Journal of Environmental Biology

Agricultural crops common in the Chorokhi and Mtkvari upstream according to the old Turkish census books

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D. Sartania¹, D. Nikolaishvili¹*, A. Ujmajuridze¹ and M. Kvetanadze¹ ??????? 

¹IvaneJavakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Museum of TSU, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia

²IvaneJavakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Department of Geography, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia

³IvaneJavakhishvili Tbilisi State University,Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia

⁴IvaneJavakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Faculty of Exact and Natural? Sciences, Department of Geography, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia

*Corresponding Author Email : dali.nkolaishvili@tsu.ge

Paper received: 03.04.2019 ?????? ???????????????????????????????????????Revised received: 14.09.2019 ???????????? ????????????????????????????????????Accepted: 15.12.2019

Abstract

Aim: The main aim of the research was to give a retrospective picture of the agricultural crops growing in the upper reaches of the Chorokhi and Mtkvari Rivers based on Old Turkish registers.

Methodology: The present study is mainly based on the historical sources ? the Old Turkish Census Books, drafted by Ottoman authorities, such as: The Grand and Brief Books, which were translated in Georgian. These documents are interesting as they incorporate interesting and valuable information for different branch specialists: rich social-economic, demographic, administrative, agricultural, paleographic, linguistic, toponymic and family-and-heritage materials. They give a real picture and in fact, describe the situation at the moment of censuses quite accurately. The research was based on obtaining, systemization and listing various scientific sources, identification of the objects. For this purpose, the published, archive and fund materials were used.

Results: A retrospective picture of the branches of economy in the study area became possible to create by considering the amount of taxes to the agricultural crops and the growing areas of the crops. However, during identification of the peculiarities of territorial distribution of agricultural crops, analysis of other circumstances also played an important role, in particular, the tax amount per household not only for agricultural crops, but also for their production (mill, oilery), etc. The study demonstrated that grain-growing was a leading branch in the study area and the major agricultural crops were: wheat, barley, rye, panic grass, chick-pea, lentil. They also grew walnut, different fruits and vine varieties. The two latter cultures were quite commonly grown in Nahiyesis and villages, among other things evidenced by high taxes and ?shira? (sweet juice) taxes. The most commonly grown crop was wheat. This evidences that wheat was the main agricultural crop, or used most of all in the people's food ration. They also grew technical crops (lint, hemp and cotton) and paid taxes for processing them.

Interpretation: The comparison of gained results with modern agrobotanical and ethnological studies show that then-time traditional structure of agriculture in the study area has not changed essentially and has preserved the principal features of specialization. However, today, besides wheat, other agricultural crops (nut, tea, etc.) are also used.

Keywords: Agricultural crops, Gurjistan Governorate, Old Turkish Census books

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