Sukhumi

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Author: Laxman Burdak, IFS (R).

Sukhumi, also known by its Abkhaz name Aqwa, is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the capital and largest city of the Republic of Abkhazia, which has controlled it since the Abkhazia war in 1992–93. However, internationally Abkhazia is considered part of Georgia.

Variants

  • Sokhumi (Georgian: სოხუმი, [sɔχumi])
  • Dioscurias
  • Sukhum (Russian as Сухум) or Сухуми (Sukhumi)
  • Tskhumi (ცხუმი)
  • Aqwa (Аҟәа) - In Abkhaz, the city is known as Aqwa (Аҟәа) which is believed to derive from a-qwara (а-ҟәара), meaning "stony seashore".[1]
  • Aqwa (Аҟәа) signifies water, According to Abkhaz tradition .[2]

History

Sukhumi's history can be traced to the 6th century BC, when it was settled by Greeks, who named it Dioscurias. During this time and the subsequent Roman period, much of the city disappeared under the Black Sea. The city was named Tskhumi when it became part of the Kingdom of Abkhazia and then the Kingdom of Georgia. Contested by local princes, it became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 1570s, where it remained until it was conquered by the Russian Empire in 1810. After a period of conflict during the Russian Civil War, it became part of the independent Georgia, which included Abkhazia, in 1918.[4] In 1921, the Democratic Republic of Georgia was occupied by Soviet Bolshevik forces from Russia. Within the Soviet Union, it was regarded as a holiday resort. As the Soviet Union broke up in the early 1990s, the city suffered significant damage during the Abkhaz–Georgian conflict. The present-day population of 60,000 is only half of the population living there toward the end of Soviet rule.

Toponym

In Georgian, the city is known as Sokhumi (სოხუმი), amongst Samurzakans in Megrelian the city is sometimes referred to as Aqujikha (აყუჯიხა),[3][4] and in Russian as Сухум (Sukhum) or Сухуми (Sukhumi). The toponym Sokhumi derives from the Georgian word Tskhomi/Tskhumi (ცხომი/ცხუმი), which in turn is supposed to be derived from Svan tskhum (ცხუმ) meaning "hornbeam tree".[5] In Abkhaz, the city is known as Aqwa (Аҟәа) which is believed to derive from a-qwara (а-ҟәара), meaning "stony seashore".[6] According to Abkhaz tradition Aqwa (Аҟәа) signifies water.[7]

Medieval Georgian sources knew the town as Tskhumi (ცხუმი).[8] Later, under Ottoman control, the town was known in Turkish as Suhum-Kale, which was derived from the earlier Georgian form Tskhumi or read to mean "Tskhumi fortress".[9][10]

The ending -i in the above forms represents the Georgian nominative suffix. The town was officially called Сухум (Sukhum) in Russian until 16 August 1936, when this was changed to Sukhumi (Сухуми).[11] This remained so until 4 December 1992, when the Supreme Council of Abkhazia restored the previous version.[12] Russia also readopted its official spelling in 2008,[13] though Сухуми is also still being used.

In English, the most common form today is Sukhumi, although Sokhumi is increasing in usage and has been adopted by sources including United Nations,[14] Encyclopædia Britannica, MSN Encarta, Esri[15] and Google Maps.[16]

Mention by Pliny

Pliny[17] mentions ....Below this lies the region of Pontus known as Colica1, in which the mountain chain of Caucasus bends away towards the Riphæan mountains, as we have previously2 mentioned; one side running down towards the Euxine and the Lake Mæotis, the other towards the Caspian and the Hyrcanian Sea. The remaining portion of these shores is peopled by savage nations, the Melanchlæni3, and the Coraxi, who formerly dwelt in Dioscurias4, near the river Anthemus, now deserted, but once a famous city.

1. 16 Inhabited anciently by the Coli, and constituting the northern portion of ancient Colchis.

2. In B. v. c. 27.

3. Or nation "with the black cloaks," from some peculiarity in their dress.

4. This was the great trading-place of the wild tribes in the interior; and so numerous were they, that the Greeks asserted that there were seventy different languages spoken in the market of Dioscurias (modern Sukhumi) .

References

  1. ↑ Abkhaz Loans in Megrelian, p. 65
  2. ↑ Colarusso, John. "More Pontic: Further Etymologies between Indo-European and Northwest Caucasian" (PDF). p. 54. 2009.
  3. ↑ Otar Kajaia, 2001–2004, Megrelian-Georgian Dictionary (entry aq'ujixa).
  4. ↑ Abkhaz Loans in Megrelian, p. 65
  5. ↑ Assays from the history of Georgia. Abkhazia from ancient times to the present day. Tbilisi, Georgia: Intelect. 2011. ISBN 978-9941-410-69-7.
  6. ↑ Abkhaz Loans in Megrelian, p. 65
  7. ↑ Colarusso, John. "More Pontic: Further Etymologies between Indo-European and Northwest Caucasian" (PDF). p. 54. 2009.
  8. ↑ http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/kcx1/kcx1233.htm
  9. ↑ Goltz, Thomas (2009). "4. An Abkhazian Interlude". Georgia Diary (Expanded ed.). Armonk, New York / London, England: M.E. Sharpe. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-7656-2416-1.
  10. ↑ https://abkhazeti.info/ethno/EkplpAVElyHNzaIaLX2.php
  11. ↑ Заяц, Д.В. (2001). "Изменение административно-территориального деления союзных республик". География (in Russian). 28.
  12. ↑ Сборник законодательных актов Республики Абхазия, выпуск 3. Сухум. 1995. pp. 94–95.
  13. ↑ "Абхазию и Южную Осетию на картах в РФ выкрасят в "негрузинские" цвета". NEWSru.com. 13 November 2008.
  14. ↑ "Geospatial, location information for a better world". United Nations. UN Geospatial.
  15. ↑ "Esri ArcGis WebMap". Esri.
  16. ↑ "Google Maps changes Sukhumi to Sokhumi following Georgia's request". Agenda.ge.
  17. ↑ Natural History by Pliny Book VI/Chapter 5
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