GRAVÜR DÜNYASI
Digital Engraving Library
| Artist | Ivan Pranishnikoff (1841-1909) |
| Engraver | Charles Barbant (1844-1921) |
| Date | 1882 |
| Technique | Wood Engraving |
| Category | Costume |
| Source | The Universal Geography, The Earth and Its Inhabitants, Asia: Asiatic Russia. The Earth and Its Inhabitants, Asia: Asiatic Russia by Elisee Reclus |
The Mingrelians, the indigenous people of Mingrelia, which is located on the Black Sea coast in the west of Georgia, are one of the peoples of the South Caucasus. The Mingrelians speak Mingrelian; but their written language is Georgian. The Mingrelians had a population of 214,000 in 1891. Although they are one of the peoples of Georgia today, they are more related to the Laz than to the Georgians. The Mingrelians and Laz are two Caucasian tribes that share the same root. The Mingrelian and Laz languages are very similar to each other. During the redrawing of state borders, the Mingrelians began to live within the borders of Russia and the Laz within the borders of the Ottoman Empire. After the collapse of Russia, the Mingrelians are now citizens of the Georgian State and the Laz are citizens of the Republic of Türkiye. The Laz are Muslim and the Mingrelians are Christian.
