“Caucasian Calendar” and the “Georgian Calendar”: Educational, cultural and social functions in the second half of the 19th century

Abstract

In the second half of the 19th century, the development of periodical publications in the Caucasus was closely linked to the political and economic interests of the Russian Empire. After the Russian Empire had finally formed a perception of the South Caucasus as an economically rich and promising region, the need arose for a systematic description of its resources, population, and culture. It was precisely this goal that the “Caucasian Calendar,” a Russian-language annual publication founded in Tbilisi in 1845 and published until 1917, served. The establishment of the “Caucasian Calendar” is associated with the activities of the Viceroy of the Caucasus, Mikhail Vorontsov. He aimed to disseminate information about the Caucasus both within the administrative circles of the Empire and among foreign entrepreneurs, and to facilitate the attraction of capital to the region. The publication had a reference and encyclopedic character, containing administrative, economic, geographical, statistical, and cultural information. One of the first editors of the “Caucasian Calendar” was the well-known archaeologist and historian Adolf Berge, who gave the publication a scientific and academic character. Alongside the Russian-language publication, at the end of the 19th century, Georgian society developed a demand for a national, Georgian-language annual publication. As a result of this process, the “Georgian Calendar” was established in 1884 and remained in publication until 1917. The idea for its publication was likely inspired by the model of the “Caucasian Calendar,” although the “Georgian Calendar” performed a fundamentally different function. The “Georgian Calendar” was an almanac-type publication, founded and primarily edited by Ivane Kheladze. The first issue was edited by Zakaria Chichinadze (under the pseudonym “Z. Mtatsmindeli”). In subsequent years, the publication was led by prominent Georgian figures such as Ivane Machabeli, Alexander Kazbegi, Ilia Chavchavadze, and Valerian Gunia. The “Georgian Calendar” was not merely a publication containing dates and chronological information. It represented a multifunctional educational and informational platform, publishing historical articles, literary texts, practical advice, statistical data, agricultural information, and advertisements. The publication played an important role in shaping national consciousness and in the intellectual development of Georgian society. Of particular note is Anton Purtseladze’s publication in the 1884 issue of the “Georgian Calendar” titled “Memory of What It Originates From.” This text addressed technical inventions and scientific achievements widespread in Europe. The article, published on pages 18-22, clearly reflects the interest of Georgian society in European technological progress and indicates that the “Georgian Calendar” served not only as a cultural and literary medium but also as a means of disseminating scientific and educational information. A comparative analysis shows that, despite formal similarities, the “Caucasian Calendar” and the “Georgian Calendar” had different ideological and social functions. The former represented an imperial administrative-reference publication, while the latter was an important instrument for the development of national culture, education, and public opinion. Both publications are important sources for studying the social, cultural, and intellectual history of the Caucasus at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries.