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  • Dapnari A002

    work
    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    The modern village of Dapnari lies 16 km west of Vani at the junction between the main east-west road south of the Phasis River and a branch road running north to a bridge across the Phasis and beyond that to the town Samtredia. The houses of the village extend southward from the valley floor to the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. It is located in the Samtredia administrative district. Our survey focused on a hill oriented northwest-southeast and located to the southeast of the road junction. The hill rises 200 m above the river plain. An extensive necropolis and associated occupational layers of the 6th-4th centuries B.C. were excavated in this area in the 1960s-70s (Kiguradze 1976). We designated six areas on this hill as points of interest: a terrace on the west side of the hill known as Dapnisgora (”Laurel Hill”), together with the hillslope below it (A003); an open meadow near the top of the hill, where a number of pithos graves were excavated in the 1970s, and where local cowherds reported finding bronze and ivory figurines (A004); a terrace on the south side of the hill known as Chaisgora (”Tea Hill”) (A005); an area on the slopes below Chaisgora where a limestone terrace wall is visible (A006); another terrace in a saddle on the east side of the hill known as Tsqvetiligora (A007); and a limestone structure, possibly a church, in the valley west of the hill (A008). In addition, the owner of a house on the main road at the east edge of the village reported finding four pithos burials on his property, and showed us a number of remains from these graves (A013).
    Keyword:
    Modern Settlement
    Citation to related publication:
    Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’egmberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
    Discipline:
    Social Sciences and Humanities

  • Saqanchia A001

    work
    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Saqanchia is a level area on the northeastern outskirts of Vani, at the edge of the Phasis River plain (ca. 2 km north of the archaeological site). A substantial settlement was discovered here in the 1970s. Excavations supervised by V. Licheli revealed cobblestone foundations marking the complete outlines of two small buildings and the partial outlines of several others, local and imported ceramics, and terracotta figurines, all of which date the occupation of the area to the Hellenistic period. Saqanchia is currently a mixed use area, combining pasture land, holding ponds, small agricultural plots, a cemetery, and a number of Soviet-era industrial buildings, now mostly derelict with the exception of one operating saw mill. The derelict industrial buildings include a factory used for the production of sewing-machine parts, abandoned playing fields, likely associated with the factory, and two large greenhouses. The greenhouses were once supplied with natural hot sulphuric water, which still flows out of one operating spout in the area. In 2009 the survey project investigated the area using two methods of geophysical prospection, electrical resistivity and magnetic survey. In 2010 excavations were carried out in three trenches to investigate anomalies detected by geophysical prospection and to test the stratigraphy in the area of the excavations conducted by Licheli. In all cases, extensive modern disturbance had removed any stratified remains of earlier occupation, but large quantities of unstratified Hellenistic pottery and tile fragments were recovered. One well-preserved building, excavated in 1975-1976 and identified by the excavator as a complex comprised of two “dwelling-houses” (165 sq. m.), a “service-house” (32.86 sq. m), and a yard (346.5 sq m), may be described in detail. This structure is oblong in outline and oriented roughly north-south. Its exterior dimensions are 16.5 m x 10 m; both the exterior and the interior walls are 0.8 m wide. The “dwelling-house” portion of the building is divided into four rooms, symmetrically disposed across a central north-south wall. On the basis of the cobblestone foundations and tile fall, the excavator reconstructed a wattle and daub structure with timber framework and double-pitched roof of terracotta tiles sloping down in two directions from the central north-south wall. An additional suite of three rooms was attached to the north end of the four-room structure; the excavator called this a “service-house.” These rooms included two similar rooms, 3.5 x 3.4 m, 2.7 x 3.4 m, and a narrow room. 6.2 x 1.8 m. Between the “dwelling-house” and “service house,” the team excavated a garbage pit, 2.5 x 3 x 1 m deep, completely filled during the time the building complex was in use, with 3rd to mid-2nd century materials at the bottom. A pithos was found in the yard of the “dwelling-house,” 1.3 m deep, and a ditch was discovered in same area (3.7 m long, 0.7 m wide, and 0.3 deep) running in an east-west direction, turning to the north for a distance of 1.8 m, then a hard turn to the west for a length of 2.4 m long, when it was 0.8 m wide and 0.2 m deep. Traces of an earlier building of the late 3rd or early 2nd century BC were found under the pressed clay floor of one of the rooms of the “dwelling-house.” These remains included a thin layer of tiles, found just under the pressed clay floor, and poorly preserved building foundations. A tile structure found among these remains was interpreted by the excavator as a family altar concurrent with the earlier structure, but it may in fact have been a storage bin.
    Keyword:
    Hellenistic and Settlement
    Citation to related publication:
    Archaeological work at Saqanchia started with a discovery of chance finds in 1972. Archaeological research began in 1974 with the excavation of a test trench and the collection of surface materials. Additional small scale survey took place in 2008., Dundua, G. 1973. Sakartveloshi gavrtselebuli alexandre makedonelisa da lisimakes sakhelit motchrili monetebi vanidan. [The coins known from Georgia struck by the names of Alexander the Macedonian and Lysimmachus in Vani.] Matsne [Herald] no. 1, 1973: 51-65., Licheli, V. 1977. Akhalaghmochenili nakalakari saqhanchias velze [The recently found ancient site of the Saqanchia valley]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 52-57, pls. 21-24. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1981a. Dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III-I saukuneebis shida kolkhetis materialuri kulturis shestsavlisatvis (saqhanchias namosakhlari) [Towards the study of the material culture of Inner Colchis in the 3rd-1st cent. B.C. (Saqanchia settlement)]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences, Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 41-51. (In Georgia with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. T. 1981b. Materialnaya kultura vnutrennei Kolkhidy III-II vv. do n. e. [Material culture of Inner Colchis in the 3rd-2nd cent. B.C.]. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. 25 pp. (In Russian.), Licheli, V. 1982a. Saqanchias nakalakaris 1976 tsis gatkhrebis shedegebi (Gvianelinisturi sakhlis rekonstruktsia) [Results of excavations of the city site of Saqanchia in 1976 (restoration of a Late Hellenistic building)]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 31-41. (In Georgian.), Licheli, V. T. 1982b. Torgovo-remeslennoye poseleniye II-II vv. do n. e. vo vnutrennei Kolkhide [A trade and artisan settlement of the 3rd-2nd cent. B.C. in Inner Colchis]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temu: Ellinizm i Prichernomorye. Tskhaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982 g. Tezisy dokladov i soobshchenii [Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral on the theme: “Hellenism and the Black Sea littoral.” Tsqaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982. Abstracts of reports and communications]. Tbilisi. pp. 54-55. (In Russian.), Licheli, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa dam is midamoebshi. Saqanchias namosakhlari [Classical import in Vaniand its environs. The Saqanchia settlement]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 113-125, pls. 50-51. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. T. 1985. Torgovo-remeslennoye poseleniye III-I vv. do n. e. vo vnutrennei Kolkhide [A trade and artisan settlement of the 3rd-2nd cent. B.C. in Inner Colchis]. Prichernomorye v epokhu ellinizma. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Tskhaltubo, 1982 [The Black Sea littoral in the Hellenistic times. Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Tsqaltubo, 1982]. Tbilisi. pp. 468-473. (In Russian with an English summary.) , Licheli, V. 1991. Dzveli Vani. Sameurneo ubani [Ancient Vani. Industrial district]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 20. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
    Discipline:
    Social Sciences and Humanities

  • Stray Finds

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Stray finds documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Stray Find
    5Works

  • Settlements

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Settlements documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Settlement
    38Works

  • Sanctuaries

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Sanctuaries documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Sanctuary
    2Works

  • Roman

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Roman activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Roman
    7Works

  • Reported Finds

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Reported finds in the region as documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Reported Find
    16Works

  • Quarries

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Quarries documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Quarry
    3Works

  • Previous Excavations

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Previous excavations in the region as documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Previous Excavation
    15Works

  • Modern Settlement

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    Creator:
    Vani Archaeological Survey
    Description:
    Modern settlements documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
    Keyword:
    Modern Settlement
    26Works