Harvard Library Resources on Georgia and the Caucasus

Welcome to the Davis Center Program on Georgian Studies Library Guide to research materials on Georgia and the Caucasus.

Collage of paintings

The guide includes a general description of what is available on a variety of topics, ranging from history and politics to audio and visual materials as well as tips and guidelines for searching and accessing Georgia-related materials through HOLLIS, the Harvard library catalog. (See this guide for tips on getting the most out of your HOLLIS searches.) Importantly, the lists in this guide are not exhaustive and only include a representative sample of what is available in the Harvard library system out of 10,700 titles in Georgian. 

Please consult the Georgian Romanization Table for the transliteration guidelines in Georgian and the Russian Romanization Table for the transliteration guidelines in Russian. This guide mainly includes resources in Georgian, English and Russian.

Main keywords to aid your search include:

  • Georgia (Republic)
    • When searching for records on Georgia, use Georgia (Republic) subject heading. Georgia (Republic) is the authorized subject heading even though Georgia does not describe itself officially as a republic. 
  • caucas*
  • osseti*
  • abkhaz*

Please contact GeorgianStudies@fas.harvard.edu with any questions or concerns, as well as suggestions for the LibGuide. You can also contact RA Nini Sikharulidze directly at nsikharulidze@college.harvard.edu. 

Contents

Archives & Special Collections 

Houghton library is the main holding library for archives and special collections. Please contact Christine Jacobson (christine_jacobson@harvard.edu) for more details regarding holdings relevant to Georgia and the region. 

Georgia (Republic) records. 1914-1958 (inclusive), 1917-1940 (bulk) Georgia (Republic) 1978. These records include minutes, correspondence, reports, and other materials of political parties, regional soviets, and other government bodies, peace delegations and special committees before and during the Russian Revolutions of 1917. The declaration of independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, as well as government documents, parliamentary debates, ministerial reports, sittings of the cabinet, the People’s Guard, local government conferences, and economic reports between 1918-21, are included in the archival records.. These materials document the domestic and foreign activities of the Democratic Republic, including the government's relations with the League of Nations, the U.S., European governments and political parties, and underground groups in occupied Georgia after 1921. Records of the government in exile include account books from 1920 to 1938, correspondence and manuscripts of speeches and articles of Noe Jordania, the Georgian president in exile, Nikolai (Karlo) Chkheidze, Akaki Chkhenkeli, Noe Ramishvili, and other government figures.

Middle Eastern Division ephemera collection : Georgian elections ephemera Harvard College Library. Middle Eastern Division. 2012

Shota Rustaveli National Prize diploma and golden medal awarded to George Balanchine, 2004 Georgia (Republic) 2004. The Shota Rustaveli State Prize (created in 1965) is the highest prize awarded by the Republic of Georgia in the fields of art and literature. 

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Official Documents, Legal Resources & International Reports

This section includes a variety of resources discussing perspectives on democracy, the rule of law, Georgian and US legislation, and international treaties. Materials include topics from the 2008 Russo-Georgian war in Abkhazia and reviews of EU and US foreign policies in the aftermath of Georgia’s ethnic conflicts. 

Official Documents

Investment treaty with Georgia : message from the President of the United States transmitting the treaty between the government of the United States of America and the government of the Republic of Georgia concerning the encouragement and reciprocal protection of investment, with annex signed at Washington on March 7, 1994 Georgia (Republic) / Washington : U.S. G.P.O. / (Treaty doc. ; 104-13.) 1995

The Republic of Georgia : democracy, human rights and security : hearing before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, One Hundred Seventh Congress, second session, September 24, 2002 United States. Congress. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. / Washington : U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., [Congressional Sales Office] 2003

The Stability and Democracy for Georgia Act of 2008 or the STAND for Georgia Act of 2008 : hearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, on H.R. 6911, September 17, 2008 United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. / Washington : U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. 2008

Georgia [Republic]: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests Library of Congress. Foreign Affairs Division 2011

Georgia [Republic]: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests Library of Congress. Foreign Affairs Division, 2012

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Legal Resources

Includes materials such as National Security Lawmaking, Electoral Codices, Laws Concerning Protection of Public Safety, and Police Regulations.

The Constitution of Georgia Georgia (Republic) / Tbilisi : Juridical and publishing company NORMA Ltd. 1996

Documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and from the President of Russia Offical Web Portal on the conflict between Russia and Georgia, August 2008 [Vienna : OSCE] 2008

Georgia -- presidential and parliamentary elections 2008 : lessons learned Tbilisi : Council of Europe : OSCE 2009

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International Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports include reports from 1993 Former Soviet Union in Transition, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: CRS Report as well as newer Georgia CRS Reports. 

Georgia-- alleged human rights violations during the conflict in Abkhazia New York, N.Y. (322 8th Ave, New York 10001) : Amnesty International U.S.A. [1993]

Our strength is in unity : First World Congress of the Abkhazo-Abazian (Abaza) People, 7-8 October, 1992 Vsemirnyĭ kongress abkhazo-abazinskogo (abaza) naroda (1st : 1992 : Lykhny, Georgia) / Moscow : World Congress of the Abkhazo-Abazian (Abaza) People 1993

Human rights and democratization in the Republic of Georgia : hearing before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, One Hundred Fourth Congress, first session, March 28, 1995 United States. Congress. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. / Washington : U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the U.S. G.P.O., Supt. of Docs., Congressional Sales Office 1995

The policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Abkhazia (Georgia)--the main tool of aggressive separatism : proceedings of the international conference-seminar July 6-7, 1999 International Conference-Seminar "Policy of Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in Abkhazia (Georgia)--the Main Tool of Aggressive Separatism" (1999 : Tʻbilisi, Georgia) / Tbilisi : "Azri" Publishers 1999

Country report, Georgia/Abkhazia : ICRC worldwide consultation on the rules of war : report Geneva : International Committee of the Red Cross [1999]

International Election Observation Mission : presidential election, Georgia--4 January 2004 : statement of preliminary findings and conclusions International Election Observation Mission (Georgia (Republic)) / Tbilisi, Georgia : OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission [2004]

Fighting Corruption in Transition Economies: Georgia 2005 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. / Paris : OECD Publishing / (Fighting Corruption in Transition Economies,) 2005

Georgia [Republic]: recent developments and U.S. interests Nichol, James P Georgia [Republic], 2008, Vol.97-727.

EU foreign policy and post-Soviet conflicts : stealth intervention Popescu, Nicu. / London ; New York : Routledge / (Routledge advances in European politics ; 71.) 2011

Georgia: first and second reviews under the stand-by arrangement and under the standby credit facility arrangement, and request for waiver of non-observance of performance criterion-staff report; press release on the Executive Board discussion; and statement by the Executive Director for Georgia International Monetary Fund [Corporate Author] / Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund / (IMF Staff Country Reports) /(IMF country report ; no. 13/95) 2013

Reducing the vulnerability of Georgia's agricultural systems to climate change: impact assessment and adaptation options Ahouissoussi, Nicolas ; Neumann, James E ; Srivastava, Jitendra P ; Okan, Cuneyt ; Droogers, Peter International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, May 2014, 139 pp, 2014

Georgia : Request for a Stand-By Arrangement; Press Release; and Statement for the Executive Director for Georgia International Monetary Fund. Middle East and Central Asia Dept 2014

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Books: History and Politics of Georgia 

This section provides a brief overview of available books on Georgian history grouped in three chronological periods. Resources are listed under Antiquity, Medieval, and Modern. The latter includes Georgia’s two periods of independence (1918-21, and 1991 to the present).

Antiquity (B.C.D - 5th century A.D.) 

(English) Georgia in antiquity : a history of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia, 550 BC-AD 562 Braund, David, 1957- / Oxford : Clarendon Press ; Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press 1994

(Georgian) Atenis sionis somxuri carcerebi alekʻsiże, zaza / tʻbilisi : "mecʻniereba" / (sakʻartʻvelos istoriis cqaroebi ; 6.) /(epigrapʻikuli żeglebi da xelnacertʻa minacerebi ; 2.) 1978

(Georgian, Armenian, English) K'artʻlis cʻxovreba : the Georgian royal annals and their medieval Armenian adaptation 1st ed. / Delmar, N.Y. : Caravan Books / (Anatolian and Caucasian studies.) 1998

(English) Edge of empires: a history of Georgia Rayfield, Donald 2012

(Georgian) Demokratiuli tendencʻiebi: antikuri samqaro da sakʻartʻvelo : encʻiklopediuri cʻnobari = The democratic tendencies: ancient world and Georgia : encyclopedy [sic] tʻbilisi : sagamomcʻemlo programa "logosi" 2012

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Medieval Era (Middle Ages - 5-15th century A.D.)  

(Georgian) C'xorebay da ucqebay bagratoniantʻa sumbat davitʻis-że, active 11th century / Tʻbilisi : Mecʻniereba" / (Kʻartʻuli saistorio mcerlobis żeglebi 8.) /(Sakʻartʻvelos istoriis cqaroebi 61.) 1990

(Georgian) Tʻamar Mepʻe--mšveneba da šaravandedi Sakʻartʻvelosa Gurgeniże, Vaxtang 1990

(Georgian) Tʻamar mepʻis droindeli matiane : "Cʻxovreba Mepʻetʻ mepʻetʻa Tʻamarisi" Tʻbilisi : [s.n.] 2001

(Georgian) Kartlis tskhovreba: A History of Georgia 2014.

(English) Eurasian State of Georgia in the Fourteenth Century: The Mongol Era and Its End Kiknadze, Vazha ; Kiknaze, Vaza 2013

(Russian) Istorii͡a i povestvovanie o bagrationakh sumbat davitʻis-że, active 11th century. / tbilisi : met͡sniereba / (pami͡atniki gruzinskoĭ istoricheskoĭ literatury ; 3.) /(sakʻartʻvelos istoriis cqaroebi ; 13.) 1979

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Modern Era

  • Russian Empire (1801 - 1918)

(Georgian) K'artʻuli lirikis antʻologia (1765-1825) Tʻbilisi : universitetis gamomcʻemloba 2014

(English) Socialism in Georgian colors : the European road to social democracy, 1883-1917 Jones, Stephen F. / Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press 2005

  • Independence (1918-1921)

(English) The experiment: Georgia's Forgotten revolution, 1918-1921 Lee, Eric / 1st ed. 2017

(Georgian) Sakʻartʻvelos respublika Tʻbilisi : sakʻartʻvelos respublika 1990-

(English & French) The 1921 Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Georgia = La Constitution de 1921 de la République Démocratique de Géorgie Georgia (Republic) / Batumi : Constitutional Court of Georgia 2012

(English) The Making of Modern Georgia, 1918–2012: The first Georgian republic and its successors, Jones, Stephen, 2014

(Georgian) The experiment: Georgia's Forgotten revolution, 1918-1921 Lee, Eric / 1st ed. 2017

  • Soviet Period (1921-1991)

(French) Histoire de la Géorgie asatʻiani, nodar, 1931- / Paris : L'Harmattan, 1997

(Russian) Harvard Russian and Soviet Humanities Preservation Microfilm Project titles. 

(English) Georgia after Stalin: Nationalism and Soviet power Blauvelt, Timothy K ; Smith, Jeremy 2015

(English) Georgia from national awakening to Rose Revolution: delayed transition in the former Soviet Union Wheatley, Jonathan 2016
 

  • Post-Soviet (1991-present)

(English) Georgia: From Autocracy to Democracy Jones, Stephen F ;  MacFarlane, Neil, 2020

(Georgian) Sakʻartʻvelos samokʻalakʻo sazogadoebis šepʻaseba, 2005 : demokratiuli pʻaseulobebis ertʻguleba gamocvevebitʻ aġsavse garemoši; sivikus-is samokʻalakʻo sazogadoebis indekʻsis šemoklebulo šepʻasebis instrumenti gurgeniże, paata. / tʻbilisi : konsultaciisa da treningis cʻentri 2006

(English) Defending the Border: Identity, Religion, and Modernity in the Republic of Georgia Pelkmans, Mathijs 2006

(English) Democracy and autocracy in Eurasia : Georgia in transition Areshidze, Irakly. / East Lansing : Michigan State University Press / (Eurasian political economy and public policy studies series.) 2007

(English) The Guns of August 2008: Russia's War in Georgia Cornell, Svante E ; Starr, S. Frederick 2009

(English) Little War That Shook the World: Georgia, Russia and the Future of the West Asmus, Ronald / 1st ed. 2010

(English) Popular mobilization and empowerment in Georgia's Rose Revolution Hash-Gonzalez, Kelli ; Hash-Gonzalez, Kelli 2012

(English) The August War in Georgia: Foreign Media Coverage Oganjanyan, Amalia / 1. Aufl. 2012

(English) Uncertain Democracy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Georgia's Rose Revolution Mitchell, Lincoln Abraham, 2013

(English) Certain Aspects of Georgian-Russian Relations in Modern Historiography Muskhelishvili, David 2014

(English) The Causes of Post-Mobilization Leadership Change and Continuity: A Comparative Analysis of Post-Color Revolution in Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia Rukhadze, Vasili 2021

(Georgian) Sakʻartʻvelos Sisxlis samartʻlis kodekʻsi : gamocʻemulia 2000 clis 1 Okʻtombris mdgomreobitʻ Georgia (Republic) / [Tʻbilisi] : Gamomcʻemloba "L.D." 2000

(Georgian) Sakʻartʻvelos šromis kanonmdebloba Georgia (Republic) / Tʻbilisi : ["Bona kauza"] 2000

(English) Georgia : pawn in the new great game Gahrton, Per, 1943- / London : Pluto Press 2010

(English) Strangers in a Strange Land : Occidentalist Publics and Orientalist Geographies in Nineteenth?Century Georgian Imaginaries Manning, Paul 2012

(English) Georgia : the land below the Caucasus : a narrative history Skinner, Peter (Historian) [author] / New York ; London ; Tbilisi : Narikala Publications 2014

(English) Warlords and Coalition Politics in Post-Soviet States Driscoll, Jesse 2015

(English) Evangelical Christian Baptists of Georgia : the history and transformation of a free church tradition Sonġulašvili, Malxaz, 1963- [author] / Waco : Baylor University Press / (Studies in world Christianity (Waco, Tex.)) [2015]

(English) Gender in Georgia : feminist perspectives on culture, nation, and history in the South Caucasus New York : Berghahn Books 2018

(English) No Path Home: Humanitarian Camps and the Grief of Displacement Dunn, Elizabeth Cullen 2018

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Books and Other Materials on Abkhazia & South Ossetia 

Reports on conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This section includes discussion of inter- ethnic relations in Georgia along with analyses of the ethnic conflicts in Georgia. 

1991-present

(Georgian) Narkvevebi kʻartʻul-apʻxazuri kulturul-literaturuli urtʻiertʻobis istoriidan Čurġulia, Otʻar. / Soxumi : Alašara 1974-

(English) Understanding ethnopolitical conflict : Karabakh, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia wars reconsidered / World Politics 1989-

(English) The conflict in Abkhazia : a Georgian perspective Gachechiladze, Zaza. / [Washington, D.C.] : National Defense University, Institute for National Strategic Studies / (Strategic forum no. 21.) [1995]

(English) Historical sociological interpretation of nationalist separatism in the four former Soviet autonomous republics, Tataria, Chechnya, Abkhazia, and Ajaria Derluguian, Georgii Matveevich. 1995

(English) U.S. and Russian policymaking with respect to the use of force Santa Monica, CA : RAND 1996

(English) No peace, no war in the Caucasus : secessionist conflicts in Chechnya, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh Walker, Edward W. / [Cambridge, Mass.] : Strengthening Democratic Institutions Project, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University [1998]

(English) Two mirrors : Georgian events of 1988-89, as reflected in the Georgian and central Soviet mass media Enoch, Reuven. / Jerusalem : The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, The Hebrew University / (Peace papers 10.) 1998

(English) The conflict in Abkhazia : dilemmas in Russian 'peacekeeping' policy Lynch, Dov, 1970- / London : Royal Institute of International Affairs, Russia and Eurasia Programme / (RIIA discussion paper ; no. 77.) 1998

(English) Genocide in Abkhazia Nadareishvili, Tamaz, 1954- / 2nd ed. / Tbilisi : AZRI Publishers 1999

(English) Federal practice : exploring alternatives for Georgia and Abkhazia Brussels : VUB University Press c2000

(English) Interests over norms in western policy towards the Caucasus: How Abkhazia is no one's Kosovo Fawn, Rick ; Cummings, Sally N European security (London, England), 2001-09-01, Vol.10 (3), p.84-108

(English) War and Secession: A Moral Analysis of the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict Coppieters, Bruno CONTEXTUALIZING SECESSION, 2003-01-01, p.187-212

(English) Status of autonomous regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia within Georgia, 1917-1998 : collection of political-legal acts Tʻbilisi : Regionalism Research Center 2004

(English) Independence of Abkhazia and prospects for the Caucasus Colarusso, John, 1945- / 1st ed. / Istanbul : Friends of Abkhazia c2010

(English) A difficult encounter : the informal Georgian-Abkhazian dialogue process Wolleh, Oliver. / Berlin : Berghof Forschungszentrum für Konstruktive Konfliktbearbeitung / (Berghof transitions series no. 12.) 2006

(English) EU Neglect and Competing Mediation in Georgia's Conflicts Tocci, Nathalie The International spectator, 2006-10-01, Vol.41 (4), p.69-84

(English) Problematic Region of Caucasus: South Osetia YapIcI, Merve Irem Orta Asya ve Kafkasya araştırmaları, 2007-01-01, Vol.2 (3), p.71-104

(English) Georgia after Stalin: Nationalism and Soviet power Blauvelt, Timothy K ; Smith, Jeremy 2015

Georgian: 

Agresiuli separatizmi da misi šedegebi Beniże, Valerian, 1927- / Tʻbilisi : gamomcʻemloba "Cʻis nami" 2010

Alamisi = Aalamis : apʻxazuri novelebi Lakrba, Mikha, 1901-1965 / Tʻbilisi : literaturis muzeumi 2012

Ap'xazur-kʻartʻuli etʻnograpʻiul termintʻa ganmartebitʻi lekʻsikoni Bakhia, S. I 2020


English:

Abkhazia and South Ossetia - Russia's Intervention in Georgia (August 2008) Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

Regional conflicts in Georgia -- the Autonomous Oblast of South Ossetia, the Autonomous SSR of Abkhazia, 1989-2008 : the collection of political-legal acts 2nd, updated ed. / Tbilisi : Regionalism Research Center 2008

The guns of August 2008 : Russia's war in Georgia Armonk, N.Y. : M.E. Sharpe /Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge / (Studies of Central Asia and the Caucasus.) 2009

Uncertain democracy :U.S. foreign policy and Georgia's Rose Revolution Mitchell, Lincoln Abraham. / Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press c2009

The GeorgiaAbkhazia conflict: Critical factors shaping the present stalemate Beaulieu, Kyle Alexander 2009

The Responsibility of Outside Powers for Acts of Secessionist Entities Talmon, Stefan The International and comparative law quarterly, 2009-07-14, Vol.58 (3), p.493-517

Abkhaz : a comprehensive self-tutor Hewitt, B. G. / München : LINCOM Europa / (LINCOM student grammars ; 03.) 2010

Under siege : inter-ethnic relations in Abkhazia London : Hurst & Co. 2010

Discordant Neighbours: A Reassessment of the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-South Ossetian Conflicts Hewitt, B. George 2013

The making of modern Georgia, 1918-2012 : the first Georgian republic and its successors Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge / (Routledge contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe series ; 52.) 2014

"Frozen conflicts" in Europe Opladen : Barbara Budrich Publishers 2015

Opportunity, Identity, and Resources in Ethnic Mobilization: The Iraqi Kurds and the Abkhaz of Georgia Fawaz, Ahmed Abdel-Hafez 2017

Language Education and Ethnic Resentment in Soviet Abkhazia, 1939–53 Blauvelt, Timothy K Ab imperio, 2020, Vol.2020 (1), p.197-219

Identities and representations in Georgia from the 19th century to the present Berlin : De Gruyter Oldenbourg / (Schriften des Historischen Kollegs. Kolloquien 103.) [2021]

Mobilizing in Uncertainty: Collective Identities and War in Abkhazia Shesterinina, Anastasia 2021

Collective Historical Memory Shesterinina, Anastasia Mobilizing in Uncertainty, 2021-03-15

Durable Solutions: Challenges with Implementing Global Norms for Internally Displaced Persons in Georgia Funke, Carolin 2022

Other Languages:

(Abkhazian & Russian) Abkhazovedenie : istorii͡a, arkheologii͡a, ėtnologii͡a = Aphsuatht͡ṡaara : athourykh, arkheologia, aetnologia Sukhum : Alashara 200?-[?].

(Russian) Abkhazskie tradit︠s︡ionnye obri︠a︡dy i obri︠a︡dovai︠a︡ poėzii︠a︡ Tabagua, S. A. (Svetlana Andreevna) / Moskva : MAKS Press 2001

(Russian) Materialy gazety "kavkaz" po istorii abkhazii Tʻbilisi : gamocʻemloba "Meridiani" 2012-<2013>

(German) Das Völkerrecht als Mittel zur Lösung ethnischer Konflikte : eine Untersuchung anhand von Georgien und den De-facto-Staaten Abchasien und Südossetien Bültermann, Lennart, 1985- [author] / Baden-Baden : Nomos / (Völkerrecht und Aussenpolitik ; Bd. 84.) 2017

(Russian) Kavkaz: kulinarnoe puteshestvie po gruzii, azerbaĭdzhanu i dalee Hercules, Olia 2020

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Maps

For a more comprehensive overview of the map collection at Harvard and for additional map resources on Georgia and the region, contact David Weimer, Librarian for Cartographic Collections and Learning at dweimer@fas.harvard.edu. 

Petite Tartarie Manesson-Mallet, Allain, approximately 1630-approximately 1706 / [Paris : D. Thierry / (Harvard Map Collection. Krawciw Collection.)

Carte de la Géorgie et des pays situés entre la mer Noire et la mer Caspienne : dessinée en 1738 d'après les Cartes, Mémoires, Mesures et Observations des gens du Pays Santini, P. / Venice : Par P. Santini 1775.

Carte d'assemblage de l'Europe. Vandermaelen, Philippe, 1795-1869. 

Russia Hall, Sidney ; Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green 1827.

Géorgie primitive avant l'invasion des Scythes (Khazares) selon les origines géorgiennes de Vakhtang V : publiées par J. de Klaproth, VI. siècle avant J.C. Dubois de Montpéreux, Frédéric, 1798-1849 [cartographer] / [Zurich] : J. de Klaproth [1840?]

[Soviet Union 1:200,000.] Soviet Union. aovetskai︠a︡ armii︠a︡. generalʹnyĭ shtab / [Moskva] : generalnyi shtab 1951-

Georgia United States. Central Intelligence Agency 1999

Sak'artʻvelo : samxareo-administracʻiuli daqopʻis ruka Shekelashvili, E. / Tʻbilisi : S.S. "Kartograpʻia" 2003

Ethnic distribution in Abkhazia Region according census years GeoLand Ltd. / [T'bilisi] : Geoland, Ltd. [2008]

Sakʻartʻvelos erovnuli atlasi = nat͡sionalʹnyĭ atlas Gruzii = National atlas of Georgia Tʻbilisi : Ivane Javaxišvilis saxelobis tʻbilisis saxelmcipʻo universitetis vaxušti bagrationis geograpʻiis instituti, zusti da sabunebismetqvelo mecʻnierebatʻa pʻakultetis geograpʻiis departamenti 2012

Carte de la Géorgie : échelle 1:3.000.000 Lobrot (Engraver), cartographer

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Images

This section includes a few of the major digital image collections available at Harvard featuring Georgia. Please search HOLLIS Images to access additional digitized visual holdings from Harvard’s collections. To search for Georgia-related images on HOLLIS images, you can use such keywords as tbilisi, caucas*, or “soviet georgia*”.

For visual materials that have not been digitized, search HOLLIS.

Georgia in Soviet Information Bureau Photograph Collection. These 5,780 digitized black and white photos were intended to document the reconstruction of the Soviet Union following World War II. The collection contains a number of photographs of Tbilisi and other parts of Georgia and events in Georgia. These can be found by browsing the online finding aid for such folders as “Soviet Georgia celebrates,” “Tbilisi, capital of Soviet Georgia,” and “Youth Pioneer meet in Tbilisi.” All Georgia-related images from the collection can be found by searching HOLLIS Images for the keyword combination “Soviet information bureau” and one of the relevant keywords.

Judaica Division, Widener Library Collections The Judaica Division’s collections document the life and culture of the Jewish people throughout history — in all places, all languages, and all formats. Among its holdings are over 1700 digitized images pertaining to the history of Georgian Jewry both in Georgia and in Israel. (Search HOLLIS Images for the keywords “Judaica georgia*”.)

Kaukasien Dammann, C., 1819-1874, German [photographer] Buchner, Max, 1846-1921, German [photographer] between 1870 and 1876. 18 ethnographic photographs, numbered 367-384. Portraits by German ethnographer Max Buchner from the South Caucasus, chiefly Tbilisi in Georgia. Images include musicians, vendors, laborers, a courier, water carrier, and the son of Imam Shamil.

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Georgian Cinema

Part of Georgian culture and heritage, cinema is an integral part of self-expression and story-telling. This section overviews the film collection available at Harvard. Please consult the Harvard Film Archive for detailed guidelines on how to search for film-related materials through HOLLIS.  The Harvard Film Archive, a repository of 35mm films, is where Georgian movies may be screened publicly. Lamont and Widener libraries as well as The Fine Arts Library’s Media Collection includes CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes. Harvard also has access to streaming video resources, particularly Alexander Street. For a more comprehensive overview of the film collection at Harvard and for additional cinema resources on Georgia and the region, contact Reed Lowrie, Head of Research Services for FAS Libraries, at lowrie@fas.harvard.edu.

Collection of Georgian Movies 15 movies, mainly from the Soviet era. 

The machine which makes everything disappear [New York?] : Icarus Films [012] Presented by Icarus Films with the support of Georgian National Film Center and Geothe Institut Georgia, “The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear” is a film about growing up in Georgia, and finding commonalities across social and ethnic lines.

Tangerines Urushadze, Zaza ; Felt, Ivo ; Ulfsak, Lembit ; Nüganen, Elmo ; Nakashidze, Giorgi ; Meskhi, Mikhail ; Trass, Raivo ; Diasamidze, Niaz / Widescreen. 2015. In the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, two Estonian immigrant farmers decide to remain in Georgia long enough to be able to harvest their tangerine crop. Tangerines was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards. 

Pirosmani Standard version. / Moskva : RUSSICO, (Grand Rekords Pablishing) c1999, 2005. A dramatic, visual meditation on the life of Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani. The film is structured as a series of impressionistic episodes from the artist's life, leading up to his tragic demise from alcoholism and starvation in 1919.

And then we danced Akin, Levan ; Dedye, Mathilde ; Danelia, Ketie ; Gelbakhiani, Levan ; Valishvili, Bachi ; Javakhishvili, Ana ; Tsereteli, Giorgi ; Gogidze, Kakha ; Fridell, Lisabi ; Carlgren, Simon ; Jincharadze, Nini ; Baramidze, Teo 2020. A passionate tale of love and liberation set within the conservative modern society of the Republic of Georgia, the film follows Merab, a devoted young dancer who, with his partner Mary, has been tirelessly training to land a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble. Braunschweig International Film Festival Best Feature Film LQBT and a Cannes Film Festival Nominee in 2019. 

Taming the garden: Panopto [2021] Documentary follows trees that are transported, at great expense and inconvenience, from the coast of the Republic of Georgia to the private garden of that country's former prime minister.

Suggested guidelines when searching for Georgian cinema through HOLLIS:

  • In Advanced search, in the first line enter: film OR movie OR cinema OR "motion picture" OR "motion pictures" OR "moving picture" OR "moving pictures" OR disc OR tape OR laserdisc OR video OR videodisc
  • In the second line change what you're searching for from 'Keyword anywhere' to 'Place' and enter Georgia
  • Run the search. You should get 450 results. This will include books, so choose the Videos/Film filter. Now you should have 158 results.
  • In this instance we need to get rid of the films that are about, or take place in, the state of Georgia in the US, so you'll want to use the Place filter to choose "Georgia (Republic)", "Georgia (Republic) T'bilisi" etc. You may want to choose Soviet Union, Israel, and any other country that might have made a film involving Georgia. 

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Periodicals

This section includes a list of historic and current journals and newspapers on and from Georgia and the Caucasus region. Breakdown is based on historical period and language. 

Kavkaz Digital Archive available online on EastView. The newspaper Kavkaz (Кавказ, The Caucasus) was published from 1846-1918. It was the first Russian-language newspaper in the Caucasus, published in Tiflis (Tbilisi), Georgia.  Kavkaz published official documents of the Russian Empire, as well as many historical, cultural and archeological writings by prominent public and cultural figures of the local intelligentsia. The Kavkaz Digital Archive contains all known and available issues of the newspaper.

Periodicals of Central Asia and the Caucasus (UDB-CAC)  This database includes a number of authoritative periodicals published in the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union. The sources are mostly in Russian and English and cover various issues of domestic and international importance.

For information regarding the contemporary materials on Central Asia, visit Caspiana: A Digital Toolbox for Students and Scholars of Central Asia and South Caucasus.

SVOBODNAIA GRUZIIA [1998-2019] The best-known Russian-language paper in Georgia. Materials on the political and economic situation, social sphere, culture, science and so on. Pays special attention to Russia-Georgia relations.

SVOBODNAIA GRUZIIA (WEB VERSION) [2017-2022] The web version of the Russian-language paper in Georgia. Materials on political and economic situation, social sphere, culture, science and so on. Pays special attention to Russia-Georgia relations.

THE MESSENGER [2001-2022] GEORGIA'S ENGLISH DAILY, The analytical daily review of events in Georgia in English. In the autumn of 2002 it was separated from the newspaper " The Georgian Times.”

RESPUBLIKA ABKHAZIIA [2004-2022] The only official publication of the
self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia. Publishes all decrees, edicts and other
government documents.

IUZHNAIA OSETIIA RESPUBLIKANSKAIA
OBSHCHESTVENNO-POLITICHESKAIA GAZETA [2006-2022]

1900-1921

(Available Online) (Georgian) Żveli sakʻartʻvelo : sakʻartʻvelos saistorio da saetʻnograpʻio sazogadoebis krebuli T’bilisi : elekʻtro-mbečdavi "Żmobisa" : elekʻtro-mbečdavi Spiridon Losaberiżisa 1909

(Georgian) Istoriul-etʻnograpʻiuli żiebani Tʻbilisi : sakʻartʻvelos mecʻnierebatʻa akademia, Ivane Javaxišvilis saxelobis istoriisa da etʻnologiis instituti 19??-

(Available Online) (Georgian) Sakʻartʻvelos muzeumis moambe TBʻilisi 192?-[?].

(Georgian) Č'veni mecʻniereba Tpʻilisi. 192?-[?]

Soviet Era Journals (1922-1990)

(Georgian) K'artʻuli cqarotʻmcʻodneoba Tʻbilisi : gamomcʻemloba "Mecʻniereba" 1965-

(Georgian)  Bedi karthlisa : revue de karthvélologie, Paris : Impr. P.I.U.F. 1948-1984.

(Georgian & Russian) Voprosy novoi istorii gruzii Tbilisi, "Metsniereba" 1971-

(Georgian) Jvari vazisa Tʻbilisi : Sakʻartʻvelos Sapatriarkʻo 1978-19??.

1991- present

(Georgian) Bedi kʻartʻlisa : kʻartʻul-pʻranguli literaturuli urtʻiertʻobani, XX saukune = bedi kartlisa : revue de kartvelologie Tʻurnava, Sergo. / Tʻbilisi : mecʻniereba 1991

(Available Online) (English) Country report. Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Central Asian republics, London : The Unit c1993-1994

(Georgian) Artanuji Tʻbilisi : Artanuji 1994-

(English, French, German & Russian) Caucasica : the journal of Caucasian studies Tbilisi : Tbilisi University Press 1998-

(Georgian) Istoriuli memkvidreoba Tʻbilisi : arasamecarmeo iuridiuli piri "Istoriuli Memkvidreoba" 2009-

(Georgian) Istoriani Tʻbilisi : gamomcʻemloba Palitra 2011-

(Georgian) Sami saunje Tʻbilisi : "Sami Saunje" 2011-

(Georgian) K'artʻvelologiis akʻtualuri problemebi = Actual problems of Kartvelology = APK tʻbilisi : sakʻartʻvelos sapatriarkʻos cmida andria pirvelcodebulis saxelobis kʻartʻuli universiteti 2013-

(Available Online) (English) Caucasus survey London : International Association for the Study of the Caucasus /[Abingdon, Oxfordshire] : Routledge, Taylor & Francis 2013-

(Available Online) (English) Georgia : background and U.S. policy Welt, Cory [author] / [Library of Congress public edition]. / [Washington, D.C.] : Congressional Research Service / (CRS report R45307.) 2018-

(English) Health and health care, Georgia : statistical yearbook Tbilisi : National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health after L. Sakvarelidze 2004-

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Music

Georgian folk music is known for its rich polyphony. The list below includes chakrulo, a Georgian polyphonic choral folk song, recognized by UNESCO, and one of the Voyager Golden Records sent to deep space on Voyager in 1977. Harvard’s collection includes both sound recordings and music scores, mainly held in Loeb Music Library, Widener Library and online. 

Georgian Folk Songs  

Including Georgian Supra Feast Songs, Ensemble Basiani, Ensemble Odila, Iavnana.

Chakrulo : Georgian folk songs Ansambli "rustʻavi" / [Berlin, Germany] : Beaux
Records ; Germany : Mazur Media [1998]

The golden fleece: songs from Abkhazia and Adzharia Leiden, Netherlands : Pan
Records / (Anthology of music from the Caucasus ; 2.) /(Anthology of music from
the Caucasus.) p1993

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Books: Social Sciences, Life Sciences & Arts

The list below includes a wide range of topics. Although this is not an exhaustive list, it broadly shows what is available through HOLLIS.  The list encompasses books. When searching for articles, check off  “Articles” under Resource Type. 

(Georgian) T'bilisis saxelmcipʻo istoriul-etʻnograpʻiuli muzeumis šromebi Tʻbilisi : gamomcʻemloba "Sabčotʻa Sakʻartʻvelo" 1966-

(Georgian) Asi lekʻsi Tʻbilisi : gamomcʻemloba Intelekʻti / (Kʻartʻuli Poezia ; 20.) 2007

(Georgian) Vepʻxis tqaosani Rustaveli, Shota, active 12th century-13th century. / Tpʻilisi : [s.n. 1913]

(Georgian) Kacʻia, adamiani!? : avtoris mokle biograpʻiitʻ Čavčavaże, Ilia, 1837-1907 / Tpʻilisi : Stamba "Kʻartʻveltʻa amxanagobisa" / (Kʻartʻveltʻa šoris cera-kitʻxvis gamavrcʻelebeli sazogadoebis gamocʻema ; 178.) 1919

(Georgian) Kʻartʻuli xelnacerebi Tbilisi, "Khelovneba," 1970

(Georgian) Luka Sulakauri, Arčʻil, 1927-1997. / Tʻbilisi : "Merani" 1973

(Russian) Lado Gudiashvili : zhiznʹ, tvorchestvo, suzhdenii︠a︡ : k 90-letii︠u︡ so dni︠a︡ rozhdenii︠a︡ Moseshvili, I︠U︡. / Tbilisi : "Khelovneba" 1986

(English) On the history of the inception and development of archaeology in Georgia / Gela Gamkrelidze Gamqreliże, Gela / Tbilisi : [Tipografii︠a︡ AN GSSR] 1990

(English) Georgia : in the mountains of poetry Nasmyth, Peter. / New York : St. Martin's Press 1998

(Georgian) XX saukunis kʻartʻuli mcerloba Nikoleišvili, Avtʻandil, 1948- / Kʻutʻaisi : Kʻutʻaisis saxelmcipʻo universitetis gamomcʻemloba 2002

(English) Poems Tabiże, Galaktion, 1892-1959 / Tʻbilisi : Tbilisi State University press ; 2005.

(English) Defending the Border: Identity, Religion, and Modernity in the Republic of Georgia Pelkmans, Mathijs 2006

(Georgian) Niko Pʻirosmanašvili, 1862-1918 Beriże, Vaxtang, 1914-2000 / Tʻbilisi : Giorgi Čʻubinašvilis saxelobis kʻartʻuli xelovnebis istoriisa da żegltʻa dacʻvis kvlevis erovnuli cʻentri 2004

(English) The vine, wine and the Georgians Čilašvili, Levan / Tbilisi : Petite Publisher 2004

(Georgian) Balančʻini = Balanchine Lomiże, Nona. / Tʻbilisi ; Vena : [publisher not identified] 2011

(Georgian) Elene Axvlediani, 1898-1975 Arsenišvili, Irina / Tʻbilisi : Kʻarčʻxażis gamomcʻemloba / (Kʻartʻuli mxatvroba) 2011

(Georgian) Šua saukuneebis kʻartʻuli saeklesio xelovneba sakʻartʻvelos erovnul muzeumši = Medieval Georgian Ecclesiastical Art in the Georgian National Museum Sakʻartʻvelos erovnuli muzeumi / Tbilisi : Georgian National Museum 2012

(Georgian) Irakli Pʻarjiani, 1950-1991 Arsenišvili, Irina / Tʻbilisi : Kʻarčʻxażis gamomcʻemloba / (Kʻartʻuli mxatvroba) [2012]

(English) Journey to Karabakh Morčʻilaże, Aka, 1966- / First edition. / Champaign : Dalkey Archive Press / (The Georgian Literature Series) 2014

(Georgian, English) Akaki Ceretʻeli = Akaki Tsereteli : (cʻxovreba da šemokʻmedeba) Minašvili, Lado [author] / Tʻbilisi : Universitetis gamomcʻemloba 2015

(English) Flight from the U.S.S.R Turašvili, Datʻo, 1966- / Oakville, Ontario : Mosaic Press 2015

(English) For the Love of Wine My Odyssey through the World's Most Ancient Wine Culture Feiring, Alice [author] / Lincoln : Potomac Books, an Imprint of the University of Nebraska Press [2016]

(Georgian) ვაჟა-ფშაველა Važa-Pʻšavela Tʻbilisi : Giorgi Leoniżis saxelobis Kʻartʻuli literaturis saxelmcipʻo muzeumi [2016]

(English) Georgian wine tourism guide Tbilisi, Georgia : Georgian Wine Association [2016]

(English) Gender in georgia: feminist perspectives on culture, nation, and history in the south caucasus Barkaia, Maia ; Waterston, Alisse / 1st ed. /1 /1st Edition. 2017

(English) Niko Pirosmani : wanderer between worlds Berlin : Hatje Cantz / (Ausstellung der Albertina ; 541.) [2018]

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Resources Beyond Harvard

The resources below include several online resources that offer a wide variety of materials on Georgia and the Caucasus. This list is subject to change and expansion. 

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Please contact GeorgianStudies@fas.harvard.edu with any questions and concerns, as well as suggestions for the LibGuide.