The history of the caucasus region may be divided into the history of the northern caucasus ciscaucasia, historically in the sphere of influence of scythia and of southern russia eastern europe, and that of the southern caucasus transcaucasia. With mycaucasus you travel authentically, sustainably and safely through armenia, azerbaijan and georgia. Key research guidelines are archeology, ethnography and history of the caucasus region, as well as researches on historical demography and sociology, numismatics and paleography, oriental and other historical disciplines. Named by moscow times the history book of the year, the ghost of freedom combines riveting storytelling with insightful analysis, in the first general history. Papers at the interface between different disciplines are also welcomed. History and the way it was understood in postsoviet armenia has often been the subject of research 3. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the ghost of freedom. Pliny the younger in the first century, writing in his natural history book vi. The great historic barrier of the caucasus mountains rises up across the wide isthmus where europe and asia converge. J f baddeley was an english journalist and businessman who travelled extensively in russia and the caucasus in the 19th century. The caucasus mountains rise at the intersection of europe, russia, and the middle east. His book, a searching portrait of the national and cultural complexities of. The caucasian peoples are subdivided, like the caucasian languages, into two northern branches and a southern branch.
Our goal is by no means to find a single view of history in the south caucasus, as was the case in an unsuccessful project funded by the council of europe, which tried to compose one comprehensive history book for the region. The caucasus is a difficult and complicated place, one russian political scientist told the financial times, referring to the small mountainous region between the black sea and the caspian. This book argues that understanding the soviet legacy in the region is critical to analysing both the new states of the transcaucasus and the autonomous territories of the north caucasus. Caucasian albania, georgia, armenia, azerbaijan in the sphere of influence of persia, anatolia and for a very brief time assyria. Its ideal as an introduction to the caucasus for the general reader who doesnt know a lot about the area.
The region consists of the countries georgia, armenia, eastern turkey, azerbaijan, and parts of russia and iran. Xvii to be from a scythian word similar to kroykhasis, literally the mountain iceshining, white with snow. South caucasus, also referred to as transcaucasia or transcaucasus, is the southern area of the caucasus region between europe and asia, going from the greater caucasus to the turkish and iranian borders, between the black and caspian seas. The ghost of freedom is a much needed book about a little known region. A land of astonishing natural beauty and a dizzying array of ancient cultures, the caucasus for most of the twentieth century lay inside the soviet union, before movements of national liberation created newly independent countries and sparked the devastating war in chechnya.
A brief guide to understanding the countries of the south. As stated by the author, the books main purpose is to provide a histor ical overview of the caucasus region with its middle eastern historical context, while. The descendants of the mediaeval alans, a scythic iranian people. Your caucasus trips 2020 let yourself be enchanted by the most beautiful and impressive places in the caucasus.
Apr 19, 20 and the caucasusa region loosely encompassing armenia, georgia, azerbaijan, chechnya, dagestan, ossetia, and ingushetiahas always occupied a mystical place in russian literature. If youre looking for a guidebook, with restaurant recommendations and maps this isnt it there are plenty of those. A history of the caucasus edition 1 available in hardcover, nook book. Recently, a few books have been published about the caucasus. A brief history of wine from the caucasus exotic wine travel.
The title seems to indicate the entire history and the entire region, but this book is really focused on the postsoviet saga of the three republics of the south caucasus. Centring on the regions indigenous peoples, the book presents a critical view of the role of russian imperialism in the caucasian countries. It consists of southern russia, georgia, armenia, and azerbaijan. Your first book is the russian conquest of the caucasus by john frederick baddeley, a military history of the chechen and dagestani resistance to russian invasion in the early 19th century j f baddeley was an english journalist and businessman who travelled extensively in russia and the caucasus in the 19th century.
For example, georgia is the oldest winemaking country in the world. In the caucasus region, they live in georgia, russia, turkey and previously in armenia before 1990. Music and documents used for creation are in the credits at the end of the video. Whereas speakers of the latter three groups are known to have migrated to the caucasus in historical times, speakers of the caucasian languages occupied the area at the dawn of history. An annotated foreign affairs syllabus on the caucasus. An introductory chapter outlines the regions geography and early history, attempting also to give a feel for the linguistic and ethnic diversity hidden by the rather too neat modern division. The best book on the history of the caucasus caucasian. The caucasus region has long been known for the diversity of its peoples. Nov 17, 2016 see the history of the vital region connecting europe and the middle east, the south caucasus every year. Geographically, the north caucasus is part of the transcontinental caucasus zone, sandwiched between the black sea to the west and the caspian sea to the east. Known for its alpine terrain, the caucasus is home to mount elbrus, the highest mountain peak in europe, on the russogeorgian border. The greater caucasus mountain range in the north is mostly shared by russia and georgia, as well as the northernmost parts of azerbaijan.
The book presents a critical view of the historical role of russian imperialism in events in the caucasian countries, and the violent struggle of some of these. See the history of the vital region connecting europe and the middle east, the south caucasus every year. Authentic and sustainable travel experiences with mycaucasus. Hospitality, as with all the mountain tribes, was and is still a most sacred duty. Aug 19, 2008 the caucasus is a difficult and complicated place, one russian political scientist told the financial times, referring to the small mountainous region between the black sea and the caspian. Sep, 2010 this book argues that understanding the soviet legacy in the region is critical to analysing both the new states of the transcaucasus and the autonomous territories of the north caucasus. Covering both the north and south caucasus, the book gathers together leading western, caucasian and russian scholars of the region from different disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. In 2005 the caucasus oldest academic institution the institute of history, archeology and ethnography of the daghestan federal research centre of ras established a scientific journal herald of the institute of history, archeology and ethnography of the caucasus. The first general history of the modern caucasus, stretching from the beginning of russian imperial expansion up to rise of new countries after the soviet unions collapse. Each territory occupied was, sooner or later, absorbed into the empire of which it became in every way an integral part. Two new books examine a regions complicated history. Caucasus the caucasus region is a relatively compact area centered on the caucasus mountains.
In caucasus, awardwinning author nicholas griffin recounts his journey to this war torn region to explore the roots of todays conflict, centering his travelogue on imam shamil, the great. Hayasaazzi was a late bronze age confederation of two kingdoms of armenian highlands, hayasa located south of trabzon and azzi, located north of the euphrates and to the south of hayasa. A history of the caucasus 9780195392395 by king, charles and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The caucasus caucasia is a region between the black and caspian seas. The south caucasus tends to be thought of in terms of distinct. Xvii to be from a scythian word similar to kroykhasis, literally the mountain iceshining. The great historic barrier of the caucasus mountains rises up across the wide isthmus where europe. A history of the caucasus by charles king2008 oxford press, 291 p. His book contains history and knowing flairwill likely have many lives. Iran and the caucasus uniquely explores all periods and disciplines connected to this region, and the journal numbers among its authors and editors scholars from the area and the world. Readers with still more questions about the region might turn to my general history, which covers the main themes of the regions past. It became a place for publications of researches on relevant issues about history and archeology of the region. Nov 01, 2012 geographically, the north caucasus is part of the transcontinental caucasus zone, sandwiched between the black sea to the west and the caspian sea to the east.
Caucasus, mountains and region lying between the black sea west and the caspian sea east and occupied by russia, georgia, azerbaijan, and armenia. The caucasus region, which now consists of georgia, armenia, azerbaijan, and parts of russia, has a complex history, not least owing to its interactions with the surrounding nations of europe and the. The russian steppe lies to the north, with the highlands of asia minor to the south. Group tours, individual trips and travel in caucasus region. Named by moscow times the history book of the year, the ghost of freedom combines riveting storytelling with insightful analysis, in the first general history of the modern caucasus, stretching from the beginning of russian imperial expansion up to the rise of new countries after the soviet. A history of the caucasus james forsyth a fascinating new survey of the caucasus which provides a unified narrative history of this complex and turbulent region at the borderlands of europe, asia and the middle east, from prehistory to the. The northern border of the region is the greater caucasus range, which are the highest mountains in europe. The caucasus mountain range is probably the most variegated ethnological and linguistic area in the world.
I bought the book looking for an insight into the history of the caucasus and this is a well written, informative and concise work whose span is from the late 18th century to the early 21 century. It is not a melting pot, as has been said, but a refuge area par excellence where small groups have maintained their identity throughout history. It examines the impact of soviet rule on the caucasus, focusing in. The largest of the turkicspeaking peoples in the caucasus are azerbaijanis who number 8,700,000 in the republic of azerbaijan. Your first book is the russian conquest of the caucasus by john frederick baddeley, a military history of the chechen and dagestani resistance to russian invasion in the early 19th century j f baddeley was an english journalist and businessman who travelled extensively in.
Nov 25, 2009 named by moscow times the history book of the year, the ghost of freedom combines riveting storytelling with insightful analysis, in the first general history of the modern caucasus, stretching from the beginning of russian imperial expansion up to the rise of new countries after the soviet. The history of russia has been a series of expansions to the west, the south, and the east, towards the open sea. A less common definition includes also portions of northwestern iran and northeastern turkey. And the caucasusa region loosely encompassing armenia, georgia, azerbaijan, chechnya, dagestan, ossetia, and ingushetiahas always occupied a mystical place in russian literature. The total number of azerbaijanis is around 35 million 25 million in iran. Internally, the region is dominated by the greater caucasus mountain range.
One minor complaint is i wish the author had included more history of the caucasus before the russian conquest of the early 19th century. What about the caucasus might most surprise people. History, archeology and ethnography of the caucasus. A history of the caucasus kindle edition by king, charles. Author and former reuters correspondent in moscow chooses books on the. It covers the russian conquest of the region as well as the rise of the major statesentities in the area including chechnya, georgia, armenia. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is a mountainous region with most of its land situated on the anatolian and armenian plateaus. Russia on one side, the predominantly muslim mountains on the other. The caucasus region gradually enters the historical record during the late bronze age to early iron age. Overview of the caucasus geography of the caucasus the.
Book your culture, history or outdoor trip, hiking, culinary or wine tourr in georgia, azerbaijan and armenia. This authoritative survey of the caucasus traces a unified narrative history of this complex and turbulent region at the borderlands of europe, asia and the middle east. It examines the impact of soviet rule on the caucasus, focusing in particular on the period from 1917 to 1955. Think of the caucasus both in its own terms but also as a region with many neighborsiran, asia, turkey, and the eu. Five things worth knowing about the caucasus pulitzer center.
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