Eastern Black Sea Laz folklore

The ancient region of Anatolia is a cradle of civilizations that has been home to many nations, societies, states and religions throughout history from the early ages to the present day. Within this rich geography, the Eastern Black Sea coast has been an important habitat for the ancient people. The Eastern Black Sea region is one of the most deeply rooted settlement areas given its terrain and cultural diversity. It is also a gateway to both Eurasia and the Caucasus. Since the antique ages, migrations and settlements in this area, particularly from various parts of the Caucasus and Anatolia, have allowed the development of diversity in terms of culture and folklore. Therefore, through both their own culture and the exchange of beliefs and traditions with other groups, the Laz, one of the oldest settled populations in the Eastern Black Sea region, have created a rich cultural and folkloric heritage. In this study, the elements of Laz culture and folklore were evaluated based on the information obtained from field research and literature review, and the study is organized under three main headings. The first chapter discusses the historical time cycles of the Laz from the past to the present. In addition, the history and current state of Lazca/Laz language, which serves a functional carrier of the Laz culture and folklore, as well as academic scans of previous and more recent publications on the Laz culture and folklore were evaluated. In the second chapter, concepts regarded as transitional periods such as "birth, circumcision, marriage, military service and death", are divided into various subheadings and evaluated in light of culture and folklore practices. The third chapter identifies and assesses from multiple perspectives, a number of behaviors and belief elements related to concepts such as natural events, animals, plants, day and time that are envisioned and held important in the Laz people's traditional worldview. Additionally, the extraordinary and mythological creatures in Laz folklore were identified and each was evaluated according to their unique characteristics. Also, the third chapter discusses the Laz people's important days and holidays along with the regional customs practiced on these occasions. The findings of the second and third chapters of the study were evaluated as a whole, and the Anatolian region was used as a sample to identify the region's position within the Turkish cultural basin. The thesis is presented to the benefit of the scientific world to serve as a guide for future studies on local culture and folklore.