ETHNOGRAPHIC HERITAGE OF ALEKSANDRE KHAKHANASHVILI

Abstract

In the present article, in order to study the ethnographic heritage of Aleksandre Khakhanashvili, his numerous publications and monographically published papers have been analyzed. At the same time, Aleksandre  Khakhanashvili’s as an ethnographer’s merit is distinguished in the collection, study, publication and popularization of Georgian ethnographic materials.

 Aleksandre Khakhanashvili, a student at Moscow University, read interesting essays at the sessions of the Ethnographic Society: "Mokhevians", "Tushs", "Pshavelians". He was elected as a member of the “Imperial Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography” by the Scientific Assembly. His remarkable ethnographic letter "About Pshavelians and Mokhevians" was published in the collection of "Ethnographic Materials" edited by Professor V. F. Miller.

Aleksandre  Khakhanashvili was actively involved in field work after graduating from the university. He toured around the Eastern Ciscaucasian, Kizlar and Mozdok regions and recorded ethnographic materials in two Georgian villages. He collected, described and compiled the material reflecting the ethnographic life of the Georgian highlands. The materials recorded in Tusheti are especially interesting. His works have a role of important source for ethnographic research: "Ethnographic Review", "New Year Holiday in Georgia", "Tushs", "From the Traveler's Diary", "Apocrypha", "History of Georgian Speech" and others.  His letters were published in both Georgian ("Iveria", "Shepherd"  ("Mts’q’emsi"),   "Trace" ("K’vali") , "Akaki Monthly Collection" ...)  and Russian ("Ethnographic Materials", "New review"…)  press.

From the ethnographic point of view, it is noteworthy to discuss such elements of the life and culture of the Georgian people as: geographical overview, structure of accommodation, manners, activities, social relations, wedding traditions, rules of mourning, beliefs, clothing, weapons, function of Khevisberi, specifics cherecterized for the mountain and the plain ...

Aleksandre  Khakhanashvili took part in the work of the X International Congress of Orientalists held at the University of Geneva on August 23-31, 1894. He read an interesting report "The Influence of Foreigners on Georgian Civilization" in French in the Ethnography section. He emphasized the geographical location of Georgia, language, manneers and cultural values, ancient Georgian civilization (relations with Byzantium, Egypt, Syria ...) in the report. Aleksandre Khakhanashvili was one of the first to start collecting, studying and publishing Georgian apocrypha. He saw in the Georgian apocrypha (unlike the Greek, Latin, Russian, Armenian apocrypha) the religious and moral condition, historical and cultural value of the Georgian people.

     Aleksandre Khakhanashvili was one of the first ethnographers to compile a "Program for the collection of ethnographic and legal information" (consisting of 1260 questions, 11 chapters and 12 sub-chapters). Georgian students of Moscow University also participated in the compilation of this program.

Key words: Alexander Khakhanashvili, Ethnographic Heritage, Ethnographer, Fieldwork, Spiritual Culture, Congress of Material Orientalists, Popularization of Georgian Culture, Program for Collecting Materials.