For some forgotten Georgian game terms

Abstract

Games are an integral part of the daily life of any nation, because they reveal the unique culture of the people. For many centuries, along with physical exertion, Georgian folk games included important elements of the upbringing of the young generation - they developed not only intelligence, memory, imagination, endurance, speed, flexibility and strength, but also taught them to observe certain norms and rules of behavior, folk traditions and strengthen the experience of their ancestors.

After Georgia joined Russia, many games were forgotten, because the Russians forbade them - they were afraid of gathering of people and "riot". The paper analyzes some terms related to forgotten Georgian games, namely, Ganjafa, Mkhardavedra and Merkulule.

Ganjafa - was a card-like game imported from Persia, playing paper with bone plates. Mkhardavedra - a type of sport included in the program of the ancient Meskhuri Games, about which Ivane Gvaramadze published a letter in "Droeba" newspaper on October 17, 1882. As it turns out, Georgians also had a folk dance with this name.

The person who brings water to the players on the field during a forced break caused by a rough game in rugby is called tulukhch, while we have the old Georgian word merkule, which, according to Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, means a water carrier.