Search Constraints
Number of results to display per page
View results as:
Search Results
-
- 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:
- 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:
- 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:
- The modern settlement of Dikhashkho is located southeast of Vani, approximately 4 km up the Sulori River. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. We investigated a hill topped by a Mediaeval fortress knows as the Isriti Tsikhe (A044) about 2 km northeast of the village center and just south of the main east-west road running south of the Phasis River. In a ploughed field at the base of the hill, extending to the northeast toward the main road, we recorded a scatter of sherds and fragments of burnt mud plaster (A045). A second Mediaeval tower is located north of the main east-west road running south of the Phasis River (B005).
- Keyword:
- Modern 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:
- 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:
- 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:
- The site of Sakakile (“Place of Beads”) lies 3 km upstream of the village of Sulori, on and around a small promontory on the left bank of the river, formed by a bend in the river and oriented southwest-northeast. This low and level promontory must always have made for a convenient crossing place, and there is now a log bridge running from the right bank of the river to the downstream end of the promontory. South of the promontory is a hill oriented east west from which much of the pottery found on the promontory appears to have eroded. The region around the river crossing is divided topographically into three distinct areas: Kvabiskari (“Place of the Cave/Gorge”), located downstream of the crossing and on the right (north) bank of the river; Sakakile, located on the promontory upstream of the crossing and on the left (south) bank of the river; and Likheti, located upstream of and uphill from Sakakile. Luka Dvalishvili, a resident of Sulori and the owner of the plot of land on the promontory, found a hoard of approximately 700 coins (including a silver Croesid) at Sakakile in the 1970s. At more or less the same time, another local farmer named Generi Paikidze found a bronze axe head here as well. After these chance finds, the Vani excavation team opened up two trenches on northern slope of the hill south of the river, where it slopes down to the low, level promontory of Sakakile. The excavations revealed a mixed assemblage of ceramics eroded from the hill south of the promontory, dating from the 8th-1st century B.C. (Iron Age, Classical, and Hellenistic). The only in-situ pottery assemblage was excavated on the hilltop and dates to the 6th-4th century B.C. Northeast of the hill, in the area where the bronze axe head was supposedly found (dated to the 7th century B.C.), the cobblestone foundation of an apsidal structure was excavated, along with clay tiles and metal implements. The excavation report concludes that occupation on the site began in the 7th-6th century, while the period of most intensive development was the 5th-4th century B.C. We recorded the locations of two trenches from the previous excavations and collected pottery from the eroding northern slope of the hill that forms the southern boundary of the promontory.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Late Hellenistic, Hoard, Settlement, and Stray Find
- Citation to related publication:
- In 1984, a chance find of a bronze axe was reported from the area known as Sakakile. In the following year, the Vani excavation team began excavations on the northern slope of the hill south of the river. In 1990 a hoard of 607 coins was found in the village of Sulori. A brief survey of the are was conducted in 2008., Lordkipanidze, O. 1986. Argonavtika da dzveli kolkheti [Argonautics and ancient Colchis]. Tbilisi. pp. 82-83. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, O. D., R. V. Puturidze, D. D. Kacharava, V. A Tolordava, M. S. Pirtskhalava, A. M Chqonia, N. N. Matiashvili, D. V. Akhvlediani, G. Sh. Naridze, and G. A. Inauri. 1987. Raboty Vanskoi ekspeditsii [Work of the Vani archaeological expedition]. Polevye arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v 1984-85 godakh [Field archaeological investigations in 1984-85]. Tbilisi. pp. 54-55. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990a. Arkheologicheskiye razvedki v s. Sulori [Archaeological explorations in the village of Sulori]. Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. pp. 276-279. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990b. Le territoire de Vani. Un compte rendu des recherches archéologiques. Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. Sources écrites et archéologique. Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon. pp. 249-252. (In French.), Lébanidzé, L. 1999. Le trésor monétaire de Sulori. La Mer Noire zone de contacts. Actes du VIIe Sympsium de Vani (Colchide) – 26-30.IX.1994. Paris. p. 155-158., Lordkipanidze, Otar. 2002. Dzeli kartuli civilizaciis sataveebtan [The sources of ancient Georgian civilization]. Tbilisi. pp. 206-7. (In Georgian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 20. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Science and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The Sulori River runs roughly northwest-southeast between two chains of hills that rise steeply up from the valley and are covered with a mixture of forest and agricultural fields. The modern settlement of Sulori is located approximately 9 km southeast of Vani on a road that runs east of and parallel to the Sulori River. The settlement is not situated directly on the river but about 800 m to the east. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. The road that runs along the river offers one of the few routes of travel between Vani and the regions to the southwest and south. Chance finds and excavations carried out in the 1970s revealed substantial traces of an ancient settlement in a place called Sakakile (”Place of Beads”), 3 km upstream of the modern village (A039, Inaouri 1990). Today it is the site of a log bridge crossing the river. The region around the river crossing is divided topologically into three distinct areas: Kvabiskari (”Place of the Cave/Gorge”), located downstream of the crossing and on the right (north) bank of the river; Sakakile, located on the promontory upstream of the crossing and on the left (south) bank of the river; and Likheti, located upstream of and uphill from Sakakile.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- In 1984, a chance find of a bronze axe was reported from the area known as Sakakile. In the following year, the Vani excavation team began excavations on the northern slope of the hill south of the river. In 1990 a hoard of 607 coins was found in the village of Sulori. A brief survey of the are was conducted in 2008., Lordkipanidze, O. 1986. Argonavtika da dzveli kolkheti [Argonautics and ancient Colchis]. Tbilisi. pp. 82-83. (In Georgian.), Lordkipanidze, O. D., R. V. Puturidze, D. D. Kacharava, V. A Tolordava, M. S. Pirtskhalava, A. M Chqonia, N. N. Matiashvili, D. V. Akhvlediani, G. Sh. Naridze, and G. A. Inauri. 1987. Raboty Vanskoi ekspeditsii [Work of the Vani archaeological expedition]. Polevye arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v 1984-85 godakh [Field archaeological investigations in 1984-85]. Tbilisi. pp. 54-55. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990a. Arkheologicheskiye razvedki v s. Sulori [Archaeological explorations in the village of Sulori]. Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. pp. 276-279. (In Russian.), Inauri, G. 1990b. Le territoire de Vani. Un compte rendu des recherches archéologiques. Le Pont-Euxin vu par les grecs. Sources écrites et archéologique. Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon. pp. 249-252. (In French.), Lébanidzé, L. 1999. Le trésor monétaire de Sulori. La Mer Noire zone de contacts. Actes du VIIe Sympsium de Vani (Colchide) – 26-30.IX.1994. Paris. p. 155-158., Lordkipanidze, Otar. 2002. Dzeli kartuli civilizaciis sataveebtan [The sources of ancient Georgian civilization]. Tbilisi. pp. 206-7. (In Georgian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 20. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- 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