Doctor of History
Senior Researcher
Tamaz Beradze Institute of Georgian Studies, the University of Georgia
Tbilisi, Georgia
ORCID: 0000-0001-2345-6789
bxorava@ug.edu.ge

Upper Kodori Valley – The Land of Dali (A Historical-Geographical Overview)

This paper focuses on the upper part of the Kodori Valley, the historical community of Dali, and examines the historical-physical, historical-political, and historical-economic geography of the region. The study of Georgia’s historical-ethnographic and historical-geographical regions is a pressing issue in modern historiography, as a detailed study of each region is essential for writing a comprehensive history of the country.

The work discusses hydrography, orography, historical geography of populated areas, geography of historical fortifications, church geography, historical routes, historical toponymy, and other related aspects of the valley. The research follows Academician Niko Berdzenishvili’s view that the study of Georgia’s history should begin with local regions, allowing systematic, detailed research to reveal previously unexplored historical processes.

 

Keywords: Abkhazia, riv. Kodori, Kodori Valley, Dali, Ajara, Lata