Script and identity: Alphabets, amulets, and anchors

The paper, “Script and identity: Alphabets, amulets, and anchors”,
examines the central role of the Georgian alphabet in constructing and
preserving identity within isolated Georgian linguistic enclaves, focusing on the
Fereydani Georgian community in Iran. The study argues that the Geor-
gian script transcends its function as a linguistic medium and serves as a
cultural and religious symbol that anchors collective identity in the midst
of geographical and cultural isolation. Separated from the Georgian heart-
land during the Ottoman-Persian conflicts, the Fereydani Georgians experi-
enced centuries of isolation that fostered the independent development of
their language and culture. The Georgian script emerged as a counterpoint
to the dominant Arabic script, symbolizing resistance to assimilation and
the preservation of ethnic and spiritual heritage. Beyond textual
communication, religious texts, amulets and artefacts bearing the Georgian script
serve as tangible links to the ancestral homeland, reinforcing cultural
memory and solidarity. The article places this phenomenon in a broader
historical context, showing how forced relocations fragmented Georgian
communities, creating linguistic and cultural islands. Women played a crucial
role in preserving written traditions, particularly through the clandestine
Dedabruli script developed under Ottoman rule to covertly maintain
Orthodox beliefs and cultural practices. Ultimately, the paper argues that the
Georgian alphabet is central to the cultural identity of these isolated
communities. It transcends practical communication to become a ritual and
sacred element that embodies and perpetuates their identity. The
Georgian script, the study shows, is not just a linguistic tool, but a lived
experience that is integral to the preservation of collective memory and cultural
uniqueness.