TOPONYMS OF ODISH-ABKHAZETI IN THE 16th -17th CENTURIES
Akaki Chikobava
Scholar at Faculty of Humanities, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Abstract
From the beginning of the 18th century, when political border of Odish-Abkhazeti had moved back to river Enguri, all the lands beyond Enguri were in control of three Abkhazian princes. Stating the autochtony for the Abkhazian people from Enguri to Bzipi river, the Abkhazian academics are trying to prove all the Georgian and Megrelian toponyms there as introduced later. The Western European maps as well as the Georgian ecclesiastical charters are providing different picture – all the toponyms between the rivers Bzipi and Enguri are initially of Megrelian (Georgian) origin.
