Tao's Onomastics in Ottoman Sources 3

Abstract

Annotation. The historical Georgian region of Tao is now part of Turkey. According to modern administrative divisions, it is divided into the Artvin and Erzurum provinces. We note that in the past, the land of Tao was an arena for the meeting and dialogue of cultures. Georgian, Greek, and Armenian cultures met here. The footprints of each of them have marked the land of Tao. Tao primarily preserves the memory of Georgians - a large part of the country's ancient toponymy is Georgian, Which is proof that Tao is a Georgian country. In this paper, we discuss the onomastics of Tao according to Ottoman sources, the 1574 “Great Book of the Province of Gurjistan” and the 1835 “Davtari”, as well as the 1595 “Extensive Book of Artanuj Liv”. The sources allow us to discuss the toponymy and the ethnic composition of the villages surrounding Yusufeli. In the research, it is discussed in detail about the native men of Tivasor, Esbek, Erknis, Işhan according to the records of the books. In Ottoman books there are confirmed  two-member (name + father's name) and three-member (name + father's name + "surname") personal names. In materials, a nickname is used alongside a person's name to describe  them. The two-membered designation of the person is given in the years 1574 and 1595, Three members - in the "Davtari" of 1835. In the materials, a nickname is used along with the name to denote a person.

The research showed that a large part of the anthroponyms preserved in the "Davtar’s" of 1574 and 1595 are Georgian, less - non-Georgian. We have reason to believe that the ethnic composition of the population of Tao in the 16th century is a Georgian country.