Ingiloys ( az, İngiloylar; ka, ინგილოები) are an ethnographic subgroup of
Georgians who speak the
Ingiloy dialect of
Georgian.
[
] Ingiloys are indigenous to
Saingilo
Saingilo ( ka, საინგილო) is a cultural region in the Caucasus. The term was invented in the nineteenth century to designate districts of Balakan, Zaqatala and Qakh — altogether an area of 4,780 km2 — currently part of ...
(formerly known as
Hereti
The Kingdom of Hereti ( ka, ჰერეთის სამეფო ''heretis samepo'') was a medieval monarchy which emerged in Caucasus on the Iberian- Albanian frontier. Nowadays it roughly corresponds to the southeastern corner of Georgia's K ...
), a cultural and historical region in northwestern
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
.
History
According to traditional accounts, the name of the Heretians (that is of Ingiloys) originates from the legendary patriarch "Heros", the son of
Thargamos, who founded the city of
Hereti
The Kingdom of Hereti ( ka, ჰერეთის სამეფო ''heretis samepo'') was a medieval monarchy which emerged in Caucasus on the Iberian- Albanian frontier. Nowadays it roughly corresponds to the southeastern corner of Georgia's K ...
(later known as Khoranta) at the
Alazani River. With the decline of
Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus: mostly in what is now Azerbaijan (where both of its capitals were located). The modern endonyms for the area are ''Aghwank'' and ''Aluank'', amon ...
, the area was gradually incorporated into the
Iberian kingdom, forming one of its duchies (
saeristavo
Saeristavo ( ka, საერისთავო), in historical and scientific literature with this term is defined a territorial unit in old Georgia, which was ruled by Eristavi (duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a d ...
). Throughout the 5th century its peoples were eventually assimilated into the
Georgians proper.
During the
Arab occupation the region was a
separate kingdom within Georgian cultural and political influence. Hereti eventually became part of the
Kingdom of Kakheti and Hereti. The latter was annexed to the
Georgian Kingdom
The Kingdom of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამეფო, tr), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in circa 1008 AD. It reached its Golden Age of political and economic ...
in 1104. In the Middle Ages, seven Georgian schools operated in Hereti which included courses of theology, philosophy, orthography, church history, and the history of Georgia and for the students. In the 15th century the term "Hereti" gradually disappeared from the political nomenclature and was replaced by the word "Kakheti".
In the early 17th century, Shah
Abbas I of Safavid
Abbas I ( fa, ; 27 January 157119 January 1629), commonly known as Abbas the Great (), was the 5th Safavid Shah (king) of Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of Iranian history and the Safavid dynasty. He was the third son ...
of
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkme ...
took these lands from the king of
Kakheti
Kakheti ( ka, კახეთი ''K’akheti''; ) is a region ( mkhare) formed in the 1990s in eastern Georgia from the historical province of Kakheti and the small, mountainous province of Tusheti. Telavi is its capital. The region comprises e ...
and granted them to the
Dagestan
Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North ...
i feudal clans. As a result of raids (
Lekianoba) conducted by bands of Avar and Tsakhur warriors in Saingilo, the Ingiloys became serfs of the Dagestanian rulers, who forced them to pay tribute. In this way, gradually, by peaceful or hostile means, these tribes settled in Saingilo and colonized it. Already after the foundation of the
sultanate of Elisu the conquerors had, by a concerted effort, undertaken the
Islamization
Islamization, Islamicization, or Islamification ( ar, أسلمة, translit=aslamāh), refers to the process through which a society shifts towards the religion of Islam and becomes largely Muslim. Societal Islamization has historically occurre ...
of the region.
After 1801, when the Kingdom of
Kartli-Kakheti (eastern Georgia)
became part of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...
the region ended up in the Imperial Russian conquest in 1803, Saingilo was initially incorporated into
Zakatal Okrug of
Tiflis Governorate
The Tiflis Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire with its administrative center in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi). In 1897, it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population ...
. From 1918 to 1920 both
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia (DRG; ka, საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა ') was the first modern establishment of a republic of Georgia, which existed from May 1918 to ...
(DRG) and
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic), or simply as Azerbaijan in Paris Peace Conference, 1919–1920,''Bulletin d'Information de l'Azerbaidjan'', No. I, September 1, 1919, pp. 6–7''125 H.C.Debs.'', 58., February 24, 1920, p. 1467. Caucasian Az ...
(ADR) claimed its territory as theirs, but the dispute never led to an armed confrontation. After the fall of the ADR in 1920, Soviet Russia and Azerbaijan SSR recognized it as part of Georgia, whose government granted these lands a degree of internal autonomy. Following the
Red army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia (15 February17 March 1921), also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia,Debo, R. (1992). ''Survival and Consolidation: The Foreign Policy of Soviet Russia, 1918-1921'', pp. 182, 361� ...
in 1921, the area was officially transferred to the jurisdiction and control of the
Azerbaijan SSR by the central
communist government in Moscow in 1922.
Population
Demographics
Census 2009
As of the census of 2009, the number of Georgians fell to a record low of 9,900 people. Most of them live in the
Qax district (7,447 people) or in the city of
Baku (2,226 people).
Geographical distribution
The majority of the ingiloys today live in an area they call
Saingilo
Saingilo ( ka, საინგილო) is a cultural region in the Caucasus. The term was invented in the nineteenth century to designate districts of Balakan, Zaqatala and Qakh — altogether an area of 4,780 km2 — currently part of ...
, the name of the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Ingiloys (Heretian) people in modern northwestern part of Azerbaijan. The Saingilo area — territory of 4,780 km
2 — traditionally includes the
Balakan,
Zaqatala and
Qakh districts.
Religion
By religion, Ingiloys are divided to
Orthodox Christians and
Sunni Muslims
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
. As a result of missionary activities of the Orthodox Christianity Restoration Society, Ingiloys converted to Christianity in 1860, creating 12
laities, but in 1863, 9 of them converted back to Islam. In 1892, 62 converted to Christianity.
Some Ingiloys are Muslims (Sunni). They converted in the 17th century via
Lezghin
Lezgins or Leks ( lez, Лезгияр, Лекьер. lezgijar) are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native predominantly to southern Dagestan, a republic of Russia, and northeastern Azerbaijan. The Lezgin are predominantly Sunni Muslims and ...
and Ottoman influence.
There are only three active
Georgian Orthodox Churches
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
**Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
**Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three script ...
in
Qakh district (
Saint George's Church in
Qakh Ingiloy village,
Patara Alaverdi
Patara Alaverdi ( ka, პატარა ალავერდი; ''Minor Alaverdi'') is a Georgian Orthodox Church located in Qakh District, northwestern Azerbaijan, on the border with Georgia. Patara Alaverdi is a domed church erected on the ...
in
Qax,
Saint Nino's Church in
Alibeyli village). Georgian Churches in Azerbaijan are under jurisdiction of
Eparchy of Khornabuji and Hereti
The Eparchy of Khornabuji and Hereti ( ka, ხორნაბუჯისა და ჰერეთის ეპარქია) is an eparchy (diocese) of the Georgian Orthodox Church with its seat in Khornabuji, Georgia. It has jurisdiction ov ...
.
Culture
In the village Alibeyli, there is Qakh State Georgian Drama Theatre. In 2009, documentary called "Ingiloys", dedicated to history, culture, traditions of this ethnic group was filmed in
Azerbaijanfilm
Azerbaijanfilm ( az, Azərbaycanfilm) is an Azerbaijani state film production company. It is located in the capital Baku.
History
"Azerbaijanfilm" was established in 1920 as a photo-cinema department at the Azerbaijan SSR People's Commissariat, ...
.
There are seven Georgian schools in Saingilo, while four Azerbaijani schools have Georgian sectors. Georgian language teachers are hired by education authorities of Zaqatala and Qax districts.
[Council of Europe]
Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Fourth Report submitted by Azerbaijan pursuant to Article 25, paragraph 2 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
(Received on 10 January 2017), 10 January 2017, ACFC/SR/IV(2017)002
Traditional clothing
The women's traditional costume consisted of a long shirt, trousers, an apron, an archaluk. and a headdress. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the traditional costumes were fully preserved, even up until 1930s. The traditional costume of the Ingiloys are very similar to the costumes of the neighbouring
Azerbaijanis
Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic peoples, Turkic people living mainly in Azerbaijan (Iran), northwestern Iran and the Azerbaijan, Republi ...
,
Tsakhurs
The Tsakhur or Caxur ( lez, ЦIахурар, az, Saxurlar, russian: Цахуры) people are a Lezgin sub-ethnic group of northern Azerbaijan and southern Dagestan (Russia). The group numbers around 30,000 people and are called ''yiqy'' (pl. ''yiq ...
and
Avars inhabiting the Balakan, Zaqatala and Qakh districts. Local and factory-made fabrics were used to make clothing in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Woolen fabrics of local production were widely marketed. The villages of
Muxax
Muxax (also, Muchach and Mukhakh; av, Мухъахъ) is a village and municipality in the Zaqatala Rayon of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerb ...
,
İlisu, and
Sarıbaş
Sarıbaş (also, Sari-Bash and Sarybash) is a village and municipality in the Qakh Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 166.
References
*
Populated places in Qakh District
{{Qakh-geo-stub ...
were most famous for the production of woolen fabrics (shawls). For sewing clothes, the population also bought factory fabrics, mainly cotton and silk. A significant place was occupied by silk fabrics of the local Azerbaijani production.
Vernacular architecture of the Ingiloy Georgians
Types of Dwellings
The most ancient type of dwelling used by Georgians would be the "
darbazi
Darbazi ( ka, დარბაზი; from fa, italic=yes, darvāze, "gate") is a term used in Georgia to describe a chamber with a distinctive "swallow dome"-type roof structure found in the traditional domestic architecture of Asia Minor and th ...
" type house. Analogues dwelling of the darbazi type house were common in Saingilo too. The erdoiani - akariani dwellings represent the same types of houses but with some changes. The composition of the erdoiani - akariani dwellings resemble the design of Kartlian Darbazi houses. The erdoiani - akariani houses have lost the importance of the "mother pillar" ("dedabodzi" in Georgian) that Darbazi type houses have, instead the pillars in erdoiani - akarani dwellings simply just act as a support. Wooden houses were common in Saingilo. The design of wooden houses was similar to the Erdoiani Akarani houses. The wooden houses in Saingilo have peculiar parallels with the houses found in Colchis, the far western black sea regions of Georgia. However most commonly Ingilo houses are made of bricks and stone.
Other structures
Gates (Darvaza) were one of the most important features on the Ingilo farmstead. Often the wooden parts of the Darvaza were decorated with carvings and fretwork.
Since olden times farm buildings of the following types have been popular in Saingilo: cattle - shed ("cow - house"), "kasrbegeli" (barrel - barn), hayloft, wine cellar, mills, etc. First the housing for livestock was separated from the dwelling "karami" and it was called "cow - house". As for the tradition of storing grain, it is still retained by "akari" and that is why even today it has not lost its original function. This is the reason why in farmsteads of Saingilo you can hardly find a maize granary, barn, "khula" (place where food products are stored), etc.
Ornamental work
Wood carving was a common form of decorating a house. There were two main types of carving utilised by the Ingiloys. The first was carving on to a blank background and the second was wooden fretwork. The first variety of wood carving was usually used in interiors of houses, namely while decorating the "dedabodzi", small shelves ("Korte") and shrines. The second technique of fretting was used most commonly for banisters and on the gate to the farmstead, "Darvaza". Patterns used in Ingiloy wood carvings are common in other Georgian ethnographic groups such as the
Borjgali.
Stone carving is also present in Ingilo traditional architecture. Churches were often adorned with stone carvings.
Notable Ingiloys
*
Mose Janashvili
Mose Janashvili ( ka, მოსე ჯანაშვილი) (19 March 1855 – 19 April 1934) was a Georgia (country), Georgian historian, ethnographer, and linguist. He was born into a Georgian Saingilo, Ingilo community at Qakh (now Azerbaij ...
(1855–1934), Georgian historian, ethnographer, and linguist.
See also
*
Kakhetians
*
Kingdom of Hereti
*
Azerbaijan–Georgia relations
Foreign relations exist between Azerbaijan and Georgia. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Tbilisi. Georgia has an embassy in Baku. Both countries were former Republics of the Soviet Union and are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organizat ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Akiner, Shirin (1986). Islamic Peoples of the Soviet Union: An Historical and Statistical Handbook. 2nd ed., 251–252. London: KPI.
* Bennigsen, Alexandre, and S. Enders Wimbush (1986). Muslims of the Soviet Empire: A Guide, 208–209. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
* Changashvili, G. Z. (1970). Saingilo: Geographic-historical Study (in Georgian). Tbilisi.
* Dumbadze, M. (1953). Iz istorii Vostochnoi Kakhetii (Saingilo) (From the history of Eastern Kakheti
aingilo. Tbilisi.
* von Plotto, A. (1870). "Priroda i liudi Zakatal'skogo okruga" (Ecology and people of the Zakatal district). Sbornik Svedenii o Kavkazskikh Gortsakh (Tbilisi) 4.
External links
Şirinbəy Hacıəli (2007), Şimal- Qərbi Azərbaycan: İngiloylar (I kitab: ən qədim zamanlardan XIII əsrin ortalarınadək)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ingiloy people
*
Ethnic groups in Azerbaijan
Ethnic groups in Georgia (country)
Peoples of the Caucasus
Eastern Orthodoxy in Azerbaijan