Собрание трудов в 3-х тт. Т. 1. Древняя Малая Азия : история и культура

Ardzinba V.

Collected Works in Three Volumes. Vol. 1. Ancient Asia Minor : History and Culture.

Еditor: Anatolij Vyatkin
Compilator: Vyacheslav Chirikba

Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences,

Москва; Сухум, 2015, 416 p.

Vladislav Grigor’evich Ardzinba is on of the most known politicians of Abkhazia and founder of contemporary Abkhazian state, its recognized leader. His activities just in this capacity have made the most profound impact on the ongoing process of formation of the new Abkhazian nation. However, before V.G. Ardzinba has started to make his brilliant political career, he was already a well-known scholar, one of the prominent experts on the history, cultural and religious life of the ancient Hittites – people who created one of the most developed world civilizations, which had a dramatic influence on subsequent civilizations of the Ancient Orient and Southern Europe. Moreover, V.G. Ardzinba was also one of the very few specialists on the language and culture of the Hattians, ancient people of the Asia Minor. Finally, the scholar was a well-known expert on the history and cultures of the Caucasus, being an author of several remarkable works on the Caucasian folklore and traditional religion. The first volume contains two important works of V.G. Ardzinba; one is of a generalizing nature – “Civilizations of Ancient Asia Minor” (1989); another is a monograph entitled “Rituals and Myths of Ancient Anatolia” (1982). Monograph “Rituals and Myths of Ancient Anatolia” turned out to be a classical work on the Hittite culture and mythology, a true handbook for specialists on the Hittites. This monograph analyses some of the most important Hittite “royal” festivals, that is, the rites performed under the guidance and with direct participation of the king and the queen (and often – the prince). Examining the royal holidays, the author uses the data of the ritual sacrifices, injunctions, as well as some typological correlations. The scholar also scrutinizes a number of Hittite myths. He analyses the functions of the Hittite king, queen and their “councillors” in the rite. The author investigates correlation of the king with the Storm good in the function of the country’s “defender”. The book also includes an essay “V.G. Ardzinba as a Scholar” written by such many-sided master, as academician V.V. Ivanov. The Appendix contains the reviews of the monograph by V.G. Ardzinba “Rituals and Myths of Ancient Anatolia”; materials of the discussion of this book, as well as Names Index and Index of Geographical Names.