CONFERENCE
Abkhazia in the Context of Contemporary International Relations
Pitsunda, The Republic of Abkhazia: June 29 - July 1, 2004
Diasporal Policy and the Formation of the Abkhaz State
Yuri G. Argun
Read more …Diasporal Policy and the Formation of the Abkhaz State, by Yuri G. ArgunCONFERENCE
Abkhazia in the Context of Contemporary International Relations
Pitsunda, The Republic of Abkhazia: June 29 - July 1, 2004
Abkhazia’s Statehood in the Post-Soviet Period
T.M. Shamba, A.U. Neproshin
John Colarusso
Professor in the Anthropology Department of McMaster University, Ontario
Paper prepared for the conference. ‘The contemporary North Caucasus’ held at SOAS on 22-23 April 1993.
0263-4937/95/010075-22 © Society for Central Asian Studies Ltd.
The open white palm on the red background is a symbol of Abkhazian statehood, which was formed at the time of the Abkhazian Kingdom (VIII-X centuries) and encompasses twelve centuries. Such a representation is attested on the coloured Genoese “portalans” (sea-charts) of the XIII-XIV centuries. A dark-red flag with white palm flew in the Middle Ages above the town of Sebastopolis (otherwise San-Sebastian and the classical Dioskuria, which was founded by the ancient Greeks in the VI-V centuries BC), on which site stands today’s capital of Abkhazia, the city of Sukhum.
Read more …On the Historical Symbolism of the State Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia 
Also see: Demographic change in Abkhazia 1897–1989. (Source: Conciliation Resources)
From the 8th Century B.C
The Greeks established colonies in Abkhazia, a part of the Caucasian land then known as Colchis at the Eastern end of the Black Sea. Their cities, especially Dioscurias (now modern day Sukhum) grew to be prosperous trade centres.