Are Georgians culturally closer to Armenians or to North Caucasians?

[user_]

Although i have to say, that Chechen minority in Georgia is integrated in Georgian society very well, despite the fact that they live in isolated place Pankisi gorge. When you look at them speaking Georgian, without their religious clothing almost impossible to distinguish them from Georgians, they speak Georgian as native speakers. While Armenians, even from Tbilisi are easily distinguishable.

Chechens from Pankisi.

[user_]

But Georgia is under USA-EU political spheres and they brought here last 15 years Neoliberal ideology. That's all. While Arabs brought in Dagestan and Chechnya salafism after SSSR crushed.

There was no EU and USA influence in 1918-1921, but read Georgian constitution, Georgia was one of the first countries that gave to women rights to participate in elections.
First Georgian feminists: Barbara Jorjadze (1838-1895) Kato Mikeladze (1872-1942), Ekatherine Gabashvili (1851-1938), Christine Sharashidze( 1887-1937) and many others, were they influenced by Euroepan Union in 19-th century? Very important that most of Georgian women public figures in 19-th century came not from Tbilisi which was the most cosmopolitan city in Caucasus/Southern Russia, but from very central Georgia, Kutaisi with almost 100% Georgian population.

Georgian renaissance period and humanism ideas started in XI-XII centuries, long before Europe, and if not Mongols the whole Region of Caucasus would be different today.

[klarji]

As for the topic I can say that Armenians from Armenia like Georgians and are almost unaware about existence of North Caucasians. There is only some vague idea about North Caucasians as some wild violent peoples. For example if someone in Armenia has wild character and behave violent and vengeful he may be nicknamed as Chechen or Pushtun.

We Georgians had our own tribes that lived in high mountains in tribal unions or early feudalism. We laugh at them though like their archaic things like pagan mythology, tribal organization with their bosses and so on. See in them our common precivilized past.
But on other side Armenians were the most developed nation in the Caucasus as after Turcomans migrated to their lands their nomad aristocrats took from local feudals their lands and settled there their nomad Turcoman peasants. So Armenians had since early time 15-16th century live modern capitalist live. They like Jews had no lands and their elite was or rich merchants or the Armenian Church and intelectuals from these classes.
While untill Russians came even the most developed Georgian tribes who had historically Kingdoms lived medivial feudalism life. For example, these Kingdoms had not professional army even in the 18th century. Local feudal lords during wars brought their subordinate noblemen and peasants of course if they accepted the main Lord - King as their sovereign. The whole economics and production (there were no factories) were in hands of Armenian diaspora. The first reason why Georgians and Armenians still did not like each other. Feudal and bourgeois classes nowhere loved each other but in Georgian Kindgoms it was also ethnic opposition.

[klarji]

There was no EU and USA influence in 1918-1921, but read Georgian constitution, Georgia was one of the first countries that gave to women rights to participate in elections.
First Georgian feminists: Barbara Jorjadze (1838-1895) Kato Mikeladze (1872-1942), Ekatherine Gabashvili (1851-1938), Christine Sharashidze( 1887-1937) and many others, were they influenced by Euroepan Union in 19-th century? Very important that most of Georgian women public figures in 19-th century came not from Tbilisi which was the most cosmopolitan city in Caucasus/Southern Russia, but from very central Georgia, Kutaisi with almost 100% Georgian population.

Georgian renaissance period and humanism ideas started in XI-XII centuries, long before Europe, and if not Mongols the whole Region of Caucasus would be different today.

Germany + communism ideas. Of course the mentality played their role. Black Sea Georgians liked the most the communist ideology and they even formed the socialist Guria Republic in 1905. While mountain Georgians were always true to national ideas and had partizan movements against Soviet occupation.

[klarji]

There was no EU and USA influence in 1918-1921, but read Georgian constitution, Georgia was one of the first countries that gave to women rights to participate in elections.
First Georgian feminists: Barbara Jorjadze (1838-1895) Kato Mikeladze (1872-1942), Ekatherine Gabashvili (1851-1938), Christine Sharashidze( 1887-1937) and many others, were they influenced by Euroepan Union in 19-th century? Very important that most of Georgian women public figures in 19-th century came not from Tbilisi which was the most cosmopolitan city in Caucasus/Southern Russia, but from very central Georgia, Kutaisi with almost 100% Georgian population.

Georgian renaissance period and humanism ideas started in XI-XII centuries, long before Europe, and if not Mongols the whole Region of Caucasus would be different today.

Germany + communism ideas. Of course the mentality played their role. Black Sea Georgians liked the most the communist ideology and they even formed the socialist Guria Republic in 1905. While mountain Georgians were always true to national ideas and had partizan movements against Soviet occupation.

[Root]

Thargamos and his sons.
The order of the figures from left to right is: Movakan, Bardos, Kartlos, Haos, Lekos, Thargamos, Caucas, Egros. An opening folio of the Georgian Chronicles (Vakhtangiseuli redaction), 1700s.

[klarji]

As for the topic I can say that Armenians from Armenia like Georgians and are almost unaware about existence of North Caucasians. There is only some vague idea about North Caucasians as some wild violent peoples. For example if someone in Armenia has wild character and behave violent and vengeful he may be nicknamed as Chechen or Pushtun.

Russian strategists know very well ethno mentality and.social situation in colonial peoples.
During Soviet era potency of Georgian youth was directed into criminal and drug addiction
As they knew that ethnomentality of Georgians had base and potention to be directed to. Abkhazians being inluenced by Georgians still live such live.
Whats about Eastern Muslim NCaucasians their youth potential is directed into religion fanatism and everyday conflicts. Of course Georgians had historical past and ethnomentality to make them criminals and druggers but it needed political support to make all nation live this life.

[user_]

Germany + communism ideas. Of course the mentality played their role. Black Sea Georgians liked the most the communist ideology and they even formed the socialist Guria Republic in 1905. While mountain Georgians were always true to national ideas and had partizan movements against Soviet occupation.

Telling this: "Georgians are not open minded. But Georgia is under USA-EU political spheres and they brought here last 15 years Neoliberal ideology" is not true and one to one with Russian antieuroepan propaganda. So western ideas came to Georgia not 15, but at least 150 years ago.
In XII century Georgia was a place where this "western ideas" were generated. Rustaveli wrote this words "Lion's whelps are equally lions, though female or male they be".

[klarji]

Telling this: "Georgians are not open minded. But Georgia is under USA-EU political spheres and they brought here last 15 years Neoliberal ideology" is not true and one to one with Russian antieuroepan propaganda. So western ideas came to Georgia not 15, but at least 150 years ago.
In XII century Georgia was a place where this "western ideas" were generated. Rustaveli wrote this words "Lion's whelps are equally lions, though female or male they be".

Byzantium, Christianity + high social role of woman in the West Caucasus, especially in the Kartvelo-Caucasian world.
Ok. You are right. Ethnomentality is formed also by geography and surrounded nature - sea, mountains, temperature, apple trees so on. But religion, historical evolution, political sphere stratificated it.

[Ford]

This turned out to be a very interesting thread.

We need more Kavkaz members here