Cartographic Representation of Population Census Registers (According to Census Books of II Half of 17th Century)

Abstract

Population census registers are among the most important historical sources, offering broad opportunities for studying the demographic, social, economic, and cultural development of society. Through them, it is possible to identify population size, social strata, settlement networks, taxation systems, and anthroponymic characteristics. Particular importance is attached to the historical-cartographic analysis of such data, as it enables the reconstruction of past spatial realities. The aim of this study is to analyze the data from the population census registers of Kartli in the 17th-18th centuries and to map them demographically. The research is based on the registers of the Zemo Kartli (Upper Kartli) military-administrative district (Sadrosho) from the second half of the 17th century and the 1715 register of the Ruisi Samtskso (Ruisi Parish), published in the works of Ivane Javakhishvili and Ekvtime Takaishvili. The study employs retrospective cartographic methods, historical-comparative and semantic analysis, GIS technologies, historical maps, toponymic evidence, and modern statistical data. As a result of the research, villages were identified and localized, and thematic maps were produced. During the research it was established that in 1715, the territory of the Ruisi Parish contained 87 villages and approximately 2,000 households. The population was unevenly distributed, with both relatively large and small settlements, including settlements undergoing decline. A dispersed settlement system and a tendency toward village abandonment were identified. Anthroponymic analysis shows that the naming system was characterized simultaneously by diversity and cultural uniformity. The most common names were Giorgi, Datuna, Tamaza, Ivana/Ivane, and others. The study confirms that population census registers constitute an important source not only for history, demography, and ethnography, but also for historical cartography. Through their analysis and the use of GIS technologies, it becomes possible to reconstruct historical space and determine the dynamics of settlement network development as well as the characteristics of territorial population distribution.