which they jointly differ from Svan, could only arise in the era after the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. We are talking about the designation of technical and cultural achievements, which 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 was already in the 2nd millennium BC. should be localized in the northern part of the distribution of Georgian tribes, although at this time, 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. As is known, they are often mentioned primarily in Assyrian inscriptions of the 8th-7th centuries. BC 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, Meskhi, 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 the 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 Türkiye.

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 in modern Republic of Türkiye.
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.