ANTHROPOLOGYand ARCHAEOLOGY

CONTENTS:

Anthropology

• RACE GENETIC ROOTS AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL INTERRELATIONS OF ETHNIC GROUPS IN EASTERN BLACK SEA LITTORAL    /M. Abdushelishvili/

• APROPOS OF LOCAL CULTIC TERMS AND SHRINES IN WESTERN GEORGIA WITHIN THE SPHERE OF GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ INTERRELATIONS /N. Abakelia/

• THE ABKHAZIANS /S. Bakhia-Okruashvili/

• PROBLEMS OF MYTHOLOGY IN GEORGIAN FOLKLORE   /B. Abashidze/

Archaeology
 
CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES, GEORGIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

THE RIVER-GOD PHASIS Otar Lordkipanidze

ON THE ICONOGRAPHY OF "COLCHIAN DIDRACHMS OF TYPE II".O. Lordkipanidze

CULT RITUALS L. Nebieridze

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF GVELETI NECROPOLISI /David Mindorashvili/

SOCIAL DEFINITION OF THE RICH BURIALS OF COLCHIS IN 5^TH -3^RD CENT. B.C. /Dimitri

Akhvlediani/

Scarabeoid of the "Sakaraulo Seri" Hellenistic Burial Ground /Ketevan Ramishvili/

The Painted Pottery of Achaemenid and Post-Achaemenid Epochs from Kartli/Goderdzi Narimanishvili, Vakhtang Shatberashvili/

THE MONUMENTS OF 4^TH –1^ST C.C. B.C. FROM KVEMO KARTLI /Juansher Amiranashvili, Ketevan Ramishvili, Zebede Shatberashvili, Vakhtang Shatberashvili

Kvemo Kartli (South Iberia) in 4^th – 1^st c.c. B.C. /Vakhtang Shatberashvili /

Ancient settlements of Central Colchis /Gela Gamkrelidze /

TOWARDS DATING THE COMPLEXES WITH FIBULAE AT THE NECROPOLIS OF TLIA N. Sulava

ST. GEORGE OF HESHKILDI  Sh. Chartolani, R. Khvistani, M. Tsindeliani

A MODEL OF ANCIENT SETTLEMENT OF COLCHIAN COAST OF THE BLACK SEA     T. Chikovani

ÜBER DIE DATIERUNG VON SCHMUCKSTÜCKEN UND AMULETTEN AUS DER HÖHLE VON

SAGWARJILE L. Nebieridse

KURA-ARAXES SITES AT JAVAKHETI A. Orjonikidze

PLANT MOTIFS ON SASANIAN GEMS AND SOME CONTACTS WITH GEORGIAN MONUMENTS OF EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD K. I. Ramishvili

MINOR ART SPECIMENS FROM THE EASTERN GEORGIAN HIGHLAND OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 1^ST MILLENNIUM A. D. K. R. Ramishvili

SOME PROBLEMS OF PERIODIZATION OF THE FINAL STAGES OF THE BRONZE AGE IN SHIDA KARTLI  A. Ramishvili

HOPLITE SHIELDS IN COLCHIS  G. Kvirkvelia

SIONI SETTLEMENT - A SITE OF THE LATE NEOLITHIC CULTURE OF EASTERN GEORGIA
L. Nebieridze

THE CYMBALS - MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN ANCIENT GEORGIA  V. Chikhladze

NARROW-NECKED AMPHORAE FROM GONIO-APSAROS  M. Khalvashi

"THREE-PART COMPOSITIONS" IN THE ORNAMENT OF THE KURA-ARAXES CULTURE
N. Shanshashvili

RITUAL ROUTES OF THE 2ND MILLENNIUM B.C. IN TRIALETI G. Narimanishvili

TOWARDS THE STRUCTURE OF THE NECROPOLIS OF THE LATE BRONZE-EARLY IRON AGES FROM CENTRAL COLCHIS R. Papuashvili

STAGES OF THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF WHEELED TRANSPORT IN GEORGIA
G. Mirtskhulava

NEW FINDINGS OF THE REMAINS OF FOSSIL MAN FROM DMANISI   L. Gabunia, A. Vekua, D. Lordkipanidze (Georgia) G.Bosinski (Germany), R.Ferring (USA), O. Joris, A. Justus (Germany), G. Maisuradze, A. Mouskhelishvili, M .Nioradze, D. Sologashvili (Georgia), C. Swisher (USA), M. Tvalchrelidze (Georgia)

DISTRIBUTION OF KOHL-TUBE GLASS UNGUENTARIA IN GEORGIA  M. Saginashvili

Some problems of the Caucasian Archaeology of Aeneolithic-Early Bronze Age  Zurab Makharadze

BURIAL CUSTOMS IN BORJOMI IN THE 8TH-6TH CENTURIES B.C. R. Kvirkvaia

SILVER SITULAE FROM VANI E. Gigolashvili

GLASS VESSELS FROM RUSTAVI M. Chkhatarashvili

THE CHURCH OF ANATORI K. Tsereteli

THE FIRST CHRISTIAN TEMPLE IN MTSKHETA - LOWER CHURCH "HOLY OF HOLIES"
G. Bolkvadze

SOME ASPECTS OF THE STUDY THE EARLY BRONZE AGE CULTURE OF THE KOLKHETI LOWLAND. G. Pkhakadze

Anthropology

RACE GENETIC ROOTS AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL INTERRELATIONS OF ETHNIC GROUPS IN EASTERN BLACK SEA LITTORAL
(Problems of Ethnogenesis)
M.Abdushelishvili, Institute Of History, Georgian Academy of Sciences

According to the anthropological data at our disposal, all the aboriginal groups in the North-Western Caucasus (except the highland Karachais and Balkars who pertain to the Caucasian type of the West Asian or Caucasoid race and make a classical example of lack of coincidence between the glottogenetic-Turkic and local (obtained in the Caucasus) race-genetic data), viz. the Adyghe, the Circassians, the Abazins, to a lesser extent the Kabardins, partially belong to the Adyghe Caucasian variant of the Pontic type of the Indo-Mediterranean (South-Europaeoid) race; whereas the aboriginal population of the Transcaucasian (South Caucasian) Black Sea coastal area - the Georgians (i.e. the Megrelians, the Gurians, the Adjarians) pertain to the Black sea coastal area variety of the West Asian race. In this particular case we are dealing with a coincidence of linguistic and physical (anthropological) data. Found between them are Abkhazian groups whose physical type classes them with the West Asian racial type that is wide spread in Transcausacia and considerably further down South, while linguistically they pertain to the Abkhazian-Adyghe family of languages that are spread over the North Caucasus, more precisely - in the North-Western region of the Caucasus which, presumably, is the area where this family of languages had originated and taken shape. Transcaucasia, West Asia and Asia Minor and the adjoining lands down South are the area where West Asian anthropological types were formed. Hence a question arises as to how can such lack of coincidence between linguistic and anthropological and, incidentally, not only anthropological but also archaeological, historical and other data that characterize the Abkhazian ethnos be accounted for? How is such incongruity between the physical and the linguistic origin of all - without exception - present-day Abkhazian groups to be interpreted? We are not here to judge about the causes of these discrepancies between the glottogenetic and race-genetic trends in the ethnogenesis of the present-day Abkhazian groups. And we emphasize: present-day Abkhazian groups, because we have no sufficient data concerning the physical type of the Muhajirs who relocated from Abkhazia to Turkey in the last century (the only exception being a small group of Abkhazians who settled on the territory of Adjaria and who, incidentally, do not differ in any way from the other Abkhazian groups we have studied). Such kind of discords (as well as coincidences) are quite a regular phenomenon in the process of ethnogenesis of various nations; therefore, what is to be done is not to mechanically project the data obtained by researchers working in various scientific disciplines, but, rather, to dialectically comprehend various interrelations between these processes (otherwise comprehensive study of the whole set of ethnogenetic problems would be needless). But in this particular case such identity (or, more precisely, quasi identity) of all the Abkhazian groups without exception with Georgian groups of the Black Sea littoral type points to their physical (blood) relationship. In the study of the genesis of the groups which we today call Abkhazian and which the Abkhazians call Apsui, this factor needs to be necessarily taken into account. In ascertaining this race-genetic fact, historians should be more meticulous in researching into the ways, forms and rates of the mechanism of the sophisticated glottogenetic process of the formation of an aboriginal Abkhazian ethnos on the territory of Georgia. In this connection, one should bear in mind the regularity anthropologists have established that "languages and cultures can spread over large areas without the people who speak and evolve them, whereas anthropological types, i.e. people never spread out unaccompanied by their language and culture". In our view, we deal here with the former phenomenon, i.e. with proliferation of the language of the Adyghe family unaccompanied by that of the anthropological elements, i.e. by the people of the Pontic type. What most probably took place here was gradual linguistic assimilation which evolved over the centuries with varying intensity and in the course of which Adyghe elements gradually infiltrated as they assimilated local culture and fully fused with the local population, which triggered the formation of new ethnic features in the extreme north-western territories of Georgia. The obviously expressed West Asian type of the present-day Abkhazian groups attests the fact that the proliferation of the Adyghe (Pontic) elements into the aboriginal population of the above territories in the extreme north-western portion of Georgia where these Pontic elements could in any measure have contributed to a change of the basic West Asian (in this particular case - the Kartvelian) genetic fund of the population never attained considerable intensity.

The West Asian type to which the present-day Abkhazian groups obviously belong clearly indicates that they formed and developed together with the Georgians who inhabited the area they currently occupy, and that this formation and development proceeded in immediate anthropological contacts between them.
 
 

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APROPOS OF LOCAL CULTIC TERMS AND SHRINES IN WESTERN GEORGIA WITHIN THE SPHERE OF GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ INTERRELATIONS
N. Abakelia, Institute Of History, Georgian Academy of Sciences

Identification and definition of the culture that has been a linking factor between the Georgians and the Abkhazians over many centuries is exceedingly important. Unraveling the intricate religious codification of the culture will elucidate this problem to a certain extent.

It is in this light that the author considers several cultic terms and shrines found in Western Georgia. Among them is the Abkhazian cultic term "adghiel dedopal" (in Georgian - Queen of the Earth, Queen of the Place) that has been attested and recorded in Abzhua (in Central Abkhazia). The author considers various archaic rituals in various contests and emphasizes that the rituals mentioned in the research are typical of the local dwellers and their concepts of the Earth and its goddess. The above Abkhazian cultic phenomenon is shown as having different etymological and functional invariants in the general Georgian religious system. This is precisely the case when different variants constitute an invariant.

"Mkamgaria"/"Samkamgaria"/"Akamgaria" is another cultic term considered by the researcher who proves that "Mkamgaria" is not a deity patron of animal husbandry as was held earlier, but is in fact nothing else but a corrupted local form of the Megrelian "Mikam-Garia" (Georgian miqel-gabrieli Mikel-Gabrieli), i.e. the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

The researcher also considers local cultic centers and their functioning in the Georgian religious system generally and in the West Georgian system in particular, with a view to demonstrating the extent of unity, if not uniformity, of Western Georgia in social and religious aspects. The author succeeds in proving that the cultic centers of St. George and the Holy Virgin sparsely located in different areas of Georgia constitute a network of a single religious system.

Special attention is attached to the cult of Aerg in Abkhazia. Proceeding from the relevant material and the general cultural and historic background, the author proves that this cult is identified in Abkhazia with that of St.George and shows that aboriginal Abkhazians' belief in St.George is an integral part of all Georgians' concept of this saint and that the Abkhazians took part in the formation of a single Georgian culture together with Kartvelian tribes.

Monographs by Nino Abakelia

1. Myth and ritual in Western Georgia, In Russian with English summary, "Metsniereba", Tb., 1991, 151 p. (Ed. I. Surguladze)

2. Symbol and ritual in Georgian culture. The Iv. Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology, in Georgian with English summary, Tb., 1997, 239 p. (Ed. G.Giorgadze).

3. Georgian Calendar of Folk Festivals (with the co-authors K.Alaverdashvili and N.Ghambashidze), Tbilisi, "Krialosani", in Georgian, 1991, 141 p.

4. Samegrelo-Colchis-Odishi (Studies of Archaeology, Linguists, History, Architecture and Ethnology, Ed, by Ilya P. Antelava) Tbilisi - Zugdidi, 1999, 375 p. (A collective monograph).

Chapter 9 - Outline of the History of Mode of Life : (195-317)

9.1. Archaic cults and rituals in Samegrelo - 295-305

9.2. Wedding customs in Samegrelo - 305-310

9.3. Funeral and mourning customs in Samegrelo - 310-317

The collective monograph dwells upon historical Colchis where the first Western Georgian State was founded. The civilization created in West Georgia gave birth to the Georgian State and culture. The modern region of Samegrelo is a part of Old Colchis. There was a county and then a principality there by the name of Odishi in the Middle Ages. It was a political unit where more than one excellent piece of spiritual and materiel Heritage of Georgia was created.

Main articles:

Sky worship in Western Georgia (the deity "Zhini antari"), Matsne (the series of history...) N2, 1983, pp. 141-151 (Ed. G. Melikishvili), in Georgian with Russian Summary.

The Institute of "The slave of shrine" in Kakheti (Eastern Georgia), in the book: the Problems of the History of Georgia, "Metsniereba", 1982 121-128, with Russian summary (Ed. M. Gegeshidze).

Chthonic beliefs in Samegrelo (Ochokochi), in the book: Historical ethnographic studies, Tbilisi, "Metsniereba", 1982, pp.81.87, in Georgian with Russian summary (Ed. Al. Robakidze).

The worship of the Archangels (Michael and Gabriell) in Western Georgia, in the book: Historical - ethnographic studies, Tbilisi, "Metsniereba", 1985, pp. 198-205 (Eds.: V.Itonishvili, R. Kiknadze).

Christian saints in Western Georgian Religious beliefs (Saint George), Matsne" (the series of history...) #3, 1985, pp146-155, in Georgian with Russian summary (Ed. G. Melikishvili).

The sociological theory of myth, in the book: the Rural economy and spiritual culture of Georgian people, Tbilisi, "Metsniereba", 1987, pp. 32-38 (Ed. A.Katsadze), in Georgian with Russian summary.

The cosmological symbols in Western Georgia, The materials for the ethnography of Georgia XXIII, 1987, pp. 237-244, in Georgian with Russian summary.

The cult of the son deity in Western Georgia, in the collection: Historical ethnographic studies, "Metsniereba", 1988, pp. 129-139 (Eds.: T. Ochiauri, U. Sidamonidze) in Georgian with Russian summary.

Towards the interpretation of the mythological image of Medea, Tbilisi, "Metsniereba", 1988, pp. 3-16, (Ed. J. Rukhadze) in Georgian with Russian summary.

The image of st.George in Western Georgian religious beliefs, Acad. of Sci. of USSR, Sovetskaja etnografia, #5, 1988, pp. 86-93, in Russian with English summary (Ed. K.V.Chistov).

The cults of the christian saints or once again on the cult of "Jan detsesh" (Ann of the Sky), in the book: Didgori, Tbilisi, "Metsniereba", 1991. pp.25-31 (Ed. M.Chkvhartishvili), in Georgian.

Serpent in myth, cult and ritual, in the book: "Aia" (dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the G. Chitaia’s birth), The Tbilisi Univ. Press, Tbilisi, 1991, pp. 129-145, in Georgian.

The symbol of bull in Georgian mythico-ritual system, Mnatobi, #4, 1994, pp. 152-159 (Ed. A.Sulakauri), in Georgian.

The symbol of goat in Georgian mythico-ritual system, Literature and Art, 3-6, 1993, Tbilisi, "Metsniereba", 1994, pp. 88-108, in Georgian.

Some sketches on Abkhazian and Georgian religious terminology, Worldwide Congress of Georgians Chamber of kartvelology, Symposium on kartvelology: theme: Georgia (Sakartvelo), Bulletin, #1, Tb., 1994, pp.27-35, in English (Eds.: D.Dumbadze, N.Makharadze).

Initiation symbolism in Georgian mythico-ritual system, Caucasian - Near Eastern Studies IX (dedicated to the 80th anniversary of G.Melikishvili’s birth), Tb., 1998, p. 120-128, (Ed. G. Giorgadze), in Georgian with Russian and English summaries.

Sacramental symbolism of Holy Food of Georgian tradition, Tb., Iv.Javakhishvili State University. The Georgian Academy of Sciences, International conference dedicated to the 120th birth anniversary of Ivane Javakhishvili. The Caucasus in the context of world history, 30-34, Tbilisi/Tabakhela, 1996, 10-15 October.

Cyclical symbolism and burial and mourning rites in Western Georgian tradition, Kartvelian Heritage, IV, Kutaisi, State Univ. Press, 2000, pp. 9-17. in Georgian with English summary (Ed. T.Putkaradze).

The investigation of early Christian elements in Georgian tradition, Analebi, The issue of Iv.Djavakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnography Georgian Acad. of Sci., Tbilisi, "Mematiane", 1999, pp. 47-54, in Georgian with Russian and English summaries.

An anthropological approach to myth, Religion #4-5-6, pp. 48-49, Tbilisi, 2000, in Georgian with English summary.

Apropos of Local Cultic terms and Shrines in Western Georgia (Abkhazia), 353-363, in the book: Investigations of the History of Abkhazia/Georgia, Tb., 1999, in Russian with English summary.

Towards the investigation if the local dimensions of the "divine portal" in Georgian (Orthodox Christian) tradition, International Symposium Christianity: Past, Present, Future, October 11-17, 2000, Tbilisi, Georgia, Short contents of the papers (Ed. by Mary Chkartishvili and Lado Mirianashvili), "Mematiane", Tbilisi, 2000, p.7.

On the custom established by our ancestors in Apkazeti, in the historical journal, Artanuji (special issue: Apkhazeti), #10, 2000, in Georgian, pp. 33-39, with Russian and English summaries.

From the "House of Bread" to the "House of Wine", in Christianity in Georgia (Historical - Ethnological Studies, Eds.: Nino Abakelia, Mary Chkartishvili), "Mematiane", Tb., 2000, pp. 112-116. in Georgian with English summary.
 
 

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THE ABKHAZIANS
S. Bakhia-Okruashvili, Institute Of History, Georgian Academy of Sciences
(an ethnographic overview)

Studies of the ethnogenesis of the Abkhazians is exceedingly difficult owing to paucity of information ancient sources contain about this nation. These lacunae are, however, filled up by the results of scrutinizing their traditional customs and mores, elements of their material and spiritual culture, everyday life and their concepts of the surrounding world. It is precisely such studies that enable the authors to arrive at the following conclusions:

The first wave of kindred Abkhazo-Adyghe tribal migrants in corpora and theirs separate representatives arrived in Abkhazia from the Caucasus and continued their semi nomadic way of life in the Abkhazian mountains. The common origin of these groups, their common parent language, similar material and spiritual culture, customs, apparel, objects of day today use contributed to their rapprochement. Eventually economic communities emerged, necessitated by the need to meet commonly shared economic needs, and with time a large-scale economic entity came into being. New waves of Adyghe emigrants in the 13th-17th centuries and consequent deterioration of the socio-economic conditions forced the highlanders of Abkhazia to gradually descend from the mountains and settle in their spurs.

The early waves of migrants must have displayed a capacity of assimilation into the alien ethnic milieu and eventually merged with the local Georgian population. The West Georgian kingdom, also known as "the Kingdom of Abkhazia" was the area where, like elsewhere in Georgia, the Kartvelian and non Kartvelian population "used to co-exist over the centuries, maintaining good-neighbourly relations with each other. At a definite stage of social development this historic process culminated in a unification of these tribes, the Karts being in predominance"... (N. Berdzenishvili).

In the epoch of the "Kingdom of Abkhazia" the cultural differences between the Georgian and non Georgian population of Western Georgia gradually became less pronounced owing to vigorous intercommunication of the people. Establishment of Christianity as the state religion in Georgia and formation of a common ideology and economy within the framework of a single Georgian monarchy, stimulated assimilation of immigrants with the aboriginal population. Infiltration of the newcomers and their mixing with the local residents, together with other ethnic processes changed the form of settlement, which made it difficult to identify the "territory of ethnic Abkhazia proper". This process could not but cause disintegration of the exiting ethno-political entities - the Apsils and the Abkhazians - and create in their stead a new joint Georgian-Abkhazian ethno-political entity. Since then Abkhazians became Georgians in the cultural and historical sense and stayed as such until the ravages of the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, which caused a new wave of vigorous migration of highlanders to the territory of Georgia.

In the 15th century the Christian agricultural population of Abkhazia was again diluted by pagan nomads engaged in animal husbandry, who arrived there as a resent of ethno-political, cultural, socio-economic and religious changes which took place at that time. It was another wave of the Abkhazo-Adyghe population relocating from the north-western Caucasus who brought over the traditional ways of social and economic life that was characteristic of their life-style at their former area of residence. The form of settlement also suffered changes. The newcomers avoided mixing with the local people who were ethnically alien to them and preferred isolated settlements thus distancing themselves from the aboriginal. The immigrants were belligerent and aggressive and pushed the local people away from their lands, which resulted in their assimilation with other nations and thus losing their national identity or in moving further inland.

The situation was further aggravated by political disintegration of Georgia. The ethnic changes that took place among the Abkhazians brought about disorientation of their culture and lifestyle and gave start to the process of their alienation from the Georgians. The arrival of multitudes of Adyghes, Ubykhs and Abazs generated among the Abkhazians the tendency of self isolation, which eventually became the basis for the formation of the present-day Abkhazian ethnos.

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PROBLEMS OF MYTHOLOGY IN GEORGIAN FOLKLORE

Bejan Abashidze,   Professor, Tbilisi State University, Department of Folklore
 
 

Publications:

Problems of Mythology in Georgian Folklore 1978
New materials on Goddesses and Cultic terms, aim of publication is investigate roots of ancient Georgian religion, Aryan essence of religious is emphasized .

Mythology in Georgian Folklore 1984
Basic research on Aryan tendencies in ancient Georgian religious beliefs.

Issues in Georgian Mythology 1991
R esearch on Georgian and Caucasian Mythology, Goddesses of Georgia and Caucasian origin

Georgia National Phenomenon on Ilya Chavchavadze's " Otter's Widow" 1998
Heroes of Ilya Chavchavadze are characterized by high morality and relations with other mythic phenomena, social life and mythic roots. Phenomena of widow in Georgian religious beliefs and social life are differentiated.
 

Ballad About Widow's Son and Georgian Man 1998
Chechen ballad and Georgian Myths about Widow and her Son have same roots and are based on one genetic Georgian Caucasian consciousness.
 
 

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ARCHAEOLOGY
 

CENTRE FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES

Stone Age
Neolithic-Bronze
Classical and Medieval Archaeology
Archaeological Theory and Informatics
Regional Archaeological service
Interdisciplinary Studies
Archaeological Explorations on New Construction sites
History of Archaeology and Analytical Bibliography
Greek-Roman Archaeology
Documentation and Publication of Archaeological Relics
Recording and Restoration

Regional Branches:

Dmanisi
Sighnaghi
Kutaisi
Mestia

Archaeological museums:

Tbilisi
Vani

The main scientific directions of research are: the original settlement of man in Georgia and the Caucasus; the economy and social organisation of primitive society; the inception and development of manufacturing economy; the ethnogenesis of the Georgians and ethnic identification of archaeological cultures; bronze and iron metallurgy; chronology and periodization of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages; the culture, socio-economic and political structures of the first Georgian states (Iberia, Colchis, Lazica) and their relations with the Near Eastern and Mediterranean civilisations; medieval cities, artisanship and trade, cultural relations with the peoples of the Caucasus (see "Centre for Archaeological Studies (1977-1996). Bibliography. Tbilisi, 1997).

Under preparation at the Centre for Archaeological Studies are:

a multi-volume Archaeology of Georgia
List of Archaeological Remains
Archaeological Atlas
Archaeological-topographic References of Settlements Nentioned in Old Georgian and Classical and Byzantine Sources
Explanatory Terminological Dictionary
Multilingual Archaeological Dictionary

Systems of search for archaeological artefacts are being developed.    Aerial photographs are being deciphered with the purpose of searching for archaeological remains by technical methods.
Laboratories of the department of interdisciplinary studies conduct spectral, microrentgen-spectral, chemical, and metallurgical analyses, dating by the archaeo-magnetic method; palaeobotanic, palaeozoological, palaeodendrological and trace studies; conservation of archaeological objects.
The archaeological expeditions conduct field-archaeological explorations in various regions of the republic and beyond its borders (North Caucasus, Moscow). Particularly large-scale work has been carried out in the zones of construction, where expeditions of the Centre conduct studies regularly. Thousands of archaeological relics have been brought to light, studied and placed in the state depositories of Georgia, including highly-artistic remains of Georgian culture. In all in 1972-1997 the expeditions have identified, recorded and studied over 700 archaeological relics through regular excavations, exploratory digs and surface observations (ancient sites of villages or towns, burial grounds, remains of metallurgical manufacture, fortifications, sites of former churches and monasteries). These remains cover all stages of the history of human society on Georgian territory - from the Early Bronze Age to the Late Middle Ages. The archaeological remains, brought to light by the Centre, constitute a major source both for an archaeological map of Georgia and for the reconstruction of the demographic situation of various periods on Georgian territory.
Some expeditions have permanent bases with specialized libraries, depositories of archaeological materials, photo-collections (in Tbilisi, Sighnaghi, Dusheti, Kavtiskhevi, Nastakisi, Sioni, Khashuri, Tsaghveri, Chitakhevi, Mestia, Vani, Salkhino, Pichori).
The Centre has a library, mainly on the archaeology and ancient history of Georgia and the Caucasus.
The Centre issues periodical and other serials, and preprints.

Regular weekly seminars (Archaeological Conversations), annual sessions on the field-archaeological studies, periodical International Symposia on the themes: "The Problems of the Ancient History and Archaeology of the Black Sea Littoral" (Vani) and "The Caucasus in the System of the Eurasian Early-Iron Age Cultures" (Sighnaghi) are held.

The Centre cooperates with the scientific centres of the former Soviet Union, Europe, the USA and Canada.

A Republican Scientific Certifying Council functions at the Centre at which theses are defended in archaeology and ethnography.

Established on 28 April 1971.

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THE RIVER-GOD PHASIS  Otar Lordkipanidze
(On the Iconography of "Colchian" Didrachms of Type I)
(Summary)

There are divergent opinions regarding the interpretation of the kneeling nude male figure with bull's head (or mask) on the reverse of "Colchian" didrachms of type I: "a monster", "a fantastic creature", "the Minotaur" ([37, p. 52], [13, p. 38], [8, p.425], [23, p, 179], [45, n. 220], [36, p. 367, n. 692]), "a Colchian god" ([4, p. 27]), "a man in an best's mask performing an action connected with a religions cult" ([11, p. 104]); "to be related to the primitive beliefs of the ancient Georgians and Abkhasians parallels should be sought in the bull-headed human figures of Syro-Hittite glyptic" ([37, p. 8]), "an image of Io, identified with Isis ..." ([33, p. 205-206]).
The author interprets a kneeling male figure with a bull's head on the so-called Colchian didrachmas of type I as a River-God, an earlier image of which was widespread in the Archaic and Classical Greek mythological iconography. This image was related to the bull and personified water, fertility and strength. River-Gods were consequently represented in the form of bull-man or in the shape of a man with features of a bull. It has been suggested that the coins under discussion were struck in the Milesian apoikia at Phasis ([14, p. 168], [11, p. 98], [3, p. 129]).
It may thus be assumed that on the "Colchian" didrachms of type I bearing a representation of male figure with a bull's head, we have an image of the River-God Phasis about which a great dear fasinating evidence has been preserved in Greek and Roman authors (Hesiod, Theog., 342; Mnaseas in Sch. ad Theocr., Id. XIII, 75; Callimachus: Aetia, fr. 7, Ps. Plutarch, De Fluv., V; Philostr. Junior, Playrs, 8, 3; Valer. Flac., Arg., V, 425-426; Sidonius, Carmina, XXIII, 272-273).

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ON THE ICONOGRAPHY OF "COLCHIAN DIDRACHMS OF TYPE II".O. Lordkipanidze
(Summary)

Different views have been expressed about the representations on the silver coins named "Colchian didrachms of type II" (fig. 1) dated in 5th cent. B.C. ([12, p. 37], [2, p. 28], [5, p. 196], [31, p. 7], [11, p. 14-15], [35, pl. XXXVIII, 1012]). Attention has mainly been devoted to the human head on the obverse. It is considered as an "independent indigenous god" [20, p. 8], _ or an "archaic representation of Artemis, but corresponding to the local goddess of the woods, the long-haired Dali, patroness of beasts and animals" [5, p. 199-200]. According to other opinions: "Our didrachm features a trimorphic Hecate, personifying three phases of the Moon. The division of this trimorphic image into two compositions on the obverse (one head) and on the reverse (two heads) was perhaps due to the small size of the coin" [14, p. 161] or "The obverse features the head of Phrixus, and the reverse the heads of his two Colchian sons"[29, p. 207-208].
It seems to me that the representation of three different human heads on the coins in question may form some triad, joined together by a single unifying idea. It is supposed, that we deal here with the Apolline Triad: Leto, Apollo and Artemis. One may presume that these coins were minted in the Greek apoikia Phasis.
 
 

The following list includes only papers and monographs by Otar Lordkipanidze, published abroad (outside Georgia) in the last 10 Years in European languages:

1. Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. Sources écrites et archéologie. Symposium de Vani (Colchide), septembre-octobre 1987. - Ed. with P. Lévêque. Paris, 1990.
2. Les problèmes fondamentaux du littoral de la Mer Noire dans l'Antiquité. - Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. Paris, 1990. - pp. 327-345.
3. On the cult of Heracles in Colchis. - Mélanges P. Lévêque, 4, Religion. - Paris, 1990. - pp. 277-288.
4. Pour le quarantième anniversaire de l'expédition archéologique de Vani. - Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. - Paris, 1990. - pp. 239-241.
5. Vani dans la structure du royaune Colchidien. - Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. - Paris, 1990. - pp. 289-318.
6. La Colchide aux VIIème - Vème siècles. Sources écrites antiques et archéologie. - Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. - Paris, 1990. - pp. 167-187. (mit T. Mikeladze).
7. Archäologie in Georgien von der Altsteinzeit bis zum Mittelalter. - Weinheim, 1991. - 345 p., 75 Fig., 58 Pl.
Rez. in: "Bonner Jahrbuch", 192 (1992), 593-598 (A. Plotke-Lüning); "Orientalische Literaturzeitung", 89 (1994), 296-300 (V. Ortman); "Germania", 73 (1995), 276-279 (I. Motzenbäcker), "Prähistorische Zeitschrift", 69 (1995), 252-256 (C. Metzner - Nebelsick); "American Journal of Archaeology", 99 (1995), 538-540 (C. Edens).
8. The Greeks in Colchis. - The Greeks in the Black Sea from the Bronze Age to the Early Twentieth Century. - Athens, 1991. - pp. 190-197.
9. Vani an ancient city of Colchis. - Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, vol. 32, N 2. - Durham, 1991. - pp. 151-195.
10. Bericht über die Ausgrabungen einer antiken Stadt. - Nürnberger Blätter zur Archäologie. - Nürnberg, 1991-1992. - pp. 11-14.
11. Aus der Geschichte der Staatlichkeit Georgiens. - "Brucken" (Festgabe für Gert Hummel zum 60 Geburtstag am 8. Marz 1993). - Konstanz, 1993. - pp. 273-280.
12. Wann beginnt die Geschichte der Georgischen Kultur. - Georgica (Zeitschrift für Kultur, Sprache und Geschichte Georgiens und Kaukasiens), 16. - Konstanz, 1993. - pp. 5-23.
13. A Bronze statue from Vani, Georgia. - Ancient civilizations from Scythia to Siberia, vol. I, N 2, September. - Leiden, 1994. - pp. 230-234.
14. Intercontacts between Colchis and the Mediterranean in Hellenistic times. - Europa Indo-Europea. Atti del VI Congresso Internationale di Tracologia e del VII Symposium Internationale di Studii Tracii. Palma de Mallorca, 24-28 Marzo, 1992. - Roma, 1994. - pp. 104-108.
15. Recent discoveries in the field of Classical archaeology in Georgia. - Ancient civilizations from Scythia to Siberia, vol. I, N 2, September. - Leiden, 1994. - pp. 144-195.
16. Iberia, II (Georgien). - Reallexikon für Antike und Christentum, Bd. XVII. - Stuttgart, 1994. - pp. 11-106. (with H. Brackmann).
17. Phasiane Theos. - Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, VII, 1. - Zürich - München, 1995. - pp. 368.
18. Phasis. - Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, VII, 1. - Zürich - München, 1995. - pp. 368-370.
19. Über zwei Funde aus Vani. - Archäologischer Anzeiger, Heft 1. - Berlin - New York, 1995. - pp. 41-52.
20. Vani - Pompei géorgienne. - Paris, 1995. - 147 p., 98 Fig.
21. Vani. - Unterwegs zum Goldenen Vlies. Archäologische Funde aus Georgien. Herausgegeben von A. Miron und W. Orthmann. - Saarbrücken, 1995. - pp. 143-156.
22. Das alte Georgien (Kolchis und Iberien) in Strabons Geographie. - Amsterdam, 1996. - 199 p., 11 Pl.
23. La geste des Argonautes dans le premières épopées grecques sous l'angle des premiers contacts du monde grec avec le littoral pontique. - Sur les traces des Argonautes - Paris, 1996. - pp. 21-46.
24. Sur les traces des Argonautes (Actes du 6ème symposium de Vani, 22-29 Septembre, 1990). - Paris, 1996, 354 S. (Ed. with P. Lévêque).
25. Vani - Ein antikes religiöses Zentrum im Land des Goldenen Vlieses (Kolchis). Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums, Mainz, 1996, pp. 353-401, 90 Pl.
26. On the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the Past, - "Conservation of the Biological Sustainable Development in the Black Sea Region (NATO ASI Series), 2. Environment - Vol. 46). Dordrecht, 1998. pp. 345-350.
27. Les contacts entre les Grecs et les populations locales de la mer Noire. Chronologie et typologie (with Daredjan Kacarava, Guram Kvirkvélja) - in: "La mer Noir. Zone de Contacts." Actes du VIIe Symposium de Vani (Colchide) - 26-30 IX. 1994; Paris, 1999. pp. 65-100.
28. Phasis, le dieu-fleuve. in: "La mer Noir. Zone de Contacts." Actes du VIIe Symposium de Vani (Colchide) - 26-30 IX. 1994; Paris, 1999. pp. 129-141.
29. Les divinités de la ville de Phasis: Apollon ou la triade appllinienne? in: "Religions du Pont-Euxin." Actes du VIIIe Symposium de Vani (Colchide) - 1997; Paris, 1999. pp.129-159.
30. Phasis. The rivers and city in Colchis. "Geographica Historica", 15. Stuttgart, 200. 137 p., 11 plates (forthcoming).

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Cult Rituals L. Nebieridze

(According to the Materials from the Sagvarjile Cave)
(Summary)
In the aeneolithic layer of the Sagvarjile Cave burial, near the cult hearth and in the layer itself ceramic and stone whorls and models of wheel were found. Analogous items were found in considerable numbers in the cave and open settlement layers of Anaeolithic-Early Bronze Age in Western Georgia as well as in burials of Kura-Araxes Culture.
Archaeological and ethnographic data show that, besides their practical purpose, whorls had sacral significance and participated in cult rituals (there are representations of astral symbols on some of them), while imitations of wheels had only ritual and magic significance.
These items were offered to the deity-patroness of the cattle, being linked to the cult of the sun and fertility whose symbols they were.
It should be noted that the cited objects occur in the cult ritual on sites where cattle breeding was attested.
It should be noted that whorls and models of wheel were just found in the cult rituals of the monuments where cattle-breading had been undoubtedly proved.
The Aeneolithic layer of the Sagvarjile cave revealed material connected with the cult of the bull (the horn of the bull on a platform), stone phallus and a terracotta statue of a man, pointing to the increased male role in that period.

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Goal of our paper is to take familiar to the scientific literature the roof tiles from the Vani city site, which according to there origin may be divide into three groups: local or Colchian, Sinopean tiles and tiles from non-identified centres.

Local production is divided into two groups: tiles with royal stamps and tiles with signs.

History of production and usage of tiles on the Vani site is possible to divide into two periods: the first period from the second half of the 4^th cent. B.C. to the first half of the 3^rd cent. B.C. and the second period – from the middle of the 3^rd cent. B.C. to the middle of the 1^st cent. B.C. During the first period the Sinopean tiles have been used in the ancient Vani. Stamps of the Sinopean tiles are mainly discovered on the central terrace of the Vani city site. It seems possible that the local tiles with royal stamps were produced in the same period. The main amount of the tiles with royal stamps is discovered on the central terrace of the Vani city site. Presence of the royal stamps on tiles makes clear that at first production of tiles was under the control of the royal power and its administration. The second period begins from the middle of 3^rd cent. B.C., when production of tiles is not under the control of royal power. Change of the royal stamps by the signs of potters materially reflects this fact. Production and usage of tiles in the ancient Vani in this period becomes much wider.

From the middle of the 4^th cent. B.C. to the middle of the 1^st cent. B.C., when tiles were used in the ancient Vani, it is possible to trace some stages in the building activity. Together with the newly produced tiles old tiles have been also used. It is possible that fact determined existence of tiles of several centres, periods and masters in the each complex.
 
 

Bibliography of works:

1. D. Akhvlediani, Tiles of Hellenistic Epoch from Vani, 1986 (in Russian).

2. D. Akhvlediani, Les tuiles estampilees de Vani, Le Pont-Euxin du par les grecs. Sources ecrites et archeologie. Symposium de Vani (Colchide), septembre-octobre 1987. Ed. O. Lordkipanidze, P. Leveque, Paris, 1990, pp. 283-285.

3. D. Akhvlediani, R. Puturidze, Sinopean Clay Stamps Discovered on the Territory of Ancient Colchis, Dziebani, N 3, 1999, pp. 50-56 (in Georgian).

4. D. Akhvlediani, R. Puturidze, Stamps of Rhodian Amphorae Discovered on the Territory of Colchis, Dziebani, N 4, 1999, pp. 47-52 (in Georgian).

5. D. Akhvlediani, Roof Tiles from the Vani City Site, Tbilisi, 1999 (in Georgian).
 

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The paper deals with the archaeological evidence of the Early Medieval period - a part of the archaeological material from Gveleti necropolis, located in Dariali Gorge (Qazbegi district).

The findings - spearheads, knives, fibulae, belts, bracelets, earrings, etc., bear out the parallels to the Early Middle Ages archaeological data from Eastern Georgia. Some of the artifacts are of North Caucasian origin, attesting to the existence of economic and cultural relations between Georgia and the North Caucasus.

The archaeological evidence of Gveleti necropolis should be dated to the end of the 6th - beginning of the 8th cent. A.D.

Dziebani, The Journal of the Centre for Archaeological Studies, N 6, 2000, "ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF GVELETI NECROPOLIS. I," (in Georgian), pp. 78-86.

1. D. Mindorashvili, Medieval Uplistsicke, Tbilisi, 1990 (in Pussian).

2. D. Mindorashvili, The fortress of Dariali, Tbilisi, 1991 (in Georgian).

3. D. Mindorashvili, The Kuro-Arax culture ceramics from r. Tergi gorge, Dzeglis Megobari, Scientific-Popular journal N 2, 1993, pp. 33-34 (in Georgian).

4. D. Mindorashvili, Sassanyd stones with engraved design from Gveleti Nekropolis, Dzeglis Megobari, Scientific-Popular journal N 4(99), 1997, pp. 16-22 (in Georgian).

5. D. Mindorashvili, Settlement of Tetrigza near Ananuri, Archaeological monuments of Medieval Georgia, VI, 1998, pp. 34-39 (in Georgian).

6. D. Mindorashvili, The Structure of Burials and Burial customs at the necropolis of Gveleti, Dziebani, The Journal of the Centre for Archaeological Studies, N 5, 2000, pp. 87-92 (in Georgian).

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A small group of glyptic objects has been unearthed by the Kavtiskhevi archaeological expedition on a Hellenistic burial ground revealed in "Sakaraulo Seri." Of a special interest among these objects is a yellowish-brown stone scarabeoid. It is oval in form; with slightly relief smooth back and flat surface.

One can see an image of a standing male figure on a flat surface. His head coated with a high hood as well as his legs are in profile, while his chest is en face. He wears a tightfisted dress reaching in front his ankles and going down to both of his sides. The man holds a bowl in his right hand. His left hand seems to be coated with a kind of clothing. Noses of his shoes are slightly sharpened.

We must notify that a number of scarabeoids is not too large among glyptic things unearthed in Georgia. These small glass scarabeoids of the "Sakaraulo Seri" as well as famous stone and glass scarabeoids of any other point of Georgia are not characterized by a picture similar to that described above. If we consider multifaceted dark-blue glass seals, which are stylistically close to scarabeoids, we can see that they also greatly differ from the described one. The latter's mostly express animals and their couples, scenes of their battles and hunting, which are considered by specialists as a theme nourished by Achemenid culture.

As for the "Sakaraulo Seri" scarabeoid, it may surely be attributed to the ancient oriental world. Even more, its appearance is really archaic and by common features it accords with ancient monuments of the Mediterranean basin, in particular, Mycanean, Egyptian and Asia Minor (Phoenician) expressions. Similarity can be seen, especially, in the manner of the figure depiction, its pose, detail's of garment. At the same time these details resemble some of the post-Achaemenidian Iranian images. Thus, the seal represents the monuments of ancient Oriental circle. One can not see there any traits of antique traditions, elements of Greek style are absent, that being characteristic for the so-called Greco-Persian and local Asia Minor seals of the 5^th -4^th B.C. The seal differs also from the gems of the so-called Berns group that are of a later period being considered a product of peripheries of Asia Minor (Boardman).

The seal is not distinguished for its high artistic value. Engravement is quite sharp but it lacks plasticity, the details are not refined. Pose of the figure seems to be natural (as if expressing ritual adoration) but still it is petrified.

Since decisive in the process of dating the seal is a shape of stone and burial ground complex which goes back to the 3^rd -1^st centuries B.C., we think that the seal must not be of an earlier period than the 3^rd B.C.

Bibliography of works:

1. K. Ramishvili, Sasanid Gems from Georgia, Tbilisi, 1972 (in Georgian).

2. K. Ramishvili, Sasanid Gems from Zhinvali burial ground, Zhinvali expedition conference, II, Tbilisi, 1980, pp. 47-49 (in Georgian).

3. K. Ramishvili, Early Medieval Glyptik monuments of Kartli, Chritian civilization and Georgia, Tbilisi, 1994, (in Georgian).

4. K. Ramishvili, V. Shatberashvili, Metal signets from Etso burial ground, Dzeglis Megobari, Scientific-Popular journal N 3, 1997, pp. 20-23 (in Georgian).

5. K. Ramishvili, Two Bullae from Mtskheta, Archaeological congress of Caucasus I, Tbilisi, 1998 (in Georgian).
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The earliest examples of the painted pottery in Georgia is revealed on the site of 4^th mil. B.C. Arukhlo I. This kind of pottery is very rarely met on the monuments of the Early Bronze Age, it was widely spread in the Middle Bronze Age, on the territory of Trialeti culture. In the Late Bronze Age this tradition of painting had stopped, and the pottery was ornamented by incised or polished geometric figures. In the Achaemenid epoch. The painted pottery appeared again, and during 4^th – 2^nd c.c. B.C. it was so widely spread, that this period is called "the epoch of the painted pottery in Kartli".

Prof. Kuftin first revealed the painted pottery of the Achaemenid and Postachaemenid period on the territory of Georgia in the village Kushchi, in 1947. Later a big number of this kind of ceramics dated to 5^th –1^st c.c. B.C. was unearthed on the settlements and burial grounds of Kartli (Samadlo, Tsikhiagora, Uplistsikhe, Againi, and Shavsakdara e.t.c.). It is to be noted that the absolute majority of Achaemenid and postachaemenid period painted pottery, revealed in Kartli is monochromic. The great number of vessels is ornamented by red colour; parallely we can see the pottery ornamented by white colour. The polychrome painting, at this moment, is too rare and on the fragments of that kind of pottery we can see ornaments painted by black, white and red colours.

In this work we consider the red painted pottery of 5^th-1^st c.c. B.C. from Kartli.

Based on stylistic analysis, we distinguish four styles of painting: 1) The Triangle style; 2) The Samadlo style; 3) The Kazreti style; 4) The Samtavro style.

1. The Triangles are coated on the polished or engobed surfaces of vessels. The style is divided into two main groups: A - triangles with their top to up and B -triangles with the top to the bottom of the vessel.

The painting of group A is disposed in one or two rows. The triangles are filled with netlike ornament (wholly or partially), with triangles painted in each other and with sidelong lines. Some triangles are not filled. The ornamentation of group A is spread in Achaemenid and Postachaemenid epoch's. It takes it's origin as from the Triangular style painting which was spread on the territory of Achaemenid Iran, as well as from incised or polished triangular ornament which we meet on the vessels of Late Bronze-Developed Iron Age unearthed in Georgia.

The painting of group B is disposed in one row. Triangles are filled with sidelong lines. Herringbone ornament, zigzags and horizontal lines usually are painted on the neck and on the widest part of the body of vessels. Based on Greek import, group b) is dated by the second half of 4^th B.C. – the beginning of 3^rd c. B.C.

2. The Samadlo style – The painting is coated on the polished or engobed surfaces of vessels. The pottery is decorated with zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures and geometrical forms. Shevrons – fully coloured triangles are disposed in one or two rows, as usual with the top to the bottom of the vessel. They are one of most important details of this style. The earliest examples of shevrons arrive in combination with triangles from the beginning of 3^rd c. B.C. This style is often met on the big vessels (pythoses). The middle of 3rd B.C. and the beginning of 2nd c. B.C date the Samadlo style is a dominating style on the Samadlo lower Hellenistic layer and synchronic archaeological monuments and based on the imported pottery. The Samadlo style continues its existence in the upper Hellenistic layer of Samadlo settlement. At the same time the simplified and degraded painting appears – it is coated on rough surface, the decoration is got by coloring the main part of the vessel.

3. Mentioned painting represents the Kazreti style. This material prevails on the Telebisveli burial ground in Kazreti. The style is spread from the second half of 2^nd c. B.C. To the first half of 1^st c. B.C.

4. The last, The Samtavro style painting is coated on the rough surface. Zigzags, waves, fillets and points represent it. We meet the details of this style in previous styles, but they have secondary importance there. The Samtavro style, based on coins is dated by the second half 1^st c.B.C. – First half of 1^st c. A.D.

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The historical province of Georgia, Kvemo Kartli (Lower Kartli) is situated in the Southeast part of Georgia. It is a clearly outlined district due to its physic-geographical characteristics: surrounded by watersheds of mountain ridges from three sides: Bambak-Erevan from the S., Javakhet-Samsari from the W., and Trialeti from the N. The river Kura is the eastern border of this province. The historical names of this district – Kvemo Kartli (Lower Kartli) and Kvemo Kveqana (Lower country) Shaw its location along the Kura, the main river of the country. These names are met in old Georgian Sourses. In old Greek (Strabo, Claudius Ptolemaeus) and Armenian sources (Agatangelos, Movses Khorenatsi e.t.c.) the words Gogarene (Greek) and Gugark (Armenian) (quite unknown for Georgian sourses are used. Now they are identified with Kvemo Kartli.

In the Post Achaemenid epoch, during the process of foundation of East Georgian - Kartli (Iberia) kingdom, Lower Kartli had played an important role. According to the old Georgian tradition (Leonti Mrovelis "Life of kings" and the anonyms "Baptization of Kartli"), after Alexander the Great, Kartli was occupied by the troops of Azo (var. Azon). The cousin of Mtskheta Mamasaklisi (Chief) Parnavaz who was supported by Egrisi (Lazica) Eristavi (Governor) Cuji and north Caucasus tribes defeated Azo and declared himself as a king of Kartli (Iberia). These events are dated close to 280 y. B.C. Two Georgian sources "Life of Kings" and "The Baptization of Kartli" are different while describing these events. According to Leonti Mroveli, after the conquest of Kartli Azon settled in Kartli his companions in arms from Greece. According to the anonym author of Baptization, Azo was the son of the King of Aryan Kartli. He settled his compatriots in Mtskheta. He was very severe to native population and prohibited to them to have any weapon. After defeating Azo, Parnavaz carried out political and religions reforms. One of them was the territorial organization of the Kingdom. Kvemo Kartli was divided in two Saeristavos (a district lead by Eristavi), with the centers in Khunani (Gardabani saeristavo) and Samshvilde (Gachiani Saeristavo). The 3^rd c. B.C. was the period of rise and territorial expanse of the Kingdom.

From the beginning of 2^nd c. B.C., after defeating Selevkyds by Rome, the two Armenian states were established. One of them, Armenia Granda had occupied the Soutlands of Iberia. Strabo, while talking about the Armenian expansion in 2^nd c. B.C., says, that Artaxia (Artashes I, king of Armenia) had concurred south parts of Iberia: Gogarene, Khordzene and Pariadre (Strabo XI, 14). After that during 2^nd and 1^st c.c. B.C. this region was under the Armenian reign. In 1^st c. AD. Iberia returned this territory.

Kvemo Kartli was an important region in the process of foundation of Kartli Kingdom. Some scholars in Old Georgian language distinguish two dialects. One of them is proposed to be a dialect, which was spread in South Georgia, especially in Kvemo Kartli and Meskheti (Southwest Georgia), where the Kart tribes were living. It should be noted that the archaeologists in the 1^st half of 1^st millenium B.C. distinguish the local version of East Caucasus Culture in South Georgia (Kvemo Kartli), which could be a kind of political union and may be connected to Aryan Kartli of "Baptization." G. Melikishvili supposes that from the middle of 1^st millenium B.C. the Kart tribes had dominated in South Georgia and later in first centuries the population of northern parts of Iberia called the southern provinces Aryan Kartli (Iranian Kartli). The name Gugar (Gugark, Gogarene) is identified as Karts (N. Marr, I. Javakhishvili). Our attantion claims that one of the provinces of Kvemo Kartli, Gardabani in early Armenian Sources sounds as Kartamanik, and the name of old Iberian divinity, brought in Mtskheta from Aryan Kartli, Gats, is phonetically very close to the name of the other province Gachiani (ani is the plural suffix in Georgian language). So we can clearly see that the names Gugar and Kart are of the one origin.

These historical processes are quite well seen on the archaeological monuments of Kvemo Kartli, dated to 4^th -1^st c.c. B.C. they show well the political, social, economic and demography situation of this period. The archaeological material is quite different in 4^th-3^rd c.c. (The period of foundation of the Iberian Kingdom) and in 1^st –2^nd c.c. B.C. (the Armenian expansion in South Georgia).

30 settlements and burial grounds of this epoch are excavated in this region. Most of them are burial grounds.

The Burial grounds of Alexseevka, Ardasubani, Beshtasheni, Grmakhevistavi, Kiketi, Santa, Tusbush and Shori begin thiere existence earlier then the foundation of Iberia Kingdom is proposed. The earliest graves on this burial grounds were dated by 6^th c. B.C., but nowadays, some of them can be dated to the 2^nd half of 4^th c. B.C. or to the edge of 4^th –3^rd c.c. B.C.

The Burial grounds of Abulmug, Aruchlo, Enageti, Tsintskaro, Kariak, Kotishi, Papigora, Shavsakdara I and Shacsakdara II, Asureti, Tetritzkaro and Durnuki settlement were existing in 4^th –3^rd c.c. B.C.

Abelia, Etso and Gomareti burial grounds begin their existame in 4^th c. B.C. 23 graves from Abelia is dated to 4^th –3^rd c.c. B.C. (2 to 1^st c. B.C.), 28 graves from Gomareti is dated to 4^th-3^rd c.c. B.C. (1 to 1^st c. B.C.), 98 graves from Etso are dated to 4^th –3^rd c.c.B.C. (12 to 2^nd –1^st c. B.C.).

The settlement of Shavsakdara II is dated to 3^rd –2^nd c.c. B.C., the Sakaraveli burial ground is dated to the same period. The Kazreti burial ground is of 2^nd –1^st c.c. B.C., and only two burial grounds – Shulaveri and Neron-Deresi are dated to 1^st c. B.C.

As we saw, the sites of 4^th-3^rd c.c. B.C. in Kvemo Kartli are in large majority comparatively with the sites of 2^nd -1^st c.c. B.C.

We think that this fact is very closely connected with the Armenian expansion in the 2^nd c. B.C. The region has transformed to a battelfield between Armenian and Iberian troops, the old population of Kvemo Kartli has changed its place of settlement and the region has been devastated.

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The monuments of 4^th –1^st c.c. B.C. on the territory of Kvemo Kartli first were revealed by Prof. B. Kuftin first revealed B.C. in 1936. After that 30 settlement and burial grounds were excavated by archaeological expeditions of Georgian State Museum, the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography (Tbilisi), and the Centre for Archaeological Studies (Tbilisi). From 1981 to 1993 two expeditions – Marabda-Akhalkalaki (leaded by Dr. Z. Shatberashvili) and Khrami-Algeti gorge (leaded by Dr. J. Amiranashvili) alongside the monuments of other periods had studied the monuments of 4^th –1^st c.c. B.C.

In 1982 and 1984, on the territory of Marabda-Akhalkalaki railway station Tskra Dzma (what means nine brothers) was revealed a small burial ground. 8 stone graves, which were excavated here were oriented from N to S, the diseased were buried with crooked hands and legs either on the left or right side. Following objects were discovered in the graves: Clay jugs, bowls and pots, bronze and iron bracelets, pins, rings and an iron dagger. When determining the date of this monument, the decisive role belongs to the pear shaped jugs, which are quite well dated to 4^th –3^rd c.c. B.C. It is to be noted that one of these jugs is painted by red colour, the ornament is represented by triangles filled with net. This kind of ornament was widely spread in Georgia during 4^th-3^rd c.c. B.C.

In 1985 the Marabda-Akhalkalaki expedition had excavated a small settlement near the village Durnuki (Tetritskaro region), on the Right Bank of r. Algeti. The most part of the settlement was destroyed by r. Alget. The expedition had unearthed the remains of stone and mud-brick buildings and fragments of pottery. The fragments of pear shaped jugs (some of them engobed and painted by red colour) and other vessels are dating the reams of the settlement to the edge of 4^th-3^rd c.c. B.C.

In 1982 on the left bank of r. Algeti, near the village Marabda (Marneuli region) native farmers had destroyed a burial ground of Hellenistic epoch. Some survived items were transmitted to marabda-Akhalkalaki expedition. The pottery from Marabda (jugs, bowls, pots, jars) was of high quality, most of them was polished or engobed. One jug was ornamented by fully coloured triangles (shevrons), what are widely spread and the well-dated settlements of 3^rd c. B.C. Two bronze bracelets heads represent snakes heads. The survived material can be dated to 3^rd c. B.C.

In 1990-91 by Algeti-Khrami expedition near the village Goubani (Tetritskaro region), on the place Sakraveli 23 stone graves, 1 pit grave and 1 jar grave were excavated. The deceased were buried with crooked hands and legs either on the left or right side; the graves mainly were oriented from Southeast to Northwest.

Following object were discovered in the graves: 1. Clay pitchers, Small jugs bouls. One part of them were painted with red and whitish lines, surfaces of some of them were engobed; 2. Different adornments: piers, rings, bracelets, necklaces; 3. Small bells; 4. Different type pendants (including moon like and double tube samples); 5. Iron knifes, spear and arrow heads; 6. Buttons; 7. Beads. The objects unearthed here show close affinity with the stuff discovered in other regions of Georgia, what makes possible to date Sakraveli Burial ground to 4^th –2^nd c.c. B.C.

The monument of mentioned epoch, the Etso burial ground was studied by Marabda-Akhalkalaki expedition in 1986-88. It is situated Near Tetritskaro, in the vicinity of the village Varkhuno on the slope, which is oriented from N. to S. Here 120 graves of 4^th –3^rd c.c. B.C. was excavated. The majority of graves are the stone graves, 7 oval or quadrangle pitgraves; one pitgrave is covered with a piece of wine vessel, others with flagstones. Most of them were oriented from N to S. with insignificant deviation and only 6 from E to W. The deceased were burial on the right or left back, in crouched position. In one grave (N 90) there were 3 diseased, in 28 two and in others one.

The inventory of the Etso burial ground consists from clay, bronze, iron, silver, golden, bone, glass objects. The pottery revealed here includes: Jugs, bowls, pots, drinking vessels, jars, mugs.

For dating the cemetery most important vessels are jugs, We distinguish 1) pear shaped; 2) spherical; 3) oval and 4) byconic jugs. Predominately they are made of bright clay, some are painted in red colour. On the pear shaped jugs the triangles with their top to up are painted. The triangles are filled with netlike ornament. On one painted vessel the triangle is not filled. The shevrons (Fully coloured triangles) are painted on the vessels which are close both to pear shaped and sphere forms. On some sphere jugs the ornament is got by colouring the main part of the vessel, and the painting is coated on the rough surface. On the little pot from grave N 97, on the rough surface two horizontal red lines are painted.

The painted pottery from Etso, especially, the jugs painted by triangles carry an influence of Achaemenid period Iranian painted pottery, where triangles as ornament are widely spread.

Bracelets from Etso are made of bronze or iron. Bronze bracelets, in most cases have the snake-like ends. Rings from Etso are made of silver, bronze, gold or iron. Besides that iron and bronze pins, iron and bronze necklaces, rings, small bells, different type pendants (including moonlike silver, and disc-like gold samples), buttons, beads (in golden, silver, bone, bronze, glass, stone) were discovered in the graves.

On the Etso burial ground 12 iron spearheads and 4 battle-axes were found. It means that every third man, buried here had a weapon. it should be noted that the inventory of graves is not rich, and the existence of weapons in the graves makhes us to think that this burial ground had belonged to free "farmers and warriors" who are included by Strabo in third Genos of Kartli (Iberia) Kingdom population.

Of special interest are metal signets from Etso burial ground where 9 rings, were found theyrepresent two types of rings. These are so called Achaemenid type rings with oval Dix and open hoop and belt-like rings made of single bronze plate. This small group of glipthical monuments reflects influence of western (Greek) and Eastern (Mesopotamian and Achaemenid) traditions, which is so typical of the contemporary art of the Near East and which had been reflected in other monuments of Georgian art as well.

Of special interest is the decoration on the seals. The first group (rings with oval dix and open hoops) is represented by 7 rings, two of them are badly preserved, and the picture is illegible.

Two signets of the first group unearthed from the store grave N 39 are dated to 4^th –3^rd c.c. B.C. One of them represents a head of a man in left profile with a Greek helmet. The helmet is very close to helmets represented on Archaic Greek searabeas and engraved gems, and the features of the man is close to the Archaic Greek features. It is possible, that picture is imitated from some Greek original. The second signet is represented by a fragment of the bronze ring. The solar symbol is inscribed on the oval dix. The solar symbol (the sun) is represented on the signet from the stone grave N 100 (dated to 3^rd –2^nd c.c. B.C.). The sun is surrounded by the dots, what was typical to the Greek monuments, and was ignored in Iranian gliptics. The bronze signets with the solar symbols may be of the local workshop. The bronze signet from the stone grave N 60 (dated to 3^rd –2^nd c.c. B.C.) Represents a man standing in a prayers pose. The picture is very schematic and may be connected with the archaic Mesopotamian (Shumerian) pictures, where the clothes of the priests are very similar to the clothes of the man on the signet from grave N 60. Behind a man the ornament of miniature triangles in two rows is incised. This unusual ornament imitates the wedge writing. We think that this bronze signet is a late echo of archaic Mesopotamian pictures. On the Dix of the ring from the stone grave N 59 (dated to 3^rd c. B.C.) a male hoof is incised. The picture is very schematic and has many paralels in the ancient Iranian art. The seal may be dated to 3^rd c. B.C.

Two rings represent the second group of rings (belt like rings made of single bronze plate). The graves N 16 and 17, where these items were found, are dated to 2^nd c. B.C. The signet from the grave N 17 is badly preserved. It represents a bird with a worm in its beak. As to the ring from the grave N 16, the picture represents a fantastic horned beast, moving left, with open mote. The long tail is curved like a snake. On the both sides of the beast two bows are incised. Heads of fantastic beasts such as lion, dog or eagle are widely spread on the monument of old eastern art.

Thus, as we have seen, the gliptical monuments from Etso reflect influence of Greek, Mesopotamian and Iranian cultural traditions.

On the Etzo burial ground, based on paralels and typological analysis we distinguish two major chronological groups. The Earliest forms of pottery at the cemetery are jugs with pear-shaped bodies and beaks, which can be dated to the 4^th cent. B.C. (12 graves). The jugs with pear-shaped bodies and round rims are dated to the end of the 4^th cent. B.C. and beginning of the 3^rd cent. B.C. (34 graves). Four complexes, containing jugs, which are close to both pear-shaped and spherical forms, are dated to the middle of the 3^rd cent. B.C. The jugs with spherical body's engobed and painted red (2 graves), are dated to the end of 3^rd cent. B.C. The same form exists in the 2^nd cent. B.C., but the painting is coated on rough surface and is simpler than the earlier one (2 graves). Complexes, which contain black bowls with a foot and spherical glass beads with golden and silver lining, are considered to date from the 2^nd cent. B.C. (7 graves). Only two complexes belong to the 1^st cent. B.C. The jugs appear to have shapes, which changed during the 4^th –2^nd cc. B.C. in the following order: The form of pearshaped body, which predominated in the 4^th cent. B.C. and beginning of the 3^rd cent. B.C. gradually changed to spherical form and the tradition of painting, appearing in the 4^th cent. B.C., and becoming sophisticated in the 3^rd cent. B.C., becomes simpler in the 2^nd –1^st cc. B.C. Six chronological groups are identified at the cemetery: 1) 4^th cent. B.C.; 2) the end of 4^th – beginning of 2^nd cent. B.C.; 3) middle of 3^rd cent. B.C.; 4) end of 3^rd cent. B.C.; 5) 2^nd cent. B.C.; 6) 1^st cent. B.C.
 

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The study is based on newly discovered archaeological materials of the village of Mtisdziri (Vani district, Georgia). The Mtisdziri team of the Vani Archaeological expedition conducted fieldwork during five seasons (1973-1977). The archaeological relics of Mtisdziri chronologically refer to the so-called pre-Classical, Classical, and early Mediaeval periods. The materials discovered by the Mtisdziri archaeological team are preserved together with those of the Vani archaeological Expedition and at the Vani Museum of Local Lore.

The village of Mtisdziri lies near hills (within 8 km of Vani). The hills create a natural barrier with a closed-in valley. The fortifying and sealing off of the valley was apparently not a difficult problem. Furthermore, the "Adeishvilis gora" hill somewhat juts out of a chain of similar hills, on the one hand controlling a fairly large portion of the Rioni valley and, on the other, commanding one of the roads leading from the Qumuri river gorge.

The cultural layers of Mtisdziri are most widely represented by pottery which, in conjunction with archaeological evidence of a different type, helps to form a definite idea about the economic activity and the external and internal (Colchian) commercial links of the population of ancient "Mtisdziri."

On the basis of the archaeological investigations carried out at Mtisdziri, and with reference to recent archaeological evidence, the chronological stages of development of ancient "Mtisdziri" appear to have been the following (allowing for certain chronological gaps):

I – 7^th –6^th cc. B.C.

II – 5^th-4^th (first half) cc. B.C.

III – 4^th (second half) – 1^st cc. B.C.

IV – 1^st – 8^th cc. A.D.

In the Mtisdziri area traces of settlements are thus far detectable ca from the end of the 8^th cent. B.C.

In the 5^th and first half of the 4^th cent. the village of Mtisdziri was fairly large, embracing the Adeishvilis-gora, Mtisdziris-gora and Nabambevis-gora hills and adjoining territory.

Special attention in Mtisdziri – a strategic point for the city of Vani – attaches to a defensive structure excavated on the upper terrace of Adeishvilis-gora.

Clay, woods and stone served as the principal building materials for the structure. The building is quadrangular in shape and consists of two rooms differing in size. The inner area of the southern room is 26.88 s1. m., and that of the northern, 13.44 sq.m. The sole, consisting of stone, clay and wood, is 2.60 m wide.

Here we may be dealing with a variety of wooden structures characteristic of the eastern Black Sea littoral, in particular Colchis, referred to in the works of Xenophon and Vitruvius. The evidence of Vitruvius on timber structures is of special interest: unlike Xenophon, he gives a detailed description of the timber structures of the Colchians. A rich interment, discovered near the small stream of Tsabla-ghele, helps to form a definite idea about the burial custom with the inhabitants of ancient Mtisdziri. The interment was severally damaged; of its inventory a gold earring, a gold torque, fragments of a bronze vessel, a silver rhyton with the representation of a man-he-goat, etc., have survived. Special attention should be paid to the rhyton, for it constitutes a unique relic of toreutics. Viticulture and winemaking have an ancient history in Georgia, who warrants the assumption that rhyton (qantsi), was here, one of the earliest vessels for drinking wines.

Thus far the rhyton found in Mtisdziri has no direct analogy. The rhyton must have been made by a local (Colchian) master who had been under the influence of the Oriental (so-called Achaemenid) art of the period. The man-he-goat, represented on the rhyton, is probably the fruit of local religious notions. The present writer has identified it with Ochopintre, the god of animals and birds (a Pan-type god); some parts of Ochopintre's body are those of a he-goat, and others human.

A study of the burial inventory has shown that the interment belonged to a representative of the elite. It may be surmised that the noble, or a member of his family, played a definite part in the administration of rural areas (Mtisdzirim in particular) – the so-called Vanis kveqana (land).

Apart from local ceramics, a small quantity of imported pottery (Chian, Attic, and Mendeyan) was also unearthed at Mtisdziri.

In the 4^th (latter half) to 1^st cc. B.C. the size of Mtisdziri equalled that of the village of the preceding period.

Fragments of jar burials have been discovered in the Mtisdziri of Hellenistic times; ordinary Colchian household pith was used for the purpose.

Two periods of construction are identifiable in 1^st –8^th cc. A.D. Mtisdziri, traced clearly in the remains of a structure on the plateau of Adeishvilis-gora. The area of the quadrangular building is 145.85. sq. m; it consists of two rooms differing in size. Such defenses, erected on hills, are attested at various points of Colchis (Lazica). The structure in question appears to be part of a large fortification complex.

Building materials (tiles, Bricks) mainly represent the ceramics of the last stage of Mtisdziri. Fragments of household and kitchenware ceramics of local manufacture also occur (pots, bowls, kvevri-jars and amphorae). This stage is characterized by the presence of red-glazed pottery and imported glass vessels.

The fact should be noted that the place name Mukhuri is attested close to the village to Mtisdziri (towards the village of Dablagomi). We are presumably dealing with the remains of the fortified point of Mukhurisi or Mokhirisi, referred to in Byzantine sources (Procopius of Caesarea, Agathias), or the remains of one of the fortified points of the Mukhirisi area (Mouqeìrisic).

On the basis of the latest archaeological evidence from Mtisdziri (in the middle reaches of the Rioni), and with account of extensive analogous material, certain general conclusions can be arrived at:

I. The archaeological relics unearthed at Mtisdziri are closely related of synchronous archaeological material from the lower reaches of the Rioni (Dapnari, Dablagomi, Shuamta, Tsikhesulori, Saganchia, Vani, Vartsikhe-Vardigora, the environs of Kutaisi, Partskhanaqanevi, etc., and, in general, of the entire Colchis, Being an integral part of this common archaeological culture.

2. With respect to its geographical situation Mtisdziri was in a strateicgally advantageous place. The terrain could be successfully used in the building of fortifications. In the so-called Early-Classical and Hellenistic times Mtisdziri was a fortified point within the defensive system of the city of Vani and its environs.

3. The rich burial inventory from Tsabla-ghele points to the proprietary inequality among the Colchian population of the period (5^th-4^th cent. B.C.).

4. Beginning with the 4^th c. B.C. the Mtisdziri settlement became involved in the foreign trade relations of Colchis (of Vani, in particular), this was due to the closeness of Mtisdziri to the Rioni-Qvirila trade-and transit route, and is corroborated by the discovery of imported goods (ceramics, glass).

5. The area of the middle reaches of the Rioni in the period under study was densely populated. In the initial stages of its development the Mtisdziri settlement formed part of the farming area of the city of "Vani" and in its last stage it belonged to the Mukchurisi area, the central part of which lay in the middle reaches of the Rioni.
 
 

G. Gamkrelidze

TOWARDS INTERPRETATION OF THE CLAY OBJECT FROM ADEISHVILEBIS-GORA CONSTRUCTION

An unusual clay object having cylindric shape and flat bottom was discovered during the investigation of a construction located on the plateau Adeishvilebis-gora and dated to the 3rd-4th cent. A. D. The body of the object is widely ribbed and four rolls stretch down to the bottom. The space between them is grooved. The clay texture is grey-brownish, with admixture of limestone and pyroxene. The clay is inferiorly fired. Judging by the clay quality, it can be inferred that the object is of a local manufacture. It may be the foot of a candlestick or a lampstand.

The foot of the type just reffered to, is the first one, found in the 3rd-4th cent. layers on the territory of Western Georgia

Main works of G. Gamkrelidze:

1. Ancient settlements of Central Colkhis, Tb., 1982 (in Georgian).
2. From Colkhian mythology (Ohopintre a Pan type God), Tb., 1990 (in Georgian).
3. On the History of the in caption and development of Archaeology in Georgia, Tb., 1990 (in Georgian).
4. Underwater Archaeology in the Colkhian littoral, Tb., 1990 (in Georgian).
5. To the Archaeology of Phasis valley, Tb., 1992 (in Russian).
6. Hydroarchaeology in Georgian republic (the Colkhian littoral). The international journal of Nautical Archaeology, vol. 21, N 2, London, 1992, pp. 101-109.
7. Historical-topoarchaeologiical researches, Tb., 1993 (in Georgian).
8. For the Topoarchaeology of Poti (Phasis), Tb., 1998 (in Georgian).
9. Ein Rhyton mit Gotterdarstellung aus der Kolchis – Archaeologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan, Berlin, 1998, N 2, pp. 207-212.
 

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TOWARDS DATING THE COMPLEXES WITH FIBULAE AT THE NECROPOLIS OF TLIA N. Sulava

Numerous efforts of dating the Tlia necropolis were undertaken by researchers both in Georgia (B. Tekhov, L. Pantskhava, Yu. Voronov, etc.), as well as abroad (G. Kossak, A. Prus). The persistent interest in this monument is due to its exceptionally rich evidence and stratigraphic data, enabling the archeologists to take it as a standard while dealing with problems of periodization of the related cultures of the Caucasus.

The problems of origin and chronology of the Caucasian fibulae are linked to the correct chronological attribution of the Tlia necropolis.

The present paper is one more attempt at dating the Tlia complexes containing fibulae.

The author has distinguished four typological-chronological groups in the Tlia necropolis complexes with fibulae (in total 154 complexes, 135 bronze fibulae have been found along with 33 iron fibulae ). The sequence of these groups is due to changes of material and weapon types. Retrospective decomposition of the complexes (based on well dated parallel finds), gave an opportunity of fixing the absolute chronology.

Group I complexes contain solely iron weapons. They can be dated to the 6th cent. B.C. or the first half of the same century, taking into consideration the Brili necropolis evidence. The dating of the Brili necropolis itself, is based on the akinakae finds, while their chronological attribution, in turn, depends on the radial earrings accompanied by Greek imported goods [4, p. 239; 10, pp. 17-21].

The daggers of all types from group II complexes are made of iron, the axes being of bronze. The author attributes this group to the second half of the 7th -first half of the 6th cent. B.C. The basis of the present chronological definition is the date of bimetallic akinakes from the Tlia burial = 85 - second half of the 7th -first half of the 6th cent. B.C. - resting on typological characteristics [8, pp.34-35].

Group III comprises burials containing only bronze weapons - so-called Colchian axes and various daggers, differing absolutely in typology from those of group II. The author is inclined rather to attribute this group to the second half of the 8th cent. B.C. The proposed dating is corroborated by absolute correspondence of these daggers to the well-known specimens from the 8th-7th cent. B.C. archaeological sites (Ergeta, Ureki, Nigvziani, Paluri, Mukhurcha, Bambora, Primorskoye) [9, pp. 29-32].

The complexes of group IV are represented again solely by bronze weapon - Colchian axes and daggers of the types (flare-shaped with a broad rib) that are absent at the burials of the preceding group complexes containing fibulae. The chronological frame for this group is defined by the turn of the 9th - first half of the 8th cent. B.C., since homogeneous material (daggers, pottery) is revealed from the sites dated generally to the 8th-7th cent. B.C. (Brili, Kamenomostsk, Tskheta) [2, p. 99, Pl. XLI; 7, p. 58; 6, pp. 102-103, pl. V].

The research carried out by the author has resulted in the identification of the principle for the typological classification of the fibulae found at the Tlia necropolis, viz., the arch outline. The earliest fibulae proved to be semioval (type I). The fibulae with slightly asymmetric arch (type II) constitute the next chronological group, but the group uniting the most numerous and various fibulae with semi-circular-arc outline is considered to be type III.

As a result, the emergence and disappearance of any type of fibulae in the chronological groups can be traced back, that is to say, the chronological borders for each type of fibulae can be ascertained. The results are as follows:

Type I - semioval-arch fibulae, group IV, turn of the 9th - first half of the 7th cent. B.C.

Type II – slightly asymmetric-arch fibulae, groups IV and III, turn of the 9th - first half of the 7th cent. B.C.

Type III – arch fibulae.*

Type III 1 - fibulae with a thick arch and fish-bone pattern, groups III and II, second half of the 8th - first half of the 6th cent. B.C.

Type III 2 - fibulae with a rosette-shaped section of arch, groups II, II and I, second half of the 8th - first half of the 6th cent. B.C.

Type III 3 - fibulae with multi-faceted section of arch, groups III and II, second half of the 8th - first half of the 6th cent. B.C.

*The author intends to dedicate a special article to the problem of typology of fibulae from the Tlia necropolis. Thus, while naming the subtypes, we use only the most characteristic typological features of fibulae.

Main works of N. Sulava:

1. Archaeological monuments of Antiquity from Lechumi, journal Matsne, N 2, 1988 (in Georgian).
2. Fibulae from Tskheta burial ground, journal Moambe N 2, 1989 (in Georgian).
3. Towards dating the burials with Fibulae at the necropolis of Samtavro, journal Dziebani N 5, 2000 (in Georgian).
4. Römischer und Frühmittelalerlicher Schmuk aus Bergkolchis (Letschumi). Korrespondenz Blatt, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz.
5. The Fibula a navicella found on the Black Sea coast of Georgia materials of the 9th international symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea Littoral, Vani, 1999.
6. The Mountainous Colkhis in Antiquity, Tb., 1996 (in Georgian).

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ST. GEORGE OF HESHKILDI Sh. Chartolani, R. Khvistani, M. Tsindeliani

(Summary)

In 1997-98 the Svaneti archaeological expedition (director Sh. Chartolani) carried out archaeological investigations at the site of the former church of St. George (site of the former village of Heshkildi) situated on the right bank of the river Inguri.

Archaeological materials, such as: glazed and non-glazed pottery, iron arrow-heads, a silver coin, copper rattles and bells and a candlestick, bronze hinge, head of the sheep, carved in travertine stone, capitals, columns, parts of an arch, fragments of frescoes, etc. revealed two construction horizons of the monument.

The lower horizon is represented by a small single nave darbazi-type church which was built at the turn of the 10^th century (6,5 x 4,5 m).

The upper horizon is represented by store-room annexed to the building from the West (3,5 x 9 m) and the South (6,5 x 3,5).

At the end of the 17^th century the church of St. George ceased functioning.
 

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SOME PROBLEMS OF PERIODIZATION OF THE FINAL STAGES OF THE BRONZE AGE IN SHIDA KARTLI A. Ramishvili

One stage of investigation of the sites of the Late Bronze Age in Eastern Georgia was summed up by drawing fairly accurate chronological table (R. Abramishvili) in the 1950s. Despite the fact, that the appearence of Late Bronze Age elements in complexes of the Middle Bronze Age had not been overlooked by archaeologists (4, 10, 25, 26, 35, 36), generalization of certain facts and working out of the transitional period from the Middle Bronze Age to the Late Bronze Age became possible only in the 70s (K. Pitskhelauri). Nevertheless, a part of the sites, correctly dated to the cited period, was soon reattributed to the end of the Middle Bronze Age (37). The archaeological research, carried out over the last 25 years at the sites of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, enables us to suggest certain changes in the chronological tables of this period.

Such sites as Nuli (31), Kvasatali (22, 32), Tlia (39), etc., while being of the later period than the latest group of Trialeti barrows, are attributed to the Late Bronze Age. These monuments occur throughout East Georgia - Shvindiani (19), Zemo Alvani (9), Purtseltsqlebi (11), Natakhtari (26), Tsaghvli (38, 39, 40), the barrows of Meskhet-Javakheti, etc. Buckets, bowls and drinking cups, unknown to the Trialeti barrows, along with typical vessels of the Middle Bronze Age, are evidenced. On the grounds of these findings, the author has distinguished the end of the Middle Bronze Age as a separate period.

The attention of researcher was drawn by vessels found at one group of these monuments, absent in the Middle Bronze material. They are manufactured of coarse, poorly-washed clay; being of red-brownish firing, they have a grooved surface with oblique incisions and relief line on the shoulder. Complexes with such pottery should be attributed to the transitional period.

One part of such "rough" pottery is made on a slow potter’s wheel. Its surface is grooved without any order. Another part - with oblique incisions and concentric grooves on the edge of the bottom - is manufactured on a swift wheel. It seemed rational to divide the transitional period into two stages: sites containing the vessels with unsystematically grooved surface belong to the first one, while second stage is represented by vessels with concentric grooves.

A group of sites with pottery of the so-called "Melighele type" is distinguished in the early stage of the Late Bronze Age, but both the cultural and chronological definition of this type is still debatable in the specialist literature. According to one assumption, pottery of this type precedes the sites with leaf-shaped daggers and it occurs all over the Trialeti Culture area (K. Pitskhelauri). The champions of another hypothesis attribute this clayware to the so-called Lchashen-Tsitelgori Culture and regard it to be simultaneous with the Samtavro Culture with its leaf-shaped daggers, while the area of diffusion is confined only to the territory to the east of the r. Aragvi (R. Abramishvili).

The author supports the former assumption. Besides the arguments, referred to in scientific literature (23, 27), the following suggestions can be added:

It is mistaken to belieive that complexes of the so-called Lchashen-Tsitelgori Culture occur only to the east of the Aragvi. Actually, the homogenous material is found not only at the Samtavro and Tserovani necropoleis over the river (18, 39, 40), but also in more distant villages of Tsaghvli and Natsargora, Khashuri district (32, 33), etc.

Contrary to the proposed hypothesis (3), "rough" pottery is present at the Samtavro necropolis and leaf-shaped daggers are found at the Treli necropolis (32, 33).

Peculiar vases with tall and hollow foot survive from the earlier epoch into the monuments of the early stage of the Late Bronze Age. But they are not found together with leaf-shaped daggers. Deep bucket-shaped vessels with a "walnut"-shaped rim, also characteristic of this period, are gradually superseded by dishes and basins with more or less vertical sides. The decorations intensively used at the early stage of the Late Bronze period, were wedge-shaped stumps, concentric circles, connected spirals, meanders and so on. But they vanish in the following epochs.

The results of the texture and surface analysis of pottery is worth noting. The texture, beginning from the Middle Bronze Age, is brittle, comparatively lightly fired, often two-layered along with black-polished surface. Pottery of the newly distinguished earliest period of the Late Bronze epoch is mostly the same. The texture of the ware in the complexes of leaf-shaped daggers period is tougher and more or less evenly fired, while the surface gradually acquires a greyish tint.

Thus, the process of emergence and development of certain types of pottery and their decorative devices can be traced along with a survey of the development of the clayware beginning from the Middle Bronze Age up to the end of the existence of the leaf-shaped daggers.

The obtained archaeological material, belonging both to the newly distinguished transitional period and the epoch of leaf-shaped daggers, should be considered as consecutive, thus excluding the possibility of their simultaneous existence.

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ON SOME DISPUTED QUESTIONS OF PROTO- AND ANCIENT COLCHIAN CULTURE

L. Jibladze

(Summary)

The attested distinctions between the clayware from the Middle Bronze settlements of coastal line of the Black Sea by the lower stream of the river Enguri and those of the inner region of the Central Kolkheti lowland must have been caused not by the local variations, but by existing chronological divergence.

The cited suggestion is confirmed by the stratigraphic data from the ditches of the multilayered settlements of Pichori, Nakarghali and Ergeta.

The local variations of Bronze Age Cultures of the western, central and south-western Colchis are reflected in architecture, pottery industry, etc.

The Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Age Cultures of the Kolkheti lowland reveal immediate contacts, though in pottery the fact is hardly evident.

The ultimate frontier of spreading of Proto- and Ancient Colchian Culture to the south-west lies as follows: Ispani, Namcheduri, Choloki, etc. Not so strongly this cultural area reaches the city of Sukhumi, while the diffusion of Proto-Colchian culture to the river Psou is even less evident.

The ultimate boundary in the eastern direction is constituted by Chiatura, Sachkhere and Zestaponi districts (Modinakhe, Korbouli, Jaeti III and IV layers, Sviris Tsikhura, etc.).

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A MODEL OF ANCIENT SETTLEMENT OF COLCHIAN COAST OF THE BLACK SEA

T. Chikovani

Ancient settlements, along with other data represent the most valuable source for the investigation of the culture and mode of life of the rural population of the Black Sea Colchian littoral. As it is generally known, beginning from the second half of the 3rd millennium up to the end of the 1st millennium, the main settlement type of the Colchian Black Sea littoral was so-called dikha gudzuba - an artificial hill made mostly at interfluves.

Each hill, with the area ranging from 1000 m2 to 2000 m2, was surrounded by a ditch and a wooden fence, acquiring thus the characteristics of a strongly fortified settlement. The settlement had a "nest shape" and architecture of felled-tree type constructions. The dwelling-hills belonged to single families. From the economic point, differentiation of branches is already evident in the Late Bronze - Early Iron Ages. Individual hills were excavated, where the leading branches of economy, such as husbandry, cattle-breeding, metallurgy and potting were attested.

Ethnographic data from the same region of Western Georgia play a major role in undertaking proper analysis of the phenomenon of the dwelling-hills, for they shed light on archaeological finds.

The traditional farming units - so-called agvarta settlements, situated in wooded areas and belonging to a single family, occasionally survived in the coastal line of Colchis up to the 1920s. The ancient dwelling-hills - dikha gudzuba, reconstructed almost in their initial appearance - with a ditch and wooden fence, compact design of felled-tree constructions of various purposes - were mainly used for agvarta in marshlands.

The leading branch of economic in foggy woods was so-called "forest cattle-breeding" with specialization in dairy products and cheese-making, while mixed type farming and husbandry prevailed in other districts.

In terms of topography and settlement shape, fortification and architectural characteristics genetic links of agvarta and the ancient dwelling-hills are traceable. Agvarta appears to be an echoe remain of the dwelling-hill, being a product of uninterrupted cultural and historical continuity. The cited conclusion is somehow corroborated by the well-known assumption of N. Berdzenishvili, that the name for dwelling-hill (gora) is derived from the word denoting family (gvari). Therefore, the semantics of agvarta can be formulated as a dwelling-hill of a single family.

As dikha gudzuba and agvarta were single family habitations, they should be considered as primordial form of monogenetic village, its echoe surviving in the names of polygenetic villages of the Black Sea Colchian coast (cf. Sabukio - Bukia family dwelling area, Sakorkio - Korkia family dwelling area, etc.).

Dikha gudzuba and agvarta reveal identical characteristics. They constitute a phenomenon of the same ethnoculture, confirming once more the fact of continuous inhabitation of the eastern Black Sea littoral by the Georgian ethnos.

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ÜBER DIE DATIERUNG VON SCHMUCKSTÜCKEN UND AMULETTEN AUS DER HÖHLE VON SAGWARJILE
L. Nebieridse

(Zusammenfassung)

In der zweiten Schicht der Sagwarjile Höhle (Bezirk Terdschola) sind verschiedene Schmuckstücke und Amulett-Anhänger entdeckt worden: Armbänder aus Stein und Keramik, durchbohrte Seemoluskenmuscheln (19 Stück, Turritella duplicata sinue), birnen- und tropfenförmige Anhänger, durchbohrte Tierzähne, fischförmige Knochen-Anhäger, Knochenstecknadeln mit Ornament, Durchstecher aus Perlmutter (141 Stück), Tonhalsketten (2 Stück).

Der grösste Teil von diesem Schmuck und Amulett-Anhänger wird als paleolitisch eingestuft. Durch ausführliche stratigraphische und vergleichend typologische Untersuchungen wurde jedoch festgestellt, dass die oben erwähnten Schmuckstücke und Amulett-Anhänger gemeinsam mit anderen äneolitischen Artefakten der äneolitischen Schicht zugerechnet werden sollen.

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KURA-ARAXES SITES AT JAVAKHETI A. Orjonikidze

(Summary)

About thirty archaeological remains of the Kura-Araxes Culture were discovered on the Javakheti plateau. On the basis of the location of these sites, it can be suggested that the western and central areas of the region (Kura, Paravani and Baraleti river valleys) were more intensively inhabited than its eastern part (fig. 1).

A diagram of the spread of the principal building-types (fig. 2) and burial constructions (fig. 3) of the Kura-Araxes Culture in Georgia is presented.

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PLANT MOTIFS ON SASANIAN GEMS AND SOME CONTACTS WITH GEORGIAN MONUMENTS OF EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD K. I. Ramishvili

(Summary)

Observation of Sassanian glyptic monuments, discovered in Georgia, showed that the greater part of their representations is reflected in Georgian art of the Early Christian period, especially in monumental art, as well as on ornamental motifs of stone stelae.

The paper deals with several types of plant motif – the pomegranate flower and representation of trifoliate flower in general, representation of a blossoming plant or so-called "tree of life", and half-blossomed flower mostly considered as a lotus flower and representation of various rosettes (pl. I_1-10). All these motifs widely spread in Sassanian art and well represented on Sassanian gems discovered in Georgia are transformed in different ways in Georgian art monuments. One fact is noteworthy: whereas in Iran these motifs were mainly connected with Zoroastrian symbolism in Georgia they were mainly used for decorating Christian symbol - the cross, its pedestal, and sometimes replaced the cross itself (Pl. II_1-7)

Observation of Sassanian materials made possible to suppose that in Georgia the glyptic monuments were used as the primary source for the Early Christian art monuments (together with other monuments of small plastic art, namely, together with toreutic works). It must be noted that during the period, when Christian orientation begins to establish in Kartly and when Georgian people actually fights against Zoroastrianism, imposed by Iran, under such circumstances definite images and motifs were not rejected but, on the contrary, adopted, interpreted in a novel way, and used for the propaganda of the Christian ideology.

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MINOR ART SPECIMENS FROM THE EASTERN GEORGIAN HIGHLAND OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 1^ST MILLENNIUMA. D. K. R. Ramishvili

The paper deals with the horse figures, found at the necropolis of Nedzikhi village (the Pshavi Aragvi gorge). Four of the five figures are cast of silver, while the bronze one has a long chain attached to the horse legs. The harnessed horses with radial manes are represented in profile to right, with extended heads, mainly in immobile pose. The right part of the figures is executed in realistic manner with a hint of stylization (Pl. I_1-5).

The above mentioned figures are linked to the sun worship. After the official adoption of Christianity they were gradually ousted from the cist-burials inventory of the 5^th cent. A.D.

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THE CYMBALS - MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN ANCIENT GEORGIA V. Chikhladze

(Summary)

Cymbals are two thin bronze plates, with fish-bone pattern punched on the edges. Two handles - flat in section - are soldered to the convex semispherical surface (the cymbal dimensions are: 11-19 cm in diameter, heght - 8-10 cm, width of the handle - 2cm).

Only 15 specimens of cymbals are discovered at the archeological sites of Georgia. Their shapes and manufacturing technology are homogeneous. The cymbals are found both at settlements and burials.

These musical instruments, discovered at the burials of Aragvi (Zhinvali, Nedzikhi, Tsipranisdziri) and Qvirila (Modinakhe, Sairkhe) gorges are dated to the 3rd-4th cent. A.D.Their majority is found in the burial complexes of warriors, while the cymbals of temple complexes of Dedoplistsqaro and Armaztsikhe are attributed to the 1st-2nd cent. A.D.

The fact that cymbals, as percussion musical instruments, were spread throughout Georgia from ancient times up to the end of the 17th cent., is is attested both by archaeological finds as well as written sources and poetry.

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HOPLITE SHIELDS IN COLCHIS  G. Kvirkvelia

 

In the article there is an attempt to re-interpret (in the context of ancient Greek protective arms development) finds well-known for a long time in the archaeological literature: remains of two hoplite shields discovered in north western Colchis.

The other shield is represented by the imagination of the eagle from burial = 7 of the Krasnyi Mayak cemetery. This imagination by the analogies with finds both in Olympia and on the island of Samos as well as numerous imaginations in the Ancient Greek vase paintings being attributed as a shield-device. According to stylistic peculiarities this facing was produced in a workshop operated according east-Ionian traditions probably even in northern Black Sea area. Date of production is varied within 600-450 B.C.

Main works of G. Kvirkvelia

1. La région de Vani aux VIIIème-Vème siècles - Le Pont-Euxin vu par les Greecs. Sources écrites et archéologie, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), septembre-octobre 1987. - Ed. O. Lordkipanidzé, P. Lévêque. - Paris, 1990. - ud. 253-256.
2. On the Early Hellenistic buriails of North-Western Colchis& - Archaologischer Anzeiger, Heft 1& - Berlin - New York, 1995& - ud& 75-82.
3. De nouveaux materiels pour l' histoire ancienne de Kutaissi& - Sur les traces des Argonautes (Actes du 6e symposium de Vani, 22-29 Septembre, 1990)& - Ed. O. Lordkipanidzé, P. Lévêque. - Paris, 1996& - ud& 337-339
4. Exchange and its Types in Prehistoric Societies – Guria II. Tbilisi, 1997, pp. 249-274 (On Georg, with Engl. and Russ. Summary)&
5. From the History of Archaeological Thought: 1. Processual Archaeology – Dziebani, = 2^ 1998& - pp& 93-110 (on Georg., with Engl. and Russ. Summary)&
6. Les contacts entre les Grecs te les populations locales de la mer Noire. Chronology et typology. – La mer Noire zone de contacts. Actes du VIIe Symposium de Vani (Colchide). 26-30 IX 1994.
7. Greek Trade with indigenous societies of the Northern and Eastern Black Sea Areas – Trade on the Black Sea in the Archaic and Classical Periods: Historical Persoectives of the Silk Road. The 9th Intarnational Symposium on the Ancient History and Qarchaeology of the Black Sea Area. 20-23 September 1999, Vani, Abstracts of Papers& Tbilisi, 1999, pp. 24-25&
8. Hoplite Armour in Colchis. – Phasis,2000.pp& 232-241&
9. Hoplite Shields in Colchis – Dziebani, 7, 2001.

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SIONI SETTLEMENT - A SITE OF THE LATE NEOLITHIC CULTURE OF EASTERN GEORGIA
L. Nebieridze
(Summary)

More than two decades have passed since a much damaged cultural layer of the Early Husbandry Culture settlement had been discovered during the excavations of the Late Bronze necropolis and burial of the Middle Bronze Age at the place Parekhebi of the village of Sioni (Marneuli district) in Eastern Georgia.

The monument was attributed to the third and the latest stage of the Shulaveri-Shomutepe Culture, i. e. it was dated to the end of the 5^th – first half of the 4^th millennia B.C.

The main archaeological complex comprised pottery similar to the "Odishi-type" earthenware belonging to the Late Neolithic Western Georgian Culture, and stone tools revealing close affinities with the cited culture. The principal elements of the stone industry are numerous microliths in geometric shapes - trapezia, segments and high trapezia with a chipped back.

Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, these objects were not published along with the main complex. The recording of the imperfect archaeological monument in the special references, has caused erroneous dating of the whole copmlex, as well as the other monuments akin to the later , both, chronologically and culturally. As a result, the Sioni complex was defined as a monument of a comparably later period. On the grounds of additional relative-typological analysis, with involvement of the missing elements, new dating is suggested and consequently, the cited archaeological monument is attributed to the final stage of the Late Bronze Age Culture of Eastern Georgia.
 

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NARROW-NECKED AMPHORAE FROM GONIO-APSAROS M. Khalvashi

(Summary)

Amphorae occupy a distinguished place in the variety of pottery finds from Gonio-Apsaros. About thirty types of clayware of the Late Classical and Early Medieval periods can be identified. The present paper deals with narrow-necked amphorae that are classified into two chronological groups: group I is dated to the beginning of the 2nd and the first half of the 3rd cent. A.D. The amphorae of the cited group are subdivided according to the rim shape into four variations. Another four variations can be distinguished, taking into account the foot shapes (fig. 3-4). While studying the origin of group I amphorae, particular attention should be paied to a kiln, found at Alapla site, in the vicinity of Egerly (ancient Heraclea), constructed for firing these amphorae. The fact confirms once more the hypothesis that narrow-necked amphorae were manufactured on the southern coast of the Black Sea. On the grounds of recent findings from Tanais, Olbia, Dioscurias-Sebastopolis and Apsaros, it can be suggested that similar amphorae were produced in the workshops of the northern and eastern regions of the Black Sea.

The amphorae attributed to the group II are dated to the second half of the 6th cent. A.D. They represent the last stage of development of the group I amphorae type (fig. 4). A kiln for firing of these amphorae was found in the village of Dermisi near Sinope.
 

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Some problems of the Caucasian Archaeology of Aeneolithic-Early Bronze Age   Zurab Makharadze
(Summary)

New data on the Caucasian archaeology often change the idea of historical-cultural processes in the Aeneolithic-Early Bronze Age. Shifting Maikopian culture backwards, i. e. dating it to the second half of the 4th millennium B. C. on the basis of Near Eastern parallels (Andreeva, Trifonov), finds confirmation in the materials of the Transcaucasus.
Pre-Kura-Araxean layers of cave monuments of Western Georgia are related to the Maikopian culture (Nebieridze, Pkhakadze), the lower layer of the Berikldeebi settlement in Inner Kartli (Ghlonti, Javakhishvili) and the monuments of the Transcaucasus that are close to them culturally and chronologically, are dated to the middle or the second half of the 4th millennium B. C.
The revised dating of Maikopian culture change the whole picture of the historical and cultural situation in the Caucasus in the Aeneolithic-Early Bronze Age.
The view according to which Dagestan was one of the seats of formation of the Kura-Araxes culture (Gadjiev) cannot be accepted for a comparison of the Ginhi materials with Sioni-type monuments of Eastern Georgia and Kura-Araxes monuments of Dagestan and the Transcaucasus points to the primary cultural influence of the Caucasus on the North-Eastern Caucasus, and not vice-vesa.
The problem of the origin of the Kura-Araxes culture remains a major one in Caucasian archaeology, calling for future study. In tackling the problems of the Aenelithic-arly Bronze Age, all the date on the cultural and historical development of the Caucasus in the 4th-3rd millennia B. C. should be taken into account.

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BURIAL CUSTOMS IN BORJOMI IN THE 8TH-6TH CENTURIES B.C.  R. Kvirkvaia
(Summary)

In 1969-1988 the Meskhet-Javakheti archaeological expedition (director O. Ghambashidze) excavated four multilayer necropoleis: Rveli, Chitakhevi, Kviratskhoveli and Bornighele in the Borjomi valley on the left bank of the Mtkvari. Layers of varying thickness were brought to light at all necropoleis dating from the 8th-6th cent. B.C.
Despite geographical closeness these necropoleis are distinguished for quite a few characteristics, clearly reflected in the burial customs.
According to their structure, the necropoleis fall into two groups – pit burials and cists.
According to burial customs, the burials are divided into three groups: 1) inhumation burials, 2) cremation burials and 3) so-called "mixed burials" – burials where both above-cited burial customs are in evidence.
The deceased was almost invariably buried in the crouched position lying on the right or left side, irrespective of gender (according to inventory).
Cremation was only partial. Not a single case of full cremation was attested. Charred bones with the marrow intact were put into household utensils, mainly in pots covered with basins or flat stones.
Burials without inventory are rare. Inventory – mainly jewelry and occasionally weapons occur in cremation urns.
The necropolis of Rveli differs appreciably from the other ones: all the burials of the 8th-6th cent. B.C. were built of stone, except burial 7; not a single case of cremation was attested. Though the influence of Colchian culture is felt at this necropolis (especially in bronze items), still east Transcaucasian and so-called "Samtavro" culture are predominant.
In O. Ghambashidze's view, the co-existence of cremation and inhumation at the necropoleis of Chitakhevi and Bornighele in the 7th cent. B.C. was connected with th