KKKK

ႸႠႥႪႤႢႭ

+

Modern Georgian Protest Songs

თავფურცელი
Home

Representations Chechen Republic Ichkeria in Finland and Norway

*V*Statistics about Georgia
*V*Georgian and Caucasian Anthropology
*V*BPG Series Georgian Fonts

- Site Map
- Search Site
- Ours Readers
- Feedback

 

Coat of Arms

LINKS:
Deda Ena ÃÄÃÀÄÌÀ
დედა ენა
DEDA ENA

First pure
Georgian Web site

Kaucasica ÉÀÅÉÀÑÈÉÀ
Caucasica

Reverse Links

Unicode encoded Georgian fonts are used
Download

Site Stats

 

History of Georgian Scripture and Fonts

Up ] Next ]

ႵႠႰႧႳႪႨ ႣႠႫႼႤႰႪႭႡႨႱ ႨႱႲႭႰႨႠ  

According to ancient pious tradition:

God desired Most Holy Mother to preach the Gospel in Georgia and for this mission she amazingly was educated Georgian language.

Georgian language has Sacred Mission to be the Language of  the Judgment Day.

Georgian language, scripture holds, contains  Universal Sacred Intelligence, knowledge.


Old Georgian Scriptures - Gallery

Copies kindly from Vladimir Kikilashvili


Scientific study of Georgian scripture was founded by great Georgian academician, founder of National University Ivane Javakhishvili [Dzavakhishvili]. Research of Iv.Javakhishvili “
ქართული დამწერლობათა-მცოდნეობა ანუ პალეოგრაფია [Studio of Georgian Scripture or Paleography]” (1st edition, 1926; 2nd edition 1949) established theoretical and practical fundament for this discipline in Georgia.

Academician Arnold Chikobava, founder of Ibero-Caucasian Linguistics, published in 1927-1928 “სავარჯიშო ქართულ პალეოგრაფიაში [Studious for Georgian Paleography]” including two parts - for Mtavruli and Nuskhuri scriptures.

Fundamental study of Georgian printed media, typography, printing-house and journalism was established by academician Paata Gugushviliქართული წიგნი 1629-1929 [Georgian Printed Book 1929-1929]” (1st edition 1929, 386 p.; 2nd edition,  [Georgian Printed Book 1929-1979], 1984, 896p.).

Classical Book of  Ilia Abuladze ქართული წერის ნიმუშები [Examples of Georgian Scripture]” (1st edition 1949, 2nd edition 1973, 416 p.) includes bright and carefully selected examples of Georgian scripture from the very beginning till to 19th century.

B.Gordeziani published in 1953 essential book "ქართული მხედრული შრიფტი" [Georgian Mkhedruli Type], 123 p.


Leonti Mroveli, author of chronicle "Life of Kartli /  ქართლის ცხოვრება" dates establishing of first Georgian scripture by III cent. B.C. during the reigning of  King Parnavaz. Times have not preserved examples of Parnavaz’s scriptures.


Cast Types

First time 1628 Georgian printing types were  produced, in Rome.

Mkhedruli of this type is interesting in many respects:

  • There were casted also several hundred Syllabic Glyphs.

  • Alphabet includes 37 letters (not 38)

  • Line of letters [ABC] is different, see...

"Georgian-Italian Dictionary"  and "Georgian Alphabet with Prayers" printed in Rome, 1629, by Stephano Paolini and Nikiphore Irbach (Irubakhidze-Cholokashvili).

In 1643, in Rome, "Georgian Grammar" by Francisco-Maria Majio was printed, using Nuskhuri, Asomtavruli and Mkhedruli. Majio spent 7 years in Georgia studying Georgian language, scripture and grammar.


King Archil II, refugee in Russia and his son Prince Alexander (buddy and brother-in-arms of Russian Emperor Peter the Great) produced cast types of Mtavruli, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli by Amsterdam Master Miklosh Kish Tutfalosh in 1686-1687 (was not used).

After Prince Alexander was captured by Sweden he produced Mtavruli and Khutsuri types in Stockholm in printing-house of Henry III, 1703 (was not used - Alexander died captured).

In 1705, King Archil II organized in Moscow printing house and  "Davitni" was printed using Nuskhuri and Khutsuri types by Russian Master Efrem.


From 1709 printing-house of  King Vahtang VI have given its first production and in 1712 were printed "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" by Shota Rustaveli, then  "New Testament" and "The Bible" using types prepared in Tbilisi by Hungarian Master Michael Stefan Hungaro-Valakhian.


  • 1739 first ABC for pupils was printed in Moscow - (translated from Russian by Gabriel Chkheidze) Mtavruli and Nuskhuri types.

  • 1825 ABC by Father Tarasi, Moscow.

  • 1858 first original printed ABC, Tbilisi, by Ivane Kereselidze.

  • 1864-1867-... famous and classical ABC - "Deda Ena დედა ენა" by genial Jacob Gogebashvili (ABC for 9 generations of Georgians)


  • "Georgian Newspaper საქართველოს გაზეთი/ქართული გაზეთი" - First Georgian periodical, Tbilisi, 1819-1821

  • "Tbilisi Messenger's Literary Addition სალიტერატურო ნაწილნი ტფილისის უწყებათანი" - First journal, 1832, Editor Solomon Dodashvili.

3 scriptures and 33 Letters of Georgian

There are 3 main types, kinds of Georgian scripture - those unique creations of Georgian spirit, vision and talent
a) 'Mtavruli'
b) 'Nuskhuri'
c) 'Mkhedruli'

'Mtavruli' means Capital and the other names are 'AsoMtavruli' [Capital Letters] or "Mtavruli Khutsuri' [Capital Clerical] or 'Mrgvlovani' [Rounded]. Oldest examples are found from 5th century. Manuscripts are found from 8th cent. Texts written completely using 'Mtavruli' are till 11th cent. During 5-8th centuries this was the only Georgian scripture.

Mtavruli was implemented in state life as attribute of Christian religion, which growth to state religion in Georgian Kartli Kingdom from 330s. Asomtavruli was developed under influence of Greek (scripture of New Testament) and Aramaic (Scripture of Christian Old Testament) and is in many respects following contemporary international type style and ideology.
See Mtavruli examples

Other names for ‘Nuskhuri’ [Nuskha means List, Scription] are ‘Nuskha-Khutsuri’ [Khutsuri means  Clerical] and ‘Kuthovani’ [Angular, Cornered]. Nuskhuri was used during 9-18th centuries. First period, till 11th century it was used as lowercase together with Mtavruli and from 12th cent it was used as lonely scripture. Generally, from 12-13th cent, use of Mtavruli is restricted to ornamental role. Genetically Nuskhuri is lowercased Mtavruli. In earliest manuscripts similarity is evident.
See Nuskhuri examples

Main contentual difference between Mtavruli and Nuskhuri is letter ‘ [U]’. In Mtavruli there is not special glyph for this vowel and ‘ႭჃ [OW]’ was used. So Mtavruli contains 37 letters (glyphs) and Khutsuri 38.

'Mtavruli' and 'Khutsuri' were main scriptures of 'non-typographic', manuscript era. They can be discussed as 'Gothic' scripture for Georgian.

Mkhedruli’ [means Horseman's, Civil, Citizen's]. Earliest examples are found from 11th cent. Mkhedruli was developed under the strong influence of Arabic scripture style, which becomes Lingua Franco in the Near East for this period. Genetically Mkhedruli is coming from Khutsuri - this is evident in earliest manuscripts,
See examples of transitional Mkhedruli.

Mkhedruli was developed basically for civil and state use and become common scripture for Georgian language.  Mkhedruli has no capital letters and during 17-18/19th centuries Mtavruli was used as capitals.


See also: Comperative  tables of scriptures


Mkhedruli become basic scripture for 'typographic' era. Last main rearrangement of Georgian scripture was done under leadership of Prince Ilia Chavchavadze - St. Ilia the Righteous in the mid of 19th cent. and was broaden by Society for the Spread Literacy among Georgians especially established for this rationale.

In 60-70es of 20th cent there was attempt to recreate modernized Mtavruli as capital letters instead of synthetic Mkhedruli Capital leaded by prominent Georgian linguist, academician Akaki Shanidze, backed by Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, Arnold Chikobava, Paata Gugushvili and other intellectuals. This attempt failed, first of all, because of antagonism from the side of Communist nomenclature.

There were also attempts to develop special, Georgian based public scriptures for Zan and Svan and reflect special letters of those dialects, as well for few other Caucasian nations.

Several well-designed typographic fonts were developed in the end of 19-th and during 20-th centuries (mainly in 20-30th and 60-70th) by Gordeziani and Anton Dumbadze. Most Georgian typographic casted and photo-matrix fonts have not glyphs, letters dropped by Ilia.

There were developed also synthetic capital letters (fonts) ‘Mkhedruli Mtavruli’ [Civil Capital] based on Mkhedruli scripture. First mention about Mkhedruli Mtavruli is from 1728 by Nikoloz Tfileli "Mkhedruli Mtavruli is developped by me" see: P.Gugushvili 'Georgian Printed Book'.

But till nowadays capitals are specific scriptures from Georgian point of view, they are used only for headings - there is no tradition of sentence capitalization - most industry standard types have not capitals. Another specific of Georgian printed scripture tradition is absence of italics.


Georgian Industry Standard Fonts
are of 3 categories - Lowercase (Normal Case): 'Gogebashvili', 'Gorda', 'Literaturuli', 'Lortkipanidze', 'Parisian', etc.; Uppercase (Title Case): 'Balaveri', 'Groteski', 'Pakizi', 'Sakartvelo', etc.; Mixed Case: 'Akademiuri', 'Chveulebrivi', 'Colheti', 'Dumbadze', etc. Ancient (Khutsuri) letters were developed only for 'Akademiuri' font.


It is important to understand place and role of abovementioned Georgian types in modern Georgian life and modern Literary Georgian. Use of Mtavruli and Nuskhuri is restricted to scientific research and small part of publications of Georgian Church. Mkhedruli is used for all common needs of nation and state. Common members of contemporary Georgian society can not read, write or even recognize Mtavruli, Nuskhuri or 5 letters dropped by Ilia Chavchavadze from Georgian ABC. From the other side, use of synthetic subtype of Mkhedruli Capital is important for mass-media and this scripture, glyphs are establishing theirs place as scripture for headlines, banners, etc. See more…

 

See also:

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

 Cover Page | Table of Contents | BPG 1996 | [email protected] | Feedback

1