|
The Kartvelologist The Kartvelologist” is a bilingual (Georgian and English) peer-reviewed, academic journal, covering all spheres of Kartvelological scholarship. Along with introducing scholarly novelties in Georgian Studies, it aims at popularization of essays of Georgian researchers on the international level and diffusion of foreign Kartvelological scholarship in Georgian scholarly circles. “The Kartvelologist” issues both in printed and electronic form. In 1993-2009 it came out only in printed form (#1-15). The publisher is the “Centre for Kartvelian Studies” (TSU), financially supported by the “Fund of the Kartvelological School”. In 2011-2013 the journal is financed by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation. 
|
Temur Todua Surion-Vani Patron Goddess: “Anassa Souri”
The ancient city Vani was known as the city of “Surion” Anassa Souriin ancient times [5, p. 223; 9, pp. 124-128]. A number of significant artifacts have been discovered about the city, among which the highest interest is evoked by a vertically scratched inscription on the gate wall of Vani city which reads as follows: Ar[aomai[w Anas]s[a I pray thee my Lord – the Goddess” [6, p. 52]. From the paleographical point of view, the inscription dates from the IV-III cc. BC and is considered to be the oldest of the ancient Greek lapidary inscriptions [4, p. 148]. The inscription is worth noting for a number of reasons. For instance, not only does it provide an insight into the religious beliefs of the citizens of the city Vani - Surion, but, also, about the general ideology of society in ancient Kolkheti. According to explorers, the Goddess must have been the patroness of Surion-Vani[7, pp. 199-200], which is quite reasonable. However, it has not yet been established exactly which Goddess the Surion Anassa is associated with in essence. In this regard, some answers can be obtained from anonymous coins depicting the images of Lotus dated to the 1st century BC discovered in Vani [2, pp. 32-33]. We believe that the topography of these coins is associated with the “Goddess" of the earth hidden behind the epiclesis” – “Anassa” “The Lord”. At the same time, the obverse type indicates the cult of Isis. According to the explorers’ interpretation, these attributes are typical of the local goddess traditionally worshipped by the Colchis [8, p. 124]. Besides, syncretism of cults was popular in the period of time when Colchis was the part of the Kingdom of Pontus and Isis was identified with Aphrodite, while in Lesser Asia and the Mediterranean, Aphrodite was worshipped in the same way as the Lord [1, pp. 24-25]. It is also worth noting that in the Kingdom of Pontus Aphrodite was worshipped as Iranian Anahita and Makibella or was identified with the cult of Great Mother. Thus, semantically, she was closer to Egyptian Isida [10, pp. 157-180]. In the Hellenistic epoch attributes of gods of fertility reveal closeness with/to the cults of Isida and Osiris [3, p. 25]. Considering the fact that the temple dedicated to Aphrodite was erected in Vani and one of the hypostasis of Zeus Philios was considered to be Pylos, whose female mate was Demeter, as well as the rest of Eleusinian goddesses [11, pp. 471-475], we can consider Surion-Vani patron Goddess as the symbol of the Goddess of Nature. It is not impossible that the Colchian form of the Vani patron Goddess’s name was Suria. It is also possible that the city was named after her, similarly as Athens was named after Athena, or the name of Phasis came from the Phasian goddess. As for the etymology of the old name of Vani – “Surion”, we believe that it, like Phasis, it must be connected with water. The root of “Surion” – “Sur”, similar to alternatives of “Phas” in Kartvelian languages such as Su, Sumua, Pse, Psuma, Suamt, Mosmuroba, Suru – conveys the meaning of ''water'' and its related concepts. If this is true, then “Anassa Suri”, similarly to Aphrodite, might have been the Goddess of one of the essential elements of nature – the water, or the river Goddess. It should also be noted that in the entrance to Surion –Vani city, like in Phasis, there was erected a statue of patroness Goddess - Surion–Vani (Arr., PPE, 9)[6, pp. 61-62]. Such topography was characteristic of only the Colchian pantheon and thus was uncommon in the Greek world. However, Hellenistic and Colchian sacral construction traditions and a religious process of syncretisation are quite explicit.
References:
|
Categories Journal Archive |