Mythological Parallels in Georgian and Chechen Legends

Khvtiso Mamisimedishvili

2022

Abstract

Chechen and Georgian mythology confirm important plot parallels and similar elements of traditional culture. The existence of certain mythological motifs and plots in epic tales is explained by cultural influences and borrowings, while some are universal and are reflected in traditions rather distant from each other. Important questions of Georgian-Nakh cultural relations have not been discussed in academic literature to date, such as the kinship of Chechen tales and Georgian folklore; the similarity of mythologemes, plots and motifs in Chechen folk texts with Georgian oral tradition; and the reflection of mediaeval Georgian culture in Chechen legends. The parallelism of mythological motifs in Georgian and Chechen tales manifests itself in various aspects. From this point of view, among the myths of the two peoples, the subject of our study were hunting tales, in particular, the narratives associated with the patrons of beasts and forest mythical creatures; the names of mythological characters; the motif of struggle against demonic mythological creatures; secret signs/marks associated with the appearance of the character; mythological names of toponyms, as well as the cosmogonic nature of the mythologem of the dragon in Chechen folklore and its parallels with Georgian mythology. The article examines the typological and genetic links between Chechen mythopoetics and Georgian oral folk tradition, and reveals mythopoetic and narrative/story parallels. As studies have shown, the similarity of mythological motifs in Chechen and Georgian legends is not superficial but deeper. They include well-known plots reworked on the local soil, and completely original themes and motifs.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Mamisimedishvili K. (2022). Mythological Parallels in Georgian and Chechen Legends. In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Actual Issues of Linguistics, Linguodidactics and Intercultural Communication - Volume 1: TLLIC; ISBN 978-989-758-655-2, SciTePress, pages 119-127. DOI: 10.5220/0011608200003577

in Bibtex Style

@conference{tllic22,
author={Khvtiso Mamisimedishvili},
title={Mythological Parallels in Georgian and Chechen Legends},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Actual Issues of Linguistics, Linguodidactics and Intercultural Communication - Volume 1: TLLIC},
year={2022},
pages={119-127},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0011608200003577},
isbn={978-989-758-655-2},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Actual Issues of Linguistics, Linguodidactics and Intercultural Communication - Volume 1: TLLIC
TI - Mythological Parallels in Georgian and Chechen Legends
SN - 978-989-758-655-2
AU - Mamisimedishvili K.
PY - 2022
SP - 119
EP - 127
DO - 10.5220/0011608200003577
PB - SciTePress