70 years since the birth of the First President of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba

Sukhum. May 14. Apsnypress. 

  Ardzinba was a politician of God, 

I knew Vladislav Grigorievich in the mid-1980s, when he worked at the Institute of Oriental Studies. We knew each other by sight, but there were no close relations between us. We began to communicate closer in the middle of the dashing nineties. 

Thanks Ardzinba, from 1994 to 2000 I spent in Abkhazia about two to four months of the year, and was engaged in research of ancient traditions and religion of Abkhazians and talked with many people including elders and priests. Ardzinba was very interested in my work. Although initially quite skeptical about the announced plans. It is understandable. Many scholars have come to the country for the rest of the soul rather than for serious work. But after 2000, I brought Vladislav Grigorievich my finished doctorate for review, he studied it very corrosive penetrating almost at every comma. And ру wrote an objective and thorough review, although at that time he already started to have problems with health. 

Ardzinba was a great scientist-orientalist, specialist for Hittites (ancient population of Minor Asia) whose language is kinship with Abkhazian-Adyghe language group. He wrote a very good book and a doctoral dissertation on "The rituals and myths of ancient Anatolia", I found many parallels with the religion of Abkhazians in it. Unfortunately, it gradually leveled out, and globalization all washes. If I had not had time to fix the ritual practice of the sanctuaries and our discussions with the Abkhaz priests, many would disappear forever. Time is running fast and now many of my interlocutors have gone to another world. 

What Ardzinba was in his youth? Our once-young ladies from the Institute of Oriental Studies, still have very warm memories about their volleyball games, trips for potatoes, voluntary work and other activities, which involved young Vladislav Ardzinba. I was told that he was a secretary of the party bureau, and cared not primarily about following "party line", but the interests of science and personnel of the department of the Ancient Orient which he headed. 

He was very persistent, so the institute bosses preferred not to get involved with him. He was never a careerist. In Soviet times, no careerist would be engaged in cuneiform and proto Hittites, it was not some kind of socialist orientation of the Third World on which were made hundreds of careers. He was a man of science, but the fate forced to go into politics, and the fact that he was worthy of his historic role is a great happiness for Abkhazians. Ardzinba was a politician of God, leader of the nation in the most tragic time. However, it is not a typical politician.He was very intelligent, but in critical situations for the sake of national interests, he was capable for the most drastic measures.