Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia

Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia was a Russian grand duke and dynast of the House of Romanov. He was also a naval officer, author, explorer, as well as the first cousin once removed, brother-in-law and advisor of Emperor Nicholas II.

Silver Coin Jewelry on Traditional Clothing

Tushetian women decorated their undergarments with heavy silver attachments and real Russian coins, each carefully soldered to a ring. These intricate ensembles, often featuring geometric silver pieces, remained a highly prized and distinctive part of their traditional festive attire.

Tbilisi Women's Traditional Daily Wear

In 19th-century Tbilisi, women wore a long shirt (perangi) and ankle-length trousers (sheidishi), often embellished with gold threads or silk embroidery, topped with dresses and intricate, veil-covered headwear. Wealthy women wore a knee-length velvet or silk outer garment called a katibi, which was trimmed with fur and fastened with precious gold or silver hooks.

Festive Bread and Dance Traditions

During the Shrovetide (Maslenitsa) season, Georgian families baked nazuki (plain bread) and kada (rich bread) in preparation for the week's festivities. Women often gathered on neighbors' rooftops to dance the lezginka accompanied by the daira (tambourine).

Music in Noble Households

In noble households, young servants were trained to sing Mingrelian songs elegantly while attending guests during great feasts. These servants followed a strict daily routine, starting and ending their day by attending church services.

Steamship travel on the Mtkvari River

In 1853, steamships began operating on the Mtkvari River, theoretically allowing goods to be transported 260 kilometers between Tiflis and Mingechaur. However, the river's dangerous rapids and shallow spots frequently forced travelers and traders to rely on overland treks instead.

Road travel by arba cart

Travellers often used the arba, a clattering and cumbersome cart well-suited for rugged, mountainous terrain. A journey might be interrupted by broken-down carriages or poor roads, forcing travelers to walk or seek alternative transport.

Traditional Housing and Cooking Methods

Peasant houses were often simple structures with walls made of clay and cowdung or tree trunks, featuring a central hearth for cooking and a hole in the roof for smoke to escape. In Tbilisi, traditional 'darbazi' houses consisted of one large room with a dirt floor, which was watered in summer for cooling and covered with carpets or felt in winter.

Water Delivery by Horse and Skin Bottle

Outside the central parts of Tbilisi, residents relied on water from the Mtkvari River or local streams, which was delivered to their doorsteps by water-carriers using horses equipped with leather bags or skin bottles.

Eating with Adam's spoon

Diners often ate with their hands using an Adam's spoon, meaning their own fingers, to scoop up food from shared wooden or clay dishes.

Gomi millet porridge staple

Gomi, a millet porridge served without salt, was a staple food often eaten with cheese or fish, and served as a side to salted dishes.

Laborer and craftsman daily wages

In the Transcaucasus region during the mid-19th century, daily wages for laborers typically started at 15 to 20 kopecks in silver, while skilled craftsmen earned up to one silver ruble per day.

Average daily worker wages in Tbilisi

In February 1914, a worker in Tbilisi earned an average daily wage of 2 rubles and 39 kopecks, with specific trades ranging from 80 kopecks for a day laborer to 3.5 rubles for a heater.

Jewish serfs and their duties

Many Jewish families in Eastern Georgia lived in serfdom and were required to pay dues in kind, such as candles, firewood, and clothing, to their landowners. In addition to manual labor like water delivery, these families often combined small-scale trade and weaving to survive.

Early morning labor in Tiflis

Tiflis (Tbilisi) life began as early as 3:00 AM, with laborers and poor people gathering at fountains and water sources. Carriers, or mushi, spent their days transporting heavy goods on their backs while earning roughly four abazes on a productive day.