Svans

This article is about a people in the Caucasus. For other uses, seeSvans (disambiguation).

Svans
Svan:შვანარshvanar
Georgian:სვანიsvani

Distribution of the Svan language in relation to other Kartvelian (South Caucasian) languages.
Total population
c. 14,000–80,000
Regions with significant populations
Georgia	14,000–30,000
Languages
Svan,Georgian
Religion
Predominantly†Eastern Orthodox Christianity (Georgian Orthodox Church)
Related ethnic groups
Georgians,theLazandMingrelians

TheSvans(Svan:შვანარ,Shvanar;Georgian:სვანი,Svani) are an ethnic subgroup of theGeorgians(Kartvelians)living mostly inSvaneti,a region in northwestGeorgia.They speak theSvan languageand are mostly bilingual also inGeorgian.Both these languages belong to theKartvelian (South Caucasian) language family.In the pre-1930 Soviet census, the Svans were categorized as a separate ethnic group (natsionalnost).The self-designation of the Svan isMushüan,which is probably reflected in the ethnonymMisimianof the Classical authors.

History

Svan withkhanjali(dagger) and long smoking pipe.Mestia(~1888–1900)

The Svans are usually identified with the Soani mentioned byGreekgeographerStrabo,who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans.

In the Russian Empire and early Soviet UnionMingreliansand Svans had their own census grouping, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian in the 1930s. They areGeorgian OrthodoxChristians, and were Christianized in the 4th–6th centuries. However, some remnants of pre-Christian beliefs have been maintained.Saint George(known asJgërægto the locals), apatron saintofGeorgia,is the most respected saint. The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, includingblood revenge,although this tradition has been declining over time and as law enforcement takes hold. Their families are small, and the husband is the head of his family. The Svan strongly respect the older women in families.

Language

Typically bilingual, they use bothGeorgianand their own, unwrittenSvan language.Prior to the 19th century, many Svans were monolingual, only knowing the Svan language.

Genetics

The most commonY-chromosomal haplogroupamong the Svans isG2a(90%), in the second place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroupR1a(5%), in the third place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroupJ2a1(about 3%). Among mitochondrial haplogroupsH(17.9%),K(15.8%),W6(13%),T(9.24%),U1(7.61%),X2(6, 52%),U2(5.98%) are common haplogroups.

Famous Svans

• Temur Babluani(born 1948), film director, script writer, and actor
• Géla Babluani(born 1979), Georgian-French film director
• Mikheil Gelovani(1893–1956), actor who primarily portrayed Stalin
• Otar Ioseliani(1934–2023), film director in Georgia
• Mikheil Kurdiani(1954–2010), philologist, linguist, writer, poet and translator
• Sopho Gelovani(born 1984), singer
• Tariel Oniani(born 1952), mafia Boss
• Yaroslav Iosseliani(1912–1978), Soviet Navy submarine commander
• Nana Ioseliani(born 1962), chess player
• Otia Ioseliani(1930–2011), Georgian writer
• Tengiz Kitovani(1938–2023), Georgian politician