The Laz: An Ancient Kartvelian People of the Black Sea

The Laz (Lazuri: Lazepe) are a Kartvelian ethnic group indigenous to the southeastern coast of the Black Sea, primarily inhabiting the historical region known as Lazistan — a territory that today spans northeastern Turkey (particularly the provinces of Rize and Artvin) and a small portion of western Georgia (the Adjara region, especially the village of Sarpi near the Turkish border).

Language and Linguistic Heritage

The Laz speak Lazuri (also known as Lazian or Chanuri), a South Caucasian language belonging to the Kartvelian language family. Lazuri is most closely related to Mingrelian, and together they form the Zan branch of the Kartvelian languages. More distantly, Lazuri is related to Georgian and Svan, the other two members of this ancient language family. The Kartvelian languages are not related to any other known language family in the world, making them a linguistic isolate of extraordinary importance.

UNESCO classifies the Laz language as “definitely endangered.” Estimates of native speakers vary widely, but most linguists place the number of fluent speakers between 20,000 and 30,000 — a dramatic decline from historical levels. The language has been under pressure from Turkish, the dominant national language, particularly since the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Between 1980 and 1991, speaking Laz (along with other minority languages) was effectively banned in Turkey under military rule.

Population and Demographics

Estimating the total Laz population is challenging because Turkey does not collect census data on ethnicity. Scholars and Laz cultural organizations estimate that between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people in Turkey are of Laz descent. However, due to decades of assimilation policies, language shift, and urbanization, only a fraction of these individuals still speak the Laz language fluently. The largest concentrations of Laz people are found in the Black Sea coastal towns of Pazar, Ardeşen, Çamlıhemşin, Fındıklı, Arhavi, and Hopa in the provinces of Rize and Artvin. Significant Laz diaspora communities also exist in Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, and in Germany.

Cultural Identity

The Laz have a rich and distinctive cultural heritage that sets them apart from their Turkish, Georgian, and other Caucasian neighbors. Their traditional culture is characterized by unique music featuring the tulum (Black Sea bagpipe) and kemençe (three-stringed fiddle), the energetic horon dance, distinctive wooden architecture adapted to the steep and rainy terrain of the eastern Black Sea coast, and a cuisine heavily featuring corn, fish, tea, and dairy products.

Historical Background

The Laz are descendants of the ancient Colchians, who inhabited the eastern shores of the Black Sea in antiquity. The Kingdom of Lazica (also known as Egrisi in Georgian sources) was a significant political entity from the 1st to the 7th century AD, playing a crucial role in the power struggles between the Byzantine and Sassanid empires. The Laz were among the earliest converts to Christianity in the Caucasus, and their kingdom was an important center of Christian civilization before the Ottoman conquest brought Islam to the region.

Modern Challenges and Revival

Today, the Laz face significant challenges in preserving their language and cultural identity. Despite growing awareness and cultural revival efforts — including the establishment of the Laz Institute (Lazuri Enstitu), the publication of Laz-Turkish dictionaries, the creation of a standardized Latin-based alphabet, and increased visibility on social media — the language continues to lose speakers with each generation. The Laz community’s struggle for cultural recognition and linguistic rights remains an important chapter in the broader story of minority rights in Turkey and the Caucasus region.