Tragic Historical Connections Between Circassia and the Venetian Republic

We traveled to Venice to immerse ourselves in its rich history and culture. During the trip, we explored many beautiful locations, visited the State Archive, various museums, and the Ship Museum, which allowed us to better understand the ships that brought Circassians from their historical homeland.

Diving into the Venice Archives

We paid special attention to the archives, which are an invaluable source of historical documents. We obtained a large number of documents written in Latin and old Venetian. Since a unified Italian language did not exist at that time, most documents from that period were written in Latin. These archival documents pertain to the history of the Venetian colony of Tana, located on the territory of Circassia. From Tana, Circassians were sent to Venice, in accordance with the laws of the time. There were requirements that slaves be in perfect condition and primarily fair-skinned women. Male labor was less in demand due to the peculiarities of Venice, located on the water and not needing workers for the agricultural sector. Circassian women were famous for their beauty and upbringing, even being called the epitome of beauty. In the Italian language, the expression Circassian beauty”” symbolizes an ideal inspiration for artists and sculptors. The documents describe details of the purchase, sale, and rental of slaves, emphasizing that slaves had no rights and could be rented out, resold, or passed down as inheritance. They also confirm the existence of the Circassian nationality at that time, as new slaves were questioned before being sent to ships, and their nationality was recorded in the documents.

Museum Exhibits and Ship Models

After studying the archives, we visited a museum where models of ships from the 14th to the 20th centuries were displayed. These models allowed us to visualize the ships on which Circassians were transported to Venice. This trip provided us with a unique opportunity to touch upon the history and cultural heritage of Venice, as well as deepen our knowledge of the complex historical ties between the Venetian Republic and Circassia.