Thietmar

Thietmar (Thietmari), a 13th-century German pilgrim. He visited the Holy Land shortly before the Fifth Crusade (1217–1221).

The following detail from Thietmar's account is particularly noteworthy: in 1217, in order to safely and peacefully travel from Acre to the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai (where many Georgians served), Thietmar dressed as a Georgian monk and combed his long beard in the manner of Georgian monks. This incident clearly illustrates the influence of the Georgian state and the Georgians throughout the Eastern world of that time.

According to Thietmar's account (1217), "The Georgians venerate Saint George, are heavily armed, and inflict great damage upon the Saracens. They had long hair and beards, and all of them have a tonsure (a shaved spot on the crown of the head), both laymen and clerics alike: laymen have a square [tonsure], while clerics have a round one. They possess their own script and wear hats that are one cubit (44 sm.) in length."

Literature: თვარაძე ა., საქართველო და კავკასია ევროპულ წყაროებში (XII–XVI საუკუნეთა ისტორიოგრაფიული და კარტოგრაფიული მასალის საფუძველზე), თბ., 2004.

A. Tvaradze