Papagiya of the Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus’ Treatise De Administrando Imperio. History of Studies

Abstract

Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus' treatise De Administrando Imperio contains unique information on the "Papagiya's country" located in the Northwest Caucasus between Zikhiya and Kasakhiya. The given research presents the two-century history of studies of Papagiya. The author shows the range of questions, which aroused the Papagiya's researchers' interest, and reveals the stages of study, as well as the factors which caused the formation of its main versions, approaches and features. Papagiya drew attention of historians and archaeologists, mainly, in the context of Zikhiya and Kasakhiya's studies. Two main versions-about "Adyghe" and "not-Adyghe" ethnic origin of papags were proposed. The study of Papagiya wasn't connected with research on Khazaria and those historical processes which proceeded in the Northwest Caucasus during a Khazaria era. Researchers relied only on written sources, and did not pay attention to the most important layer of information-archaeological materials. The author makes conclusion that the main questions-localization of Papagiya and clarification of ethnic identification of papags-can be considered at the new methodical level only in the complex analysis of the source text together with the others texts of medieval authors on ethnocultural and political situation in medieval Northwest Caucasus, and materials of archaeological monuments of Zakubanye and Northeast Black Sea Coast of that period.