View source for Svans

{{Short description|Ethnic subgroup of the Georgians}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}{{about|a people in the Caucasus}}{{Citations needed|date=July 2024}}{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Svans <br />[[Svan language|Svan]]: შუ̂ანა̈რ ''shwanær'' <br />{{lang-ka|სვანები}} {{lang|ka-Latn|svanebi}}
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| image            = File:Kartvelian languages.svg
| caption          = Distribution of the Svan language in relation to other Kartvelian (South Caucasian) languages.
| population       = {{circa|14,000}}<ref name="joshuaprojectpop"/>–80,000<ref name="DoBeS"/>
| popplace         = 
| region1          = Georgia
| pop1             = 14,000<ref name="joshuaprojectpop">{{cite web|url=http://www.joshuaproject.net/peoples.php?peo3=19064|title=Svanetian, Mushwan in Georgia|first=Joshua|last=Project|access-date=18 August 2017}}</ref>–30,000<ref name="DoBeS">{{cite web|url=http://www.mpi.nl/DOBES/projects/svan|title=Svan/Udi/Tsova-Tush - DOBES|access-date=18 August 2017}}</ref>
| languages        = [[Svan language|Svan]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]]
| religions        = Predominantly '''† [[Eastern Orthodox Christianity]]'''<br />([[Georgian Orthodox Church]])
| related_groups   = 
| related-c        = [[Georgians]], [[Laz people|Laz]] and [[Mingrelians]]
}}

The '''Svans''' ({{Langx|sva|შუ̂ანა̈რ|shwanær}}; {{lang-ka|სვანები|tr}}) are an ethnic subgroup of the [[Georgians]]<ref name="Svans-Orientation">[[Stephen F. Jones]]. [http://www.everyculture.com/Russia-Eurasia-China/Svans-Orientation.html Svans]. ''World Culture Encyclopedia''. Retrieved on March 13, 2011: «''The Svans are one of the dozen or so traditionally recognized ethnic subgroups within the Georgian (Kartvelian) nation.''»</ref><ref name="K.Tuite">[http://www.mapageweb.umontreal.ca/tuitekj/publications/Svans.pdf The Svans] Kevin Tuite ''Université de Montréal'' 1992:  «''The Svans are one of the dozen or so traditionally recognized ethnic subgroups within the Georgian (Kartvelian) nation.''»</ref><ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/100262/Caucasian-peoples Britannica. Caucasian peoples]: «The Caucasian peoples ... The southerners, comprising the Georgians, the closely related Mingrelians and Laz, and the Svan, make up the Republic of Georgia and live in western Transcaucasia (the Laz live in Turkish territory).»</ref><ref>R. Wixman. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WKrN10g4whAC&q=Svan The Peoples of the USSR: An Ethnographic Handbook] (p.181): «Svan ... The Svanetians are one of the Kartvelian peoples of the Georgian SSR»</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=uwi-rv3VV6cC&q=Ethnic+Groups+Worldwide%3A+A+Ready+Reference+Handbook%2C+by+David+Levinson Levinson, David. Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1998.] p 35</ref> indigenous to [[Svaneti]], a region in northwest [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. They speak the [[Svan language]] and are mostly bilingual also in [[Georgian language|Georgian]]. Both these languages belong to the [[Kartvelian languages|Kartvelian (South Caucasian) language family]]. In the pre-1930 Soviet census, the Svans were categorized as a separate ethnic group ({{Lang|ru-Latn|natsionalnost}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/ussr_nac_26.php?reg=5|title=Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей.|website=demoscope.ru|access-date=18 August 2017}}</ref> The self-designation of the Svan is '''Mushüan''', which is probably reflected in the ethnonym [[Misimians|Misimian]] of the Classical authors.<ref>History of Georgian Mountein Regions / R. Topchishvili. Available at [http://www.nplg.gov.ge The National Parliamentary Library of Georgia]</ref>

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}[[Image:Old peasant with dagger and long smoking pipe, Mestia, Svanetia, Georgia (Republic).jpg|thumb|left|Svan with [[khanjali]] (dagger) and long smoking pipe. [[Mestia]] (~1888–1900)]]
{{Georgians}}

The Svans are usually identified with the [[Sanni|''Saani'']] mentioned by [[Ancient Greeks|Greek]] geographer [[Strabo]], who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In the Russian Empire and early Soviet Union [[Mingrelian people|Mingrelians]] and Svans had their own census grouping, but were classified under the broader category of Georgian in the 1930s. They are [[Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church|Georgian Orthodox]] Christians, and were Christianized in the 4th–6th centuries. However, some remnants of pre-Christian beliefs have been maintained. [[Saint George]] (known as ''Jgëræg'' to the locals), a [[patron saint]] of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], is the most respected saint. The Svans have retained many of their old traditions, including [[Feud|blood revenge]], although this tradition has been declining over time and as law enforcement takes hold. Their families are small, and the husband is the head of his family. The Svan strongly respect the older women in families.

==Language==
Typically bilingual, they use both [[Georgian language|Georgian]] and their own, unwritten [[Svan language]]. Prior to the 19th century, many Svans were monolingual, only knowing the Svan language.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mapageweb.umontreal.ca/tuitekj/publications/Tuite-1997-SvanSpeakers.pdf |title=Svan and its speakers |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=[[Université de Montréal]] |last=Tuite |first=Kevin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023125637/www.mapageweb.umontreal.ca/tuitekj/publications/Tuite-1997-SvanSpeakers.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-23 |url-status=live |page=2 |quote=Up to the 19th century, many Svans were monolingual,}}</ref>

==Genetics==
The most common [[Y-chromosomal haplogroup]] among the Svans is [[Haplogroup G-FGC7535|G2a]] (90%), in the second place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroup [[R1a]] (5%), in the third place is the Y-chromosomal haplogroup [[Haplogroup J-M172|J2a1]] (about 3%). Among mitochondrial haplogroups [[Haplogroup H (mtDNA)|H]] (17.9%), [[Haplogroup K (mtDNA)|K]] (15.8%), [[Haplogroup W (mtDNA)|W6]] (13%), [[Haplogroup T (mtDNA)|T]] (9.24%), [[Haplogroup U1 (mtDNA)|U1]] (7.61%), [[Haplogroup X (mtDNA)|X2]] (6, 52%), [[Haplogroup U2 (mtDNA)|U2]] (5.98%) are common haplogroups.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yardumian |first=Aram |last2=Shengelia |first2=Ramaz |last3=Chitanava |first3=David |last4=Laliashvili |first4=Shorena |last5=Bitadze |first5=Lia |last6=Laliashvili |first6=Irma |last7=Villanea |first7=Fernando |last8=Sanders |first8=Akiva |last9=Azzam |first9=Andrew |last10=Groner |first10=Victoria |last11=Edleson |first11=Kristi |last12=Vilar |first12=Miguel G. |last13=Schurr |first13=Theodore G. |display-authors=3 |date=2017 |title=Genetic diversity in S vaneti and its implications for the human settlement of the H ighland C aucasus |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.23324 |journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology |language=en |volume=164 |issue=4 |pages=837–852 |doi=10.1002/ajpa.23324 |issn=0002-9483|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Famous Svans==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}}
* [[Temur Babluani]] (born 1948), film director, script writer, and actor
* [[Géla Babluani]] (born 1979), Georgian-French film director
* [[Mikheil Gelovani]] (1893–1956), actor who primarily portrayed Stalin
* [[Otar Ioseliani]] (1934–2023), film director in Georgia
* [[Mikheil Kurdiani]] (1954–2010), philologist, linguist, writer, poet and translator
* [[Sopho Gelovani]] (born 1984), singer
* [[Tariel Oniani]] (born 1952), mafia boss
* [[Yaroslav Iosseliani]] (1912–1978), Soviet Navy submarine commander
* [[Nana Ioseliani]] (born 1962), chess player
* [[Otia Ioseliani]] (1930–2011), Georgian writer
* [[Tengiz Kitovani]] (1938–2023), Georgian politician
* [[Jaba Ioseliani]] (1926–2003), Georgian politician
* [[Eteri Liparteliani|Eter Liparteliani]] (*1999) Georgian Judoka 

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Svans}}
{{Wikisource}}

{{Ethnic groups in Georgia}}
{{Peoples of the Caucasus}}
{{Eastern Christianity footer}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ethnic groups in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Svaneti]]
[[Category:Svan people| ]]
[[Category:Kartvelian peoples]]