How well do you know the Laz people? Pick a theme and test yourself! Each quiz is based on the articles published on Lazepe, so you can explore the site to improve your score.
Laz History
1/7 What was the name of the ancient Laz kingdom on the eastern Black Sea coast?
Lazica, known as Egrisi in Georgian sources, flourished between the 4th and 6th centuries AD.
2/7 Which two empires fought the Lazic War (541-562)?
The two superpowers of late antiquity fought for twenty years over control of Lazica and the Black Sea coast.
3/7 Who was king of Lazica during the Lazic War?
Gubazes II first allied with Persia, then returned to Byzantium. His murder by Byzantine generals in 555 caused a major scandal.
4/7 In which year did King Tzath I of Lazica adopt Christianity as the official religion?
Tzath I traveled to Constantinople in 523 AD to be baptized, making Christianity the official religion of Lazica.
5/7 The Tuzcuoglu rebellions (1814-1834) were a Laz revolt against which empire?
The Tuzcuoglu family of Rize led a series of revolts against Ottoman centralization for twenty years.
6/7 What was the Sanjak of Lazistan?
The Sanjak of Lazistan existed until 1925, when the new Turkish Republic abolished the name.
7/7 In which year did the Hat Revolt take place in Rize, leading to the hanging of Laz villagers?
The 1925 Hat Revolt against the new hat law was harshly repressed; several men, including Saban Koliva, were executed.
The Laz Language
1/7 What do the Laz call their own language?
Lazuri nena means 'the Laz language' in Laz.
2/7 To which language family does Laz belong?
Laz belongs to the Kartvelian family, together with Megrelian, Georgian and Svan.
3/7 Which language is the closest relative of Laz?
Laz and Megrelian are so close that linguists often group them together as the Zan branch.
4/7 What was the name of the first Laz newspaper, published in 1929?
Mcita Murutskhi was published in Sokhumi in 1929 using the Laz alphabet of Iskender Tzitashi.
5/7 What does 'Mcita Murutskhi' mean?
The name reflected the Soviet context in which the newspaper was born.
6/7 Which script is the modern Laz alphabet based on?
The modern Lazoglu alphabet is Latin-based with extra characters for sounds specific to Laz.
7/7 Who co-authored the first comprehensive Laz dictionary?
Bucaklisi co-authored the first major Laz dictionary and helped launch Laz courses in Turkish schools.
Music, Dance & Culture
1/6 What kind of instrument is the tulum?
The tulum is the emblematic bagpipe of the eastern Black Sea, played without a drone.
2/6 What is the kemence?
The Black Sea kemence is played held vertically and accompanies songs and dances.
3/6 What is the traditional Laz chain dance called?
The horon is danced in a line or circle with quick, sharp movements, often to the tulum or kemence.
4/6 Which beloved Laz rock musician, born in Hopa, died in 2005?
Kazim Koyuncu brought Laz-language rock to a wide audience before dying of cancer at 33.
5/6 What is Birol Topaloglu known for?
Topaloglu has recorded several albums of Laz folk songs collected in the villages of Lazona.
6/6 In which region do most Laz live today?
The Laz homeland stretches along the coast from Rize to the Georgian border, with communities in Georgia too.