The Foreign layers in toponymics of Tao

Abstract

Tao is an extensive province of ancient Georgia. It is cultivated in the gorges of Chorokhi and Oltisi water. the part of gorges of Tao’s Chorokhi was called Amiertao, the part of waters of Oltisi and its tributaries was called Imiertao. Even from today’s standpoint, we divide Tao in two parts: Georgian and Turkish Tao. The major part of the country is Turkish, only in some villages in Eliaskhevi - the tiny gorges
in Amiertao and in Binati, and bordering villages of Tao and Klarjeti can Georgian language be heard.

It is said that toponyms are „the language of the land” which means that the trace of the people living here is reflected in it. When we talk about Tao, we should take into considiretaion the diversity of its population. Here the different peoples were meeting with each other: Georgians, Armenians, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, Ottomans… some of them (Armenians, Greeks, Ottomans) have influenced on this region. Accordingly, in toponymics of Tao, together with Georgian will be visible Armenian, Greek and Turkish layers. Some authors are trying to explain the majority of geographical names in Armenian:

ურუთ’ is Armenian and it means willow; დეჯერიქ’ means little church, ტორიქ– little stream სეხსორი –სორ’, ძორ’ ღელე, ხევი; კინეპოსი||ქინეპოსი – Grapes lowland, Valley... სიმირდონი – Turkish; დევე ჲათაღი – A camel bed...

We will take notice on some facts:
a.Armenian and Turkish geographical names are produced from Georgian model;
b. Foreign names are very often translation of Georgian ვარშინი (ქვესოფელი, შდრ. ქოსოფელი); ვერინქეღ (ზედა სოფელი, შდრ. ზესოფელი||ზოსოფელი);
c. The village name is foreign, Microtoponims – Georgian.

Finally the researcher’s attention is a strange thing. The village is Armenian, the village churchGeorgian the inscription on it Georgian (very rare in another language) what conclusion can we do?