Eichwald

Eichwald, Karl Eduard (Eduard Ivanovich in Russian scholarly circles) (July 4, 1795, Mitau, now Jelgava – November 4, 1876, St. Petersburg) was a German naturalist and traveler. Corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (since 1826). In 1825–26, he traveled through the Caspian sea costal region and the Caucasus. On April 5, 1826, he arrived in Tbilisi, from where he first traveled to Imereti, Samegrelo, and the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia, then toured Eastern Georgia, visiting Tskhinvali, Kakheti, Belakan, and Elisu.

The result of this journey was his two-volume work “Eduard Eichwald’s Travels in the Caspian Sea Coast Region and the Caucasus in 1825–26” (1834–37). Information about Georgia is primarily found in the second part of the work (“Travels in the Caucasus”), specifically in chapters II, III, and IV.

The book provides detailed information about county’s geography and includes notes about different minerals and natural resource deposits. Eichwald thoroughly describes the local flora and fauna, as well as country’s social and economic situation, its social classes, and their relationship with the newly established Russian administration. He extensively explores trade and its prospects for development, the country’s culture, and the state of education.

Eichwald’s work contains valuable ethnographic information (customs, engagement and wedding practices, types of dwellings, means of transport, clothing, etc.). He also provides data on local population, their numbers, occupations, religions, worship practices, and languages of each ethnic group. He attempts to determine the origin of the Georgian language, concluding that “the roots of the Georgian language are unique (Autochthonous).”

Eichwald makes extensive use of historical sources, though he introduces many inaccuracies when recounting ancient history. However, his account of the history of the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th century is nearly accurate. He describes the establishment of Russian rule in various parts of Georgia, the abolition of the kingdoms of Kartli-Kakheti and Imereti, the subjugation of the principalities, and provides information about uprisings connected with these events, including those of the Kakheti (1812), Imereti (1819), and Abkhazia (1824).

Literary works: Reise auf dem Caspischen Meere und in den Kaukasus, Tübingen, 1834.

Literature: ედუარდ აიხვალდი საქართველოს შესახებ. გერმანულიდან თარგმნა, შესავალი და საძიებელი დაურთო გია გელაშვილმა, თბ., 2005; П о л и е в к т о в  М. А., Европейские путеше- ственники по Кавказу 1800–1830 гг., Тб., 1946.

G. Gelashvili