Abstract:
The paper deals with widely accepted assertion concerning the
sacral sources of collective cultural identities and divine foundation of
the communities based on this type of identities. The goal of the present
contribution is to document this theoretical finding through the Georgian
case study.
While doing so, the author concerns the current situation, then she
considers the epoch of Georgian modern nation shaping (19th c); after
this there are facts of medieval and ancient periods displayed and
analyzed.
The results of the investigation makes it evident that during many
centuries Georgian cultural elite had managed to create and cultivate
ideology of ethnic electivity and special national mission. Just messianic
ideas and belief in Georgians’ “specialness” had played decisive role in
Georgian identity survival.
The conclusion above represents essential novelty in study of
Georgian nation’s history as the facts reflecting subjective factors were
neglected completely in Georgian historiography of Soviet and also post-
Soviet era. The author of the present contribution considers this practice
misleading and attempts to reason necessity of study of Georgian
identity’s sacral dimension.
