Tusheti

Tusheti, a historical and ethnographic region in eastern Georgia. It belongs to the mountainous area of Kakheti. It includes the Tusheti and Pirikita Alazani valley (the headwaters of the Andi Koysu River, Akhmeta Municipality). The area of ​​Tusheti is 896 km². The population is Tushetians.

Due to the Christianization in the 4^th century, Tusheti became a refuge for the oppressed pagan mountaineers. From the 5^th century, it became a part of the Kingdom of Iberia. In the 8^th century, Tusheti, together with Ghundzeti and Tsuketi, formed a single administrative unit. During the existence of the ancient kingdom of Kakheti (8^th–11^th centuries), it was part of the Pankisi Saeristavo, later — the Kakheti Saeristavo. In the 16^th–18^th centuries, after the dissolution of a united Georgia into kingdoms and principalities (15^th century), the Tusheti Samouravo fell within the borders of the Kakheti Kingdom. The highest religious authority of Tusheti was the Bishop of Alaverdi. In the second half of the 17^th century, Tusheti was the stronghold of King Erekle I in his struggle for the throne.

From the 18^th century, the settlement of Tushetians in the valley began, and by the beginning of the 20^th century they were completely settled in Kakheti (in the Alvani Valley). Today, they mainly inhabit the Upper and Lower Alvani. Some of them migrate seasonally to the historical villages of mountainous Tusheti.

 

Literature: ბოჭორიძე გ., თუშეთი, თბ., 1993; თოფჩიშვილი რ., საქართველოს ისტორიულ-ეთნოგრაფიული მხარეები, თბ., 2017; კანდელაკი მ., მეკოდეობის ტრადიცია თუშეთში, თბ., 1995; მაკალათია ს., თუშეთი, ტფ., 1933; შანიძე ა., თუშები. მნათობი, N2, 1970; ცოცანიძე გ., გიორგობიდან გიორგობამდე: ეთნოგრაფიული ექსკურსები თუშეთის ახლო წარსულში, თბ., 1990.

 

D. Muskhelishvili