MINGRELIA  , a former principality of

Transcaucasia, which became subject to Russia in 1804, and since 1867 has belonged to the government of Kutais . The country corresponds to the ancient Colchis; and Sukhum Kaleh on the Black Sea coast, which was the capital under the Dadian dynasty (1323-1694), is to be identified with the ancient Dioscurias, a colony of Miletus . The Mingrelians, who are closely akin to the Georgians, numbered 241,000 in 1902, and belong to the Orthodox Greek Church (see further KUTAIS and CAUCASIA) .