Historical geography of the pastoral system in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia

Abstract

The Georgian region, Samtskhe-Javakheti, has a long tradition of pastoralism. Our research focused on the study of pastoral agricul¬ture across XVI–XX centuries. The study is based on census documents, which provide information on the number of sheep and their distribution, statistical and modern field-based materials. The research goal was to study the pastoral systems and related socio-eco¬nomic sectors and analyze their spatial and temporal dimensions. The paper presents thematic maps prepared by the authors, which reflect the state of pastoralism in the sixteenth to twentieth centuries and the present situation. The tabular and cartographic material presented allows to assess the changes that have taken place over a long time and to analyze modern conditions.