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- 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:
- 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
-
Modern Settlement
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Modern settlements documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
26Works -
Modern
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Modern activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Modern
25Works -
- 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 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:
- 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
-
Mediaeval
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Mediaeval activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Mediaeval
28Works -
Late Roman
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Late Roman activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Late Roman
2Works -
Late Hellenistic (mid-3rd-mid-1st cent. BCE)
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Late Hellenistic activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Late Hellenistic
12Works -
Late Bronze Age
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Late Bronze Age activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Late Bronze Age
4Works -
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Six points of interest have been documented in the area of Ketchinara at approximately 50 masl. First is the findspot of a pithos burial dated to the 6th-4th centuries B.C., located in the backyard of one of the houses in the area, approximately 200 m north of the museum along a cobblestone road leading to Tchishura stream. Second is a landslide deposit containing Classical and Hellenistic pottery on the west (left) stream bank of the Tchishura by the village of Kveda Tsikhesulori. Third is the findspot of a pithos burial of a child dated to the Hellenistic period (4th-3rd centuries B.C.) located approximately 50 m uphill from the landslide deposit by Tchishura stream. The burial was discovered and excavated by Sulkhan Kharabadze (Kharabadze ND). Fourth is the findspot of a red-figure skyphos in the front yard of a house on the top of the hill at the end of the cobblestone road. The skyphos, which was found in 1958, is of Attic production of the Fat Boy Group and is now held in the Vani Archaeological Museum (inv. # 2:985-676). Sulkhan Kharabadze carried out excavations here three years ago and did not find a cultural layer. The elderly woman living in the house indicated that she had also found ceramics in the cornfield next to her house. Fifth is the findspot of a third pithos burial found in the woods behind the same house at the base of the hill south of the museum. The burial was found by a man who had worked in the Vani Museum as an electrician and who donated all of the artifacts to the museum. Sixth is a hoard of thirteen coins of the 11th century A.D. found approximately 50 m uphill from a house.
- Keyword:
- Classical, Hoard, Hellenistic, Settlement, Mediaeval, and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Survey carried out in the 1950s at Ketchinara identified pottery, burnt daub, and metal objects as well as pithos graves. Stray finds are known from the area, including coins and an Attic red-figure skyphos (found in 1985)., 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., Ghambashidze, G. 1963. Arkeologiuri dazvervebi ketchinarashi (soph. tsikhesulori, vani r.) [Archaeological Surveys in Ketchinara (the village Tsikhesulori, Vani region)]. Summaries of reports of the 25th scientific conference of Tbilisi University students. P. 21-23., Dundua, G. 1973. Sakartveloshi gavtselebuli alexandre makedonelisa da lisimakes sakhelit motchrili monetebi vanidan. [The coins known from Georgia struck by the names of Alexander the Macedonian and Lysimmachus in Vani.] Matsne [Herald] no. 1, 1973. p. 54., Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Monetebi vanidan. [Money from Vani] Vani III. Tbilisi. p. 131., Phuturidze, R. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa dam is midamoebshi. tsikhesulori. [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Tsikhesulori] Vani VII, Tbilisi, p. 126., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. Plates IV, 1; XI, 1., Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1983. Denezhnoe obrashchenie Tsentralnoi Kolkhidy [The circulation of coins in central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 52., Dundua, G. 1987. Numizmatika antichnoy Gruzii. [Numismatics of classical Georgia]. Tbilisi. p. 44., Kharabadze, S. 2005. Samarkhebi soph. kveda tsikhesuloris teritoriidan. [Graves from the Territory of Kveda Tsikhesulori] Iberia-Colchis No. 2: 30-38., 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. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Kveda Tsikhesulori is located 3 km west of Vani at 40 masl and is in the Vani administrative district. The area of Ketchinara is a residential zone at the eastern outskirts of the modern village of Kveda Tsikhesulori, located directly below the Vani Archaeological Museum, along the west (left) bank of the Tchishura stream. In 2010 six points of interest were documented in this area: the findspot of a pithos burial dated to the 6th-4th centuries B.C.; Hellenistic and Classical pottery eroding from the landslide deposit on the west (left) stream bank of the Tchishura by the village of Kveda Tsikhesulori; the findspot of a pithos burial of a child dated to the Hellenistic period (4th-3rd centuries B.C.); the findspot of a red-figure skyphos; the findspot of a third pithos burial; and a hoard of coins of the 11th century A.D. All of these places are included within the site designation B009.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Survey carried out in the 1950s at Ketchinara identified pottery, burnt daub, and metal objects as well as pithos graves. Stray finds are known from the area, including coins and an Attic red-figure skyphos (found in 1985)., 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., Ghambashidze, G. 1963. Arkeologiuri dazvervebi ketchinarashi (soph. tsikhesulori, vani r.) [Archaeological Surveys in Ketchinara (the village Tsikhesulori, Vani region)]. Summaries of reports of the 25th scientific conference of Tbilisi University students. P. 21-23., Dundua, G. 1973. Sakartveloshi gavtselebuli alexandre makedonelisa da lisimakes sakhelit motchrili monetebi vanidan. [The coins known from Georgia struck by the names of Alexander the Macedonian and Lysimmachus in Vani.] Matsne [Herald] no. 1, 1973. p. 54., Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Monetebi vanidan. [Money from Vani] Vani III. Tbilisi. p. 131., Phuturidze, R. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa dam is midamoebshi. tsikhesulori. [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Tsikhesulori] Vani VII, Tbilisi, p. 126., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. Plates IV, 1; XI, 1., Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1983. Denezhnoe obrashchenie Tsentralnoi Kolkhidy [The circulation of coins in central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 52., Dundua, G. 1987. Numizmatika antichnoy Gruzii. [Numismatics of classical Georgia]. Tbilisi. p. 44., Kharabadze, S. 2005. Samarkhebi soph. kveda tsikhesuloris teritoriidan. [Graves from the Territory of Kveda Tsikhesulori] Iberia-Colchis No. 2: 30-38., 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. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the western edge of of the modern village of Kveda Gora is a hill rising to an elevation of 220 masl and topped by a fortress that is essentially a triangular enclosure with a tower at the east end. It is located on the high point of a southeast-northwest oriented ridge, which falls away steeply to the north, east, and southwest. The structure is built of mortared rubble and is oriented east-west on its longitudinal axis. The enclosure is approximately 20 m in length with a maximum width of about 15 m. The square tower is 5 m on each side. The heavily damaged walls are at least 1.1 m thick, and may have originally been thicker.
- Keyword:
- Fortification and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- A stray find was found in Kveda Gora in 1958. No formal archaeological work has been conducted at the site. 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. 11-14. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Kveda Gora is situated 13 km southeast of Vani at 240 masl in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. It located in the Vani administrative district. A Mediaeval tower stands on the top of a hill on the western edge of the modern village, between Kveda Gora and Inashauri (B015).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A stray find was found in Kveda Gora in 1958. No formal archaeological work has been conducted at the site. 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. 11-14. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Low on the eastern slope of the northwestern hill investigated at Kveda Bzvani is a rock-cut chamber that may have been used as a chapel. It is carved out of the soft bedrock of the hill, with visible pickmarks along the interior walls. The interior dimensions of the chamber are: 2.13 m wide, 2.75 m long, and 1.54 m high. It appears to have a roughly apsidal eastern end, suggesting its use as a small chapel, perhaps in association with the fortress on top of the hill (A048).
- Keyword:
- Church, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey of the site was undertaken by S. Kharabadze in 2008. No further archaeological work has been conducted. and Sulkhan Kharabadze. “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’egberi, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the top of the northwestern hill investigated at Kveda Bzvani are the mortared masonry remains of what appears to be a fortified complex spread over a series of terraces sloping down from northwest to southeast. A stone staircase, reconstructed in the Soviet era, leads up the southeastern slope. At the top of the staircase, a meadow opens up to the northwest into a relatively level terrace, which is separated from a second and higher terrace by a moat-like dip running across the width of the meadow. The third and highest terrace occupies the largest area of the hilltop and contains the remains of several structures. To the east lie the low remains of two parallel walls oriented northwest-southeast, which appear to define an oblong room with an interior width of 5.80 m. The walls are built of limestone slabs set in white mortar. The western (upslope) wall is preserved to a height of 5 courses above the ground, while only the alignment of the downslope wall is visible, without clearly defined edges. The western wall is 0.45 m thick, 4.9 m in preserved length, and 0.50 m in preserved height. South of the walls is a round depression filled with stones. At the northwest extremity of the hilltop terrace is a possible cistern, 1.4 m by 1.5 m, fed by two sloping channels at its northeastern and southeastern corners. While there was no visible pottery on top of the hill, sherds are visible on the slopes of the hill just below the top (A047).
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey of the site was undertaken by S. Kharabadze in 2008. No further archaeological work has been conducted. and Sulkhan Kharabadze. “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’egberi, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the western slope of the northwestern hill investigated at Kveda Bzvani is a corn field dense with surface pottery. Sherds collected included fragments of Rhodian amphorae; miscellaneous f ragments of other unidentified imported wares; and fragments of local Colchian pottery of the Iron Age, Classical, and late Hellenistic periods.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey of the site was undertaken by S. Kharabadze in 2008. No further archaeological work has been conducted. and Sulkhan Kharabadze. “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’egberi, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Kveda Bzvani is situated east of Vani within the foothills that line the Phasis River plain, approximately 2 km south of the main east-west road on the south edge of the Phasis River plain. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. We investigated a pair of hills oriented northwest southeast on the outskirts of the village. The boundary between Kveda (Lower) Bzvani and Zeda (Upper) Bzvani actually runs between these hills, but they are considered here as a unit. Local toponyms for this area are Natsikhvari and Chitoula (“Place of Birds”). A corn field on the western slope of the northwestern hill is dense with surface pottery (A047); on the top of the hill are the mortared masonry remains of what appears to have been a fortified complex on a series of terraces (A048); on the eastern slope is a rock-cut chamber that may have been used as a chapel (A049). The southeastern hill is now occupied by a church and modern cemetery, but ancient pottery is visible in many places on the top and sides of the hill (A050).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey of the site was undertaken by S. Kharabadze in 2008. No further archaeological work has been conducted. and Sulkhan Kharabadze. “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’egberi, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the west side of a hill located on the western outskirts of the modern village of Isriti is situated a modern cemetery below a lightly wooded area, where pithos burials have reportedly been found. In the wooded area, located at 250 masl, a number of pottery sherds were collected, all of which were locally made. Above the wooded area at approximately 350 masl is an open ridge, and running from a hollow to the top of the ridge, or just below it, and turning at an acute angle back down, is a wall built of limestone rubble. The stones are carefully chosen and unworked, but more or less equal in size and substantial; the wall is probably a modern fieldwall but is remarkable in a region where few such fieldwalls are made of stone. The explanation likely lies in the fact that the bedrock of the entire hill is easily accessible limestone visible just below the surface. At the very top of the ridge lies a cornfield at the summit of the hill, where a piece of burnt mud plaster and a pithos fragment were found. Below the ridge to the south is a grand modern farmhouse, and in the garden of the farmhouse is a sandstone column base (Mediaeval or modern) and a certain amount of Mediaeval pottery. Upstream from Isriti is a modern lime kiln. There are supposedly modern limestone quarries in the region. There are a number of large limestone outcroppings on the road that runs by Isriti along the Sulori River. These outcroppings were sampled by Giorgi Jaoshvili.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE, Settlement, and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- No earlier archaeological research has been conducted at the site.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Isriti is located approximately 7 km southeast of Vani and 1.7 km east of the Sulori River at 310 masl. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. Investigation focused on an area near a modern cemetery where pithos burials had reportedly been found (B007).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- No earlier archaeological research has been conducted at the site.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
Iron Age (8th-7th cent. BCE)
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Iron Age activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Iron Age
14Works -
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In 1958 Boris Chorbadze unearthed a Roman grave in the yard of his house, located within the modern village of Inashauri at 252 masl. The findspot of the grave is within a small plot of corn within the confines of his yard. The grave contained an iron dagger now held in the Vani Archaeological Museum (inv. # 2281), along with one large and one small spearhead, an axe, fragments of a belt, a curved knife, a stone bead, a clay phiale, a clay pot, fragments of a clay jug, some tools for hammering, fragments of a glass vessel, fragments of a ring, and one coin (Kharabadze 2008). These have all been lost. The coin was stamped with a double portrait of one old and one young man.
- Keyword:
- Roman and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Early research at Inashauri reported a number of stray finds discovered in 1926. Graves were discovered here by chance in 1958 and 1978., Ivashchenko, M. 1941. Materialyi k izucheniiu kulyturyi kolkhov. Mski, No. 2. Tbilisi. pp. 8-10. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 35, fig. 32. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2007. “Wine Drinker” from Inashauri Village (Vani district). Dziebani 17-18. Tbilisi. pp. 145-50. (In Georgian with an English summary.), 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. 27-29. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- One of the many hills within the area of Inashauri is topped by a small church and surrounding cemetery, at an elevation of 314 masl. The church has no foundation stone with a founding date, and the name of the hill is unknown. The masonry church has ashlar corner quoins and sculptured stone figural decoration of angels and crosses above its southern doorway.
- Keyword:
- Church and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Early research at Inashauri reported a number of stray finds discovered in 1926. Graves were discovered here by chance in 1958 and 1978., Ivashchenko, M. 1941. Materialyi k izucheniiu kulyturyi kolkhov. Mski, No. 2. Tbilisi. pp. 8-10. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 35, fig. 32. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2007. “Wine Drinker” from Inashauri Village (Vani district). Dziebani 17-18. Tbilisi. pp. 145-50. (In Georgian with an English summary.), 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. 27-29. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Bejan Genelidze found a bronze figurine dated to the 8th-7th century B.C. in his vineyard, which is published by Sulkhan Kharabadze (2007) and currently at the Georgia National Museum (the famous “tamada”). We collected various 1st millennium B.C. pottery from the same field.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Classical, Settlement, and Stray Find
- Citation to related publication:
- Early research at Inashauri reported a number of stray finds discovered in 1926. Graves were discovered here by chance in 1958 and 1978., Ivashchenko, M. 1941. Materialyi k izucheniiu kulyturyi kolkhov. Mski, No. 2. Tbilisi. pp. 8-10. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 35, fig. 32. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2007. “Wine Drinker” from Inashauri Village (Vani district). Dziebani 17-18. Tbilisi. pp. 145-50. (In Georgian with an English summary.), 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. 27-29. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Jemal Futkaradze occupies a house overlooking the Phasis River plain in the village of Inashauri. When his father was building his wine cellar in the yard outside the house (i.e., digging pits in which to bury modern pithoi), he found ancient pithos graves containing pottery and jewelry. Jemal Futkaradze has also found bones about 0.20-25 m below the current ground surface, and he believes that the raised earth in his yard may cover the foundations of a structure. In addition, he and other local informants said that there was a tunnel running from the fortress on Meskhebisgora (A052) to this part of Inashauri.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Early research at Inashauri reported a number of stray finds discovered in 1926. Graves were discovered here by chance in 1958 and 1978., Ivashchenko, M. 1941. Materialyi k izucheniiu kulyturyi kolkhov. Mski, No. 2. Tbilisi. pp. 8-10. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 35, fig. 32. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2007. “Wine Drinker” from Inashauri Village (Vani district). Dziebani 17-18. Tbilisi. pp. 145-50. (In Georgian with an English summary.), 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. 27-29. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Inashauri lies in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus within the valley of the Kvintsqali, 14 km east of Vani, approximately 4 km south of the main east-west road on the south side of the Phasis River plain, and approximately 1 km east of Zeda Bzvani. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. On the southwestern edge of the village, Jemal Futkaradze reported finding pithoi in the yard of his house (A055), and in the 1970s, Bejan Genelidze found a bronze figurine (the “tamada”) in his vineyard, which still exhibits abundant surface pottery (A056). Local informants in Inashauri said that there was a tunnel from the fortress on Meskhebisgora (A052) to Inashauri. A church with sculpted figural decoration (B017) and the findspot of a Roman grave (B018) are also located in the modern village of Inashauri.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Early research at Inashauri reported a number of stray finds discovered in 1926. Graves were discovered here by chance in 1958 and 1978., Ivashchenko, M. 1941. Materialyi k izucheniiu kulyturyi kolkhov. Mski, No. 2. Tbilisi. pp. 8-10. (In Russian.) , Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 35, fig. 32. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2007. “Wine Drinker” from Inashauri Village (Vani district). Dziebani 17-18. Tbilisi. pp. 145-50. (In Georgian with an English summary.), 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. 27-29. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
Hoards
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Hoards documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Hoard
5Works -
Hellenistic
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Hellenistic activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Hellenistic
23Works -
Fortifications
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Fortifications documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Fortification
16Works -
Early Mediaeval
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Early Mediaeval activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Early Mediaeval
2Works -
Early Hellenistic (mid-4th-mid-3rd cent. BCE)
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Early Hellenistic activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic
10Works -
Early Bronze Age
User Collection
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Early Bronze Age activity documented by the Vani Archaeological Survey
- Keyword:
- Early Bronze Age
3Works -
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Southeast of the modern settlement of Dzulukhi lies a hill called Melaurisgora, oriented north-south and bounded to the west by a narrow stream called the Dzulukhura (or Dzlukhura). The hill rises to an elevation of about 450 m, 150 meters above the settlement and stream below. The top of Melaurisgora hill is crowned by the remains of a fortress called Melauritsike. We approached the hill from the northwest, walked south along the western slope, and turned back to the north to climb a series of three terraces to the top. We recorded the mortared rubble masonry remains of the fortress on each of these sequential terraces, rising from south to north. On the southwest corner of lowest terrace, we noted a heap of stones, some squared, presumably the remains of a small tower or bastion. On the western edge of the middle terrace, we recorded the roughly square foundations of another small tower, built of squared blocks set in white mortar. The tower appears to be 4.5 m across, measuring from its straight eastern wall to its apparently curving western wall. The highest and northernmost terrace occupies the top of the hill, and here we recorded the remains of a much larger round enclosure or keep with a circular turret to the east. This structure is built of mortared rubble masonry and has an interior diameter of 18-20 m (not including the attached turret). The walls of the keep are roughly 1.6 m thick, the walls of the turret somewhat narrower. and irregular in width. Three visible windows along the west side of the keep are spaced 3-4 m apart. They are 1.80 m deep, and they measure 0.50 m wide by 0.60 high, 0.40 m by 0.85 m, and 0.35 m by 0.70 m, respectively. On the west side of the keep, near the windows, a broken pithos is embedded in the ground. On the northeast side of the keep is a small vaulted chapel, still in use (the fortress itself is equipped with a wooden cross illuminated by a string of lights). From the top of the hill there is only one narrow sightline north northeast into the Phasis River valley; in all other directions only the surrounding hills are visible.
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- 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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Southeast of the modern settlement of Dzulukhi lies a hill called Melaurisgora, oriented north south and bounded on the west by the narrow stream called the Dzulukhura (or Dzlukhura). The hill rises to an elevation of about 450 m, 150 meters above the settlement and stream below. We recorded and collected pottery and burnt mud plaster fragments from a cornfield and from the eroded scarps of the west slope of the hill, which we approached first, as well as from the terraces on the east slope, just below the summit. Identifiable pottery from the west slope included one possible body fragment of a Sinopian amphora, as well as Classical and early-late Mediaeval material. The pottery collected from the east slope of the hill (directly below the mediaeval fortress, A042) was all Classical. It is unclear from the surface materials whether occupation extended down the slopes of the hill, or whether these materials have washed down from a small settlement on top.
- Keyword:
- Classical, Settlement, and Mediaeval
- 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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Aptarauli hill lies on the northeast edge of the modern settlement of Dzulukhi, which is located approximately 11 km southeast of Vani at 322 masl, on the banks of a tributary of the Sulori River, called the Dzulukhura (or, locally, the Dzlukhura). A scatter of pottery extends a couple of hundred meters along the edge of a series of cornfields and a hazelnut grove covering the northeast slope of a hill that rises above the left (west) bank of the Dzulukhura. Identifiable pottery includes Classical pithos fragments, as well as burnt mud plasters.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE and 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
-
- 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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- According to Raphiel Kartvelishvili, the pithos burial of a child had been found on the steep slopes rising above the modern village of Dutskhuni. Pottery, possibly modern, was also reported in the area.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- No archaeological work has previously been conducted at the site.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The remains of a masonry tower are located 3.5 km northeast of the modern village of Dikhashkho at 50 masl, just north of the main east-west road running south of the Phasis River. The standing remains of a small rectangular or possibly hexagonal tower are situated on a small mound just east of a dirt road running north-south, and surrounded by the level river plain, which is planted with corn. Only the eastern wall of the structure is well preserved. The overall exterior dimensions of the structure are 4.7 m (on the east side) by 6.8 m (on the south side). The maximum preserved height of the structure at the southeast corner is 1.55 m. The walls of the tower are built of limestone blocks set in hard white mortar, facing a core of mortared rubble. The facing blocks are preserved on the interior side of the east wall, but not on the exterior. The facing is approximately 0.2 m deep, making the total original thickness of the walls 1.6 m. The facing blocks are approximately 0.3 m in height, 0.5 m in length, and 0.2 m in depth; the stones of the rubble fill vary from 0.2-0.4 m in length. This structure has a sightline to nearby Isriti Tsikhe on top of the hill to the southwest (A044).
- Keyword:
- Fortification and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey was conducted at the site by S. Kharabadze in 2008. 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, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The Mediaeval fortress or watchtower known as Isriti Tsikhe is located 2 km northeast of the village of Dikhashkho, just south of the main east-west road running south of the Phasis River. The fortress crowns the top of the first foothill south of the flat river plain, which rises 90 m above the plain. The tower is oblong in plan, oriented northeast by southwest. Its exterior dimensions are 9.1 m (on the northeast side) by 7.5 m (on the northwest side). Its interior length (from the southwest side to the northeast side) is 4.6 m. The walls of the tower are built of limestone slabs set in hard white mortar, facing a core of mortared rubble, including large numbers of cobblestones. Two cylindrical holes left by wooden tie beams are visible in the opposing northeast and southwest interior walls. The limestone facing is approximately 0.30 m deep; the total thickness of the walls of the tower is 1.4 m, but somewhat wider at the corners, which are square on the exterior but rounded on the interior. The southeast side appears to be pierced by a damaged gateway. One window, preserved approximately 2 m above ground level on the southeast side (east of the damaged gateway), is 0.50 m high by 0.30 m wide, and 1.7 m deep.
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey was conducted at the site by S. Kharabadze in 2008. 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, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In a ploughed field on the level river plain northeast of Isriti Tsikhe, we recorded a scatter of sherds and fragments of burnt mud plaster, exposed in the scarp of a modern drainage channel. It is unclear whether these remains are preserved in situ, or have been washed down from the hill to the southwest.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A brief survey was conducted at the site by S. Kharabadze in 2008. 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, 2008.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Tsqvetiligora is the easternmost of three hills located just south of the modern village of Dapnari that formed the foci of excavations carried out from 1967 through 1973: Dapnisgora (A003, A004, A006), Chaisgora (A005), and Tsqvetiligora. Together they form a series of stepped hills oriented northwest-southeast that rise up to the south from the Phasis River plain. Tsqvetiligora or “Split/Valley Hill” is actually a saddle that extends east from Chaisgora. Excavations were carried out on the middle terrace of Tsqvetiligora and revealed a mixed layer of trash and kitchen waste, including a few fragments of Attic black-glazed pottery (5th-4th centuries), all generally dated to the 6th-4th centuries. As no traces of habitation were found in the trench, the excavator suggested that settlement was limited to the top, main part of the hill, which was not excavated due to its heavy forest cover. Along the saddle between Chaisgora and Tsqvetiligora, we identified the area where earlier excavations had uncovered pottery and burnt daub and where, to the east, a pithos burial was reportedly found (A007). Beyond Tsqvetiligora, the road turns sharply to the northeast. The owner of a farmhouse at the end of the road reported that a pithos grave was found on a hill east of his house.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Classical, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The west side of the hill near Dapnisgora slopes abruptly down to a gorge. On these western slopes we were shown two sections of a wall built of small- to medium-sized limestone slabs set in white mortar. The section of wall located to the south is oriented roughly northwest-southeast and has visible dimensions of roughly 1.2 m long, 0.20 m high, and 0.45 m wide. Its stones are roughly 0.15-0.20 m long and 0.05 m high. About 3 m to the north lies the second section of wall, which is oriented roughly north south and incorporates larger limestone slabs. Only the down-slope faces of both sections of wall are visible. It is unclear whether these are terraces (without an up-slope face) or whether the up-slope face has simply been buried by erosion. The date of construction is uncertain. Farther southeast along the contours of the hillside we found pottery, including: an amphora handle; Hellenistic and Mediaeval pithos fragments; fragments of a Mediaeval pithos set in lime mortar; large fragments of burnt mud plaster in a niche in the hillside into which they may have eroded; and a stone pestle. The preserved dimensions of the stone pestle are 0.08 m radius (indicating an original diameter of 0.16 m), and 0.16 m in length with a tapered end.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Classical, Late Hellenistic, Settlement, and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The north side of the hill east of Dapnisgora is crowned by a house or rustic church marked by a large wooden cross. In this area, the hill slopes gently to the north and northeast in a series of terraces facing the Phasis River valley. On the northeastern terrace, a bronze bull figurine and an alabaster elephant figurine had reportedly been found and sold to antiquities dealers. Farther down the hill, on the northern terrace, a number of pithos graves had been unearthed. Chunks of vitrified mud plaster, possibly ancient, are strewn across the terraces above this apparent necropolis.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Classical, Late Hellenistic, Settlement, Stray Find, and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’egmberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Dapnisgora is the westernmost of three hills located just south of the modern village of Dapnari that formed the foci of excavations carried out from 1967 through 1973: Dapnisgora, Chaisgora (A005), and Tsqvetiligora (A007). Together they form a series of stepped hills oriented northwest-southeast that rise up to the south from the Phasis River plain. Excavations on Dapnisgora were conducted on the middle terrace of the northwest slope of the hill (A003, where pottery continues to be discovered), farther to the west, and on the south slope. Evidence of settlement from the 6th to 3rd centuries B.C. was found on all three hills. Mixed cultural materials, including a curved iron knife and an iron axe, Hellenistic pottery such as a black-glazed kylix fragment (4th-3rd century B.C.), and Colchian pottery possibly as early as the 6th-4th centuries B.C., were found on the northwest slope of Dapnis Gora (Trench 1). In addition to traces of occupation spread among all three hills, pithos graves covered almost the entire hill of Dapnisgora, interred singly or in clusters, and dating to the 4th-2nd centuries. Almost all of the pithos burials were placed vertically, usually with the mouth at the bottom. The grave goods usually included between one and four clay vessels, jewelry, and sometimes coins. Rather than forming a single large cemetery of a size otherwise undocumented, these burials were more likely associated with individual homesteads situated across the hill. More recent discoveries of a significant amount of pottery, including Hellenistic roof-tiles and amphora fragments, on the southwest slopes of Dapnisgora during informal surveys by S. Kharabadze and by the Vani Regional Survey project support this interpretation. Kighuradze pictured such wattle-and-daub houses scattered widely across the hillslopes, situated some distance from each other on artificial or natural terraces and surrounded by garden-plots, a situation she compared to the modern settlement pattern of the region.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Chaisgora is the middle of three hills located just south of the modern village of Dapnari that formed the foci of excavations carried out from 1967 through 1973: Dapnisgora (A003, A004, A006), Chaisgora, and Tsqvetiligora (A007). Together they form a series of stepped hills oriented northwest-southeast that rise up to the south from the Phasis River plain. Excavations on Chaisgora were carried out in the middle terrace of the north slope of the hill at a place known as “Ernali” and on the south slope of the hill on the border of a tea plantation. Traces of buildings were also found on the west slope, and portion of the hill at the east end of the modern village was explored with soundings, three of which were then integrated into one of the trenches. Evidence of settlement from the 6th-3rd centuries B.C. was found on all three hills, but only on Chaisgora were the remains of actual structures identified. Trench 1 in the “Ernali” area of the north hillslope contained burnt daub, materials the excavator identified as adobe bricks, local table- and kitchenware, and imported pottery, including a single fragment of an Attic black-glazed “salt dish” (5th-4th centuries); pieces of Chian (5th century), Thassian (5th-4th centuries), and Sinopean (4th-3rd centuries) amphorae; and a Rhodian amphora handle stamped with the priest eponym “ΚΑΡΠΟΥ”. On the south slope of the hill, in Trench 2, the excavations revealed irregular pieces of burnt daub, the charcoaled traces of slim wooden beams used as wattle, and misshapen, weakly baked materials identified as adobe bricks. These remains, which covered an area of about 12 sq m, were too fragmentary to allow the reconstruction of a building plan. Under the building remains were found a stone mill, a fragment of a stone pan, a whetstone, iron tools for such uses as leatherworking, and local table- and kitchenware, all from 5th-4th centuries. Similar building remains were also identified on the west hillslope of Chaisgora, and a rich assemblage of materials was discovered as surface finds on the east parts of the hill, including, for example, burnt daub, stone mills, and pithoi fragments. The only two burials found outside of Dapnisgora were located on Chaisgora, one on the very steep west slope and the other on the northwest slope, dating to the Hellenistic period. In the terrace of Chaisgora, the survey team recorded extensive traces of burnt mud plaster embedded in the earth as well as pottery fragments, including Sinopian amphorae. The terrace takes its name from numerous tea bushes planted here in the Soviet period.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Late Hellenistic, Settlement, Classical , and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’egmberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Rapho Jashi, who lives in a house just south of the main east-west road and east of the junction between this road and the road running north to Samtredia, showed us pithos fragments, teeth, and a small clay jug from four pithos burials he unearthed in the area around his house. The jug is Colchian and from the Hellenistic period. It has one double-rolled handle and is decorated with two sets of incised grooved rings, one at the base of the neck and the other at the base of the shoulder. The grooved rings, neck, and a band on the widest part of the belly are painted red. The vessel has a concave ring foot. The fabric is tannish-red in color. Preserved dimensions: H., 0.15 m., Diam. of neck, 0.023 m., Diam. of body, 0.14 m., Diam. of base, 0.08 m.
- Keyword:
- Hellenistic and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On a low terrace near the bottom of the gorge west of Dapnisgora lie the remains of a square structure solidly built of mortared rubble set in hard white mortar. The walls of the structure are approximately 1 m thick, and each side is approximately 7 m long. Possible cover-tiles, probably not ancient, were found at the northeastern corner of the structure. The surrounding area is covered with many fallen chunks of masonry. The structure appears to be either a small chapel, possibly with a vaulted roof, or a tower.
- Keyword:
- Church and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Dapnari lies 16 km west of Vani at the junction between the main east-west road south of the Phasis River and a branch road running north to a bridge across the Phasis and beyond that to the town Samtredia. The houses of the village extend southward from the valley floor to the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. It is located in the Samtredia administrative district. Our survey focused on a hill oriented northwest-southeast and located to the southeast of the road junction. The hill rises 200 m above the river plain. An extensive necropolis and associated occupational layers of the 6th-4th centuries B.C. were excavated in this area in the 1960s-70s (Kiguradze 1976). We designated six areas on this hill as points of interest: a terrace on the west side of the hill known as Dapnisgora (”Laurel Hill”), together with the hillslope below it (A003); an open meadow near the top of the hill, where a number of pithos graves were excavated in the 1970s, and where local cowherds reported finding bronze and ivory figurines (A004); a terrace on the south side of the hill known as Chaisgora (”Tea Hill”) (A005); an area on the slopes below Chaisgora where a limestone terrace wall is visible (A006); another terrace in a saddle on the east side of the hill known as Tsqvetiligora (A007); and a limestone structure, possibly a church, in the valley west of the hill (A008). In addition, the owner of a house on the main road at the east edge of the village reported finding four pithos burials on his property, and showed us a number of remains from these graves (A013).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Dapnari began with excavations by the Dapnari team of the Vani Expedition between 1967 and 1973 on all three hills. A short survey was conducted in 2008., Kighuradze, N. 1967. Dapnaris samarovani [The Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutis aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the young scholars and post-graduates of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. pp. 24-26. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1969. Dapnaris samarovani, 1967-1968 tsts. kampaniis dziritadi shedegebi [The Dapnari necropolis, the main results of the 1967-1968 campaigns]. XVIII sametsniero sesia, midzghvnili Sakartveloshi 1968 tsels tsarmoebuli savelearkeologiuri kvleva-dziebis shedegebisadmi, mokle angarishebi [The 18th scientific sessions, dedicated to the results of the field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1967-1968, Short reports]. Tbilisi. p. 21. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Mdzivebi dapnaris samarovnidan [Beads from the Dapnari necropolis]. Istoriis institutes aspirantta da akhalgazrda metsnier mushakta sametsniero konperentsia, tezisebi [Scientific conference of the post-graduates and young scholars of the Institute of History, Abstracts]. Tbilisi. p. 15. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1970. Monetebi Dapnaris samarovnidan [Coins from the Dapnari necropolis]. Dzeglis megobari, N 23. Tbilisi. pp. 15-19. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1970. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1969 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1969]. Moscow. p. 365. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Ant’ik’uri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 22-28., Kighuradze, N. 1971a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dapnarshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological excavations in Dapnari in 1969]. Arkeologiuri kvlevadzieba Sakartveloshi 1969 tsels [Archaeological investigations in Georgia in 1969]. Tbilisi. pp. 68-72. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971b. Dapnarshi shemtkhvevit aghmochenili arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological relics discovered accidentally in Dapnari]. Saistorio moambe [Bulletin of History]. Tbilisi. pp. 347-369. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1971c. Dapnarskii nekropol [The Dapnari necropolis]. Vsesoyuznaya nauchnaya sessia, posvyashchennaya itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh i etnograficheskikh issledovanii v SSSR v 1970 godu [The All-Union scientific session devoted to the results of the archaeological and ethnographic studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. p. 184. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1971d. Sopel dapnaris kvevrsamarkhi [The pithos burial in the village of Dapnari]. Dzeglis megobari, N 27-28. Tbilisi. pp. 57-61. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, G. A., and N. Sh. Kighuradze. 1971. Raskopki Dapnarskogo selishcha [Excavations of the Dapnari settlement]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1970 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1970]. – Moscow. pp. 380-381. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh. 1972. K istorii naseleniya tsentralnoi Kolkhidy v antichnuyu epokhu. Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni kandidata istoricheskikh nauk [Towards the history of the population of central Colchis in the Classical period. Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1972. Itogi issledovaniya Dapnarskogo selishcha [Results of the study of the Dapnari settlement site]. Arkheologicheskiye otkrytiya 1971 goda [Archaeological discoveries in 1971]. Moscow. p. 469. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1973. Dapnaris nasoplari da samarovani [Dapnari settlement and necropolis]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 25-27. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1976. Dapnarskii mogilnik [The Dapnari necropolis]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., and G. A. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Dapnarskoye selishche I mogilnik (K probleme selskikh poselenii Kolkhidy) [The Dapnari settlement site and necropolis (Towards the problem of village-type settlements in Colchis)]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 55-64. (In Russian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978a. Dapnari. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. p. 401. (In Georgian.), Kighuradze, N. 1978b. Kolkhuri sopeli antikur khanashi [Colchian village in the Classical times]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 56, 58-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kighuradze, N. Sh., 1980. Kolkhskoe selo v ellinisticheskuyu epokhu [Colchian village in the Hellenistic period]. Vsesoyuznyi simpozium po problemam ellimisticheskoi kultury na Vostoke. Mai, 1980 g. Tezisy dokladov [The All-Union symposium on problems of the Hellenistic culture in the East, May of 1980. Abstracts of papers]. Yerevan. pp. 38-39. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dapnari [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dapnari]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 136-138, pls. 60-62. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’egmberi. p. 17-18. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
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- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Natsikhvarigora is one of the three hills located just south of the modern village of Dablagomi that were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974 that revealed a long history of ancient occupation at Dablagomi, extending from the Early Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period (3rd millennium to 2nd century B.C.). It is situated between two streams, the Tetri Ghele on the west and the Shavi Ghele on the east. The Tetri Ghele separate Natsikhvarigora from Nasakirevigora (A014) to the northwest. The excavations concentrated on the top and on the west, north, and east slopes of the hill. Early Bronze Age materials (Kuro-Arax pottery, burnt daub, stone implements) were found on the top of the hill only, in addition to pottery from the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, and Early Hellenistic period. The excavations revealed a rich body of evidence for occupation across the hillslopes in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age (burnt daub, Colchian pottery, bronze tools) and in the Classical and Hellenistic period (pithos burials, burnt daub, Colchian and imported pottery). The pithos burials of the Classical period were found in groups apparently arranged on family plots near households rather than in distinct cemeteries. The the most prominent discovery was a rich grave of the beginning of the 3rd century B.C., set in a large wooden structure and covered with Sinopean tiles, found on the west slope of Natsikhvarigora. The grave was constructed of wooden planks joined by large iron nails lining a north-south oriented pit cut into the rocky ground. A roof made of six rows of flat, overlapping tiles with rounded cover tiles, three tiles per row, covered most of the grave: the grave itself was 3.5 x 1.6 m, while the tiles covered an area of only 3 x 1.6 m. The tiles were found 0.6-0.8 m below ground surface, and 4th-century pithos burials were discovered nearby. As is common for the region, human remains were not preserved. The burial goods, arranged around the body along the edges of the pit, included gold jewels, bronze and silver wares, iron weapons, imported and local pottery, glass paste and stone beads, and pendants. Our visit was limited to the east side of the hill, where we observed numerous Classical and early Hellenistic period pithos fragments (some with braided and grooved patterning), fragments of unidentified imported ware, lithics, and burnt mud plaster.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Iron Age, Late Bronze Age, Late Hellenistic, Settlement, Early Bronze Age, Burial, and Classical
- 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
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