4. Kvashilava's Study 2009 - The Colchis-Iberian Ethno-Cultural ...

In Asia Minor, Minoian culture and northen Europe double
axe is a symbol of power and the cult symbol of the act of
sacrifice. It is also the initiation symbol that is able to uncover
the concealed mystery through the courageous deed 14 (Herder
1980, 20).
3. Reconstruction of Proto-Kartvelian – Colchian and
Common-Georgian-Zan forms of Axe
The Reconstruction of the Proto-Kartvelian – Colchian and
the Common-Georgian-Zan forms of the word axe is presented
below; 15 also, the relation of the Phaistos Disk pictorial sign
PHD15 to the Proto-Kartvelian – Colchian linguistic form
*argan [*arganə] is discussed.
*arg·an· [*arg·an·ə] (Proto-Kartvelian – Colchian) axe;
*arg·an- [*arg·an-] (Common-Georgian-Zan);
arg·an·i [arg·an·i] (Old Georgian, Chikobava 1950, I, 554)
a long supporting stick, staff;
arg·un·i [arg·un·i] (Mingr., Laz, Marr 1910; Kipshidze
1914, 196(400); Kajaia 2001, I, 190) axe.
Acording to S.-S. Orbeliani arg·an·i [arg·an·i] is a staff as
thick as a crook for weak men to be supported (Orbeliani 1698,
1991, 60; 1993, 461). The form arg·an·i [arg·an·i] is attested in
14
. Comp. the contents of the prayer-hymn of the Phaitsos Disk dedicated to
Great Nena or Rhea-Cybele, the Mother-Goddess (see Kvashilava 2008, 268-
271).
15
. The terms used in my research: the Common-Kartvelian root language,
the Proto-Kartvelian – Colchian, the Common-Georgian-Zan, Georgian, Zan,
Mingrelian, Laz/Chan, and Svan denote different periods of the development
of the Kartvelian languages as it is given in: Gamkrelidze, Machavariani
1965, 16, 17, 17
327
1 , 18; Gamkrelidze 2008, 86-88; also see Gamkrelidze,
Ivanov 1984, II, 880 2 , 909 3 .
The terminology is not always as homogeneous as here, though.