Guram Kutaladze, Inga Ghutidze, and Mamia Chikhradze (Editors)
Nana Basilashvili, Liana Partsvania, Marine Khuroshvili, Manana Rusieshvili, and Nino Gegenava (Translators)
Trevor Cartledge (Translation Editor)

Series: Georgian Classics
BISAC: REL013000; REL006630; HIS039000
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52305/KMTV7474

The author of this book, Korneli Kekelidze (1879-1962) was , the son of a humble, poor psalm-chanter lived only three years of his long life in free, sovereign Georgia (1918-1921. In Sovietized Georgia, it was his love for his homeland, talent, and fantastic erudition that allowed him to become one of the creators of modern, high Georgian culture. He was a founding figure in the scientific study of old Georgian literature, and he and his companions managed to create a modern, European-style Georgian culture at a time when Georgia had no political existence.

This book includes the most interesting excerpts from old Georgian literature, focusing on the Classical period (10th-13th centuries), also known as secular literature. It also presents examples of Georgian historical writing. This period of the flourishing of Georgian literature coincides with the rise of the Georgian statehood and ends with the era of Mongol domination, which marked the beginning of a dark period in our literature. The political and economic decline of the country stretched over centuries, consisting of a series of transitory facts and events, while classical Georgian literature remains an inevitable foundation of our culture to this day.

This book proves that the survival and development of a nation are primarily possible through books and culture. It can confidently be stated that old Georgian literature is not only a true treasure of Georgia but of world literature as well. Those who aspire to study Georgia and Georgian culture should get acquainted with it. The English translation of Korneli Kekelidze’s work on old Georgian literature offers a unique opportunity for people living in any corner of the world.

The book will serve scholars, students, and anyone interested in literature, history, and cultural studies.

You may also be interested in, History of Old Georgian Literature: Periods of Decline and Revival (Second Half of the 13th Century – 18th Century) by Korneli Kekelidze.

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