Ancient Religious Beliefs
Georgian mythology refers to the pre-Christian beliefs of the Georgian people, rooted in the ancient kingdoms of Diauehi, Colchis, and Iberia. This mythology incorporates influences from Greek, Vainakh, and Iranian traditions, including those of the Scythians, Sarmatians, and the Zoroastrian religion of Persia.
Central to Georgian myths are creation stories where the head god and his demon sister represent good and evil forces. For every good thing created by the head god, the demon created an evil counterpart. Women were believed to be the demon’s creation, while men and the lesser gods were creations of the head god. The gods eventually retreated to the upper world of Zeskneli, leaving men to fend for themselves against the demons. The lesser gods returned to drive the demons to the netherworld of Kveskneli, leaving women behind as part of the evil creation.
The universe in Georgian mythology is divided into three worlds: Zeskneli (the highest world, home of the gods, represented by white), Earth (the middle world, the realm of mortals, symbolized by red), and Kveskneli (the underworld, inhabited by demons and ogres, represented by black).
Shamanic practices played a significant role, with practitioners like the Kadagi and Mesultane entering trances to communicate with spirits. Kadagi were possessed by minor divinities, while Mesultane could visit the beyond in spirit.
Despite the spread of Christianity in the 4th century, pagan traditions persisted, especially in the mountainous regions where conversion was slower and more superficial. These myths and beliefs highlight the deep connection between Georgians and their natural surroundings, reflecting a unique cultural heritage shaped by various external influences.
Georgian Mythology and Ancient Religious Beliefs
Georgian mythology and ancient religious beliefs are rich with tales of deities, nature worship, and enduring cultural practices. One of the most popular legends is that of Amiran, an evil deity whom God cast down to earth and chained to the Caucasus Mountains. Despite his superhuman strength, Amiran suffers eternally due to God's wrath.
In Samegrelo, the worship of forests is a significant remnant of paganism. People in Abkhazia, Samegrelo, and across Georgia respect forests similarly to ancient cultures like the Indians, Persians, Greeks, and Egyptians. They worship specific trees, such as the revered pear tree in Abkhazia, believed to protect animals.
The custom of forest worship in Samegrelo may trace back to the Egyptians, as suggested by Herodotus. Alexandre Moreau de Jones links this practice to the legendary golden fleece, hung on trees like Egyptian offerings of gold and silver.
Religious practices also center around significant sites, such as the old church of St. George on Urvat hill, 158 kilometers from Zugdidi. On April 23, St. George’s feast day, locals follow an ancient path to a forest where they worship his icon at a stone altar beneath a wooden cross. Offerings include lamb’s heads, bread, cheese, candles, and money, followed by communal feasting, dancing, and horse riding.
Near the palace of the Dadians in Gord, a lightning-scorched fir tree is worshipped as the dwelling of evil spirits, with locals avoiding it at night.
These myths and beliefs highlight the deep connection between Georgians and their natural surroundings, reflecting a unique cultural heritage shaped by various influences.