Some Characteristics of Artvin Province Culinary Culture

Abstract

The province of Artvin is located in the Çoruh basin, in the extreme eastern part of the Black Sea region of the Republic of Turkey. To the south it borders the province of Erzurum; to the west and east, the provinces of Rize and Ardahan; and to the north, the Republic of Georgia.

The region’s complex history has, over the course of centuries, given rise to a diversity of cultural dialogue. Beyond this, on the one hand, the region’s unique natural wealth and, on the other, its difficult terrain and the scarcity of land suited to agriculture exerted a significant influence on the way of life of the local population and, accordingly, on its culinary culture. It may be said that, within the diverse cuisine of the people of Artvin, an important place belongs to high-calorie dishes that can be prepared quickly and simply. Moreover, many of these dishes were created in ancient times and have come down to the present day in almost unchanged form. Naturally, the effects of continuous warfare and geopolitical change were, to one degree or another, reflected in local cuisine as well, and the process of its adaptation and development is clearly evident.

The present paper offers an extensive examination of the distinctive features of the culinary culture of Artvin province, and of the role played by historical and geographical conditions, everyday life, and other factors in the process by which Artvin›s cuisine took shape.