The Hemshin

Simonian, Hovann

ISBN 10: 0700706569 / ISBN 13: 9780700706563

Published by Routledge, 2006

About this Item

The Hemshin, who live around Rize and Artvin in northeastern Turkey, are the descendants of Armenians who converted to Islam beginning in the 17th century, in a process that took several centuries to complete. This title offers an introduction to the Hemshin people and language, and investigates the community of Islamicized Armenians. Series: Caucasus World: Peoples of the Caucasus. Num Pages: 472 pages, 25 black & white tables. BIC Classification: 1DVUG; GBC; JFC; JHMP. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational; (UP) Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly; (UU) Undergraduate. Dimension: 234 x 156 x 31. Weight in Grams: 839. . 2006. 1st Edition. hardcover. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9780700706563

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Hemshin
• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication Date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0700706569
• ISBN 13: 9780700706563
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

The Hemshin are without doubt one of the most enigmatic peoples of Turkey and the Caucasus. As former Christians who converted to Islam centuries ago yet did not assimilate into the culture of the surrounding Muslim populations, as Turks who speak Armenian yet are often not aware of it, as Muslims who continue to celebrate feasts that are part of the calendar of the Armenian Church, and as descendants of Armenians who, for the most part, have chosen to deny their Armenian origins in favour of recently invented myths of Turkic ancestry, the Hemshin and the seemingly irreconcilable differences within their group identity have generated curiosity and often controversy.

The Hemshin is the first scholarly work to provide an in-depth study of these people living in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. This groundbreaking volume brings together chapters written by an international group of scholars that cover the history, language, economy, culture and identity of the Hemshin. It is further enriched with an unprecedented collection of maps, pictures and appendices of up-to-date statistics. The Hemshin forms part of the Peoples of the Caucasus series, an indispensable and yet accessible resource for all those with an interest in the Caucasus.

About the Author

Hovann H. Simonian is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science of the University of Southern California. He is Swiss of Armenian origin and is the co-author (with R. Hrair Dekmejian) of Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region.