MINGRELIA, a province of Asia, comprehending the most considerable proportion of the ancient king dom of Colchis. It is bounded on the north by the Ceraunian mountains and Circassia; on the south and east by Irnmertia, and the Firer Phasis; and on the west by the Black Sea. The air of this country is damp and insalubrious. It is watered by upwards of thirty rivers, the principal of which is the Phasis. The soil along the coast of the Black Sea is so moist, that it is incapable of bearing the operation of ploughing. It is impossible on this account to raise either wheat or barley, and the inhabitants use as a substitute for bread a kind of paste made of a small grain called gom, which is not unlike coriander seed. Agriculture is entirely neglected iu this province, and the proportion of arable land is very small. The pasturage, however, is excel lent, and a great number of horses are reared. The country abounds with extensive forests of the finest trees, and also with grapes, (from which they make admirable wine) and all sorts of fruits grow wild in great abundance. There was formerly a great number of gold mines in this country, but they are no longer wrought. The Mingrelians cultivate a good deal of silk, but from their ignorance of the art of manufactur ig it, nothing is made but a poor sort of handkerchief, and some common taffeties. The principal commerce
is in slaves, of which they annually export about 12,000. The peasants are the slaves of the nobility, who have the power of life and death over their vassals. The natives of Mingrelia, it is said, were originally descend ed from a colony of Egyptians, founded here by Semi ramis. They were formerly an enlightened and indus trious people, but they have now degenerated into a state of deplorable ignorance and misery. They are in general well-shaped and handsome, but addicted to drunkenness, theft, and many other vices. The princi pal cities of Mingrelia are Talikara, which is the most considerable, situated on the right bank of the river Hippus, and well peopled, principally by Jews ;—Rhre gia, also situated on the Hippus, and the usual place of residence of the chiefs or princes of Mingrelia ; and Cotais, or Cotatis, which stands on the Phasis. It is a very poor and ancient town, situated in a beautiful and fertile plain, and inhabited by a few Jewish, Armenian, and Turkish families. The religion of the country is that of the Greek church. The population is said to be about four millions. See Kinneir's Geog. filem. of Persia.