WHEN DID THE TERM "SOUTH OSSETIA" APPEAR IN USE? There is no evidence of use of the term "South Ossetia" before the XIX century either in Georgian or foreign written sources. In the understanding of that period Ossets' country was Ossetia, located in North Caucasus. The term "South Ossetia" was first used in 1830 in a series of letters, published in "Tifliskie Vedomosti". It seems that the correspondent used this term on his own initiative, because in 1830 it was mentioned in the report presented to Chernishov, military minister of count Paskevich:" To calm the Ossetian tribe I consider it expedient to conduct a small military operation. This expedition will be directed against North Kartli Ossetians, located southwards of the Caucasus highlands"1. In the correspondent's opinion a total amount of the population of the zone named by him "South Ossetia" was 7 200. In all the historical documents existed on Ossetia before 1830 there was no fact of using any determinant -- "South" or "North" -- in regard to Ossetia in both the Georgian and foreign written sources. The foreign scholars and travelers did not know the term "South Ossetia". Only German professor K.Koch fixed the term "South Ossetia" to designate Georgian historical province Dvaleti in the XIX century. The following was mentioned on Dvaleti in the Russian written monuments: "Dvaleti was an integral part of Georgia within the entire Middle Ages. After East Georgia was joined to Russia it was in Tbilisi gubernia and only in 1859 it joined Vladikavkaz (Ossetia) region2. It should be noted here that the Rusian scholars call North Ossetia a historical Ossetia3. On the basis of conducted research S.Lekishvili pointed to rare use of the term "South Ossetia" within the entire XIX century. He mentioned that in 12 volumes of Caucasus archeological commission acts, which concerned 1864-1917 and involved more than 10 000 documents in the Georgian, Arabian, Russian, Persian and Turkish languages, the term 1 S.Lekishvili. When did the term "South Ossetia" appear? See the book: "The Issue of Ossets", p 261. (Acts, vol. VII, p 354) 2 Essays on the history of the South Ossetian AR, vol. I, 1985, p 120 3 D.Lavrov. Essay on Ossetia and Ossets, jrnl. "Terskie Vedomosti", # 20, 1874 28 In political terminology the term "South Ossetia" appeared in the 60s of the XIX century and since then it had been used by the Russian officials. Before that several measures were undertaken for administrative unification of "Ossetia", which would provide the Russian rule not only in Ossetia itself, but in the entire space of the Caucasus Ridge. Baron Rozen said: "Our firm rule in Ossetia would surely cut the Caucasus Ridge into two parts, while now only the Georgian Military Road crosses union between the peoples half-occupied by us and with animosity against us"1 Soon the regions of compact settlement of Ossets in the northern part of Shida Kartli were called "Ossetia": in 1843 "Ossetian okrug" was formed in Tbilisi gubernia, which was divided into Java, Patara Liakhvi and Nari (historical Dvaleti) sectors. Later Nari sector was transferred from Tbilisi gubernia to the Ossetian military district (formed in 1959 in North Caucasus), which some time after joined Tergi region and in 1924 entered North Ossetian ASSR. Thus Georgia lost its historical territory -- Dvaleti.Through all these measures, in particular, through forming Ossetian okrug in 1843, "farsighted toponymic sabotage, substantiated ground was prepared for future mutation of Ossetians' territorial claims for the native land of Georgia, named as "Ossetia" or "South Ossetia" and for implementation of the idea on further unification of "two Ossetias". These measures turned into aggressive Ossetian separatism in the XX century2. Assistant professor R.Lominadze justly announced that formation of "Ossetian military district" in North Caucasus and of "Ossetian okrug" (later "Ossetian district" in Tbilisi gubernia became the basis for new names -- "North Ossetia" and "South Ossetia". The first officially published document, where these terms were used, was the 1860 year report, prepared by the committee for organizing the society for restoring Orthodox Christianity in Caucasus. It said: "The committee concluded that great attention should be turned to restoration and strengthening of Christianity.... In Samurzaqano, Svaneti, South Ossetia (stress by A.T.), Tusheti and Khevsureti, from where the light of Christianity will further penetrate into Abkhazia, Balkanians and Circassians, North Ossetia (stress by A.T.), among Kists and other Chachan tribes"3. 1 Cited from : R.Lominadze. Who and when called Shida Kartli highlands "South Ossetia"? newspaper "Ganatleba", October 30, 1991 2 V.Itonishvili. South Ossetia in Central Georgia?! See the book: The Isue of Ossets, p16. 3 Cited from R.Lominadze. Op.cit.

• published: 20 Dec 2012
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