Search Constraints
Filtering by:
Creator
Vani Archaeological Survey
Remove constraint Creator: Vani Archaeological Survey
Number of results to display per page
View results as:
Search Results
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The remains of a church, probably destroyed by Communism enthusiasts in the early 20th century were noted just southeast of the point where the main east-west road crosses the Shavi Ghele (which runs north-south). The church is built of limestone slabs set in hard white mortar. The foundations of the church are exposed in the east (uphill) scarp of a low terrace. Further to the north, in the same scarp, Sulkhan Kharabadze and Guram Kvirkvelia identified an 8th-7th century B.C. “cultural layer” (A022).
- Keyword:
- Church and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. 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. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 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. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: 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. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In the east (uphill) scarp of a low terrace southeast of the point where the main east-west road crosses the Shavi Ghele, Sulkhan Kharabadze and Guram Kvirkvelia identified an 8th-7th century B.C. “cultural layer,” dated by a fragment of a zoomorphic handle and including many fragments of burnt mud plaster. This layer appears to be about 0.40 m thick, but the bottom of the layer is obscured by slump at the base of the scarp, and it may be thicker. The layer is covered by river gravel about 0.30-0.40 m thick, on top of which lies a more recent cultural layer, about 0.30-0.40 m thick. To the south, the remains of a Mediaeval church (A021) are embedded in this upper layer.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. 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. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 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. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: 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. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Adeishvilebisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of a previously excavated timber frame structure on the east side of the hill (A024); and the location of a previously excavated Late Roman and Mediaeval structure on top of the hill (A025). Here in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora, an area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari (A023), excavations of the 1970s revealed cultural materials, including pithos burials but no in-situ features, in nine of the ten trenches excavated (one was sterile).
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Adeishvilebisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of a previously excavated timber frame structure on the east side of the hill (A024); and the location of a previously excavated Late Roman and Mediaeval structure on top of the hill (A025). Previous excavations on the east slope of Adeishvilebisgora (A024) revealed the stone foundations of a timber frame structure interpreted as a watchtower by excavator G. Gamkrelidze and dated to the end of the 5th or first half of the 4th century B.C. (Trench 11). According to the excavation publications, this structure is oblong and oriented north-south: 14.8 m north-south by 10 m east-west. Its walls range in width from 2.6 to 2.8 m, and it is divided by a cross wall, 1.0 m wide, into two chambers, one 4.8 wide by 5.6 m long, the other 4.8 wide by 2.8 m long. According to the excavator, the inner and outer faces of the walls were built in log cabin fashion (as described by Vitruvius for Colchian houses) on stone foundations set in shallow trenches dug into undisturbed soil. The stone foundations on the exterior rose higher than those on the interior, thus apparently forming a socle that originally rose above the surrounding ground level. The spaces between the wall faces were filled with rubble set in mud, with occasional wooden tie beams. The excavator suggests that this structure may have been a multi-storied tower. He further suggests that it may have formed part of the territorial fortifications of Vani, but his reconstruction is also compatible with the identification of the structure as a fortified house – some variant of the type of structure described, in fact, by Vitruvius. The structure is dated by Colchian and imported pottery (fragments of Chian amphora; two complete Mendean amphorae; four fragments of black-glazed pottery) found in the excavations, and by a radiocarbon date for a sample of the timber framework of 330 B.C. plus or minus 40 years (uncalibrated and not reliable). The excavator believed that it was destroyed by fire in the mid-4th century B.C. A similar structure was apparently found at Vartsikhe. The excavation also revealed material from the 7th-6th century B.C. During our visit, the stone foundations of a structure were visible in the old excavation trench, but no additional ancient remains were found.
- Keyword:
- Classical and Fortification
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977. , Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Adeishvilebisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of a previously excavated timber frame structure on the east side of the hill (A024); and the location of a previously excavated Late Roman and Mediaeval structure on top of the hill (A025), where a stone wall 0.7 m wide was visible. The path leading up the hill the east side, now planted with hazelnut trees, is littered with fragments of burnt mud plaster and pottery. Here on the top of Adeishvilebisgora (A025), excavations revealed the stone walls of a large masonry structure in Trench 12. The an oblong structure is oriented east-west: 29.4 m east-west by 7.5 m north-south. The walls of the structure are 1 m wide, and it is divided by a cross wall into two rooms, one 5.5 m wide and 21 m long, the other 5.5 m square. The walls are built of mortared rubble masonry, mostly sandstone with some other materials including limestone, marble, and river cobbles. The upper parts of the structure must also have been built partly of brick, and it seems to have had a tile roof (400 fragments of brick and 500 fragments of tile were recovered in the excavations). Other finds included local and imported (sigillata) pottery, iron items, and fragments of glass vessels. The excavator, G. Gamkrelidze, believed that this structure was built in the Late Roman period (3rd or 4th century A.D.), and used until the early Mediaeval period (8th century A.D.). Traces of earlier buildings are preserved at the east end of the structure, which the excavator identified with an early Roman phase (1st c. -3rd c. A.D.). The excavator believed that the late Roman/early Mediaeval building exposed in Trench 12 belonged to “a large fortification complex,” but it is not obviously defensive in character. He also suggested, on the evidence of a nearby toponym, Mukhuri (located between Mtisdziri and Dablagomi) that Mtisdziri in this period may be identified with a fortified outpost named as Μουχείρισος in Byzantine sources. We visited the old excavation site, which was much overgrown, where we were able to record a section of a stone wall 0.07 m thick.
- Keyword:
- Late Roman, Fortification, Mediaeval, and Roman
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Mtisdzirisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. On the northeast slope of Mtisdzirisgora, Sulkhan Kharabadze identified a possible pithos burial, now disturbed (A026); preserved in the scarp of the hill were a number of pithos fragments and possibly human bones.
- Keyword:
- Classical and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Mtisdzirisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the 1970s, a single trench was dug on Mtisdzirisgora, where Hellenistic pottery and lumps of burnt daub but no in-situ features were unearthed (Trench 13) (Gamkrelidze). On the northwest slope of the Mtisdzirisgora, just below the top of the hill, we recorded a surface scatter of pottery and small cobbles (A027), the latter possibly remains of the foundations of small houses, workshops, or farm buildings.
- Keyword:
- Classical, Settlement, and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nikuradzeebis Ubani (also known as Samkharadzeebis Ubani) is a gently sloping area that stretches out to the north from the base of Nabambevisgora, which is one of the four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In Nikuradzeebis Ubani, two pithos burials presumably of the Hellenistic period were found by chance in 1958. During our visit, a farmer living in this area named Giorgi Tavadze, told us that a number of pithos burials had been found there recently as well, but we observed no traces of ancient occupation in this area.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nabambevisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. The eastern limit of Nabambevisgora is formed by a small stream called the Tsabla Ghele. The area to the west of this stream, on the east slope of the Nabambevisgora, is called Nashuebi. Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects in Nashuebi in 1952. The assemblage was found beneath a large slab and possibly belonged to a grave covered by this slab. Included in the assemblage were a number of precious artifacts, including “a gold earring, a gold torque, [and] fragments of a bronze vessel” (G. Gamkrelidze), together with, most notably, a silver rhyton with a protome in the form of a man-headed goat (the figural protome is 0.76 m in both height and length). This rhyton, now in the Vani Museum, has been much studied and published, most extensively by G. Gamkrelidze and F. Knauss, both of whom agree that it combines Achaemenid models with Greek ornament, and was probably made by local artisans in the 4th century B.C. In the 1970s, two trenches were dug in the area of the Tsabla Ghele, where the grave with the silver rhyton had been found, but the grave was not located (Trenches 14 and 15) (Gamkrelidze); it may have been carried away or buried by a landslide. During our visit, we picked up a Thasian amphora toe of the 4th century B.C. on the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele (A029); this point also marks the general area in Nashuebi where the rich grave including the silver rhyton was found and excavations carried out.
- Keyword:
- Classical and Stray Find
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nabambevisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. The east slope of Nabambevisgora is known as Nashuebi; here a rich grave including a silver rhyton was found and excavations later carried out (A029). In walking around Nabambevisgora, we found several pottery sherds on the east slope and fragments of burnt mud plaster on the north slope (A030) but nothing on the top of the hill, where lies a grassy meadow called the “Airport.”
- Keyword:
- Classical and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Mtisdziri lies 10 km west of Vani on the main east-west road south of the Phasis River at the edge of the river plain. Mtisdziri is located on the border between the Samtredia and Vani administrative districts. The main area of archaeological interest is a cluster of small hills, southeast of the center of the settlement, which rise to elevations 80-120 m above the valley. These include three hills running in a row from east to west, Adeishvilebisgora, Mtisdzirisgora, and Nabambevisgora, together with a fourth, higher hill, known as Naktsevigora, which rises behind the first two. In recent years (beginning in 1978), substantial landslides from this last hill have partially filled the valley (Geperidzeebis Ghele) between Adeishvilebisgora and Mtisdzirisgora. To the west, running between Mtisdzirisgora and Nabambevisgora, there is a small stream, whose name is the Tsabla Ghele. The area to the west of this stream, on the east slope of Nabambevisgora, is called Nashuebi. These hills were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s, which yielded remains dating from the 7th century B.C. to the early Mediaeval period (Gamkrelidze and Knauss). Mtisdziri was visited on 20 and 21 June 2009. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of the timber frame structure in Trench 11 on the east side of the hill (A024), where we saw traces of stone foundations; and the location of the Late Roman and Mediaeval structure in Trench 12 on top of the hill (A025), where a stone wall 0.7 m wide was visible. The path leading up the hill the east side, now planted with hazelnut trees, is littered with fragments of burnt mud plaster and pottery. On Mtisdzirisgora, we recorded a possible disturbed pithos burial, visible in an eroded scarp (A026) and a surface scatter of pottery and small cobbles just below the top of the hill (A027). As noted above, landslides have filled much of the valley between Adeishvilebisgora and Mtisdzirisgora. We climbed up Naktsevigora, the source of the landslides, but saw no ancient remains. In the area of Nashuebi, we picked up a 4th c. B.C. Thasian amphora toe on the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele (A029); this point also marks the general area in Nashuebi where a pit grave was accidentally found and excavations were carried out. In walking around Nabambevisgora, we found several pottery sherds on the east slope and fragments of burnt mud plaster on the north slope (A030) but nothing on the top of the hill, where lies a grassy meadow called the “Airport.” Further to the north at the base of the hill, in an area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), our local informant told us that a number of pithos burials had been found (A028), but we observed no traces of ancient occupation in this area.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (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.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. 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. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., 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. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Shuamta lies 5 km west of Vani at the point where the main east-west road south of the Phasis River crosses the Qumuri, a major tributary of the Phasis. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. Our investigations centered on a hill south of the village center, overlooking the left (west) bank of the Qumuri River. The hill is named Melashvilebisgora or Melashvilebis Ubani and is oriented roughly north-south. We approached the hill by driving south around its west side, stopping at a ploughed field very rich in pottery (A033). We then walked to the top of the hill from this field. On the highest point rests a Mediaeval fortress built of mortared rubble masonry, large chunks of which have fallen down the surrounding slopes (A034). Pottery was noted during both previous survey work and during the present investigation over all sides of the hill, suggesting that it was the site of an extensive settlement. Of special note was a fragment of a 6th-century B.C. Chiote chalice.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological knowledge of Shuamta dates to the late 1970's. Formal archaeological work in the form of surveys took place in 1981 and 1986. No further work has been done in the area., Beradze, T. 1977. Vanis raionis istoriuli geograpiidan [From the historical geography of the Vani district]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 238-40. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.) , Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Kacharava, D. 1983. Mokhatuli, shavlakiani da sada keramika. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 26-51, p. 29. (In Georgian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Kvirkvelia, G. T. 1990. Vanskii region v VII-V vv. do n. e. [The Vani Region in the 7th-5th cent. B.C.] Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. p. 280. (In Russian.), 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. 42-43, Plate XXXII. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Melashvilebisgora or Melashvilebis Ubani is located south of the modern settlement of Shuamta and is oriented roughly north south. Pottery was noted both during previous survey work and during the present investigation over all sides of the hill, suggesting that it was the site of an extensive settlement. In particular, ploughed agricultural fields on the west slope of the hill yielded a rich assemblage of pottery, including an Early Bronze Age tubular jug and miscellaneous sherds dating from the Iron Age through the Late Hellenistic period, burnt mud plaster, fragments of flint and obsidian, a bronze bracelet, and glass fragments, including one fragment of a glass bracelet. On the east slope of the hill, large fragments of burnt mud plaster were noted together with a Colchian pan tile fragment of the Hellenistic period. 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 to investigate anomalies detected by geophysical prospection. A series of four trenches revealed significant concentrations of pottery and burnt daub from wattle-and-daub structures, in three cases associated with pit features. One of these, a circular pit approximately 2 m wide and 60 cm deep is too small to have been used for habitation, and was perhaps a dugout storage feature or waste pit of some kind, partly subterranean, partly rising above grade on wattle and daub walls. Another, 1.5 m wide and at least 2.5 m long, may have belonged to a dugout house. Alternatively, these features may be quarry pits resulting from the collection of clay-rich soils appropriate for constructing the kind of wattle-and-daub structures that are found here and at sites throughout the region. These quarry pits would then have been filled with waste materials such as burnt mud plasters during the occupation of the site. With the exception of one trench that contained some debris that had apparently washed down from later habitation at a higher elevation, the small finds from these excavations were exclusively Iron Age in date, including three terracotta animal figurines.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, Settlement, and Early Bronze Age
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological knowledge of Shuamta dates to the late 1970's. Formal archaeological work in the form of surveys took place in 1981 and 1986. No further work has been done in the area., Beradze, T. 1977. Vanis raionis istoriuli geograpiidan [From the historical geography of the Vani district]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 238-40. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.) , Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Kacharava, D. 1983. Mokhatuli, shavlakiani da sada keramika. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 26-51, p. 29. (In Georgian.) , Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon. , Kvirkvelia, G. T. 1990. Vanskii region v VII-V vv. do n. e. [The Vani Region in the 7th-5th cent. B.C.] Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. p. 280. (In Russian.), 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. 42-43, Plate XXXII. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Melashvilebisgora or Melashvilebis Ubani is located south of the modern settlement of Shuamta and is oriented roughly north-south. On top of the hill stands a middle-late Mediaeval fortress of mortared rubble masonry (mainly cobblestones set in hard white mortar), large pieces of which have fallen down the slopes of the hill. Most of the visible masses of masonry appear to have fallen into their current position rather than have remained in situ. The structure measures approximately 20 m by 15 m. The fortress was strategically located to exploit clear sightlines over the Qumuri River and upstream to the hills and beyond to Vani.
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological knowledge of Shuamta dates to the late 1970's. Formal archaeological work in the form of surveys took place in 1981 and 1986. No further work has been done in the area., Beradze, T. 1977. Vanis raionis istoriuli geograpiidan [From the historical geography of the Vani district]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 238-40. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Kacharava, D. 1983. Mokhatuli, shavlakiani da sada keramika. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 26-51, p. 29. (In Georgian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Kvirkvelia, G. T. 1990. Vanskii region v VII-V vv. do n. e. [The Vani Region in the 7th-5th cent. B.C.] Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. p. 280. (In Russian.), 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. 42-43, Plate XXXII. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Mikelaponi is located on the Qumuri River, southwest of Vani and approximately 6 km south (upstream) of Shuamta. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. In the 1950s, a local resident named Mose Beltadze found a coin hoard in the vineyards on his property, and gave it to the Vani Museum (A036). The Beltadze family house lies at the base of the hills on the east (right) bank of the river. The vineyard where the coin hoard was found is situated on the hill directly above the house, called Nasakhligora (“Settled in the Past” Hill). Mose Beltadze’s son, Sergo Beltadze, reported finding bones in the same general area; according to him, a church and a cemetery also once occupied this spot. Approximately 500 m northwest and downstream of the Beltadze house lies a limestone quarry, also on the east (right) bank of the Qumuri River (A037). It is unclear whether this quarry was used in antiquity, although marks resembling ancient pickmarks are preserved on some of the rock faces.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal and ceramic stray finds were found in the village of Mikelaponi in 1951. No further archaeological work has been conducted at the site., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the Archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. p. 153. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Mikelaponi is located on the Qumuri River, southwest of Vani and approximately 6 km south (upstream) of Shuamta. In the 1950s, a local resident named Mose Beltadze found a coin hoard in the vineyards on his property and gave it to the Vani Museum. The Beltadze family house lies at the base of the hills on the east (right) bank of the river. The vineyard where the coin hoard was found is situated on the hill directly above the house, called Nasakhligora (“Settled in the Past” Hill). Mose Beltadze’s son, Sergo Beltadze, reported finding bones in the same general area; according to him, a church and a cemetery also once occupied this spot.
- Keyword:
- Hoard and Hellenistic
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal and ceramic stray finds were found in the village of Mikelaponi in 1951. No further archaeological work has been conducted at the site., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the Archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. p. 153. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Approximately 5.5 km south (and upstream) of Shuamta lies a sandstone quarry on the east (right) bank of the Qumuri River. The quarry sits at the confluence of the Qumuri and a small tributary stream. Pickmarks are preserved on some of the rock faces, although it is unclear whether these are ancient or modern. This stone resembles the material used in the Hellenistic temples and fortifications of Vani. Guram Kvirkvelia noted that local stone throughout the region was quarried to build the Hellenistic-period temples at Vani, though it is not possible to identify this quarry as one such source.
- Keyword:
- Quarry and Modern
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal and ceramic stray finds were found in the village of Mikelaponi in 1951. No further archaeological work has been conducted at the site., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the Archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. p. 153. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The Sulori River runs roughly northwest-southeast between two chains of hills that rise steeply up from the valley and are covered with a mixture of forest and agricultural fields. The modern settlement of Sulori is located approximately 9 km southeast of Vani on a road that runs east of and parallel to the Sulori River. The settlement is not situated directly on the river but about 800 m to the east. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. The road that runs along the river offers one of the few routes of travel between Vani and the regions to the southwest and south. Chance finds and excavations carried out in the 1970s revealed substantial traces of an ancient settlement in a place called Sakakile (”Place of Beads”), 3 km upstream of the modern village (A039, Inaouri 1990). Today it is the site of a log bridge crossing the river. The region around the river crossing is divided topologically into three distinct areas: Kvabiskari (”Place of the Cave/Gorge”), located downstream of the crossing and on the right (north) bank of the river; Sakakile, located on the promontory upstream of the crossing and on the left (south) bank of the river; and Likheti, located upstream of and uphill from Sakakile.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- In 1984, a chance find of a bronze axe was reported from the area known as Sakakile. In the following year, the Vani excavation team began excavations on the northern slope of the hill south of the river. In 1990 a hoard of 607 coins was found in the village of Sulori. A brief survey of the are was conducted in 2008., Lordkipanidze, O. 1986. Argonavtika da dzveli kolkheti [Argonautics and ancient Colchis]. Tbilisi. pp. 82-83. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, O. D., R. V. Puturidze, D. D. Kacharava, V. A Tolordava, M. S. Pirtskhalava, A. M Chqonia, N. N. Matiashvili, D. V. Akhvlediani, G. Sh. Naridze, and G. A. Inauri. 1987. Raboty Vanskoi ekspeditsii [Work of the Vani archaeological expedition]. Polevye arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v 1984-85 godakh [Field archaeological investigations in 1984-85]. Tbilisi. pp. 54-55. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990a. Arkheologicheskiye razvedki v s. Sulori [Archaeological explorations in the village of Sulori]. Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. pp. 276-279. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990b. Le territoire de Vani. Un compte rendu des recherches archéologiques. Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. Sources écrites et archéologique. Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon. pp. 249-252. (In French.), Lébanidzé, L. 1999. Le trésor monétaire de Sulori. La Mer Noire zone de contacts. Actes du VIIe Sympsium de Vani (Colchide) – 26-30.IX.1994. Paris. p. 155-158., Lordkipanidze, Otar. 2002. Dzeli kartuli civilizaciis sataveebtan [The sources of ancient Georgian civilization]. Tbilisi. pp. 206-7. (In Georgian.), 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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The site of Sakakile (“Place of Beads”) lies 3 km upstream of the village of Sulori, on and around a small promontory on the left bank of the river, formed by a bend in the river and oriented southwest-northeast. This low and level promontory must always have made for a convenient crossing place, and there is now a log bridge running from the right bank of the river to the downstream end of the promontory. South of the promontory is a hill oriented east west from which much of the pottery found on the promontory appears to have eroded. The region around the river crossing is divided topographically into three distinct areas: Kvabiskari (“Place of the Cave/Gorge”), located downstream of the crossing and on the right (north) bank of the river; Sakakile, located on the promontory upstream of the crossing and on the left (south) bank of the river; and Likheti, located upstream of and uphill from Sakakile. Luka Dvalishvili, a resident of Sulori and the owner of the plot of land on the promontory, found a hoard of approximately 700 coins (including a silver Croesid) at Sakakile in the 1970s. At more or less the same time, another local farmer named Generi Paikidze found a bronze axe head here as well. After these chance finds, the Vani excavation team opened up two trenches on northern slope of the hill south of the river, where it slopes down to the low, level promontory of Sakakile. The excavations revealed a mixed assemblage of ceramics eroded from the hill south of the promontory, dating from the 8th-1st century B.C. (Iron Age, Classical, and Hellenistic). The only in-situ pottery assemblage was excavated on the hilltop and dates to the 6th-4th century B.C. Northeast of the hill, in the area where the bronze axe head was supposedly found (dated to the 7th century B.C.), the cobblestone foundation of an apsidal structure was excavated, along with clay tiles and metal implements. The excavation report concludes that occupation on the site began in the 7th-6th century, while the period of most intensive development was the 5th-4th century B.C. We recorded the locations of two trenches from the previous excavations and collected pottery from the eroding northern slope of the hill that forms the southern boundary of the promontory.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Late Hellenistic, Hoard, Settlement, and Stray Find
- Citation to related publication:
- In 1984, a chance find of a bronze axe was reported from the area known as Sakakile. In the following year, the Vani excavation team began excavations on the northern slope of the hill south of the river. In 1990 a hoard of 607 coins was found in the village of Sulori. A brief survey of the are was conducted in 2008., Lordkipanidze, O. 1986. Argonavtika da dzveli kolkheti [Argonautics and ancient Colchis]. Tbilisi. pp. 82-83. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, O. D., R. V. Puturidze, D. D. Kacharava, V. A Tolordava, M. S. Pirtskhalava, A. M Chqonia, N. N. Matiashvili, D. V. Akhvlediani, G. Sh. Naridze, and G. A. Inauri. 1987. Raboty Vanskoi ekspeditsii [Work of the Vani archaeological expedition]. Polevye arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v 1984-85 godakh [Field archaeological investigations in 1984-85]. Tbilisi. pp. 54-55. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990a. Arkheologicheskiye razvedki v s. Sulori [Archaeological explorations in the village of Sulori]. Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. pp. 276-279. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990b. Le territoire de Vani. Un compte rendu des recherches archéologiques. Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. Sources écrites et archéologique. Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon. pp. 249-252. (In French.), Lébanidzé, L. 1999. Le trésor monétaire de Sulori. La Mer Noire zone de contacts. Actes du VIIe Sympsium de Vani (Colchide) – 26-30.IX.1994. Paris. p. 155-158., Lordkipanidze, Otar. 2002. Dzeli kartuli civilizaciis sataveebtan [The sources of ancient Georgian civilization]. Tbilisi. pp. 206-7. (In Georgian.), 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:
- Science and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement Dzulukhi lies approximately 11 km southeast of Vani, on the banks of a tributary of the Sulori River, called the Dzulukhura (or, locally, the Dzlukhura). This stream flows through a valley in between the zone of low hillocks overlooking the Phasis River plain, and the beginning of the higher foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. Southeast and upstream of the modern village is a hill called Melaurisgora. The hill is oriented north-south and rises to an elevation of about 450 m, 150 meters above the settlement and stream below. A Mediaeval fortress known as Melauritsike crowns the top of this hill (A042), and sherd scatters on both the east and west sides of the hill attest occupation in the Classical period as well (A041). In 2009 a young man named Merab Kheladze from Dzulukhi showed us the road to the fortress on top of the hill and stayed with us for the entire trip, joining us even for a dip in the Dzulukhura. In 2010 we returned to Dzulukhi to conduct geophysical survey on Melaurisgora. At this time we documented pottery scattered across the southeast slope of Aptarauli hill (B002). Identifiable pottery included Classical pithos fragments, as well as burnt mud plasters, extending the area of known occupation from Melaurisgora down to the banks of the Dzulukhura.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds were reported in 1950 and 1951. A brief survey was conducted at the location in 2008., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. “Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeologicalstudies in Vani and Vani district in 1952].” Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the Archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. p. 150. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 43-44. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities