soxumis saxelmwifo universiteti

KETEVAN MARGIANIHISTORICAL AND MODERN TOPONIMYOF DALI GORGEDali Gorge is a historical part of the West Georgia, Abkhazia. Inthe antique epoch it was called Mivsianeti or Misimianeti, in the middleages – Dali Gorge, in XIX century – Tsebelda Pristavstvo (administrativesubdivision in the Russian Empire was in late XVIII – early XX centuries),in the Soviet epoch it was called Abkhazian Svaneti, and in XXI century– Upper Abkhazia. Such a variety of names speaks for itself, of theimportance and special role of this gorge in the history of Georgia. Whereasfor Svaneti, Svanians and immediate neighbors, Kodori Gorge hasalways been known as Dali (Dal as Svanians pronounce the name – thethrone of a goddess of hunting in Georgian mythology was placed therein the gorge, and the place was considered to be the place where Daleliansresided. The gorge enjoys the most advantageous geographical location– Klukhori, Naharvi, Marukhi. Dali Gorge is the shortest way thatconnects the seaside region of the West Georgia with the North Caucasus.That explains special importance and strategic functions assigned tothis territory in every historical epoch. The Toponymy of Dali’s Gorge ischaracterized by lingual diversity and absolutely different chronology ofdesignation. Kodori Gorge toponyms mentioned in the antique periodand middle centuries sources (Pusta, Chikhari, Chkhalta, Lagvana, Shekeri/Shikeri,Bokeri/Biker...) are basically of Svanian origin. The maincharacteristic of Dali Gorge modern toponymy is its lingual diversity: namesof several summer pastures, mountains, villages and rivers (Armua,Achara, Adzgara, Soipsara...) are of Abkhazian origin, whereas the namesof most villages and passes, the whole microtoponymy, most hydronyms, drimonyms (names of forests) and oikonyms (Gentsish, Naharv,Kodor, Khuarash, Lata, Saken, Altsunesga, Gvandrala, Saknara...) are basicallyof Svanian origin. Megrelian, Russian and other names of uncertainetymology within Dali Gorge Geographical nomenclature are tracedvery rarely.40