ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. 17.-J 



Grusla bv the Russians : in ancient times, ho^YCvor, it was denominated 

 Iberia, and comprehended ancient Albania and Coleliis. Since tlio earliest 

 times the Georsinns have enjoyed n-reater civilization than the northern 

 mountaineers. Their history proper begins, howevei-, with the introduction 

 of Christianity in the fourth century. Nevertheless their old traditions are 

 mixed up "with biblical history, as they maintain that the ancient Georgians 

 sprang from Targamos, a descendant of Japhet, on which account they 

 call all people belonging to their stock Targamosians. Q'he true Georgians of 

 the present day denominate themselves '* Kart-uhli,*' from Kartlos, the son of 

 Targamos. 



The Georgians are divided into four main l>ranches. The first, the Geor^i- 

 ans proper, live in Kartli, Kacheti (ancient Albania), and In^.eritia, extending 

 to the banks of the Tscheniss-Skali. a tributary of the Phasis. The Pshawi 

 and Gudamakari speak the Old Georgian language, which is very different 

 from the New Georgian (Grusian or Iberian) : still they must be reckoned 

 with this stock. They inhabit a few narrow valleys of the hi<zh Caucasus, 

 eastwardly from the Upper Aragui River. 



The inhabitants of Mingrelia (ancient Colchis), Odischi, and Guria, consti- 

 tute the second branch, speaking a rude dialect intermixed wich many foreign 

 words. 



The third branch, the Suani or Snaw (Tson), speak a dialect differing still 

 more, and which has received many Caucasian words. They inhabit the high 

 mountains of Caucasus, westwardly from the Elboors and northwardly from 

 Imeritia, as for as the sources of the Tscheniss-Skali. Ensiuri. and Eo-rissi. 

 They are independent, and are considered the most uncleanly in their habits 

 of the inhabitants of the Caucasus. 



The Lasi (Turkish, Lash), who constitute the fourth branch, are barbarous, 

 rapacious mountaineers, along the Black Sea, from Trebizond to the mouth of 

 the Tshoroki or Thoroch. w^hich separates them from Guria. 



The Georgians have a vigorous frame, tall figure, generally handsome, 

 sharply chiselled features, black, finely formed eyes, and a large nose, which 

 is often aquiline, but less of a Roman than a Jewish outline. Their 

 carriao-e is proud, the salt is somewhat swinj^inc;. A recent writer says : 

 " The men and women of Imeritia are world-renowned for their beauty. 

 No race of men in the wide world equals the people of Imeritia, Mingrelia^ 

 Guria, and Adshari, in symmetry of limb, and regular beauty of the 

 physiognomy. In these respects even the slender heroic figures of the men 

 of Circassia are inferior, in the solitary forests of Mingrelia I at times 

 saw true ideals of the handsomest male figures, that might have served as 

 models to a Thorwaldsen. The Georgians inhabit a country Avhich until 

 lately has been continually exposed to the incursions of foreign nations, for 

 the Russians have but recently obtained possession of the land, with the 

 exception of a small portion of Guria and Lasi yet belonging to the 

 Ottomans. In consequence of this state of things, the Georgians have been 

 under the necessity of always standing upon their guard as well against the 

 Ottomans as against the Persians and Lesghians. This position in the 

 midst of these nations has rendered the Georgian warlike ; but as he does 



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