The name of the ancient Anatolian people known as the Chalybes, referenced by Homer and linked to the Halyzones and Laz, serves as a critical key to reconstructing an entire pre-Indo-European civilization: the Lubes, who likely spoke a language from the Kartvelian family before the Indo-European conquest of the region.
The name Chalybes can be deconstructed using a key morpheme: the prefix (c)ha-, identified as the Phoenician definite article, equivalent to "the." This leaves the root lub, with the Greek upsilon (υ) correctly pronounced as [u] in ancient Greek, rather than the modern [i]. Thus, Chalybes can be read as Ha Lube or "The Lube." This interpretation is supported by the Georgian word alubali, meaning "cherry"—an adjective that aligns with Anatolia’s historical reputation as the birthplace of cherries. The Greeks themselves equated the Chalybes (or Chalubes) with the Alibes (or Alubes) and Alazons, as noted in ancient sources: "Οι Χάλυβες ή Αλιζώνες ή και Άλυβες ήταν αρχαίος λαός της Μικράς Ασίας" ("The Chalybes, Alizones, or Alubes were an ancient people of Asia Minor"). Strabo further equates the Alizones with the Alazons, and this study proposes that Alazons is a distorted form of the Laz self-designation A Lazona ("The Laz Land"), incorporating the Phoenician/Hebrew definite article A-.
This linguistic chain establishes a clear progression: Chalybes = Alubs = Luby = Alizones = Alazons = Laz = Kartvelians (from a linguistic perspective). This connection challenges the traditional narrative and positions the Chalybes within the Kartvelian linguistic family.
This framework also illuminates the identity of the semi-mythical Luwians (known in Italian as luvi). Often identified with or placed alongside the equally enigmatic Hittites, the Luwians have been traditionally classified as an Indo-European people—a designation that lacks robust evidence. The correspondence between Lubi and Luwi is evident, yet it contradicts the Indo-European hypothesis. If the Luwians are indeed an extension of the Chalybes, they too must be considered Kartvelian from a linguistic standpoint, not Indo-European.
The Chalybes, also known as Lubes or Luwians, played a pivotal role in the ancient world, so much so that the Greek word for "steel," χάλυβας (chalybas), derives from their name. Renowned as exceptional metallurgists, their influence may extend to ancient Spain, where the metallurgical centers of Toledo and Ferrol exhibit clear Kartvelian linguistic traces in their names. Furthermore, the Luwians are believed to be the ancestors of the Lycians (more accurately Lukians, with the corrected reading Lukia) in southern modern-day Turkey. The Lukians are thought to have used the Luwian script, a connection that expands the presence of Laz-like tribes across ancient Asia Minor, beyond just the Black Sea coast. The Luwian script itself shares at least one notable similarity with the Georgian alphabet: the letter i in both languages is written as ი, suggesting a deeper linguistic kinship.
The Chalybes are merely the starting point for a broader narrative about the ubiquitous Lube nation, a Kartvelian-speaking people who left an indelible mark on toponymy across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Place names containing the roots lub, luv, lib, and liv—from Anatolia to beyond—testify to their widespread influence, revealing a pre-Indo-European cultural and linguistic legacy that has been largely overlooked.
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