Abkhazia in legends

Lina Belyarova

The book “Abkhazia in Legends” represents selected epic tales, myths and legends, including also those of Greek origin, connected with Abkhazia in which mythological conceptions, nature, history, religious beliefs, cults, mentality, morals, customs and the way of life of the Abkhaz people have been reflected. The front book-cover shows the drawing of Medea – the daughter of King Aeetes of Colchis. The book is intended for all those who are interested in Abkhazia and its folklore.

Abkhazia in legends

Illustrator Lina Belyarova

Cover designer Lina Belyarova

Authour-compiler Lina Belyarova

© Lina Belyarova, illustrations, 2018

© Lina Belyarova, cover design, 2018

ISBNВ 978-5-4490-3675-9

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Dedication

ToВ Alana, Osman and Camila,

my dear grandchildren

“Abkhazia’s wonderful nature couldn’t but become a source of inspiration to invent wonderful legends by its wonderful people”

В В В В Lina Belyarova

Abkhazian legend ofВ how God divided up lands among nations

Abkhazia is a land of ancient civilisations, ecological tourism, and intensive subtropical agriculture. The Abkhazians (also called the Abkhaz) refer to their homeland as “Apsny”, meaning according to folk-etymology the “land of the soul”. It is a beautiful and hospitable land. Abkhazia is also the land of myths and legends.

One of the most popular legends goes as follows: “God called on nations from all over the world and began to share out forests, valleys, and meadows among them. An Abkhaz (a messenger from the Abkhazian folk) appeared before God later than the others did that day. God told the Abkhaz that He had already assigned everything except for seas and wildernesses and decided to find out the cause of the Abkhaz’s delay. The Abkhaz replied that he couldn’t come, for he had been entertaining a guest that day and added that a guest was always sacred to his folk. God favoured the hospitable Abkhaz and gifted him a paradise-like land that He had been keeping for himself. God willed that that land of joy to be called Abkhazia in honour of the Abkhaz and that the people of Abkhazia should live and labour on that land”

Ethnogenetic legends

The legends ofВ the Atsans, aВ race ofВ dwarfs, and ofВ the Narts, mighty heroes, are the best known inВ Abkhazia. The Narts replaced the Atsans. These two human races are thought toВ have been the most ancient toВ have inhabited Abkhazia.

There is also a legend about the wood-dwelling folk (abna-waa). They are portrayed as extremely savage human beings who dwelt in Abkhazia’s thick virgin forests. The Abava Gorge is said to have been such a dwelling place for those wild people, who lived by hunting. According to legend, those wicked and frightful human beings used to wear animal skins, and an axe, always hanging from a chain around their neck, served them as a weapon in their fight against their enemies.

According toВ another legend, aВ tribe ofВ mighty giant-ogres dwelt inВ the Bzyb Gorge inВ early times. Each ofВ those giants had as many as seven heads over his shoulders and only one eye on his forehead. For aВ long period they thieved on the land, striking fear into the villagers. Fortunately, the Narts, mighty heroes, came along and succeeded inВ conquering them.

One ofВ the Nart epic tales describes the campaign ofВ the Narts toВ the land ofВ the Blackamoors. Later, the Narts returned toВ their ancestral land together with them. AВ smaller number ofВ those Blackamoors have remained inВ Abkhazia.

Abkhazians have preserved toВ the present day legends dealing also with their origins inВ Asia Minor or Egypt.

Myth ofВ the Atsan dwarfs

Abkhazians tell ofВ the time when the entire Abkhazian sea-coast was buried under water. People inhabited only the high mountains ofВ the area. The earliest settlers ofВ the mountain-parts ofВ Abkhazia were little human beings, the dwarfish Atsans. The tribal group ofВ Atsan dwarfs lived byВ hunting wild animals and shee