Chapter 2. 'The Abkhazians: A Handbook' by George Hewitt (Editor) Richmond, Surrey: The Curzon Press 1999.

The ethnogenesis of any people is a complex problem. It can be tackled by marshalling evidence from a variety of disciplines: linguistics, archæology, anthropology, etc... Below I shall deal, somewhat briefly, with the first two of these; their data prove crucial in the search for the origin of the Abkhazian people.

Documentary film - Abkhazia: Paradise in limbo

Abkhazia: A View from Europe.

A Cinematic Essay

Many speak and write about Abkhazia in heated terms.

This small country had first to withstand a brutal war, and then a harsh economic blockade. It has since proclaimed its independence and is striving to achieve international recognition. Beyond its frontiers, very few know the pre-history of this state.

Here two Englishmen introduce this Black Sea country to an international audience.

Why do some people age in failing health and sadness, while others grow old with vitality and joy?

In this revolutionary book, bestselling author John Robbins presents us with a bold new paradigm of aging, showing us how we can increase not only our lifespan but also our health span. Through the example of four very different cultures that have the distinction of producing some of the world's healthiest, oldest people, Robbins reveals the secrets for living an extended and fulfilling life in which our later years become a period of wisdom, vitality, and happiness. From Abkhasia [Abkhazia] in the Caucasus south of Russia, where age is beauty, and Vilcabamba in the Andes of South America, where laughter is the greatest medicine, to Hunza in Central Asia, where dance is ageless, and finally the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa, the modern Shangri-la, where people regularly live beyond a century, Robbins examines how the unique lifestyles of these peoples can influence and improve our own.