This book provides an introduction to the discipline of Caucasian studies, i.e. the
multi-disciplinary study on all issues relating to the Caucasus (the term should
not be confused with Caucasiology, which deals only with the Caucasian language
family). It does not look at countries separately, because state borders do
not coincide with ethnic or geographical borders. Furthermore, North and South
Caucasus, which are often falsely perceived as separate regions when it comes to
geography, history, politics or economy, should be considered as one single entity.
The main Caucasus mountain range is the centrepiece of the Caucasus and not a
dividing line. The region can truly be called a paradise for academics and
researchers, as it is complex in every possible aspect. Not only do the ethnolinguistic
variations and many conflicts make it difficult to get a general overview,
but also the history and geography are extremely diverse. On account of this complexity,
especially in terms of ethnolinguistics, the Arabs in the Middle Ages
called the Caucasus jabal al-sun, or the Mountain of Tongues.
In writing this book, several problems arose which anyone doing research on
the Caucasus may encounter. This is especially the case in the field of data collection:
data are often incomplete or absent (e.g. because of destruction in conflicts,
such as in Chechnya, Abkhazia or Nagorno Karabakh); sometimes official
data are classified; and methods of data collection vary in the different countries
and so the results are not easily comparable – and even in some cases may have
been purposely falsified. Another problem is the true academic value and the
trustworthiness of sources. Literature may be biased in an ethnocentric or nationalistic
way or simply be a source of propaganda. This is definitely true for
Caucasian historiography, which is frequently used as a battlefield by academics.
An even harder task after having gathered all the necessary information is the
actual writing process. A lot of issues covered in this book are highly controversial
and some are disputed, especially where violent conflict is involved. Even
when one tries to be objective, neutral and factually accurate, it will often be perceived
as biased. The issue of national pride, which in itself is often based on
incorrect historical information, should be carefully considered by anyone dealing
with the Caucasus. The information provided in this book should not be
accepted blindly as the truth and nothing but the truth. It tries merely to give the
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latest factual stance as far as academic research is concerned and follows the
internationally accepted political situation, e.g. Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakh
are not considered as sovereign states by the UN. Although political governments
of internationally unrecognized or partially recognized republics are mentioned,
this it is not intended to be a political statement. The historical maps used are
intended only to give an indication of the location and size of the ancient states.
Their borders are by no means exact, as these are often subject to intense debate –
for example, some sources claim that the region of Nagorno Karabakh was
included in Caucasian Albania in 387, while others claim this took place in 428.