1 Fortress of Khoshab, Turkey, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 12
2 Low relief of Zakare and Ivane on the east façade of the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (1201), the Hovhannavank Monastery, Armenia, 2025 (Photograph by the author) 17
3 Low relief of Zakare and Ivane on the east façade of St Astvatsatsin Church, which they renovated, Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia, 2025 (Photograph by the author) 17
4 Khoshab castle, Turkey, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 28
5 Fragment of Carte des pays voisins de la Mer Caspienne by Guillaume Delisle, 1723, where “the Yesdi Khan Principality”, “the village of the Yezidis”, and “the Republic of the Yezidis” are outlined (From the author’s collection) 32
6 Yezidi tomb in the Abağa valley, Turkey, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 35
7 View from the former Yezidi village of Hacelî in the province of Van, Turkey, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 35
8 Mount Pir Reshid above the village of Hacelî, Turkey, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 35
9 Turkey-Armenia border at the Arpachay river. View from the ruins of the city of Ani, Turkey, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 43
10 Yezidis in one of the cities of Transcaucasia; after: Baron Berthelot de Baye, Au sud de la Chaîne du Caucase: Souvenir d’une mission, Paris 1899, p. 38 (From the author’s collection) 59
11 The Caucasian Calendar for the year 1869, Tiflis 1868 (Photograph by the author) 64
12 Statistical tables from The Caucasian Calendar for the year 1886 (published in 1885), including the Yezidis as a group of Kurds (Kurds-Yezidis) and as a separate religious group 68
13 Ismail Beg Chol (Source: https://ethnomuseum.ru/images/Sobirateli/L/Loris_Kalantar/2680-32.jpg) 75
14 Prince Ismail Beg at a meeting with the Yezidis in Tiflis, 1909 (Source:
15 Photograph of a Yezidi tawûs in “Laliş” and an object from the collection of the Musée du Louvre (Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Claire Tabbagh, Collections Numériques: https://images.grandpalaisrmn.fr/ark:/36255/12-569314) 80
16 Sheikh Aziz Ozmanyan presenting the sanjak at his house in Jrarat, Armenia, 2025 (Photograph by the author) 85
17 Yezidi tombs against the backdrop of Mount Aragats (Alagyaz), Jamshlu, 2016 (Photograph by the author) 88
18 The portrait of “Yezidi Jangir Agha (centre) with his relatives” featured in Olferyev’s book,
19 Remnants of an old bridge over the Arpachay river between Turkey and Armenia, 2020 (Photograph by the author) 94
20 Russian postcard from 1919 depicting “A settlement of Kurds-Yezidis in the Surmalu Uyezd of the Erivan Governorate” (YSCG Archives) 96
21 Yezidis of the Surmalu Uyezd with their spiritual leaders and holy relics, 1912, photograph by Ashkharbek Loris-Kalantar (Source:
22 Soviet propaganda poster from 1920, “
23 New Kurdish alphabet (Source:
24 A reading exercise – text about the propagation of communism among the Kurds – in a Kurdish language textbook by Ordikhan Jalil (
25 The first page of the leaflet presenting the programme of the All-Union Conference on Kurdish Studies, held on 8 July 1934 in Erivan. Alongside the portraits of Lenin and Stalin appears the slogan: Proletarians of all countries, unite! (Source: www.kurdipedia.orgdefault.aspxq=20230314151330474499&lng=7) 132
26 Yezidi women from Armenia in traditional costumes, early twentieth century (The YSCG Archives) 143
27 Yezidi women in traditional costumes in Tiflis, early twentieth century (The YSCG Archives) 143
28 Tiflis in the 1880s by Dmitri Yermakov (From the author’s collection) 145
29 Yezidis in Tiflis, after: A. V. Williams Jackson, Persia Past and Present: A Book of Travel and Research, New York 1906, p. 14 (From the author’s collection) 147
30 Yezidi refugees in Tiflis (Source: M. Chater, The Land of the Stalking Death: A Journey Through Starving Armenia on an American Relief Train, “The National Geographic Magazine” 36/5 (1919), p. 403) 149
31 Russian postcard depicting the Avlabari district of Tiflis, c. 1915 (From the author’s collection) 152
32 Russian postcard depicting the mosque and bridge on Meydan Square in Tiflis, early twentieth century (From the author’s collection) 152
33 Russian postcard depicting “Porters in Tiflis: Kurds and an Armenian” (Source: National Library of Georgia (https://dspace.nplg.gov.ge/handle/1234/3421)) 153
34 The tombstone of Kamil Bey Bedirkhan Azizi, Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 156
35 Yezidi woman from Georgia – photograph on a Soviet postcard, signed “Tiflis, Kurdish woman”, Moscow, the 1920s (From the author’s collection) 165
36 Yezidi women in traditional dress, Tiflis (The YSCG Archives) 167
37 Yezidi woman with a child in front of a dugout portrayed on a Soviet postcard, signed “Tiflis, dugouts of the Kurds”, Moscow, undated (YSCG Archives) 169
38 Anthropological portraits of Yezidi men from Tiflis in 1934; after: H. Field, Contributions to the Anthropology of the Caucasus, Cambridge, Mass. 1953 (From the author’s collection) 172
39 The document, issued in 1999 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, certifying the deportation of an individual of “Yezidi nationality” under Resolution N 6279 (The YSCG Archives) 175
40 Yezidi women in traditional dress, Tiflis (the YSCG Archives) 177
41 Yezidi porters in Tbilisi, the 1950s (YSCG Archives) 178
42 Certificate of completion of a seminar on the Kurdish language at the Tbilisi Institute for Advanced Teacher Training, issued in 1989 by the Ministry of Education of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (The YSCG Archives) 179
43 Yezidi children walking along Rustaveli Avenue in a march on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Georgievsk, marking the voluntary accession of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti to Russia in 1783 (The YSCG Archives) 181
44 Yezidi’s car, Tbilisi, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 212
45 Yezidi Pir’s car, Tbilisi, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 212
46 Military ID of Georgians of the “Eziti/Yezidi nationality”, YSCG Archives (Photograph by the author) 214
47 Georgian Birth Certificate of a “Yezidi”; YSCG Archives (Photograph by the author) 215
48 Identity card of a Georgian citizen of the “Yezidi” (
49 Facsimile of Kiteba Jilwe written in the Yezidi alphabet, published in 1911 by Père Anastase Marie (From the author’s collection) 238
50 Collection of Yezidi Prayers and the creed printed in the Yezidi alphabet (From the author’s collection) 239
51 Qewwal Suleyman among the Yezidis of Transcaucasia, the 1970s (The YSCG Archives) 241
52 Reception of the Yezidi delegation at Tbilisi airport, 2011 (The YSCG Archives) 248
53 Reception of the Yezidi delegation at Tbilisi airport, 2011 (The YSCG Archives) 248
54 Reception of the Yezidi delegation at Tbilisi airport, 2011 (The YSCG Archives) 249
55 Reception of the Yezidi delegation at Tbilisi airport, 2011 (The YSCG Archives) 249
56 First page of the YSCG letter (No. 134 of 2018) to the YSSC (The YSCG Archives) 252
57 The YSSC’s commitment to consider the draft Yezidi constitution (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 260
58 Yezidi woman from the Murid caste at the ster in Telavi, 2024 (Photograph by the author) 265
59 Sheikh Teymur Sheikhmand with his wife Zozan Shamo at the ster, with sacred objects taken from the hurj in front of them, Tbilisi 2024 (Photograph by the author) 265
60 Sheikh Rostom Amadov presents shev at his home ster, Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 268
61 Sheikh Mame Shamsani next to the ster, with a tas in his hand, Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 271
62 Tas and hadims belonging to Sheikh Mame Shamsani, Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 271
63 Sheikh Teymur Sheikhmand at the ster, with a tas and hadims, Tbilisi, 2024 (Photograph by the author) 272
64 Pir Dima with a copy of the Mishur of Pir Sini Bahri and an ornate leather case; Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 273
65 The “family sanjak” of Tbilisi along with sacred Yezidi artifacts; Moscow, 2021 (Photo by Sheikh Shirin Bashir) 274
66 One of the oldest Yezidi graves in Tbilisi (dating back to 1943), Harapukh district, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 276
67 Cemetery of Lotkin (Source: Google Maps) 277
68 Yezidi graves at the Kukia Cemetery, Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 278
69 Yezidi graves at the Lotkin Cemetery, Tbilisi, 2024 (Photograph by the author) 279
70 The peacock motif at the Lotkin Cemetery, Tbilisi, 2024 (Photograph by the author) 280
71 Sheikh Nadir’s grave at the Lotkin Cemetery, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 280
72 Designed layout of the Yezidi temple and the social building (Courtesy of Suliko Simaev; photograph by the author) 292
73 Architectural visualisation of the Yezidi temple and the social building (Courtesy of Suliko Simaev; photograph by the author) 293
74 Yezidi temple Quba Siltan Êzîd amidst residential blocks, 2021 (Photograph by the author) 298
75 The interior of Quba Siltan Êzîd in Tbilisi, 2021 (Photograph by the author) 298
76 Official recognition of the Yezidi temple in Tbilisi by the Baba Sheikh (Photograph by the author) 300
77 Quba Siltan Êzîd in Tbilisi, 2021 (Photograph by the author) 303
78 Renovation of the western wall of the Yezidi temple, Tbilisi, 2024 (Photograph by the author) 303
79 Sheik Nuri, the Mijewir of the Temple of Sultan Yezid, during the Tawaf festival in Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 304
80 Yezidis gathered in front of the temple for a sermon on Tuesday evening, marking the beginning of the holy day, Wednesday, 2015 (Photograph by the author) 304
81 In the foreground Quba Heft Merê Dîwanê û Tawûsî Melek, to the left Quba Êzîd and the grave of Mirza Sloyan, Aknalich, Armenia, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 308
82 Imitation of a Yezidi temple on Mount Sinjar, Iraq 2021 (Photograph by the author) 309
83 The YSCG Statement of 5 October 2025 on the Construction of Yezidi Temples (Source: https://yezidi.ge/) 314
84 The baptism ritual of Yezidi children at the White Spring in Lalish, Iraq, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 317
85 A newly baptised Yezidi child, Lalish, 2019 (Photograph by the author) 317
86 Sheikh Mame Shamsani with a bisk, Tbilisi, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 319
87 Yezidi Murids from Telavi with their Sheikh, Sheikh Rostom Amadov, 2024 (Photograph by the author) 322
88 A Yezidi clergyman putting salt into the animal’s mouth during ritual slaughter, Georgia 2022 (Photograph by the author) 325
89 Invitation to a Circumcision Ceremony, 1959 (the YSCG Archives) 326
90 Yezidi wedding ceremony at Quba Siltan Êzîd in Tbilisi, 2015 (Photograph by the author) 330
91 Decision of the YSSC dated 25 January 2025 regarding the amount of dowry 332
92 Sharo Bro playing the drum during the Yezidi wedding in Tbilisi (The YSCG Archives) 335
93 Officiant of the wedding ceremony, Sheikh Badri, witnesses (representatives of the families of the bride and groom), and the young couple, Tbilisi, 2022 (Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlmPcjM9qD0) 342
94 Yezidi Wedding in Tbilisi by Anton Mirzoev (Source:
95 Yezidi funeral procession carrying an uncovered coffin. Leading the procession (from the left): Pir Dima, Pir Kake, Sheikh Zaar; Tbilisi, 1993 (Courtesy of Pir Dima) 354
96 Placing the axa mirî pillow in the coffin, Tbilisi, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 354
97 Serving heftnan to those gathered at the funeral, Tbilisi, 2023 (Photograph by the author) 355
98 Yezidi funeral wake. In the background, there is a grave with a small fire, Tbilisi, 2021 (Photograph by the author) 355
99 Invitations of the Yezidi Cultural Centre to the “New Year’s Tree” celebration in 2024 and the “New Year’s Holiday” in 2025 (Photograph by the author) 362
100 Rebuilt shrine of Khidr Ilyas near Baadre, Iraq, 2015 (Photograph by the author) 370
101 Interior of the rebuilt shrine of Khidr Ilyas, Iraq, 2015 (Photograph by the author) 370
102 Sheikh Nuri cutting the kuloch during the Kuloça Serê Salê festival at the House of the Yezidis in Tbilisi, 2018 (Photograph by the author) 378
103 Perî pêve dan during Tewafa Siltan Êzîd in Tbilisi, 13 June 2023 (Photograph by the author) 384
104 Yezidis in Tiflis, after: A. V. Williams Jackson, Persia Past and Present: A Book of Travel and Research, New York 1906, p. 12 (From the author’s collection) 387
105 Yezidi dance ensemble, late 1950s–1960s, Tbilisi. Mamad Kasoev (second from the right) playing the zurna (The YSCG Archives) 389
106 Yezidi dance ensemble, late 1950s–1960s, Tbilisi. Mamad Kasoev (second from the right) playing the zurna (Courtesy of the National Library of Georgia) 389
107 Sharo Bro playing the drum and Jamal Atam playing the zurna; Tbilisi (The YSCG Archives) 390
108 Kurdish Folk Songs and Melodies (1982) from Pir Dima’s collection (Photograph by the author) 391
109 The cover of the Wetan group album (1990), from Pir Dima’s collection (Photograph by the author) 393
110 Group of Yezidi poets, from top left: Togar Bro, Aziz Isko, Shiko Hasan, Ado Jango, Bakhcho Isko, Morof Mamed, Jalil Ajo (The YSCG Archives) 399
111 Plaque commemorating Yezidi poets Bakhcho and Aziz Isko (Sloev), Giorgi Leonidze Street, 2018 (Photograph by the author) 415
112 Aziz Isko’s birth certificate, with the word “Yezidi” (
113 Yezidis by Anton Mirzoev (Source:
114 Yezidi street festivity with dances in Tbilisi, a painting donated to the YSCG by Anton Mirzoev (Photograph by the author) 429
115 Miran Oke in his studio in Oldenburg, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 430
116 Temuri Kuliani in his studio and gallery in Tbilisi, standing against the backdrop of his paintings, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 432
117 Performance of the Kurdish National Theatre at the House of Culture of Trade Workers in Tbilisi (The YSCG Archives) 434
118 Posters of the Kurdish National Theatre in Tbilisi; (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 435
119 “
120 Issue 5 (1995) of “
121 The first three issues of “Gilavêj” (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 446
122 The Georgian-language newspaper “
123 Cover of “Midia” from 2003; (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 450
124 “Kaniya Sipî” with photos of Aslan Abashidze (on the left) (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 455
125 “
126 The first issue of “New Kurdistan” (YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 461
127 Logo of the Museum of Yezidi History and Culture in Tbilisi (Courtesy of the YSCG) 463
128 Gravestone of Lamara Pashaeva at Kukia Cemetery in Tbilisi, 2017 (Photograph by the author) 466
129 Commemorative stone plaque honouring Lamara Pashaeva on Shota Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 466
130 The author holding two books on Kurds and Yezidis written by Kerim Amoev (on the right), Tbilisi 2016 468
131 Congratulatory letter from the Yezidi Supreme Spiritual Council on the occasion of the opening of the IYTA (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 476
132 Logo of the International Yezidi Theological Academy (Courtesy of the YSCG) 480
133 The IYTA students on their graduation day, accompanied by Pir Dima (first on the left), Majid Hassan Ali (third), Sheikh Nuri (fourth), and Sheikh Nadir (last), 2022 (Photograph by the author) 481
134 Students of the IYTA during a lecture by Pir Dima; Tbilisi 2023 (Photograph by the author) 481
135 Certificate of completion of the IYTA (Photograph by the author) 482
136 Pir Maxim from Armenia during the ceremony of putting on a clerical garb, Tbilisi, 2021 (Photograph by the author) 486
137 Sheikh Khareb Chikhnabo and Sheikh Sükrü Sevim during the ceremony of putting on a clerical garb, Tbilisi, 2025 (Courtesy of the YSCG Archives) 486
138 Students of the IYTA during evening conversations with Pir Dima in the temple portico, Tbilisi 2025 (Photograph by the author) 488
139 Sheikh Mame Shamsani in Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 520
140 One of the films propagated by Father Madai Maamdi on his official Facebook page; www.facebook.com/madai.maamdi/videos/1280217009634609 528
141 Statement of the Constituent Assembly of the National Council of the Iyezidis addressed to the Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Georgia, requesting registration of the Council, 20 July 1919 (The YSCG Archives) 536
142 Logo of the Yezidi Spiritual Council of Georgia (Courtesy of the YSCG) 549
143 Letter No. 13 (21.01.2015) (The YSCG Archives) 551
144 Members of the Spiritual Council of the Yezidis in Georgia in 2017, Tbilisi (The YSCG Archives) 554
145 Members of the Yezidi Spiritual Council of Georgia in 2024, Tbilisi (The YSCG Archives) 554
146 Cover of a wedding certificate issued by the YSCG (Photograph by the author) 555
147 Wedding certificate issued by the YSCG (Photograph by the author) 555
148 Visit of a Yezidi delegation to the Vatican in 2015 (The YSCG Archives) 557
149 Yezidi representatives at a meeting with Patriarch Kirill in 2018 (The YSCG Archives) 559
150 Akhtiar Pir Dima and Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Javad Shahrestani, 2023 (The YSCG Archives; photograph by Rostom Amadov) 561
151 The Constitution of the Yezidis of Georgia (The YSCG Archives; photograph by the author) 564
152 Akhtiar of Georgia and Sarhad Yezdikhan, Pir Dima, sings a qewl together with Sheikh Khudeda Adani before the Temple of Sultan Yezid in Tbilisi, 2022 (Photograph by the author) 565
153 The official letterhead of the Akhtiar of Georgia and Sarhad Yezdikhan (Photograph by the author) 566
154 Series of postage stamps published in 2021 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Yezidi Spiritual Council in Georgia (Photograph by the author) 568