Legends of the Caucasus

Legends of the Caucasus PDF Author: David Hunt
Publisher: Saqi
ISBN: 0863568238
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
The Caucasus has an extremely rich folk literature, almost unknown among English speakers, which includes myths, legends, magical tales, anecdotes and proverbs. The one hundred and one legends included in this book reflect the cultures of fourteen different ethnic groups - their dynamism and the matters that concerned them: survival against external dangers, the risk of starvation and the persistence of the family or clan as a coordinated group. Descended from an oral tradition, much of their knowledge was retained in memories and passed down the generations. Yet, with the introduction of the alphabet, the way of life they portray is rapidly becoming extinct. An incomparable collection, Legends of the Caucasus conveys the poetry and romance of these swiftly vanishing tribes. 'This book has brought into light some of the hidden treasures of the Caucasus ... A major contribution not only to the study of the Caucasus, but also to world folklore.' John Colarusso, McMaster University, Canada 'Inventive and meticulous in rendering the extraordinary folk poetry of the many nations of the Caucasus ... [This is] essential reading for anyone seeking an insight into the cultures of the Caucasus.' Donald Rayfield, Queen Mary University of London, UK

Legends of the Caucasus

Legends of the Caucasus PDF Author: David Hunt
Publisher: Saqi
ISBN: 0863568238
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
The Caucasus has an extremely rich folk literature, almost unknown among English speakers, which includes myths, legends, magical tales, anecdotes and proverbs. The one hundred and one legends included in this book reflect the cultures of fourteen different ethnic groups - their dynamism and the matters that concerned them: survival against external dangers, the risk of starvation and the persistence of the family or clan as a coordinated group. Descended from an oral tradition, much of their knowledge was retained in memories and passed down the generations. Yet, with the introduction of the alphabet, the way of life they portray is rapidly becoming extinct. An incomparable collection, Legends of the Caucasus conveys the poetry and romance of these swiftly vanishing tribes. 'This book has brought into light some of the hidden treasures of the Caucasus ... A major contribution not only to the study of the Caucasus, but also to world folklore.' John Colarusso, McMaster University, Canada 'Inventive and meticulous in rendering the extraordinary folk poetry of the many nations of the Caucasus ... [This is] essential reading for anyone seeking an insight into the cultures of the Caucasus.' Donald Rayfield, Queen Mary University of London, UK

The Prose of the Mountains

The Prose of the Mountains PDF Author: Aleksandre Quazbegi
Publisher: Central European University Press
ISBN: 6155053529
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
The Prose of the Mountains contains three tales of the Caucasus by Aleksandre Qazbegi, one of the most prescient and gifted chroniclers of the Georgian encounter with colonial modernity. His stories offer an invaluable counterpoint to the predominantly Russian narratives that have hitherto shaped scholarly accounts of the nineteenth-century Caucasus. “Memoirs of a Shepherd” poignantly chronicles the young author’s decision to pass seven years of his life as a shepherd with Georgian mountaineers. “Eliso” (the name of a Chechen girl) offers one of the most searing accounts on record of the forced migration of this people from their homeland to Ottoman lands. Set in the sixteenth century, “Khevis Beri Gocha” (the name of a Georgian village chief) classically chronicles a tragic misunderstanding between a severe father and his loving son.

Tales of the Caucasus

Tales of the Caucasus PDF Author: Alexandre Dumas
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Caucasus
Languages : en
Pages : 390

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Book Description


Nart Sagas from the Caucasus

Nart Sagas from the Caucasus PDF Author:
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 140086528X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 576

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Book Description
The Nart sagas are to the Caucasus what Greek mythology is to Western civilization. This book presents, for the first time in the West, a wide selection of these fascinating myths preserved among four related peoples whose ancient cultures today survive by a thread. In ninety-two straightforward tales populated by extraordinary characters and exploits, by giants who humble haughty Narts, by horses and sorceresses, Nart Sagas from the Caucasus brings these cultures to life in a powerful epos. In these colorful tales, women, not least the beautiful temptress Satanaya, the mother of all Narts, are not only fertility figures but also pillars of authority and wisdom. In one variation on a recurring theme, a shepherd, overcome with passion on observing Satanaya bathing alone, shoots a "bolt of lust" that strikes a rock--a rock that gives birth to the Achilles-like Sawseruquo, or Sosruquo. With steely skin but tender knees, Sawseruquo is a man the Narts come to love and hate. Despite a tragic history, the Circassians, Abazas, Abkhaz, and Ubykhs have retained the Nart sagas as a living tradition. The memory of their elaborate warrior culture, so richly expressed by these tales, helped them resist Tsarist imperialism in the nineteenth century, Stalinist suppression in the twentieth, and has bolstered their ongoing cultural journey into the post-Soviet future. Because these peoples were at the crossroads of Eurasia for millennia, their myths exhibit striking parallels with the lore of ancient India, classical Greece, and pagan Scandinavia. The Nart sagas may also have formed a crucial component of the Arthurian cycle. Notes after each tale reveal these parallels; an appendix offers extensive linguistic commentary. With this book, no longer will the analysis of ancient Eurasian myth be possible without a close look at the Nart sagas. And no longer will the lover of myth be satisfied without the pleasure of having read them. Excerpts from the Nart sagas ? "The Narts were a tribe of heroes. They were huge, tall people, and their horses were also exuberant Alyps or Durduls. They were wealthy, and they also had a state. That is how the Narts lived their lives. . . ." "The Narts were courageous, energetic, bold, and good-hearted. Thus they lived until God sent down a small swallow. . . ." "The Narts were very cruel to one another. They were envious of one another. They disputed among themselves over who was the most courageous. But most of all they hated Sosruquo. . . . A rock gave birth to him. He is the son of a rock, illegally born a mere shepherd's son. . . ."

Georgian Folk Tales

Georgian Folk Tales PDF Author: Marjory Wardrop
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 3732643409
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 206

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Book Description
Reproduction of the original: Georgian Folk Tales by Marjory Wardrop

Caucasian Folk-tales

Caucasian Folk-tales PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fables
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description


The Ghost of Freedom

The Ghost of Freedom PDF Author: Charles King
Publisher: Oxford University Press on Demand
ISBN: 0195177754
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 314

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Book Description
" ... The first general history of the modern Caucasus, stretching from the beginning of Russian imperial expansion up to rise of new countries after the Soviet Union's collapse."--Cover.

Tales from the Caucasus

Tales from the Caucasus PDF Author: Matt Clayton
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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Book Description
Did you know that the Caucasus region is home to a variety of myths and legends, some ancient, some medieval, and all influenced in some way by interactions with outside cultures? The Caucasus Mountains straddle the isthmus between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. The location of the Caucasus region has made it a crossroads for travelers, traders, and invaders from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East alike. Many of the languages spoken in the Caucasus are unique to the region, while others are related to Turkic and Indo-European languages. This region's myths and legends are not as well known to outsiders as the mythologies of places like ancient Greece or ancient Egypt. The Circassian and Armenian genocides took their toll, as did the Soviet occupation, the last of which purged much of the native culture. Nevertheless, much of the mythology and literature of the Caucasus still survives today. In this book, you will get a brief but captivating introduction to some of the fine tales created by the resilient people who call this part of the world their home. Here is just a small fraction of what you'll discover: Tales about the Circassian hero Sosruko and his friend, the blacksmith god Tlepsh How Tlepsh went looking for knowledge at the end of the world and met Lady Tree Just-so tales about the origins of earthquakes, thunder, and the Milky Way Influences from Persian literature on stories from Armenia and Georgia A fairy tale about a merciful exiled prince and his clever servant The adventures of the bold knights Avtandil and Tariel, both brave as lions and desperately in love with their fair ladies And so much more! Scroll up and click the "add to cart" button to read these amazing stories from the Caucasus region!

Caucasian Folk-tales, Selected & Translated from the Originals

Caucasian Folk-tales, Selected & Translated from the Originals PDF Author: Adolph Dirr
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Caucasian race
Languages : en
Pages : 330

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Book Description


Let Our Fame Be Great

Let Our Fame Be Great PDF Author: Oliver Bullough
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 046502257X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 532

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Book Description
The jagged peaks of the Caucasus Mountains have hosted a rich history of diverse nations, valuable trade, and incessant warfare. But today the region is best known for atrocities in Chechnya and the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia. In Let Our Fame Be Great, journalist and Russian expert Oliver Bullough explores the fascinating cultural crossroads of the Caucasus, where Europe, Asia, and the Middle East intersect. Traveling through its history, Bullough tracks down the nations dispersed by the region's last two hundred years of brutal warfare. Filled with a compelling mix of archival research and oral history, Let Our Fame Be Great recounts the tenacious survival of peoples who have been relentlessly invaded and persecuted and yet woefully overlooked.