University of Georgia
Associate Professor
Tbilisi, Georgia
t.lekiashvili@ug.edu.ge
Abstract
The article examines 25 historical postcards related to Georgia identified in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Library, depicting Tbilisi, Batumi, Sokhumi, and various locations along the Black Sea coast. The study aims to describe and attribute the postcards and to analyze them as historical sources. Particular attention is paid to the architectural appearance of the cities, transport and tourism infrastructure, coastal and resort areas, as well as printed and handwritten inscriptions.
The Russian, French, and other-language texts preserved on the postcards make it possible to study, alongside the visual material, personal correspondence, travel experiences, and practices of postal communication. Although parallel copies of some of the images can also be found in other collections and online resources, the materials preserved in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Library have an independent scholarly value due to their handwritten content and their specific library context.
The study presents historical postcards as important visual and epistolary sources for the urban, social, and cultural history of Georgia in the early twentieth century.
Keywords: historical postcards; Georgia; Tbilisi; Batumi; Sokhumi; Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Library; visual history; epistolary sources; urban history; Black Sea coast; early twentieth century.