Svans

This article is about a people in the Caucasus. For other meanings, see Svans (disambiguation).

Svans
Svan: შვანარ shvanar
Georgian: სვანი svani

Total population
c. 14,000–30,000
Regions with significant populations
Georgia	14,000–30,000
Russia	45 (2010)
Languages
Svan, Georgian
Religion
Predominantly † Eastern Orthodox Christianity (Georgian Orthodox Church)

The Svans (Georgian: სვანი, Svani) are an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians (Kartvelians) living mostly in Svaneti, a region in northwest Georgia. They speak the Svan language and are mostly bilingual also in Georgian. Both these languages belong to the Kartvelian (South Caucasian) language family. In the pre-1930 Soviet census, the Svans were afforded their own "ethnic group" (natsional'nost) category. The self-designation of the Svan is Mushüan, which is probably reflected in the ethnonym Misimian of the Classical authors.

History

Distribution of the Svan language in relation to other Kartvelian (South Caucasian) languages.

Svan with dagger and long smoking pipe. Mestia (~1888–1900)

The Svans are usually identified with the Sanni mentioned by Greek geographer Strabo, who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans.

In the Russian Empire and early Soviet Union Mingrelians and Svans had their own census grouping, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian thereafter in the 1930s. They are Georgian Orthodox Christians, and were Christianized in the 4th–6th centuries. However, some remnants of pre-Christian beliefs have been maintained. Saint George (known as Jgëræg to the locals), a patron saint of Georgia, is the most respected saint. The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, including blood revenge (although this tradition has been declining over time, as law enforcement takes hold). Their families are small, and the husband is the head of his family. The Svan strongly respect the older women in families.

Language

Typically bilingual, they use both Georgian and their own, unwritten Svan language. However, Svan is being largely replaced by Georgian, which is the language of culture and education in Georgia.

Culture

Svan culture survives most wonderfully in its songs and round dances. Svaneti boasts archaic three part polyphony, known as chordal unit polyphony, with strong dissonant harmonies. Traditional Svan poetry is still not separated from song and has no rhymed poetry. Svans are skillful artists and as Svaneti was widely regarded as the most inaccessible region of Georgia, many items of medieval Georgian state treasury (including the rare manuscripts of the bible) are still stored in Svaneti.

Famous Svans

• Temur Babluani
• Géla Babluani
• Mikheil Gelovani
• Otar Ioseliani
• Mikheil Kurdiani
• Sopho Gelovani
• Tariel Oniani