One of the most remarkable Kartvelian toponyms in the ancient world is the city of Sacolca, marked on Ptolemy’s map in Nubia (modern-day Sudan). In the accompanying text of Ptolemy’s work, the city is referred to as Sacolcha. This name is a classic Kartvelian Sa--toponym, where the prefix Sa- denotes "the land of," making Sacolcha translatable as "the land of the Colchians"—a clear reference to the ancient Kartvelian people of Colchis, located in what is now western Georgia.
The presence of such a name in Africa might surprise those unfamiliar with ancient history, but historical accounts provide compelling connections between this region and Kartvelian culture. Herodotus, for instance, offers two narratives that link Nubia to Georgia. First, he recounts that approximately 100,000 soldiers deserted from the Egyptian army and resettled in Nubia. Given the Kartvelian linguistic and cultural influences in ancient Egypt—well-documented within this project—and Herodotus’s own observations of striking similarities between the customs of the Colchians and Egyptians, this migration likely carried Kartvelian elements into Nubia. Second, Herodotus notes that part of Pharaoh Sesostris’s army chose to remain in Colchis after a European campaign, suggesting a bidirectional movement of people and culture between these regions.
The Kartvelian nature of Sacolcha is further reinforced by the presence of other Kartvelian toponyms in the vicinity. Nearby, the ancient city of Satachta can also be convincingly interpreted through a Kartvelian lens, as can the name of the Megabari tribe and the island of Argo on the Nile. Additionally, the proximity of Egyptian toponyms like Aswan and Potis—which bear Kartvelian linguistic traits—strengthens the case for a Kartvelian presence in the region.
Far from being an anomaly, the toponym Sacolcha stands as a testament to the extensive reach of Kartvelian culture in antiquity, illuminating historical connections between the Caucasus, Egypt, and Nubia that have often been overlooked.
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