Abstract:
The Department of Ethnology-Ethnography at Tbilisi State
University has a long and interesting history, its founder was
academician Giorgi Chitaia, the founder of the Georgian Ethnological
School, who for 50 years led the training of new ethnographers. Since 1921, he was the chair of biology, anthropology and
ethnology at the Tbilisi State University under the name of ethnography-
ethnology that was headed by Giorgi Javakhishvili. In
1926 by the recommendation of Ivane Javakhisvili, Giorgi Chitaia
was enrolled as a post-graduate student in the Department of
Ethnology. In 1934, under the leadership of Giorgi Nioradze, the
Department of History of Material Culture was created at the
newly established Faculty of History, which combined: archaeology,
ethnography and art history.
From 1935 to 1938, the Department of Archeology and
Ethnography was called the “Department of the History of Pre-
Class Society” (Head Giorgi Nioradze). In 1939, as a result of Giorgi
Chitaia’s selfless work, the Department of Ethnography was
separated and Docent Giorgi Chitaia was appointed on the position
of Head of the Department. The members of the newly established
Department were: candidate of historical sciences Vera
Bardavelidze, candidate of historical sciences Rusudan Kharadze,
post-graduate students: Mikheil Gegeshidze and Mikheil
Chartovani. Akaki Sokhadze, Ilia Chkonia, Ioseb Nanobashvili
and Margalita Adamia were joined them from 1940.
The first protocol of the newly established ethnography
session dates back to 1940, which allows us to restore the initial
period of teaching ethnography in Georgia. In the same year, the
first Ethnographic Field Station was established in Barisakho,
Khevsureti.
In 1951, the Department of Ethnography was abolished and
joined the Department of Archaeology. From 1968, ethnography
was again formed as a separate Department and it was headed
by Giorgi Chitaia until 1973. Between 1973 and 1983, the Department
of Ethnography was headed by Docent Andro Lekiashvili,
who was replaced by Professor Vakhtang Shamiladze. As a result
of tireless work of Mr. Vakhtang, a scientific laboratory for studying ethnic culture and national traditions, as well as a scientific
laboratory of ethnoecology were created in the Department. During
Mr. Vakhtang's tenure, “Academic Giorgi Chitaia’ Cabinet”
was opened in 1987. At the same time, the Department of
Ethnography changed its name and was called the Department
of Ethnology, which existed until 2006.
In 2006, the Department of Ethnology was abolished and
the “Teaching Scientific Institute of Ethnology” was established
in its place, which successfully continues the excellent traditions,
the founders of which were our great teachers.
