Culture and Customs of the Caucasus Map of the Caucasus

Culture and Customs of the Caucasus Map of the Caucasus. Cartography by Bookcomp, Inc. Culture and Customs of the Caucasus PETER L. ROUDIK Culture and Customs of Europe GREENWOOD PRESS r Westport, Connecticut London Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roudik, Peter L. Culture and customs of the Caucasus / Peter L. Roudik. p. cm.—(Culture and customs of Europe) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–0–313–34885–3 (alk. paper) 1. Caucasus-Social life and customs. 2. Caucasus-Civilization. I. Title. II. Series. DK509.R68 2009 947.5—dc22 2008033459 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright C 2009 by Peter L. Roudik All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2008033459 ISBN: 978–0–313–34885–3 First published in 2009 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.greenwood.com Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984). 10987654321 Contents Series Foreword vii Preface ix Chronology xiii 1 Land, People, and History 1 2 Urban and Rural Developments 45 3 Family, Marriage, and Education 63 4 Thought and Religion 85 5 Languages, Folklore, and Literature 105 6 Food, Drinks, and Fashion 127 7 Cinema and Performing Arts 143 8 Visual Arts and Crafts 157 9 Sport, Leisure, and Festivals 171 vi CONTENTS Glossary 189 Bibliography 193 Index 199 Series Foreword The old world and the New World have maintained a fluid exchange of people, ideas, innovations, and styles. Even though the United States became the de facto world leader and economic superpower in the wake of a devastated Europe in World War II, Europe has remained for many the standard bearer of Western culture. Millions of Americans can trace their ancestors to Europe. The United States as we know it was built on waves of European immigration, starting with the English who braved the seas to found the Jamestown Colony in 1607. Bosnian and Albanian immigrants are some of the latest new Americans. In the Gilded Age of one of our great expatriates, the novelist Henry James, the Grand Tour of Europe was de rigueur for young American men of means, to prepare them for a life of refinement and taste. In a more recent democratic age, scores of American college students have Eurailed their way across Great Britain and the Continent, sampling the fabled capitals and bergs in a mad, great adventure, or have benefited from a semester abroad. For other American vacationers and culture vultures, Europe is the prime destination. What is the New Europe post–Cold War, post–Berlin Wall in a new mil- lennium? Even with the different languages, rhythms, and rituals, Euro- peans have much in common: they are largely well educated, prosperous, and worldly. They also have similar goals and face common threats andform alliances. With the advent of the European Union, the open borders, and the Euro and considering globalization and the prospect of a homogenized Europe, an updated survey of the region is warranted. viii SERIES FOREWORD Culture and Customs of Europe features individual volumes on the countries most studied and for which fresh information is in demand from students and other readers. The Series casts a wide net, inclusive of not only the expected countries, such as Spain, France, England, and Germany, but also countries such as Poland and Greece that lie outside Western Europe proper. Each volume is written by a country specialist, with intimate knowledge of the contemporary dynamics of a people and culture. Sustained narrative chapters cover the land, people, and brief history; religion; social customs; gender roles, family, and marriage; literature and media; performing arts and cinema; and art and architecture. The national character and ongoing popular traditions of each country are framed in an historical context and celebrated along with the latest trends and major cultural figures. A country map, chronology, glossary, and evocative photos enhance the text. The historied and enlightened Europeans will continue to fascinate Ameri- cans. Our futures are strongly linked politically, economically, and culturally. Preface Everybody knows about Noah’s ark, the Golden Fleece, the Nobel Prize, and Joseph Stalin, but not many realize what all of them have in common. Noah’s ark finished its floating at the summit of Mount Ararat, Armenia’s national symbol; the legend of the Golden Fleece brought the Greek Argonauts to Colchis, an ancient state on the easternmost shore of the Black Sea; Alfred Nobel made his money extracting oil in Azerbaijan; and Comrade Stalin was born and spent his formative years in Georgia, then a southern province of the Russian empire. Today, all these places are covered by one word, Transcauca- sus, which has been the subject of numerous scholarly discussions and many controversial attempts to define it. For the purpose of this book, by the words Transcaucasus, Transcaucasia,orSouth Caucasus, I mean the three newly independent former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, tied together by geographic proximity, as well as political, cultural, and economic connections. However, these factors in no way are commonalities, and they have often led to almost irreconcilable differences. A region slightly larger than New England, Transcaucasusis a unique model of economic and political reforms, religious tolerance, and active civil society. The countries are democratic and secular, but religion is an important factor in all three states, and should be taken into account by all political and social forces. Although geographically the region is the easternmost outpost of Europe, for many the question of where Transcaucasus really belongs is still unanswered, though the region’s future substantially depends on the an- swer. Most of the people in the Transcaucasus see themselves as closer to the xPREFACE Western world in culture, lifestyle, political aspirations, and values, although historically they have much in common with their immediate neighbors in the Middle East. Relatively peaceful coexistence (in many ongoing conflicts in the region, religion is not the major factor) of three world faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and their constant and sometimes close interaction transform this territory into a unique zone where different cultural traditions are preserved and continue to develop. Hidden high in the mountains between two seas, the region was always of interest to the great powers. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Turkish sul- tans, Persian shahs, and British and Russian crowns were among those who attempted to establish control over the territory. Today, the region remains the focus of world attention because of its proximity to the area of major an- titerrorist operations and vital American interests. An active Armenian dias- pora, efforts of the world community to resolve the territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, business interests of major oil companies in Azer- baijan, and the political activity of the Georgians contribute to the interest of the world media in the region. Hundreds of volumes have been written on the history of these states and their contemporary developments. Some aspects of their social and cultural lives were analyzed in books published in the Soviet Union. However, this part of the world, squeezed between Russia, Iran, and Turkey, remains largely unknown to the general public, especially the cultural traditions, scholarly achievements, and developments in art. As its title suggests, this book does not focus on governmental institutions, the political situation, economic trends, or security policies. Rather, it focuses on customs and the modern culture of reemerged independent states, as well as their attempts to respond to today’s international challenges through national theater, music, literature, and art. The book reviews the historical roots of the region’s national cultures and,to understand the history, destiny, and identity of the people, analyzes two major philosophers of the twentieth century: the Georgian Merab Mamardashvili and the Armenian Vladik Nersesiants. My goal is to present the evolving, dynamic, and diverse cultures and customs of the people of the Caucasus republics and to show their small but important presence in the world. In my research I relied on existing Ameri- can and foreign publications, which are listed in the bibliography and can be of help to those who want to learn more about the scholarly foundations of Transcaucasian cultures, and on conversations with my friends and colleagues in the United States and in the Transcaucasus region. My field trips to these countries at times of peace and war were the best sources of information. Better than any study, my personal impressions influenced the conclusions PREFACE xi reflected in this book; all opinions expressed in this book are solely mine and do not represent the position of my employer. Library of Congress rules of transliteration were used in this book for foreign words and personal names because there is no universally accepted system for romanizing the various languages. All personal names appear with the first name followed by the last name. Because of inconsistencies in citing Azerbai- jani personal names in Russian and indigenous forms, the most commonly used name is given in the book. Dates of birth and death are provided for all major figures. The date system used is b.c. and a.d., though the a.d. notifica- tion is used only when the identification of a date can be confusing. The Russo-Georgian war of August 2008 and recognition of South Ossetian and Abkhazian state independence by Russia changed the political landscape of the entire region significantly.

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