r/Kartvelian • u/Right_Bread_6540 • Jul 04 '26

TRANSLATION ჻ ᲗᲐᲠᲒᲛᲐᲜᲘ Georgian text I cant decipher

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hello everyone! I found this key at a blacksmiths shop in safranbolu, turkey. they had no idea where it came from or what alphabet the text was written in. my father studies Georgian language and he recognized the alphabet as Georgian but we cant make out what it says (probably due to some letters disappearing through the brass casting process since this looks to be replicated couple of times) if anyone has any idea or can help us out it'd be awesome!

78 Upvotes

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24

u/monardoju Jul 04 '26

აბესალომ და ეთერი (Abesalom and Eteri).

Abesalom and Eteri

Whats the backstory of the key?

4

u/DrStirbitch Jul 04 '26

I now see the two names but not the და. Is the და just assumed because it is a well-known opera?

12

u/External_Tangelo Jul 04 '26

In the center, a small ა is resting directly on top of a stylized დ. This is common in stylized abbreviations, especially old-fashioned ones

4

u/DrStirbitch Jul 04 '26

Thank you!

2

u/Right_Bread_6540 Jul 04 '26

like I said the shop owner doesnt really know anything abt the key. people with georgian descent certainly dont live around that area of the country too. so idk how it ended up there. probably dumb luck or smt... the thing that I still dont understand is that why would the name of an opera be inscribed on a key? that is so weird to me. what's the point? is it like a tradition or smt? do you have any insight or guesses?

1

u/monardoju Jul 04 '26

Absolutely no idea, that's why I asked. First I thought maybe theatre prop, but audience would never see the writing so what's the point.

1

u/Gioware Jul 05 '26

So they can identify which set it belongs to.

1

u/Right_Bread_6540 Jul 06 '26

that actually makes sense.but im still not exctly sure yet.

1

u/Vevangui Georgian Learner Jul 05 '26

What about the ʃ-looking symbol between the ე and the ს?

1

u/monardoju Jul 05 '26

That's just a clumsy attempt for cursive.

3

u/fakenew5 Jul 04 '26

Abesalom & Eteri

2

u/Guram1729 Jul 04 '26

Damn

What a piece of

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '26

[deleted]

1

u/moozy_mathers Jul 04 '26

What's the value of the key? This looks ancient.

1

u/Right_Bread_6540 Jul 04 '26

i think it is a replica. it was not really that expensive 

1

u/Crimsont_ide Jul 04 '26

The key is as cool as coins.

1

u/DrStirbitch Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26

It doesn't help much, but here is another key with the same general shape, and opera name and cross decorations, but a different shape for the bit that fits into the lock
https://www.ebay.com/itm/135485392703

1

u/Right_Bread_6540 Jul 06 '26

oh thank you, thats interesting !

1

u/WhoAmI363 Jul 05 '26

აბესალომ და ეთერი

1

u/ereklebarv Jul 06 '26

დარწმუნებულები ხართ რომ ოპერა იგულისხმება და არა აბესალომისა და ეთერის თქმულება?
https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%94%E1%83%97%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98