, native_name = , native_name_lang = , image = File:Kartvelian languages.svg , caption = Distribution of the Svan language in relation to other Kartvelian (South Caucasian) languages. , population = –80,000 , popplace = , region1 = Georgia , pop1 = 14,000–30,000 , languages = Svan, Georgian , religions = Predominantly †

Eastern Orthodox Christianity Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...

(

Georgian Orthodox Church The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonl ...

) , related_groups = , related-c =

Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and Peoples of the Caucasus, Caucasian ethnic group native to present-day Georgia (country), Georgia and surrounding areas historically associated with the Ge ...

, Laz and Mingrelians The Svans (, ''Shvanar''; ka, სვანი, ) are an ethnic subgroup of the

(Kartvelians)

Stephen F. Jones Stephen F. Jones (born 1953) is an English people, English expert on post-Communist societies in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe who currently serves as Chair of Russian and Eurasian Studies at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass ...

Svans
''World Culture Encyclopedia''. Retrieved on March 13, 2011: «''The Svans are one of the dozen or so traditionally recognized ethnic subgroups within the Georgian (Kartvelian) nation.''»The Svans
Kevin Tuite ''Université de Montréal'' 1992: «''The Svans are one of the dozen or so traditionally recognized ethnic subgroups within the Georgian (Kartvelian) nation.''» indigenous to Svaneti, a region in northwest

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. They speak the

Svan language Svan ( ''lušnu nin''; ka, სვანური ენა, tr) is a Kartvelian languages, Kartvelian language spoken in the western Georgia (country), Georgian region of Svaneti primarily by the Svans, Svan people. With its speakers variously ...

and are mostly bilingual also in Georgian. Both these languages belong to the Kartvelian (South Caucasian) language family. In the pre-1930 Soviet census, the Svans were categorized as a separate ethnic group (). The self-designation of the Svan is Mushüan, which is probably reflected in the ethnonym Misimian of the Classical authors.

History

The Svans are usually identified with the ''Saani'' mentioned by Greek

geographer A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society, including how society and nature interacts. The Greek prefix "geo" means "earth" a ...

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

, who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans. In the Russian Empire and early Soviet Union Mingrelians and Svans had their own census grouping, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian in the 1930s. They are Georgian Orthodox Christians, and were Christianized in the 4th–6th centuries. However, some remnants of pre-Christian beliefs have been maintained.

Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

(known as ''Jgëræg'' to the locals), a

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

, is the most respected saint. The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, including blood 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 both Georgian and their own, unwritten

. Prior to the 19th century, many Svans were monolingual, only knowing the Svan language.

Genetics

The most common Y-chromosomal haplogroup among the Svans is G2a (90%), in the second place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroup R1a (5%), in the third place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroup J2a1 (about 3%). Among mitochondrial haplogroups H (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 * Jaba Ioseliani (1926–2003), Georgian politician * Eter Liparteliani (*1999) Georgian Judoka

References

External links

{{Authority control Ethnic groups in Georgia (country) Svaneti