The culture of Georgia has evolved over the country's long history, providing it with a unique national identity and a strong literary tradition based on the Georgian language and alphabet. This strong sense of national identity has helped to preserve Georgian distinctiveness despite repeated periods of foreign occupation.
The Georgian alphabet is traditionally said to have been invented in the 3rd century BC and reformed by King Parnavaz I of Iberia in 284 BC. Most modern scholarship puts its origin date at some time in the 5th century AD, when the earliest examples can be found.
A page from a 12th-century Gelati Gospel, an example of Georgian illuminated manuscripts from the Middle AgesCeremonial crown of the Georgian high nobility, an example of metalwork from the early modern period
Well-known monuments of Georgian Christian architecture include:
Kartlis Tskhovreba (History of Georgia), a collection of old Georgian chronicles (from ancient times to the 14th century)
Culture of Georgia today
Wall Painting in Georgia's ancient monastery, Shio-Mghvime
Starting from the early 16th century,[3] although certain aspects of more recent times were already incorporated since the 12th century,[4] until the course of the 19th century, Georgian culture became significantly influenced by Persian culture.[5] Though notably more visibly amongst the higher classes, Persian cultural aspects were incorporated amongst the already existing Georgian columns, especially painting, architecture, and literature.[3] The French traveller Jean Chardin who visited Georgia in 1672 noted that the Georgians of the kingdom of Kartli followed Persian customs.[3][6] Since many Georgian kings, princes, and nobles were either born or raised in mainland Iran, it is not surprising that Persian cultural aspects spread in Georgia.[3]
During the modern period, from about the 17th century onwards, Georgian culture has been greatly influenced by cultural innovations imported from elsewhere in Europe.[citation needed][dubious–discuss]
The first Georgian-language printing house was established in the 1620s in Italy, and the first one in Georgia itself was founded in 1709 in Tbilisi.
Georgian theatre has a long history; its oldest national form was the "Sakhioba" (extant from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD). The Georgian National Theatre was founded in 1791 in Tbilisi, by the writer, dramatist, and diplomat Giorgi Avalishvili (1769–1850). Its leading actors were Dimitri Aleksi-Meskhishvili, David Machabeli, David Bagrationi, Dimitri Cholokashvili, and others.
The first cinema in Georgia was established in Tbilisi on November 16, 1896. The first Georgian cinema documentary ("Journey of Akaki Tsereteli in Racha-Lechkhumi") was shot in 1912 by Vasil Amashukeli (1886–1977), while the first Georgian feature film ("Kristine") was shot in 1916 by Alexandre Tsutsunava (1881–1955).
Georgian culture suffered under the rule of the Soviet Union during the 20th century, during which a policy of Russification was imposed but was strongly resisted by many Georgians. Since the independence of Georgia in 1991, a cultural resurgence has taken place, albeit somewhat hampered by the country's economic and political difficulties in the post-Soviet era.
Georgian cuisine is the result of the broad interplay of culinary ideas carried along the Silk Road Trade route by merchants and travelers alike.[7] The importance of both food and drink to Georgian culture is best observed during a feast called supra, when a huge assortment of dishes are prepared, always accompanied by large amounts of local wine, known to be one of the world's oldest wines, produced in ancient authentic Georgian underground kvevri clay pots (dating 8 century BC). In a Georgian feast, the role of the tamada (toastmaster) is an important and honoured position.
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University is a public research university established on 8 February 1918 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Excluding academies and theological seminaries, which have intermittently functioned in Georgia for centuries, TSU is the oldest university in Georgia and the Caucasus region. The total enrollment is over 23,500 students, and there are 5,000 faculty and staff members (collaborators) overall.
The House of Tsereteli, also known as Tsertelev (Russian), is a noble family in Georgia which gave origin to several notable writers, politicians, scholars, and artists.
The Union of Georgian Traditionalists was a national political organization of the Georgian Political Emigration in the 1930s, established in 1942 in Berlin. It was founded by Prince Irakli Bagration-Mukhraneli (chairman), Zurab Avalishvili, Mikheil Tsereteli, Grigol Robakidze, Kita Chkhenkeli, Shalva Maglakelidze, Shalva Amirejibi, Spiridon Kedia, Markoz Tugushi, Giorgi Kvinitadze, Leo Kereselidze, Revaz Gabashvili, David Vachnadze, Alexandre Asatiani, Svimon Tsitsishvili, and other distinguished Georgian emigrants. Its main goals were:
For articles related to Georgia, see Category:Georgia (country)
Leuville Cemetery is in the French town of Leuville-sur-Orge, 25 km south of Paris. The cemetery is a burial ground to many prominent Georgian political emigres who had left country after the Soviet invasion of Georgia of 1921. Among them are the members of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in Exile.
Ashot II was a Georgian prince of the Bagratid dynasty of Tao-Klarjeti with the Byzantine title of curopalates.
The Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary is the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, Georgia. It belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church and dates from the sixth century.
The Bagrationi dynasty is a royal dynasty which reigned in Georgia from the Middle Ages until the early 19th century, being among the oldest extant Christian ruling dynasties in the world. In modern usage, the name of the dynasty is sometimes Hellenized and referred to as the Georgian Bagratids, also known in English as the Bagrations.
The Mtatsminda Pantheon of Writers and Public Figures is a necropolis in Tbilisi, Georgia, where some of the most prominent writers, artists, scholars, and national heroes of Georgia are buried. It is located in the churchyard around St David's Church "Mamadaviti" on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda and was officially established in 1929. Atop the mountain is Mtatsminda Park, an amusement park owned by the municipality of Tbilisi.
A Georgian name consists of a given name and a surname used by ethnic Georgians.
The National Archives of Georgia is the legal entity of public law under the Ministry of Justice of the nation of Georgia. The National Archives holds written documents, film documents, photos, and audio records, totaling more than five million exhibits. The exhibits preserved at the depositories of the archives are dated back to the 9th through 21st century. They include: historical, contemporary history, audio-visual archives and local archives from every region. The documents in the Archives are official, and their preservation has been established by law. Some of the preserved documents include texts from the First Republic, scientific archives, the parish books that hold information about the christening and the death of citizens, the gospel of the 9th century, Anchi gospel, Kings' deeds, private letters, verdicts, other legal monuments, photos from the 19th century, first film documents, and the documents of different state or private structures.
The Berta monastery is a former Georgian Orthodox monastery at the village of Ortaköy, Artvin Province, Turkey. It was built in the 8th or 9th century. The surviving structure is now used as a mosque.
Ivane Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology is a Scientific-research institute in Georgia. It originated from the Caucasus Historical-Archaeological Institute, founded in Tbilisi on July 1, 1917, with Nikolai Marr as its initiator and Ekvtime Takaishvili and Giorgi Chubinashvili as its real members. In 1931 the Department of Natural Sciences was added to the Institute and it was renamed the "Institute of Caucasian Studies".
↑ Betz, Hans Dieter (2008). Religion past and present. Brill (originally from the University of Michigan. p.361. (...) Since the 12th century and under Persian cultural influence, secular literature also developed (in Georgia)
↑ Kennan, Hans Dieter; etal. (2013). Vagabond Life: The Caucasus Journals of George Kennan. University of Washington Press. p.32. (...) Iranian power and cultural influence dominated eastern Georgia until the coming of the Russians
↑ Chardin, Jean (1686). The travels of Sir John Chardin into Persia and the East Indies.
↑ Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia, Volume 1, Ken Albala, p. 125
↑ Chkheidze, Levan. "Georgian Art Portal | Artists". Art.Gov.Ge (in English and Georgian). Didistudia llc. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
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