Abstract:
Vakhushti Bagrationi’s book “Description of the Kingdom of
Georgia” is one of the most outstanding works in the field of Georgian
culture and science, which contains extremely rich and important
material for many fields of Georgian humanities and natural sciences.
It is a valuable source for studying the history, ethnography and
geography of both the peoples of Georgia and the North Caucasus.
It is clear that Vakhushti Bagrationi wrote the “Description of the
Kingdom of Georgia” with a pre-selected plan and methodology. He
is guided by the method established in medieval historiography and
uses both historical sources and informants in conveying toponyms,
fortress-towns, folklore, antiquities, religious shrines, and the agricultural
activities of the population. An important place in the work
is occupied by legends of historical content, Christian miracles, folk
etymology. The description of the inhabitants of each corner of
Georgia is based on the deep knowledge and learning of the author
of the book, his erudition and long practice of observation.
Vakhushti Bagrationi’s “Description of the Kingdom of Georgia”,
as an encyclopedic work, is very interesting also from the point of
view of folklore. Authorial narratives are often based on oral tradition.
In the book he uses the terminology of folk genres and the
names of the speakers and performers of folk texts. In Vakhushti Bagrationi’s work, the stories related to the holy
places of Georgia, shrines and the work of kings are clearly traces of
the influence of oral tradition, and some episodes are directly nurtured
by the folk tradition.
The fact that the author’s information is often based on folk tradition
was also confirmed by the oral material revealed and recorded
in a later period. Therefore, we must think that Vakhushti Bagrationi
was quite educated in oral tradition and he was well acquainted with
the folklore of the Georgian people.
In his work Vakhushti Bagrationi provides information about all
the corners that were historically part of the united feudal monarchy
of Georgia. Accordingly, Vakhushti in the “Description” tells about the
customs of Abkhazians, Circassians, Ossetians, Ghilghvalians, Kists,
Didoelians, certain elements of folklore and religious beliefs.
When explaining geographical names, Vakhushti Bagrationi often
refers to the data of folk etymology. Therefore, we find toponymic
references in the paper regarding specific geographical places.
Vakhushti in his “Description” quotes fragments of folk poems and
songs. He uses figurative words and proverbs, including proverbs
that could not have reached us orally.
The folklore motifs and stories confirmed in the work of Vakhushti
Bagrationi have a very high scientific value for the history of
folklore, because the systematic recording of Georgian oral samples
began only in the second half of the XIX century. Thus, Vakhushti
Bagrationi’s “Description of the Kingdom of Georgia” is one of the
oldest sources for the study of Georgian folklore.
