THE MONASTERY BEYOND THE STREAM – SUMELA (THE HISTORY, ORIGIN AND MEANING OF THE NAME)

Abstract

The article focuses on the origin and the etymology of the words Sumela and Mela – the names of the famous historical monastery located south of Trabzon, in the mountainous part of the Doğu Karadeniz (East Black Sea) Region of Türkiye – the historical Lazeti (Lazistan; Chaneti). The Pontic Greek and the Laz versions put forward so far have been analyzed and rejected. Instead, leaving aside the versions that have been suggested so far, the confirmed forms of the names of the Monastery in the early sources, the numerous similar ones found in the toponymy of the East Black Sea coast, the locations of the mount and the Monastery, and the historical and chronological circumstances of the establishment of the monastery here are taken into consideration and a different view is put forward. The etymology presented here introduces a novelty and is therefore of interest to the scientific community and the general public interested in the history of the Sumela Monastery as well as the place names of the historical Lazistan.

Keywords: Sumela Monastery; Mela Mountain; Maçka; Trabzon; Lazistan; Laz; Place Names.