The abstract is devoted to the scientific activity of Vladislav Grigorievich Ardzinba (1945–2010), an outstanding orientalist, Hittitologist and the first president of the Republic of Abkhazia. The main sphere of his scientific interests was the history, culture, language and religion of the ancient civilizations of Asia Minor, in particular the Hittite Kingdom and its predecessors.
Keywords: Grigorievich, Hittle, culture, Rituals and Myths of ancient Anatolia, Caucasus studies.
Introduction
The name of Vladislav Grigorievich Ardzinba (1945–2010) is inextricably linked with the modern history of Abkhazia, with its struggle for self-determination and formation as an independent state. His image as the first president, charismatic leader and inspirer of the national liberation movement is firmly rooted in the public consciousness. However, behind this bright political figure stands an equally significant personality of an orientalist, a world-famous Hittitologist, whose works made a significant contribution to the study of the ancient civilizations of Asia Minor and their multifaceted ties with the Caucasus. This article is devoted to a detailed examination of the scientific work of V. G. Ardzinba, his formation as a researcher, key scientific achievements and the legacy he left in world oriental studies.
Becoming a Scientist — the Path to Ancient Civilizations
Vladislav Ardzinba was born on May 14, 1945, in Eshera, Abkhazia. He developed an interest in ancient history during his school years and studied history at the Sukhumi State Pedagogical Institute (now Abkhaz State University), graduating in 1966. In 1969, he moved to Moscow to pursue graduate studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences. His advisor was Vyacheslav Ivanov, a leading Soviet orientalist. Ardzinba’s research focused on the Hittite Kingdom and its pre-Indo-European Hattic predecessors.
In 1971, he defended his PhD thesis on «Hattic origins of ancient Hittite social organization», examining the Hattic substrate in Hittite culture and reconstructing early Hittite social structures. Afterward, he remained at the Institute of Oriental Studies, rising from junior to senior research fellow and eventually becoming head of the Sector of Ideology and Culture of the Ancient East, establishing himself as a leading expert in the field.
Rituals and Myths of Ancient Anatolia
Vladislav Ardzinba's doctoral dissertation and monograph «Rituals and Myths of Ancient Anatolia», published in 1982, became a landmark in Hittitology. His research, based on cuneiform texts from Hattusa and other Anatolian centers, explored religious and mythological beliefs of the Hittites, Hattians, Luwians, and Palaians.
Key Contributions:
Vladislav Ardzinba's research interests were not limited to religion and mythology. His works covered a wide range of problems of history, culture, language and ethnogenesis of the peoples of the Ancient East and the Caucasus, which indicates his broad scientific outlook.
– The Hutt problem and its solution: As already noted, the study of the Hatti language and culture was central to Ardzinba's research. He made a significant contribution to the deciphering and interpretation of Hattian texts (often bilingual, Hattian-Hittite), to the reconstruction of Hattian grammar and vocabulary. His works helped to better understand the place of the Khattianlanguage among the ancient languages of Near Asia and its possible connections with the languages of the Caucasus, in particular, with the Abkhazo-Adyghe. He was one of the first to systematically explore this language layer.
– Socio-political structure and ideology of Ancient Anatolia: Through the prism of ritual and legal texts, Ardzinba explored the features of royal power among the Hittites, the role of the priesthood, the structure of the state apparatus, legal norms and principles of international relations in the Hittite kingdom. He analyzed how ideology was expressed in titulature, ceremonies, and building inscriptions, providing deep insights into the state structure and political thought of the Hittites.
– Ancient Anatolia and the Caucasus: the search for parallels and connections: Having a deep knowledge of the history, ethnography and languages of the Caucasus, and being himself a representative of the Abkhazian people, Vladislav Ardzinba paid special attention to the search and analysis of cultural, linguistic and mythological parallels between the ancient civilizations of Asia Minor and the autochthonous peoples of the Caucasus, primarily the Abkhazo-Adyghe. He pointed out possible lexical coincidences between the Khatta and Abkhazo-Adyghe languages, the similarity of some mythological motifs (for example, motifs related to blacksmithing and the blacksmith deity, parallels with the Nart epic, images of patron deities of cattle and bread), elements of material culture and ritual practice. These studies were important for studying the ethnogenesis of the Abkhazians and other Caucasian peoples, as well as for reconstructing ancient ethno-cultural contacts in the Black Sea-Caucasus region. Although some of his hypotheses in this area remain controversial and cause scientific debate, they certainly stimulated further research and drew attention to this complex and important issue, opening up new horizons for comparative linguistic and cultural studies.
Methodology and working with primary sources: V. G. Ardzinba's scientific works were distinguished by a high level of philological training, careful analysis of texts in Hittite, Hattian, Akkadian and other Ancient Eastern languages. He masterfully applied the methods of comparative historical linguistics, textology, historical reconstruction and semiotic analysis of culture, which ensured the rigor and reliability of his conclusions.
International recognition and organizational activities
Vladislav Ardzinba's scientific work was highly regarded internationally. He participated in numerous international congresses on Assyriology and ancient history, including the prestigious Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale. His articles appeared in leading Soviet and German journals like Vestnik Drevnei Istorii and Altorientalische Forschungen, and his monograph «Rituals and Myths of Ancient Anatolia» was translated into Turkish, showcasing its significance in Turkey.
At the Institute of Oriental Studies, Ardzinba led the Sector of Ideology and Culture of the Ancient East, conducting research and mentoring young specialists.
Conclusion
Vladislav G. Ardzinba appears before us not only as an outstanding political figure, but also as a brilliant scientist, whose intellectual search was aimed at understanding the depths of ancient history and culture. His scientific activity, marked by fundamental discoveries and original concepts, enriched the world of orientalism and left a significant mark on the study of Hittite and Hattian civilizations, as well as on the study of ancient cultural ties between Anatolia and the Caucasus. The memory of Vladislav Ardzinba as a scientist should be preserved and passed on to new generations of researchers, for whom his works can serve as an example of dedication to science, depth of thought and breadth of scientific horizons. His scientific legacy is a valuable contribution to the treasury of world humanitarian knowledge, which continues to be a relevant reference point for new generations of researchers.
References:
- Ардзинба В. Г. Ритуалы и мифы древней Анатолии. — М.: Наука, Главная редакция восточной литературы, 1982. — 252 с.
- Ардзинба В. Г. Хаттские истоки социальной организации древнехеттского общества: Функции должностных лиц с титулами uhzesi и hatug/rtu. — Дис.... канд. ист. наук. — М., 1971.
- Ардзинба В. Г. Избранные труды. — Сухум: Академия наук Абхазии, 2011.
- Иванов В. В. Об одном древнеиндийском источнике хеттских и хаттских ритуалов // Вестник древней истории. 1971.
