The Svan language forms the other branch of the Kartvelian family, showing characteristic differences from the Karto-Zan group.
[2] It has been hypothesized that the divergence between Svan and Proto-Kartvelian goes back as far as the 19th century BC.
Georgian and Zan on the other hand diversified from Proto-Georgian–Zan during the 7th century BC.
[3] Both languages share common archaic words related to metallurgy and agriculture absent in Svan.
Georgian Mingrelian Laz Svan The Karto-Zan languages constitute a branch of the Kartvelian language family.