European Travelers, Scribes, and Merchants on the Silk Road

“Tbilisi is the place where Asia and Europe walk hand in hand.” – Alexandre Dumas, French writer and journalist.

Even in ancient times, transit routes from the Far East, Asia Minor, and the Mediterranean passed through Georgia, specifically the territory of Javakheti. In the early Christian era, Javakheti’s involvement in international trade is confirmed by the "World Road Map" compiled by the Roman geographer Castorius of the second half of the 4th century, on which, according to one of the routes, the road from south to north to Transcaucasia would go from the then capital of Armenia, Artashat, through Gyumri, into Phocaea, pass through Abuli, descend from Khospio to Tsunda, then from Odzrkhe through the "Iron Cross" pass to Likhtimereti - Varditsikhe-Kutaisi, from there to Poti, from where it would branch off in two directions to Trapezund in the south and to Sevastopol (Sukhumi) in the north (Javakheti, K. Metreveli, 2022)

"The constant entry of camels and horses into the city and their exit from there... The transport of goods from distant countries - all this was a special It gives life to these peculiar hotels (caravans), where merchants of such different languages ​​and countries live, as if united in one community... Tbilisi can be considered a key place between Europe and Asia.” - Jacques-François Gamba, French traveler and merchant, 1824.

The artist Leon Beckett, to the adventure novel “Claudius Bombardier” written in 1893 by the French writer, classic adventure writer Jules Verne, included two maps of the railway line - from Tiflis to Kashgar and from Kashgar to Beijing. The book describes a journey along the “Great Trans-Asian Railway”, which stretches from Uzun Ada (an island in the Gulf of Izmir, Turkey) to Beijing.

According to a letter from Louis Grangier, a French Catholic missionary who visited Samegrelo in 1615, Anaklia (the port) is marked on a Turkish map of the second half of the 17th century and on a French map compiled by the geographer Sanson at the end of the same century.

The Italian Catholic missionary Giuseppe Zampi wrote in 1674: “Now a man cannot be fearless, there is always the fear of the fall of the Abkhazians. Even the ships that came to Cavros and Morbilla are now going to Anarchy out of fear.”

"Every year, about twelve sailing ships from Constantinople and Caffa and more than sixty feluccas from Gonio, Iris, and Trebizond arrive in Anaklia. In addition to prisoners in Samegrelo, they are loaded with silk, flax thread, canvas and flax seed, ox hides, marten and beaver fur, boxwood, wax, and honey." - Jean Chardin (1643-1713), French jeweler, gemstone merchant, and traveler.

French publicist and traveler, member of the Paris Geographical Society Jean Mourier wrote in his book “Samegrelo” published in 1883 that Anaklia has only “20 inhabitants, but it is a very important port for cargo ships. Corn from the entire Zugdidi region flows here to be sent abroad or to Odessa by sea.”

Due to its geographical location, Tbilisi’s status as one of the most important transit cities in the world is associated with the construction of the Indo-European telegraph line. The telegraph line, which is 11,000 kilometers long, ran along the following route: London-Berlin-Warsaw-Odessa-Kerch-Tbilisi-Tehran-Karachi-Calcutta. The laying of the Indo-European telegraph line was commissioned by the British government to the company "Siemens & Halske" in order to quickly establish communication with India, the largest colony. In Georgia, the telegraph line passed through Sukhumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Gori and Tbilisi. The first land transcontinental telegraph was opened in January 1870, and for 60 years, Tbilisi was the most important center of international communication. The German Siemens brothers - Werner, Otto and Walter Edgne - headed the project.

Letter from Swedish engineer and entrepreneur Ludwig Nobel to his brothers: "Among all the possible routes for transporting oil from Baku, I recommend that you choose the route that passes through Georgia, since between these two countries, in addition to territorial proximity, there is a completely unique feeling of friendship and loyalty to each other that has existed for centuries between Azerbaijanis and Georgians. For us, foreigners, this factor is of particular importance. All other routes are associated with much greater risks, since nowhere are there such favorable conditions as in Baku and Tbilisi. Therefore, I am deeply convinced that we should choose this route." Ludwig, Robert and Alfred were the founders of the "Nobel Brothers Oil Production Partnership". Together they made a decision to export Caspian hydrocarbons to Europe. They discussed several options for transit routes, and agreed on the route chosen by Ludwig: Baku - Tbilisi - Batumi. 1875

"Four roads converged in Mtskheta, the capital of the Kingdom of Kartli." - Greek geographer Strabo (64-63 BC, 23-24 AD).

 

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