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- Creator:
- Kimbrough, Erik, Murray, Jennifer, Sarmiento, Olga, Krupka, Erin, Ramalingam, Abhijit , Kee, Frank, Kumar, Rajnish, Sánchez-Franco, Sharon , and Hunter, Ruth
- Description:
- THE DATA: Unfortunately, we are unable to share our data for this project. Since we were working with a vulnerable population (children), we were asked by Queens University Belfast’s IRB-equivalent to include language in the consent documents indicating that the data would not be shared outside of the research team. Thus, the datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available as participants were informed that no-one outside of the research team would have access to the research data when they signed their consent forms. Thus, we provide Stata, R and Mplus scripts used to generate all tables and figures reported in the paper. Since we cannot share the raw study data, most of these files cannot be run, but in the interest of transparency we include the scripts so that our code can be checked. Since a major portion of the paper is the LTA modeling, we took an additional step there and generated simulated data that allows the R+Mplus scripts to be run. These runnable scripts and the simulated data are contained in the subfolder LTA_code_EXEC. For further information about the study datasets, please contact the authors (Emails: Jennifer.Murray@qub.ac.uk; ruth.hunter@qub.ac.uk)
- Keyword:
- norms heterogeneity, experimental economics, and RCT
- Citation to related publication:
- Kimbrough, E., Krupka, E., Kumar, R., Murray, J., and Ramalingam, A. (conditional accept). On the Stability of Norms and Norm-Following Propensity: A Cross Cultural Panel Study with Adolescents. Experimental Economics
- Discipline:
- Health Sciences and Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Hawes, Jason K
- Description:
- Most of this deposit is composed of a step-by-step explanation of how to replicate the work conducted in Chapters 2 and 5 of my dissertation (available in DeepBlue Documents under the title Urban Agriculture: Good for People, Places, and Planet?). Very little actual data is catalogued here, instead largely relying on links to the secondary datasets online. In fact, this is an intentional choice, since any replication would likely want updated data to produce more real-time results. This deposit is intended to accompany the dissertation and may not be the final version of these two manuscripts or their associated methods. For more up-to-date methods and analysis, please search Google Scholar or your affiliated library for Jason Hawes and some combination of keywords including urban agriculture, scaling-up, tradeoffs, or the names of the cities in question.
- Keyword:
- urban agriculture, tradeoffs, remote sensing, and multi-criteria analysis
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Adams, Savannah
- Description:
- These materials are SPSS datasets and syntax files related to a project investigating the weight given to various moral domains when forming impressions of others. We looked at how participants' impressions of the moral character of social targets varied when provided with information that those targets behaved in ways that upheld or violated various moral domains. Following this, we also looked at whether participants' willingness to cooperate with a target changed based on those behaviors, and whether judgments following information about the social targets remained robust under cognitive load.
- Keyword:
- Morality, Impression Formation, Social judgment, and Cooperation
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Zhang, Qiaoning
- Description:
- The widespread acceptance of healthcare robot at home is hindered by a lack of clarity regarding optimal design features, particularly among users with varying levels of knowledge and attitudes towards this emerging technology. To address this, this study applies the Kano model to systematically identify and prioritize the features of healthcare robots, factoring in older adults diverse robot-related knowledge and attitudes towards robots.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Crain, Mark
- Description:
- The 2023 DREAM Street Fair was a free, family-friendly festival celebrating our neighborhood’s spirit of community, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, and healthy living. Hosted by Jermaine “Big Fresh” Carey and rising comedian Nadirah Pierre, and headlined by multi-platinum recording artist Freeway, the event featured performances by Khalil Ismail, Ain’t Afraid, Journalist 103, Tariq Toure, and Hardcore Detroit. It was an afternoon of empowering poetry, soulful vocals, classic hip-hop, world-class break dancing, and fun interactions with the crowd. Nearly 40 vendors, including some of the area’s best food trucks, set up shop to interact with 3,000 attendees over the course of the day. And children were treated to bounce houses, button-making, book readings, and outdoor video gaming., Primarily hosted by Dream of Detroit, a local organization combining community organizing and development to revitalize a Westside neighborhood, the Street Fair was a true community partnership. The Detroit Repertory Theatre, the city’s longest-running neighborhood theatre, opened up their lot to sell treasured props from 60 years worth of performances. The HUDA Clinic, our local free health care center, offered dental screenings, health assessments and referral services. And, at the HUDA Urban Garden, attendees picked fruits and vegetables, and learned creative ways to make tasty and healthy meals and snacks. Putting on a free neighborhood festival of this scale would have been impossible without the support of Egalitarian Metropolis and sponsors like Mercy-USA. Plainly put: these types of events don’t usually happen in neighborhoods like ours. That’s why, for nearly a decade, Dream of Detroit has been working toward a truly inclusive Detroit recovery where the idea that “every neighborhood has a future” is more than just a political slogan., and Our goal with this event was to host an excellent celebration for our community members, and to shine a spotlight on the community-led placemaking and development happening in our neighborhood. The DREAM Street Fair stands alongside other initiatives like the DREAM Community Land Trust, our partnership with ProsperUs Detroit Entrepreneurship Workshop, and our membership in the Coalition for Property Tax Justice, as just some of the programs we are involved in to do our small part in creating an Egalitarian Metropolis. More information about DREAM of Detroit can be found at https://dreamofdetroit.org/.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Porter, David
- Description:
- Launched in response to the growing crisis of narrative infrastructure, the Detroit River Story Lab is a collaborative, public-facing initiative that leverages the sociocultural, economic, and ecological centrality of the Detroit River corridor to reimagine it as an urban case study in narrative placemaking and civic renewal. Beginning with the premise that place-based storymaking is vital to sustaining democratic values and community capacity for self-determination, the Lab partners on projects designed to support the narrative capacities of local urban communities through the story-telling channels of community journalism, place-based education, and public history., There are many stories from across a variety of periods and contexts that foreground the prevalence of aquatic racialization in our region. These include the legal restrictions placed on Black residents’ access to the Detroit River in the aftermath of the successful escape of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn from Kentucky slave catchers in 1833, repeated episodes of the often violent expulsion of Black workers and residents from Wyandotte and other sundown towns along the Detroit River between the 1870s and 1940s – and the repeated erasure of these stories from official published histories of these towns, the Bob-Lo Excursion Company’s policy, in the 1930’s and 40’s, of barring Blacks from the ferry boats that provided access for Detroiters to the Boblo Island amusement park, a policy famously up-ended by the US Supreme Court in 1948 after being challenged by a 24-year-old Detroit, Sarah Elizabeth Ray, after being ordered to leave the boat, the demolition of the predominantly Black, riverside neighborhood of Black Bottom in Detroit in the 1950s in the name of urban renewal, the UN’s 2014 appeal, on the grounds of basic human rights, for the city of Detroit to restore access to water sourced from their own Detroit River to residents who can’t afford monthly water bills, and consumption restrictions on Detroit River fish important to local populations owing to long histories of environmental degradation., and Considered together, these cases would seem to point to an undertheorized dimension of racialized systems of hierarchy and exclusion in the Great Lakes region and possibly the US more generally. The origins and long-term effects of zones of racial exclusion in the economically decisive domains of work, education, and housing are by now well known. The role of waterways as similarly delineated spaces of privilege and oppression is less commonly noted; in a state whose history has been so thoroughly defined by its lakes and rivers and so regularly scarred by racial conflict, the phenomenon of aquatic racialization calls out for integrative examination and public reckoning. More information about Aquatic Spaces can be found at https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/detroit-river-story-lab/.
- Discipline:
- Humanities and Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Rida, Salam and Smith, Torri
- Description:
- Michigan-Mellon’s renewed Egalitarian Metropolis cycle of funding focuses on the city of Detroit and ways that creative practice and the urban humanities can equitably address urban recovery. In tangible ways, The University of Michigan Architecture Preparatory Program (ArcPrep) is already doing just that: creating a sense of optimism and agency for Detroit public high school juniors interested in design and its affiliated fields. , Through an intensive, semester-long studio taught by our Mellon Fellows in Architecture, young designers learn to critically discern Detroit’s complex spatial histories as they explore ways to shape the city’s possible futures. The program takes the students’ talents, creativity, and expertise very seriously, nurturing an inclusionary pedagogical model based broadly on egalitarian educational ideals. In the process, we bring together a network of Taubman College faculty and students, Detroit institutions, community and government organizations, and professional enterprises into conversation and collaboration with students. In the past, ArcPrep has partnered with the Detroit Public Library, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Cultivator Community Land Trust, and the Sidewalk Festival, to name a few. With each partnership, we situated culturally contingent, place-based design exercises for students to directly engage with the city and its leaders., and More information about the Michigan Architecture Preparatory Program (ArcPrep) can be found at https://taubmancollege.umich.edu/academics/pre-college-programs/michigan-architecture-prep/
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Carducci, Vincent and Mascorella, Anna
- Description:
- What does/can/should an egalitarian metropolis look like? And how does a focus on Detroit allow us to ask and answer these conceptual—and practical—questions in ways that draw on a variety of disciplines including architecture, history, urban planning, and the urban humanities?, This course offers an interdisciplinary perspective on urban studies, urban design, and the ways that concerns around social justice and equity can influence how we think about cities in the past, present, and future. Drawing on a range of faculty expertise in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, this team-taught course also incorporates the voices of practitioners and community members involved in current attempts to revitalize Detroit and “Detroit-like” cities in the United States and elsewhere. By “Detroit-like cities” we mean urban areas that have experienced negative population growth, deindustrialization, economic disinvestment, racial stratification, environmental injustices, and concomitant crises in housing, health care, policing, criminalization, and education. At the same time, Detroit and Detroit-like cities offer opportunities to conjoin critical humanistic inquiry, urban design, and policy solutions for building more equitable and sustainable cities., and This course is co-designed and co-taught as part of the Egalitarian Metropolis Project, which is a partnership between the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. It combines traditional course materials with a team-based orientation to teaching and learning. More information about the EM Classroom can be found at https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/egalitarianmetropolis/em-classroom/.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Porter, David
- Description:
- Launched in response to the growing crisis of narrative infrastructure, the Detroit River Story Lab is a collaborative, public-facing initiative that leverages the sociocultural, economic, and ecological centrality of the Detroit River corridor to reimagine it as an urban case study in narrative placemaking and civic renewal. Beginning with the premise that place-based storymaking is vital to sustaining democratic values and community capacity for self-determination, the Lab partners on projects designed to support the narrative capacities of local urban communities through the story-telling channels of community journalism, place-based education, and public history., The Story Lab co-designs scalable interventions to strengthen community-based forms of narrative infrastructure. Participants draw upon archives and oral histories to document previously marginalized narratives centering the river. Drawing on this research, we prototype new approaches to place-based learning, within the university and beyond, to expand the publics involved in the production and circulation of local narratives of identity and urban memory., and More information about the Detroit River Story Lab (DRSL) can be found at https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/detroit-river-story-lab/.
- Discipline:
- Humanities and Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Black, Marcia and Draper Garcia, Lex
- Description:
- Black Bottom Archives (BBA) is a community-driven media platform dedicated to centering and amplifying the voices, experiences, and perspectives of Black Detroiters through digital storytelling, journalism, art, and community organizing with a focus on preserving local Black history & archiving our present., Black Bottom Archives Presents: Sankofa Community Research (SCR) is a Black Detroiter led, year-long community research project in partnership with Detroit Peoples Platform and academic partners at the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, and Wayne State University to collect oral histories and conduct historical research to document the multi-generational impact of the destruction of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley on Black Detroiters; and to explore Black Detroiters collective vision for reparations as part of the 'I-375 Reconnecting Communities Project.', and Bringing together oral histories, census records, business records, historic maps, and other sources, we will examine how displacement impacted people, businesses, cultural centers, environment, public space, and infrastructure and produce a community report that presents evidence of impact and proposes reparative actions. More information about Black Bottom Archives can be found at https://www.blackbottomarchives.com/.
- Discipline:
- Humanities and Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- CTEES
- Description:
- Reconstructed CT slices for skull of Heterotis niloticus (University of Michigan Museum of Zoology catalog number UMMZ Fish 195004) as a series of TIFF images. Raw projections are not included in this dataset. The reconstructed slice data from the scan are offered here as a series of unsigned 16-bit integer TIFF images. The upper left corner of the first image (*_0000.tif) is the XYZ origin.
- Keyword:
- Zoology, Ichthyology, Fish, CT, Osteoglossidae, and UMMZ
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Samuel, Sara M, Wilson, Diane L, and Fleming, Emily K
- Description:
- The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) requires researchers to post individual participant data (IPD) plans for interventional clinical trials with registration in order to be eligible for publication in its member journals. This study looked at how researchers interpret the ICMJE requirements and the related prompts for information used by ClinicalTrials.gov. This data consists of the analyzed contents of the IPD plans that researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) submitted with trial registrations for the first 27 months that the 2019 requirement was in effect.
- Keyword:
- research data sharing, research data policy, research data, clinical trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, individual participant data, IPD, data sharing plan, and compliance
- Citation to related publication:
- Samuel, S. M. & Wilson, D. L. & Fleming, E., (2023) “Evaluating individual participant data plans for ICMJE compliance: A case study at University of Michigan”, Journal of the Society for Clinical Data Management 3(4). doi: https://doi.org/10.47912/jscdm.257
- Discipline:
- Health Sciences, Social Sciences, and General Information Sources
-
- Creator:
- Eckel, Catherine, Hoover, Hanna, Krupka, Erin, Sinha, Nishita, and Wilson, Rick
- Description:
- The research reported here is part of a larger study where we recruited students from the entering undergraduate classes in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 at Rice University. The aim of the larger project is to examine the evolution of economic preferences (altruism, risk aversion, time preference, competitiveness, loss aversion, in-group favoritism, among others) across their college years. Subjects participated in numerous laboratory and online studies between matriculation and 2021. This paper uses data from the experimental design of a subset of tasks that subjects completed. The survey wave used in this paper was collected in June and July of 2021. This survey was composed of fifteen modules and had a total of 710 participants. and The survey consisted of 15 modules. Module 1 consisted of questions on COVID-19 related behavior and future expectations of the COVID-19 pandemic. Module 2 consisted of an emotion elicitation task. Module 3 solicited trust levels of several authorities and news outlets. Module 4 consisted of several general socioeconomic preference questions. Module 5 asked questions related to how frequently subjects provide various forms of help. Module 6 solicited social appropriateness ratings regarding COVID-19 preventative behavior. Module 7 consisted of an estimation task. Module 8 was the dictator game with the freshmen recipient. Module 9 involved a risky investment decision task. Module 10 was the dictator game with the same-class recipient. Module 11 involved a trust-game. Module 12 was the dictator game with charity as the recipient. Module 13 asked questions regarding help received by the university as well as COVID-19 academic impact. Module 14 included questions regarding the subjects’ COVID-19 infection status. Module 15 posed questions regarding subjects’ resiliency. Only modules 8, 10, and 12 were used in this analysis. These corresponded to Q11 - Q18 of the instrument. In each module, subjects played a dictator game, guessed what others did in the game and played a coordination game designed to elicit norms for the dictator game they just played. After the subject completed the survey, we randomly selected a module for payment. Subjects then received an email alerting the subject which module was selected for payment and how much money they would receive given their responses in the selection module. Data was analyzed using STATA; if running the do file for STATA, and not already installed, then add ""capture ssc install estout" to the very top of the .do file.
- Keyword:
- Dictator game, Social norms, and Charitable giving
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Carlson, Jake
- Description:
- This data set is my analysis of data management plans (DMPs) that were written by researchers at the University of Michigan for awards made between March 2020 and February 2021. I conducted this analysis to explore the potential utility of DMPs as a tool to aid data curators in understanding and working with the associated data set. Variables collected include: the types and formats of the expected data sets, information about the metadata and documentation to be generated, the anticipated methods for making the data set publicly available, references to Intellectual Property allowances or concerns, and the stated duration for preserving the data sets.
- Keyword:
- Data management plans, Data curation, Data sharing, and Content Analysis
- Citation to related publication:
- Carlson, J. (2023) Untapped Potential: A Critical Analysis of the Utility of Data Management Plans in Facilitating Data Sharing. Journal of Research Administration. Fall 2023. Forthcoming.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Brennan, Jonathan R
- Description:
- These files contain the raw data and processing parameters to go with the paper "Hierarchical structure guides rapid linguistic predictions during naturalistic listening" by Jonathan R. Brennan and John T. Hale. These files include the stimulus (wav files), raw data (BrainVision format), data processing parameters (matlab), and variables used to align the stimuli with the EEG data and for the statistical analyses reported in the paper (csv spreadsheet). and Updates in Version 2: - data in BrainVision format - added information about data analysis - corrected prePROCessing information for S02
- Keyword:
- Linguistics, Speech, and EEG
- Citation to related publication:
- Brennan, J. R., & Hale, J. T. (2019). Hierarchical structure guides rapid linguistic predictions during naturalistic listening. PLoS ONE 14(1). e0207741
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Brennan, Jonathan R.
- Description:
- These files contain the raw data and processing parameters to go with the paper "Hierarchical structure guides rapid linguistic predictions during naturalistic listening" by Jonathan R. Brennan and John T. Hale. These files include the stimulus (wav files), raw data (matlab format for the Fieldtrip toolbox), data processing paramters (matlab), and variables used to align the stimuli with the EEG data and for the statistical analyses reported in the paper.
- Keyword:
- linguistics, syntax, language, and eeg
- Citation to related publication:
- Brennan JR, Hale JT (2019) Hierarchical structure guides rapid linguistic predictions during naturalistic listening. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0207741. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207741
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Xu, Ying and Bradford, Nora
- Description:
- The data was collected from a survey study using Qualtrics described above. The data are in .csv format along with a codebook also in .csv format.
- Keyword:
- social chatbot, perception, and artificial intelligence
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Hoover, Lindzey V
- Description:
- This study investigated psychological, biological/neural, and environmental factors related to adverse food advertising effects on adolescent weight. Participants were asked to complete an fMRI task measuring neural response to food commercials (unhealthy, healthier) and non-food commercials. As part of the larger study, participants also completed demographic questions, self-report measures, behavioral tasks (i.e., food go/no-go task, food delay discounting task, progressive reinforcement paradigm), an ad-libitum food consumption task, and height and weight measures.
- Keyword:
- food advertising, commercials, eating, fast food, adolescents, and fMRI
- Citation to related publication:
- Gearhardt, A. N., Yokum, S., Harris, J. L., Epstein, L. H., & Lumeng, J. C. (2020). Neural response to fast food commercials in adolescents predicts intake. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 111(3), 493–502. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqz305
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Hoover, Lindzey V
- Description:
- The study investigates co-occurring PTSD and food addiction in a community sample with results stratified by gender. Data for co-occurring problematic substance use and obesity are also included to allow for within-sample comparison. Participants were asked to complete self-report measures on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), food addiction, problematic substance use (alcohol, cannabis, smoking, and nicotine vaping), and BMI. Participants also completed demographic questions. Pearson zero-order correlation analyses were conducted between primary variables of interest and demographic variables to identify potential sociodemographic covariates. Subjective socioeconomic status (SES) and age were both included as covariates in the current model. We estimated unadjusted and adjusted risk ratios among food addiction, PTSD, problematic substance use (i.e., alcohol, cannabis, smoking, and nicotine vaping) and obesity using Modified Poisson regression with robust standard error estimations. We ran these analyses for the whole same and stratified by gender identity. Food addiction co-occurred with PTSD at comparable or stronger rates than other types of problematic substance use (alcohol, cannabis, smoking, nicotine vaping). Results suggested that this risk may be particularly high for men compared to women. It may be important to assess for food addiction in those with PTSD to assist in identifying high-risk groups.
- Keyword:
- food addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use, gender, and obesity
- Citation to related publication:
- Hoover, L. V., Yu, H. P., Duval, E. R., & Gearhardt, A. N. (In Press). Investigating gender differences in the Co-occurrence of PTSD and food addiction. Appetite. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106605.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In 2009, an American-Georgian team of four archaeologists, four archaeology students, and a geophysicist carried out a four-week season of “extensive” survey of known archaeological sites, together with geophysical prospection at selected locations. In a second four-week season in 2010, with the additions of a geologist and an archaeobotanist, we continued our program of documentation of known sites and of exploratory geophysical prospection, and we also carried out limited test excavations at a number of sites. We returned for a shorter (one- to two-week) study seasons in 2011 and 2014, focusing on museum and archival research in Vani, Kutaisi, and Tbilisi., The area covered by our survey extends 15 km both east and west of Vani, and as far as 10 km south of Vani, from the Phasis River plain at approximately 50 m above sea level to the lower slopes of the lesser Caucasus, at approximately 1000 m above sea level. The purpose of the program was to visit all the previously identified archaeological sites in the region, and to integrate existing knowledge into a database of sites and a Geographical Information System. Each entry into this database is recorded as a dataset in this deposit. Entries recorded in 2009 are prefaced with the letter “A,” those recorded in 2010 are prefaced with the letter “B.” A single entry added in 2011 received the preface, “C.” In carrying out the survey, we depended heavily on the unpublished dissertation by Sulkhan Kharabadze, “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) – Archaeological Map of the Territory of Vani (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD) (Ph.D. dissertation: Georgian Technical University 2008). A map showing the locations of all the sites recorded by the survey is attached to this dataset., Our procedure for each site visit was as follows: we drove to the nearest village and searched out a local guide who could take us to the place we wished to see. We drove as far as we could to each site, then got out and walked, using GPS-equipped field computers (Trimble Geo-XM) to make a continuous record of our path. We recorded the lay of the land and any artifacts we saw en route (pottery sherds, traces of burnt daub, lithics and stone objects, architectural features in situ). We designated as points of interest any significant archaeological remains (concentrations of pottery, in situ features, notable stray finds, etc.), and every place we could identify where earlier discoveries had been made or archaeological excavations carried out. For every point of interest, we recorded the latitude, longitude, and elevation; took a series of digital photographs; and made a grab bag collection of pottery and other finds if possible. Where appropriate, we took basic measurements of architectural features (e.g., of Mediaeval towers). We also kept records of local place names, the names of our local guides, and any miscellaneous information they gave us. , Certain sites were selected for further investigation. These included Saqanchia A001, where we carried our geophysical survey and limited excavation; Shuamta, Melashvilebisgora A033, where we also carried out geophysical survey and limited excavation; Kveda Bzvani A047, where we carried out controlled collection of surface finds; and Zeda Bzvani, Meskhebisgora, A053, where we also carried out controlled collection of surface finds., The datasets recorded in this deposit include basic descriptions of each site, citations to previous publications, and links to relevant maps, photographs, and drawings. Where they exist, maps for individual datasets are labeled according to the name and number of the site, e.g., DapnariA002Map.jpg. The labels for photographs taken during the field season record their numbers in the sequence of photographs taken that season, e.g., Vani09.0047.jpg. A complete list of all photographs recorded in this way is available for download. Photographs and drawings of artifacts from individual sites made after the season are labeled with the names of the sites followed by the numbers assigned to the objects, with photographs saved as jpeg files, and drawings saved as tiff files; thus KvedaBzvani11-14.jpg is a photograph of objects 11-14 from the site of KvedaBzvani, while KvedaBzvani11-14.tif is a set of drawings of the same objects. Finally, drawings of sites where excavations were carried out are labeled with the name of the site, the number of the trench (if applicable), and the type of drawing, so that Shuamta2010.1Plan is a plan of Trench 2010.1 at Shuamta., and In addition, the collections in this deposit group datasets together according to important characteristics such as period (Bronze Age, Iron Age, etc.) or type (settlement, fortification, burial, and so on).
- Citation to related publication:
- Kharabadze, S.(2008). “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) – Archaeological Map of the Territory of Vani (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). (Ph.D. dissertation).Georgian Technical University.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In an upland clearing occupied partly by agricultural fields, partly by farmland, Raphiel Kartvelishvili showed us a cornfield dense with pottery ranging in date from Iron Age to Mediaeval. Local farmer Anzor Tchapodze told us that there was also pottery on both sides of the hill to the north called Nasaqdrigora.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Classical, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- No official archaeological work has been previously conducted at the site., Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 33. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), 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. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the eastern edge of the modern town of Vani, just across the Sulori river from the town’s central traffic circle, lies a hill called Mshvidobisgora, the northeastern edge of which is crowned by a Mediaeval fortress. Mshvidobisgora comprises a long chain of hills rising to an elevation of 175 masl and oriented northwest-southeast, separating the right (east) bank of the Sulori from the Phasis river. The fortress is situated at the northeast edge of the westernmost hill in this chain. The fortress forms the focal point of a modern recreational park. It is roughly square in plan, oriented north-south, east-west, and is constructed of lime mortared rubble masonry, consisting mainly of smoothed cobblestones. All four of the walls are preserved to a height of about 1 m. The wall thickness is about 0.4 m. The length of the east wall is 3.25 m, while that of the south wall is 3.40 m. It is unclear whether a break approximately 1 m wide piercing the south wall near the southeast corner was once a doorway. The hill on which the fortress stands is visible due almost directly east from the “Stepped Altar” on the Middle Terrace at the site of Vani.
- Keyword:
- Fortification and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Hughes, R. C. 2015. The Archaeology of a Colchian Landscape: Results of the Eastern Vani Survey. Ph.D. Dissertation. The University of Michigan. p. 144-145.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- B019 ( https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/data/concern/generic_works/c534fp131?locale=en) and A series of cornfields on the southeast slopes of a hill in the region of Saprasia known as Jijouri was investigated for pottery, but the high corn made visibility very low. Pottery was collected along the northeast side of a hill south of Inashauri at approximately 340 masl, including Classical period pithos fragments. Once in Inashauri, pottery sherds of local fabric were discovered in a small tomato patch (”Lower Saprasia”). A bronze hoe of the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age was found accidentally in 1999 in the region of Saprasia called Jijouri and is now held in the Vani Archaeological Museum (Kharabadze 2008). In this area pottery of the Classical period has also been found.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE, Settlement, and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- A chance find was reported in an area known as Jijouri in 1999. Otherwise no archaeological work has been conducted here. 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 Saprasia is situated 20 km southeast of Vani at 400 masl in the valley of the Kvintsqali in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. It is located in the Vani administrative region. Pottery was collected from a series of hillslopes in the area of Jijouri-Saprasia (A020).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A chance find was reported in an area known as Jijouri in 1999. Otherwise no archaeological work has been conducted here. 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:
- 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:
- On the southern outskirts of the modern village of Amaghleba is a hill which rises to an elevation of 160 masl and is crowned by a Mediaeval fortress. Visible in the slope of the hill above the modern road is a substantial quantity of pottery and tiles, some at least Hellenistic. The topsoil here is quite shallow, and the bedrock, a type of conglomerate, is visible in outcroppings in numerous places. A square tower, oriented north-south east-west, occupies the highest point of the hill, just northwest of a modern cemetery. The preserved structure has a maximum height of 2.7 m at its southwest corner. The north and best preserved wall is 5.1 m long, and the west wall is 4.14 m long and is pierced by break that is not a doorway. The preserved thickness of the west wall is 0.67-0.7 m. The interior face of the walls is slightly curved. The tower is constructed of crude lime mortared masonry. The tower has a spectacular view over the Kvinsquali toward the Phasis River plain, including the area of Khumlari. Hellenistic pottery was collected from the area surrounding the tower.
- Keyword:
- Fortification and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- A survey was carried out in Amaghleba in 1962 and additionally in 1986 in an area known as Khumlari., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. p. 84., 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:
- A hill called Terduradzisgora is located on the southern outskirts of Amaghleba at 120 masl overlooks the north (right) bank of the Kvintsqali. This area may be the place known as Khumlari, where Hellenistic pottery was found during earlier survey. In a cornfield on a level terrace between Terduradzisgora and the Kvintsqali, Hellenistic pottery was collected, including roof tiles and two Colchian amphora toes. The owner of the land is Murman Kapanadze.
- Keyword:
- Hellenistic and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A survey was carried out in Amaghleba in 1962 and additionally in 1986 in an area known as Khumlari., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. p. 84., 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:
- A church built during the 11th century AD is located on the east side of the modern village of Amaghleba.
- Keyword:
- Church and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- A survey was carried out in Amaghleba in 1962, and additional survey in 1986 in an area of Amaghleba known as Khumlari., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. p. 84., 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:
- Murman Kakamidze occupies a house on the northeast side of Amaghleba. In the yard of the house, a large Mediaeval pithos lies buried in situ. According to the house owner, the pithos has an improbable volume of 1200 l.
- Keyword:
- Settlement and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- A survey was carried out in Amaghleba in 1962, and additional survey in 1986 in an area of Amaghleba known as Khumlari., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. p. 84., 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 Amaghleba is located 10 km east of Vani at 80 masl and just south of the main east-west road that runs south of the Phasis River. The Kvintsqali runs through the village and powers a corn mill and small hydroelectric generator. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. Previous investigation in an area called Khumlari revealed pottery and rooftiles of the Hellenistic period; Classical period pottery was also found elsewhere in the area of Amaghleba. In 2010 four points of interest were documented in the area of Amaghleba: a Mediaeval pithos located in situ in the yard of Murman Kakamidze (B011); an 11th-century A.D. church (B012); an area on Terduradzisgora that may be Khumlari, where Hellenistic pottery was collected (B013); and the remains of a Mediaeval fortress located on a hill on the southern outskirts of the modern settlement (B016).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- A survey was carried out in Amaghleba in 1962, and additional survey in 1986 in an area of Amaghleba known as Khumlari., Lordkipanidze, G. 1970. K istorii drevney Kolkhidy. Tbilisi. p. 84., 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:
- 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 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
-
- 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 citadel at Zeda Tsikhesulori occupies the north end of the top of a hill called Natsikharigora just a few degrees south of due west of Vani, 0.75 km as the crow flies from the ancient site, and at an elevation of 207 masl. The fortress consists of a triangular enclosure wall, two sections of which survive, with a square tower attached at the southeast corner. Where measured, the wall is approximately 1.2 m thick and is built of irregular and roughly squared sand- or mudstone blocks with an occasional large cobble set in coarse lime mortar. The average height of the courses is 0.2 m. The slopes of the hill on which the fortification stands fall away steeply on all sides except on the east, where there is a gently sloping cornfield littered with pottery. In the area of the cornfield, one fragment of a large Colchian pithos was found. A large Mediaeval pithos was noted in situ at the north end of the fortification. Previous excavations in this area during the 1970s identified Hellenistic pottery and tiles, as well as material from the Mediaeval period.
- Keyword:
- Hellenistic, Fortification, Mediaeval, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- The area was known as an archaeological location already in the 1950s, and excavations were carried out on Natsikharigora in 1968, 1970, and 1973. Chance finds were reported in 1952 and 2001, both were pithos burial., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. Table XIII2. (In Russian.), Mitsishvili, M. N. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki srednevekovoi kreposti Tsikhe Sulori [Archaeological excavations of the medieval fortress Tsikhe Sulori]. 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. p. 245-46. (In Russian.), Mitsishvili, M. 1973. Arkeologiuri getkhrebi Tsikhe Suloris natsikharze [Archaeological excavations on the Tsikhe Sulori Castle site]. 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. 21-22. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Mitsishvili, M. 1976. Tsikhe-suloris natsikharze tsarmoebuli arkeologiuri tkhris shedegebi [Results of the archaeological excavations of the Tsikhe-Sulori castle site]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 32-47. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Mitsishvili, M. 1977. 1973 tsels Tsikhesuloris natsikharis tkhris angarishi [Report on the excavation of Tsikhe Sulori castle site in 1973]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 43-57, pls. 1-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Monetebi vanidan. [Money from Vani.] Vani III. Tbilisi. p. 130., Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1983. Denezhnoe obrashchenie Tsentralnoi Kolkhidy [The circulation of coins in central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 44., Mitsishvili, M. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa dam is midamoebshi. TsikheSulori. [Classical imports from Vani and its surroundings. Tsikhe-Sulori.] Vani VII. Tbilisi. p. 126. (In Georgian.), 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 Zeda Tsikhesulori lies approximately 0.75 km as the crow flies west of the ancient site of Vani at 200 masl, and approximately twice that distance by road. It is located in the Vani administrative district. At the east edge of the modern settlement lies a hill called Natsikharigora, which is crowned by a masonry fortress; the east slope of the hill is covered by a cornfield containing ancient pottery (B004).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- The area was known as an archaeological location already in the 1950s, and excavations were carried out on Natsikharigora in 1968, 1970, and 1973. Chance finds were reported in 1952 and 2001, both were pithos burial., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. Table XIII2. (In Russian.), Mitsishvili, M. N. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki srednevekovoi kreposti Tsikhe Sulori [Archaeological excavations of the medieval fortress Tsikhe Sulori]. 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. p. 245-46. (In Russian.), Mitsishvili, M. 1973. Arkeologiuri getkhrebi Tsikhe Suloris natsikharze [Archaeological excavations on the Tsikhe Sulori Castle site]. 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. 21-22. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Mitsishvili, M. 1976. Tsikhe-suloris natsikharze tsarmoebuli arkeologiuri tkhris shedegebi [Results of the archaeological excavations of the Tsikhe-Sulori castle site]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 32-47. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Mitsishvili, M. 1977. 1973 tsels Tsikhesuloris natsikharis tkhris angarishi [Report on the excavation of Tsikhe Sulori castle site in 1973]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 43-57, pls. 1-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1977. Monetebi vanidan. [Money from Vani.] Vani III. Tbilisi. p. 130., Dundua, G., and G. Lordkipanidze. 1983. Denezhnoe obrashchenie Tsentralnoi Kolkhidy [The circulation of coins in central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 44., Mitsishvili, M. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa dam is midamoebshi. TsikheSulori. [Classical imports from Vani and its surroundings. Tsikhe-Sulori.] Vani VII. Tbilisi. p. 126. (In Georgian.), 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:
- 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:
- Area B occupies a northeast-southwest oriented, peninsula-like area south of the ancient site of Vani at an elevation of 100 masl. It is bordered on its northwest and southeast sides by gorges through which run perennial streams. Following the initial recommendation of Sulkhan Kharabadze, the area was deemed appropriate for geophysical survey because it was a large plot of accessible, open pasture; it was close to the ancient site of Vani; and ancient features had been reported in the vicinity, including a wall of large blocks of dressed sandstone on the southeast side of the peninsula and pithoi on the northwest side. In 2009 geophysical survey of an area of approximately 3000 sq m (three complete 30 x 30 m survey units, and two partial units) was completed; the entire area was covered with the gradiometer and two of the 30 x 30 m units with the resistivity meter. In the northeast survey unit, the gradiometer revealed a U-shaped rectangular feature, oriented southeast-northwest, and approximately 15 m long and 10 m wide. Centered within this feature was a smaller rectangular feature. Resistivity survey revealed the outlines of this feature as low-resistivity anomalies, suggesting that they were not built out of stone but of some other material such as wood or mudbrick. In 2010 two trenches in Area B (B2010.1 and B2010.2) were opened. The purpose of excavation was to investigate the anomalies revealed by the geophysical survey of 2009. Both anomalies turned out to be natural, and neither trench revealed ancient features of any kind, although the topsoil in both trenches contained a scatter of sherds and tiles. The stone wall and attested pithoi are probably late (Mediaeval or modern), but pottery and tiles provide evidence for activity of the 1st millennium B.C. in Area B.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE
- Citation to related publication:
- No archaeological work has previously been conducted in this particular area of the site.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The archaeological site of Vani lies in the northern foothills of the lower Caucasus at the edge of the Phasis River plain, approximately 35 km southwest of Kutaisi and 4 km due south of the present-day course of the river. The site as excavated occupies a steep-sided hillock overlooking the left (west) bank of the Sulori River, a tributary of the Phasis. The hillock rises at its highest point to an elevation of 167 m asl, about 120 m above the plain below. As defined by its late Hellenistic fortification walls, the site occupies an area of approximately 6 ha, spread over three terraces (known as the Lower, Middle, and Upper Terraces). The site has been very extensively explored, but approximately 4 ha or two-thirds of the fortified area is still occupied by modern house plots and remains to be investigated. Vani is one of the most intensively studied archaeological sites in Colchis. Research at the site is ongoing and includes excavation and palaeoethnobotanical studies. Excavations have revealed a continuous occupation sequence extending from the 8th to the 1st centuries B.C. There is also some limited evidence for habitation in the Roman and Mediaeval periods. Especially notable are the rich and unusual graves of the Classical period (6th to 4th centuries), the monumental stone architecture of the Hellenistic period (3rd to 1st centuries), and the extensive evidence for interaction with the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds, including not only commercial and luxury imports (Greek transport amphorae, fine bronze and silver utensils from both the Greek world and Persia), but also local production of bronze sculpture and one long Greek bronze inscription. Half a century of scientific excavation has produced a detailed model of the history of the site, and generated a rich series of hypotheses about its purpose and function in different periods. One of the more enigmatic features of Vani as currently understood is the very limited evidence for residential occupation at any time. Subjects of special interest include the regional significance of Vani in the Classical and Hellenistic periods, the nature of relations between this area and the Greek world, and the history of the region in Roman times. While it is clear that Vani was an unusually large and complex site in the 1st millennium B.C., it is less certain that it exercised the kinds of administrative control over local settlement and economic control over local commerce that have sometimes been attributed to it on the model of a Greek town. The purpose of the regional survey project begun in 2009 is to address these subjects by integrating existing knowledge about Vani and its environs into the kind of technological and conceptual framework characteristic of contemporary American survey archaeology. Of particular importance is the use of Geographic information Systems (GIS) as an organizational and analytical tool, and geophysical prospection both in the immediate environs of Vani and at regional sites. In 2009 the survey project investigated an area just outside the archaeological site of Vani to the south using two methods of geophysical prospection, electrical resistivity and magnetic survey. In 2010 excavations were carried out in one of these areas, Area B (B001).
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, Hoard, Settlement, Sanctuary, Roman, Burial, Fortification, and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological remains at Vani were known as early as the 1850s, and the first report on assemblages found at the site was produced in 1880. First formal excavations began in 1896, but lasted only a few years. Stray finds of gold jewellery were reported in 1929 and 1940. A new intensive program of survey and excavation was carried intermittently from 1936 to 1946. In 1947, the Vani Archaeological Expedition was established. It was first led by Nino Khostaria (until 1963). Otar Lordkipanidze directed the activities from 1966 until 2002, and was succeeded by Darejan Kacharava after his death in 2002. Active excavations at the site concluded in 2007. Bibliography below is not exhaustive; rather, it lists major volumes on the archaeology of Vani. For a complete list of works published until 1995, see Vani IX volume (1996)., Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1972. Vani I. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi (1947-1969) [Vani I. Archaeological excavations (1947-1969)], vol. I. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1976. Vani II. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani II. Archaeological excavations], vol. II. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1977. Vani III. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani III. Archaeological excavations], vol. III. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with Russian summaries.), Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1979. Vani IV. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani IV. Archaeological excavations], vol. IV. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with Russian and English summaries)., Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1981. Vani V. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani V. Archaeological excavations], vol. VI. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with Russian and English summaries)., Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1981. Vani VI. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani VI. Archaeological excavations], vol. VI. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with Russian and English summaries)., Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1983. Vani VII. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani VII. Archaeological excavations], vol. VII. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with Russian summaries)., Lordkipanidze, Otar, ed. 1986. Vani VIII. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani VIII. Archaeological excavations], vol. VIII. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with Russian summaries)., Lordkipanidze, Otar, Darejan Kacharava, and Arrian Chanturia. 1996. Vani IX. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi [Vani IX. (Archaeological excavations: Analytical bibliography: 1850-1995)]. Tbilisi. (Parallel texts in Georgian and English.), Lordkipanidze, Otar and Pierre Lévêque. Eds. 1996. Sur les traces des Argonautes. Actes du 6e symposium de Vani (Colchide) 22-29 septembre 1990, edited and translated by A. Fraysse, E. Geny and T. Khartchilava. Paris : Diffusé par les belles letters., Lordkipanidze, Otar and Pierre Lévêque. Eds.1999. La mer Noire, zone de contacts : actes du VIIe Symposium de Vani (Colchide), 26-30 IX 1994. Besançon: Presses universitaires franc-comtoises. , Lordkipanidze, Otar and Pierre Lévêque. Eds.1999. Religions du Pont-Euxin : actes du VIIIe Symposium de Vani, Colchide, 1997. Translated and edited by Arlette Fraysse et Évelyne Geny. Paris : Diffusé par Les Belles letters., Lordkipanidze, Otar. 2000. Phasis. The River and City in Colchis. Geographica Historica 15. Stuttgart: Steiner., Faudot, M., Fraysse, A. and É. Geny, eds. 2002. Pont-Euxin et commerce : la genèse de la Route de la soie : actes du IXe Symposium de Vani, Colchide, 1999. Besançon: Presses universitaires franc-comtoises., Kacharava,Darejan, Faudot, M. and E. Geny, eds. 2002. Autour de la Mer Noire: Hommage á Otar Lordkipanidze. Besançon : Presses universitaires franc-comtoises., Kacharava,Darejan, Faudot, M. and E. Geny. Eds. 2005. Pont-Euxin et Polis. Polis Hellenis et Polis Barbaron. Actes du Xe Symposium de Vani 23-26 septembre 2002: hommage à Otar Lordkipanidzé et Pierre Lévêque. Besançon: Presses universitaires Franc- Comtoises., and Kacharava, Darejan, Guram Kvirkvelia, and Jennifer Chi. 2008. Wine, Worship, and Sacrifice: the Golden Graves of Ancient Vani. Princeton: Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, in association with Princeton University Press.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Vani. For a complete description of archaeological work carried out at the ancient site see entry A075.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological remains at Vani were known as early as the 1850s, and the first report on assemblages found at the site was produced in 1880. First formal excavations began in 1896, but lasted only a few years. Stray finds of gold jewellery were reported in 1929 and 1940. A new intensive program of survey and excavation was carried intermittently from 1936 to 1946. In 1947, the Vani Archaeological Expedition was established. It was first led by Nino Khostaria (until 1963). Otar Lordkipanidze directed the activities from 1966 until 2002, and was succeeded by Darejan Kacharava after his death in 2002. Active excavations at the site concluded in 2007. Bibliography below is not exhaustive; rather, it lists major volumes on the archaeology of Vani. For a complete list of works published until 1995, see Vani IX volume (1996). See entry for site A075.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Maisauri is a modern settlement on the west side of the valley of the Qumuri River. According to Raphiel Kartvelishvili, Classical pottery and the remains of a structure built out of ashlar masonry, possibly a church, were found to the west of the settlement on a ridge called Nadarbazevi, which offers a view both northeastward to the Phasis River valley and southwestward to the valley of the Supsa and beyond it to the Black Sea (A073).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- No archaeological research has previously been conducted at the site.
- 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:
- Dutskhuni is a small modern settlement above the left bank of the Qumuri River. According to Raphiel Kartvelishvili, the pithos burial of a child had been found on the steep slopes rising above the modern village of Dutskhuni (A071). Pottery, possibly modern, was also reported in the area.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- No archaeological work has previously been conducted at the site.
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In a small clearing on the east side of a narrow valley on the right bank of the Qumuri River, there were exposed embedded in the roots of a fallen tree large quantities of what appeared to be iron slag.
- Keyword:
- Quarry
- Citation to related publication:
- No official archaeological work has been previously conducted at the site. , Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 33. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), 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. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Qumuri is perched on the west (left) bank of the Qumuri River, about 8 km upstream of Shuamta, and 7.5 km south-southwest of Vani. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. It lies at the beginning of the higher foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, above and beyond the zone of low hillocks overlooking the Phasis River plain. In recent years, a local resident named Raphiel Kartvelishvili has identified a number of points of interest nearby, including a possible iron smelting site (A068) and, on the evidence of a dense sherd scatter, at least one Iron Age settlement (A069). Both sites are situated in and around the upland pastures upstream of the modern village at elevations approaching 1000 masl.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- No official archaeological work has been previously conducted at the site., Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. p. 33. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), 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. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the northern slope of Gachechiladzeebis Ubani, a hill on the northwestern edge of Zeda Gora, a Roman pit grave was excavated by Sulkhan Kharabadze in an agricultural plot owned by Paata Gachechiladze. The grave was exposed when the owner cut into the hillslope to create a terrace for growing tomatoes. It is dated to the 1st-3rd century A.D. by its grave goods, which included an iron sword, a number of iron arrowheads, an iron axe, a bronze bracelet, and a ceramic jug and phiale.
- Keyword:
- Roman and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal objects were found by chance in the general area of Zeda and Kveda Gora in 1945. Extensive surveys were carried out in 1999-2001 and an excavation of a pit grave was conducted in 2003., Koridze, D. 1965. Dzolkhuri dzulturis istoriisatvis. Tbilisi. pp. 15-16, 107-108. (In Georgian)., Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 28-30, fig. 21-5, 110-118. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2003. Akh. ts. I-II ss-is samarkhi sopel Zeda Goradan (Vanis r-ni) [The 1st-2nd cent. A.D. grave from the village of Zeda Gora (Vani district)]. Iberia-kolkheti, No. 1. Dziebani, Damatebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 164-169. (In Georgian.), 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:
- On the southwestern edge of Zeda Gora lies a hill known as Natsikhvarisgora, with the remains of a fortress called Natatralitsike on its summit. The fortress consists of a rectangular structure or enclosure on the top of the hill, with a well preserved tower including an interior postern at its southwest corner (the northwest corner of the fortress is curved on the exterior). There is a gate on the south side of the enclosure, and there are two preserved windows on the north side. In the center of the enclosure are the poorly reserved remains of some kind of interior structure or keep. The lower parts of the walls of the fortress are built of large ashlar foundation blocks, about 0.7 m wide by 0.5 m high, topped by rubble masonry with smaller, irregularly shaped stones widely ranging in size, set in hard white mortar. In most places, even this upper facing has been removed, exposing the mortared rubble core of the walls. The walls are roughly 2.5 m thick, while the preserved height of one of the standing segments is 5.1 m.
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal objects were found by chance in the general area of Zeda and Kveda Gora in 1945. Extensive surveys were carried out in 1999-2001 and an excavation of a pit grave was conducted in 2003., Koridze, D. 1965. Dzolkhuri dzulturis istoriisatvis. Tbilisi. pp. 15-16, 107-108. (In Georgian)., Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 28-30, fig. 21-5, 110-118. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2003. Akh. ts. I-II ss-is samarkhi sopel Zeda Goradan (Vanis r-ni) [The 1st-2nd cent. A.D. grave from the village of Zeda Gora (Vani district)]. Iberia-kolkheti, No. 1. Dziebani, Damatebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 164-169. (In Georgian.), 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:
- On the southwestern edge of Zeda Gora is located a hill called Natsikhvarisgora. On the northeast slope of the hill, in a recent road cut, Sulkhan Kharabadze found a bronze hoe dated to the 8th-7th century B.C., and reported finding Classical materials as well. Pottery (including a Colchian amphora toe) and many fragments of burnt mud plaster have also been recorded by Sulkhan Kharabadze on the top of the hill, as well as on its northern and southern slopes.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Classical, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal objects were found by chance in the general area of Zeda and Kveda Gora in 1945. Extensive surveys were carried out in 1999-2001 and an excavation of a pit grave was conducted in 2003., Koridze, D. 1965. Dzolkhuri dzulturis istoriisatvis. Tbilisi. pp. 15-16, 107-108. (In Georgian)., Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 28-30, fig. 21-5, 110-118. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2003. Akh. ts. I-II ss-is samarkhi sopel Zeda Goradan (Vanis r-ni) [The 1st-2nd cent. A.D. grave from the village of Zeda Gora (Vani district)]. Iberia-kolkheti, No. 1. Dziebani, Damatebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 164-169. (In Georgian.), 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 settlement of Zeda Gora lies 15 km southeast of Vani, and 3.5 km south of the main east-west road on the south side of the Phasis River plain. It is located in the Vani administrative district. It is nestled in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, south of the long, low terrace that overlooks the Phasis River plain east of Vani. On the southwestern edge of the settlement is located a hill called Natsikhvarisgora, with remains of an Iron Age settlement on its eastern slope (A064) and of a fortress called Natatralitsike on its summit (A065). In addition, a Roman pit grave was excavated on the northern slope of a hill in the northwestern part of the village (A066).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Metal objects were found by chance in the general area of Zeda and Kveda Gora in 1945. Extensive surveys were carried out in 1999-2001 and an excavation of a pit grave was conducted in 2003., Koridze, D. 1965. Dzolkhuri dzulturis istoriisatvis. Tbilisi. pp. 15-16, 107-108. (In Georgian)., Jikia, L. 1988. Brinjaos sameurneo iaraghebi kutaisis muzeumdan. Kiemm, V. pp. 28-30, fig. 21-5, 110-118. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2003. Akh. ts. I-II ss-is samarkhi sopel Zeda Goradan (Vanis r-ni) [The 1st-2nd cent. A.D. grave from the village of Zeda Gora (Vani district)]. Iberia-kolkheti, No. 1. Dziebani, Damatebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 164-169. (In Georgian.), 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:
- In addition to the surface scatters on the slopes of Prasoula Hill, antiquities previously found at Serisdziri and studied by Sulkhan Kharabadze include a Roman pit grave, exposed in the southern bank of a stream running through the area. The grave is dated to the 1st century B.C. or later by a coin of Polemon I. The owner of the plot in which the pit grave was found is Paata Arveladze. Also in this area, along the northern base of Prasoula Hill in the general area known as Gverda, Sulkhan Kharabadze had previously found a Late Roman amphora toe. During our visit in 2009, we recorded fragments of a Medieval pithos set in lime mortar as well as a stone mortar fragment (0.04 m thick).
- Keyword:
- Roman and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds from Phereta were reported in 1954. Short surveys followed in 1998 and 2005., Abramishvili, T. 1974. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis p’artuli monetebis katarogi. Tbilisi. p. 101. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2002. Bvianantikuri khanis samarkhi Peretadan. Dziebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 81-87. (In Georgian.), 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. 37-40. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Phereta includes an area called Serisdziri, which itself includes a smaller area called Gverda. In the general region of Gverda is a hill oriented east-west known as Prasoula Hill, after the regionally specific variant of corn grown along its slopes. On the north-northwest side of this hill, we recorded a surface scatter of Iron Age pottery and fragments of burnt mud plaster (in an agricultural plot owned by a man named Devidze, A060). Iron Age pottery has also been found on the northeastern side of the hill (by Sulkhan Kharabadze).
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Classical, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds from Phereta were reported in 1954. Short surveys followed in 1998 and 2005., Abramishvili, T. 1974. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis p’artuli monetebis katarogi. Tbilisi. p. 101. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2002. Bvianantikuri khanis samarkhi Peretadan. Dziebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 81-87. (In Georgian.), 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. 37-40. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Phereta includes an area called Serisdziri, which itself includes a smaller area called Gverda. In the general region of Gverda is a hill oriented east-west known as Prasoula Hill, after the regionally specific variant of corn grown along its slopes. On the northwest side of this hill, we recorded a surface scatter of Mediaeval pottery, as well as an in situ pithos set in lime mortar. Similar fragments of pithoi set in lime mortar were found to the east and to the west along the hillslopes, suggesting the existence of a Medieval settlement on the hill.
- Keyword:
- Settlement and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds from Phereta were reported in 1954. Short surveys followed in 1998 and 2005., Abramishvili, T. 1974. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis p’artuli monetebis katarogi. Tbilisi. p. 101. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2002. Bvianantikuri khanis samarkhi Peretadan. Dziebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 81-87. (In Georgian.), 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. 37-40. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- There is abundant evidence for Iron Age to Hellenistic occupation on the property of the Latchqebiani family on the eastern side of the modern village of Phereta. The Latchqebiani house is located on the northern slope of a small hill oriented east-west and extending westwards from a larger chain of hills. In the yard in front of the house, members of the family have found bones as well as metal bracelets and other metal fragments. Sulkhan Kharabadze suggests that these materials probably came from one or more pit graves, since no pithos fragments were found with them. This would indicate a date in or after the 2nd-1st century B.C., when pithos burials were replaced by pit graves in this region. Substantial quantities of pottery and bones were also found in a vineyard on the southern slope of the hill, behind the house. Sergo Latchqebiani had collected many sherds, which he showed us, including a zoomorphic handle (8th-7th century B.C.), a hatched pitharion rim (6th-4th century B.C.), a body fragment from a black-glazed plate (4th century B.C.?), a Hellenistic tile fragment, various pithos and pitharion fragments, a brick (11 cm wide by 5 m thick) with an V-shaped impression, some obsidian flakes, and a stone cannon ball 12-13 cm in diameter. On the southern slope of the hill above the vineyard are located the remains of a wall, possibly part of a terrace, built of limestone, sandstone, and other materials but with no trace of mortar. The wall is preserved to a length of 3 m. Its date is uncertain.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds from Phereta were reported in 1954. Short surveys followed in 1998 and 2005., Abramishvili, T. 1974. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis p’artuli monetebis katarogi. Tbilisi. p. 101. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2002. Bvianantikuri khanis samarkhi Peretadan. Dziebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 81-87. (In Georgian.), 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. 37-40. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In 1954 Qishvardi Shikvaidze found a coin of Parthian king Orodes II (57-37 B.C.) in the yard of his house on the southern slope of a hill at the western edge of the modern settlement of Phereta. The coin, now held in the Vani Archaeological Museum, is from a Roman pit grave and indicates a date in the 1st or 2nd century A.D. The daughter-in-law of Shikvaidze currently lives in the house.
- Keyword:
- Stray Find and Roman
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds from Phereta were reported in 1954. Short surveys followed in 1998 and 2005., Abramishvili, T. 1974. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis p’artuli monetebis katarogi. Tbilisi. p. 101. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2002. Bvianantikuri khanis samarkhi Peretadan. Dziebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 81-87. (In Georgian.), 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. 37-40. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Phereta lies 16 km southeast of Vani and 4.5 km south of the main east-west road on the south side of the Phasis River plain. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. It is nestled in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, south of the long low terrace that overlooks the Phasis River plain east of Vani. The settlement includes a house where the coin of a Parthian king was found in 1954 (A058); a house (belonging to the Latchqebiani family) where a pit grave and much pottery has been found (A059); and an area to the south known as Serisdziri, in which a Medieval settlement (A060), an Iron Age settlement (A061), and a Roman pit grave (A062) have been identified.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Chance finds from Phereta were reported in 1954. Short surveys followed in 1998 and 2005., Abramishvili, T. 1974. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis p’artuli monetebis katarogi. Tbilisi. p. 101. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2002. Bvianantikuri khanis samarkhi Peretadan. Dziebani IX. Tbilisi. pp. 81-87. (In Georgian.), 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. 37-40. (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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The agricultural fields on the southwest slope of the hill crowned by a Mediaeval fortress on the eastern edge of Zeda Bzvani (Meskhebisgora, A052) are rich in surface pottery, including Classical pithos fragments, Sinopian ware, and late Hellenistic ware.
- Keyword:
- Classical, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Surveys were carried out here in 1936, 1978, 1984, ans 2008. Stray finds were reported here in 1925, 1936, and 1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 150-51, pl. II, 2. (In Russian.), 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. p. 55. (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. 21-23. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- On the eastern edge of Zeda Bzvani is a hill called Meskhebisgora, which is crowned by the remains of a fortress built of mortared rubble set in hard, white mortar and faced with limestone slabs. The fortress, densely overgrown and very difficult of access, appears to be rectilinear in plan, with at least one tower incorporated into its exterior circuit on the west side. The tower is approximately 5 meters wide with large blocks forming its lower courses and a small window on one side. On top of the hill inside the fortress is a deep circular structure, possibly a cistern. Local informants in Inashauri said that there was a tunnel running from the fortress on Meskhebisgora to Inashauri (A054, A055, A056).
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- Surveys were carried out here in 1936, 1978, 1984, ans 2008. Stray finds were reported here in 1925, 1936, and 1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 150-51, pl. II, 2. (In Russian.), 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. p. 55. (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. 21-23. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Zeda Bzvani lies in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus 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 west of Inashauri (A054). The village is located in the Vani administrative district. We identified six points of interest. On the eastern edge of the village is a hill called Meskhebisgora, which is crowned by the remains of a fortress built of mortared rubble masonry (A052), and has pottery scattered across the agricultural fields on its southwestern slopes (A053). Local informants in Inashauri said that there was a tunnel from the fortress on Meskhebisgora to Inashauri (A054, A055, A056). Pottery noted on a hill to the northwest with a church and modern cemetery (A050) is technically part of Zeda Bzvani, but because it is so close to the sites in Kveda Bzvani mentioned above, the hill has been grouped with the latter.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Surveys were carried out here in 1936, 1978, 1984, ans 2008. Stray finds were reported here in 1925, 1936, and 1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 150-51, pl. II, 2. (In Russian.), 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. p. 55. (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. 21-23. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The southeastern hill investigated at Kveda Bzvani actually belongs to the village of Zeda Bzvani to the southeast, but because it is much closer to the complex of sites recorded in Kveda Bzvani (A047, A048, A049) than to the other points of interest identified in Zeda Bzvani (A052, A053), we have grouped it with the former. The hill is occupied by a church and modern cemetery, but ancient pottery is visible in many places on the top and sides of the hill. Of particular interest were large fragments of a Colchian amphora on the southern slope of the hill, and a significant quantity of pottery visible in the slumped scarp of a modern grave plot on the southwestern side of the hill. According to local informants, objects such as bracelets from pithos burials found in this area are now held in the Kutaisi Museum.
- Keyword:
- Classical, Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Surveys were carried out here in 1936, 1978, 1984, ans 2008. Stray finds were reported here in 1925, 1936, and 1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 150-51, pl. II, 2. (In Russian.), 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. p. 55. (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. 21-23. (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:
- 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 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
-
- 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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Melashvilebisgora or Melashvilebis Ubani is located south of the modern settlement of Shuamta and is oriented roughly north-south. On top of the hill stands a middle-late Mediaeval fortress of mortared rubble masonry (mainly cobblestones set in hard white mortar), large pieces of which have fallen down the slopes of the hill. Most of the visible masses of masonry appear to have fallen into their current position rather than have remained in situ. The structure measures approximately 20 m by 15 m. The fortress was strategically located to exploit clear sightlines over the Qumuri River and upstream to the hills and beyond to Vani.
- Keyword:
- Fortification, Mediaeval, and 16th-17th century CE
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological knowledge of Shuamta dates to the late 1970's. Formal archaeological work in the form of surveys took place in 1981 and 1986. No further work has been done in the area., Beradze, T. 1977. Vanis raionis istoriuli geograpiidan [From the historical geography of the Vani district]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 238-40. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Kacharava, D. 1983. Mokhatuli, shavlakiani da sada keramika. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 26-51, p. 29. (In Georgian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Kvirkvelia, G. T. 1990. Vanskii region v VII-V vv. do n. e. [The Vani Region in the 7th-5th cent. B.C.] Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. p. 280. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 42-43, Plate XXXII. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Melashvilebisgora or Melashvilebis Ubani is located south of the modern settlement of Shuamta and is oriented roughly north south. Pottery was noted both during previous survey work and during the present investigation over all sides of the hill, suggesting that it was the site of an extensive settlement. In particular, ploughed agricultural fields on the west slope of the hill yielded a rich assemblage of pottery, including an Early Bronze Age tubular jug and miscellaneous sherds dating from the Iron Age through the Late Hellenistic period, burnt mud plaster, fragments of flint and obsidian, a bronze bracelet, and glass fragments, including one fragment of a glass bracelet. On the east slope of the hill, large fragments of burnt mud plaster were noted together with a Colchian pan tile fragment of the Hellenistic period. In 2009 the survey project investigated the area using two methods of geophysical prospection, electrical resistivity and magnetic survey. In 2010 excavations were carried out to investigate anomalies detected by geophysical prospection. A series of four trenches revealed significant concentrations of pottery and burnt daub from wattle-and-daub structures, in three cases associated with pit features. One of these, a circular pit approximately 2 m wide and 60 cm deep is too small to have been used for habitation, and was perhaps a dugout storage feature or waste pit of some kind, partly subterranean, partly rising above grade on wattle and daub walls. Another, 1.5 m wide and at least 2.5 m long, may have belonged to a dugout house. Alternatively, these features may be quarry pits resulting from the collection of clay-rich soils appropriate for constructing the kind of wattle-and-daub structures that are found here and at sites throughout the region. These quarry pits would then have been filled with waste materials such as burnt mud plasters during the occupation of the site. With the exception of one trench that contained some debris that had apparently washed down from later habitation at a higher elevation, the small finds from these excavations were exclusively Iron Age in date, including three terracotta animal figurines.
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, Settlement, and Early Bronze Age
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological knowledge of Shuamta dates to the late 1970's. Formal archaeological work in the form of surveys took place in 1981 and 1986. No further work has been done in the area., Beradze, T. 1977. Vanis raionis istoriuli geograpiidan [From the historical geography of the Vani district]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 238-40. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.) , Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Kacharava, D. 1983. Mokhatuli, shavlakiani da sada keramika. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 26-51, p. 29. (In Georgian.) , Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon. , Kvirkvelia, G. T. 1990. Vanskii region v VII-V vv. do n. e. [The Vani Region in the 7th-5th cent. B.C.] Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. p. 280. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 42-43, Plate XXXII. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern settlement of Shuamta lies 5 km west of Vani at the point where the main east-west road south of the Phasis River crosses the Qumuri, a major tributary of the Phasis. The village is located in the Vani administrative district. Our investigations centered on a hill south of the village center, overlooking the left (west) bank of the Qumuri River. The hill is named Melashvilebisgora or Melashvilebis Ubani and is oriented roughly north-south. We approached the hill by driving south around its west side, stopping at a ploughed field very rich in pottery (A033). We then walked to the top of the hill from this field. On the highest point rests a Mediaeval fortress built of mortared rubble masonry, large chunks of which have fallen down the surrounding slopes (A034). Pottery was noted during both previous survey work and during the present investigation over all sides of the hill, suggesting that it was the site of an extensive settlement. Of special note was a fragment of a 6th-century B.C. Chiote chalice.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological knowledge of Shuamta dates to the late 1970's. Formal archaeological work in the form of surveys took place in 1981 and 1986. No further work has been done in the area., Beradze, T. 1977. Vanis raionis istoriuli geograpiidan [From the historical geography of the Vani district]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 238-40. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.) , Gamqrelidze, G. 1982. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Kacharava, D. 1983. Mokhatuli, shavlakiani da sada keramika. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 26-51, p. 29. (In Georgian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Kvirkvelia, G. T. 1990. Vanskii region v VII-V vv. do n. e. [The Vani Region in the 7th-5th cent. B.C.] Prichernomorye v VII-V vv. do n. e. Pismennye istochniki i arkheologiya. Materialy V Mezhdunarodnogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya. Vani – 1987 [The Black Sea littoral in the 7th-5th centuries B.C. Literary sources and archaeology (Problem of authenticity). Materials of the 5th International symposium dedicated to the problems of the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral. Vani – 1987]. Tbilisi. p. 280. (In Russian.), and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqt’emberi. p. 42-43, Plate XXXII. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Mtisdziri lies 10 km west of Vani on the main east-west road south of the Phasis River at the edge of the river plain. Mtisdziri is located on the border between the Samtredia and Vani administrative districts. The main area of archaeological interest is a cluster of small hills, southeast of the center of the settlement, which rise to elevations 80-120 m above the valley. These include three hills running in a row from east to west, Adeishvilebisgora, Mtisdzirisgora, and Nabambevisgora, together with a fourth, higher hill, known as Naktsevigora, which rises behind the first two. In recent years (beginning in 1978), substantial landslides from this last hill have partially filled the valley (Geperidzeebis Ghele) between Adeishvilebisgora and Mtisdzirisgora. To the west, running between Mtisdzirisgora and Nabambevisgora, there is a small stream, whose name is the Tsabla Ghele. The area to the west of this stream, on the east slope of Nabambevisgora, is called Nashuebi. These hills were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s, which yielded remains dating from the 7th century B.C. to the early Mediaeval period (Gamkrelidze and Knauss). Mtisdziri was visited on 20 and 21 June 2009. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of the timber frame structure in Trench 11 on the east side of the hill (A024), where we saw traces of stone foundations; and the location of the Late Roman and Mediaeval structure in Trench 12 on top of the hill (A025), where a stone wall 0.7 m wide was visible. The path leading up the hill the east side, now planted with hazelnut trees, is littered with fragments of burnt mud plaster and pottery. On Mtisdzirisgora, we recorded a possible disturbed pithos burial, visible in an eroded scarp (A026) and a surface scatter of pottery and small cobbles just below the top of the hill (A027). As noted above, landslides have filled much of the valley between Adeishvilebisgora and Mtisdzirisgora. We climbed up Naktsevigora, the source of the landslides, but saw no ancient remains. In the area of Nashuebi, we picked up a 4th c. B.C. Thasian amphora toe on the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele (A029); this point also marks the general area in Nashuebi where a pit grave was accidentally found and excavations were carried out. In walking around Nabambevisgora, we found several pottery sherds on the east slope and fragments of burnt mud plaster on the north slope (A030) but nothing on the top of the hill, where lies a grassy meadow called the “Airport.” Further to the north at the base of the hill, in an area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), our local informant told us that a number of pithos burials had been found (A028), but we observed no traces of ancient occupation in this area.
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nabambevisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. The east slope of Nabambevisgora is known as Nashuebi; here a rich grave including a silver rhyton was found and excavations later carried out (A029). In walking around Nabambevisgora, we found several pottery sherds on the east slope and fragments of burnt mud plaster on the north slope (A030) but nothing on the top of the hill, where lies a grassy meadow called the “Airport.”
- Keyword:
- Classical and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nabambevisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. The eastern limit of Nabambevisgora is formed by a small stream called the Tsabla Ghele. The area to the west of this stream, on the east slope of the Nabambevisgora, is called Nashuebi. Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects in Nashuebi in 1952. The assemblage was found beneath a large slab and possibly belonged to a grave covered by this slab. Included in the assemblage were a number of precious artifacts, including “a gold earring, a gold torque, [and] fragments of a bronze vessel” (G. Gamkrelidze), together with, most notably, a silver rhyton with a protome in the form of a man-headed goat (the figural protome is 0.76 m in both height and length). This rhyton, now in the Vani Museum, has been much studied and published, most extensively by G. Gamkrelidze and F. Knauss, both of whom agree that it combines Achaemenid models with Greek ornament, and was probably made by local artisans in the 4th century B.C. In the 1970s, two trenches were dug in the area of the Tsabla Ghele, where the grave with the silver rhyton had been found, but the grave was not located (Trenches 14 and 15) (Gamkrelidze); it may have been carried away or buried by a landslide. During our visit, we picked up a Thasian amphora toe of the 4th century B.C. on the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele (A029); this point also marks the general area in Nashuebi where the rich grave including the silver rhyton was found and excavations carried out.
- Keyword:
- Classical and Stray Find
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nikuradzeebis Ubani (also known as Samkharadzeebis Ubani) is a gently sloping area that stretches out to the north from the base of Nabambevisgora, which is one of the four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In Nikuradzeebis Ubani, two pithos burials presumably of the Hellenistic period were found by chance in 1958. During our visit, a farmer living in this area named Giorgi Tavadze, told us that a number of pithos burials had been found there recently as well, but we observed no traces of ancient occupation in this area.
- Keyword:
- 1st Millennium BCE and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Mtisdzirisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the 1970s, a single trench was dug on Mtisdzirisgora, where Hellenistic pottery and lumps of burnt daub but no in-situ features were unearthed (Trench 13) (Gamkrelidze). On the northwest slope of the Mtisdzirisgora, just below the top of the hill, we recorded a surface scatter of pottery and small cobbles (A027), the latter possibly remains of the foundations of small houses, workshops, or farm buildings.
- Keyword:
- Classical, Settlement, and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Mtisdzirisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. On the northeast slope of Mtisdzirisgora, Sulkhan Kharabadze identified a possible pithos burial, now disturbed (A026); preserved in the scarp of the hill were a number of pithos fragments and possibly human bones.
- Keyword:
- Classical and Burial
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Adeishvilebisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of a previously excavated timber frame structure on the east side of the hill (A024); and the location of a previously excavated Late Roman and Mediaeval structure on top of the hill (A025), where a stone wall 0.7 m wide was visible. The path leading up the hill the east side, now planted with hazelnut trees, is littered with fragments of burnt mud plaster and pottery. Here on the top of Adeishvilebisgora (A025), excavations revealed the stone walls of a large masonry structure in Trench 12. The an oblong structure is oriented east-west: 29.4 m east-west by 7.5 m north-south. The walls of the structure are 1 m wide, and it is divided by a cross wall into two rooms, one 5.5 m wide and 21 m long, the other 5.5 m square. The walls are built of mortared rubble masonry, mostly sandstone with some other materials including limestone, marble, and river cobbles. The upper parts of the structure must also have been built partly of brick, and it seems to have had a tile roof (400 fragments of brick and 500 fragments of tile were recovered in the excavations). Other finds included local and imported (sigillata) pottery, iron items, and fragments of glass vessels. The excavator, G. Gamkrelidze, believed that this structure was built in the Late Roman period (3rd or 4th century A.D.), and used until the early Mediaeval period (8th century A.D.). Traces of earlier buildings are preserved at the east end of the structure, which the excavator identified with an early Roman phase (1st c. -3rd c. A.D.). The excavator believed that the late Roman/early Mediaeval building exposed in Trench 12 belonged to “a large fortification complex,” but it is not obviously defensive in character. He also suggested, on the evidence of a nearby toponym, Mukhuri (located between Mtisdziri and Dablagomi) that Mtisdziri in this period may be identified with a fortified outpost named as Μουχείρισος in Byzantine sources. We visited the old excavation site, which was much overgrown, where we were able to record a section of a stone wall 0.07 m thick.
- Keyword:
- Late Roman, Fortification, Mediaeval, and Roman
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Adeishvilebisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of a previously excavated timber frame structure on the east side of the hill (A024); and the location of a previously excavated Late Roman and Mediaeval structure on top of the hill (A025). Previous excavations on the east slope of Adeishvilebisgora (A024) revealed the stone foundations of a timber frame structure interpreted as a watchtower by excavator G. Gamkrelidze and dated to the end of the 5th or first half of the 4th century B.C. (Trench 11). According to the excavation publications, this structure is oblong and oriented north-south: 14.8 m north-south by 10 m east-west. Its walls range in width from 2.6 to 2.8 m, and it is divided by a cross wall, 1.0 m wide, into two chambers, one 4.8 wide by 5.6 m long, the other 4.8 wide by 2.8 m long. According to the excavator, the inner and outer faces of the walls were built in log cabin fashion (as described by Vitruvius for Colchian houses) on stone foundations set in shallow trenches dug into undisturbed soil. The stone foundations on the exterior rose higher than those on the interior, thus apparently forming a socle that originally rose above the surrounding ground level. The spaces between the wall faces were filled with rubble set in mud, with occasional wooden tie beams. The excavator suggests that this structure may have been a multi-storied tower. He further suggests that it may have formed part of the territorial fortifications of Vani, but his reconstruction is also compatible with the identification of the structure as a fortified house – some variant of the type of structure described, in fact, by Vitruvius. The structure is dated by Colchian and imported pottery (fragments of Chian amphora; two complete Mendean amphorae; four fragments of black-glazed pottery) found in the excavations, and by a radiocarbon date for a sample of the timber framework of 330 B.C. plus or minus 40 years (uncalibrated and not reliable). The excavator believed that it was destroyed by fire in the mid-4th century B.C. A similar structure was apparently found at Vartsikhe. The excavation also revealed material from the 7th-6th century B.C. During our visit, the stone foundations of a structure were visible in the old excavation trench, but no additional ancient remains were found.
- Keyword:
- Classical and Fortification
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977. , Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Adeishvilebisgora is one of four hills near the modern village of Mtisdziri that were the foci of excavations carried out in the 1970s and the location of a number of accidental finds. These hills are located southeast of the center of the modern village, which lies 10 km west of Vani on the south edge of the Phasis River valley, and rise to elevations 80-120 m above the plain. In the area of Adeishvilebisgora, we recorded three points of interest: the site of an old excavation trench in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora (the area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari; A023); the location of a previously excavated timber frame structure on the east side of the hill (A024); and the location of a previously excavated Late Roman and Mediaeval structure on top of the hill (A025). Here in the saddle between Adeishvilebisgora and Naktsevigora, an area known as Geperidzeebis Namosakhlari (A023), excavations of the 1970s revealed cultural materials, including pithos burials but no in-situ features, in nine of the ten trenches excavated (one was sterile).
- Keyword:
- Early Hellenistic, Iron Age, Classical, Late Hellenistic, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research at Mtisdziri began with the chance discovery of a rich assemblage of objects above the west bank of the Tsabla Ghele in the area known as Nashuebi in 1952. Later chance discoveries include two pithos burials found in 1958 in the western part of the village, north of Nabambevis Gora, in the area known as Nikuradzeebis Ubani (or Samkharadzeebis Ubani), presumably of the early Hellenistic period. In 1971 and 1972, the Vani expedition team collected surface pottery. Excavations were conducted in 1973-1977., Khoshtaria, N. V. 1959. Arkheologicheskiye issledovaniya v Vani i Vanskom rayone v 1952 g. [Archaeological studies in Vani and Vani district in 1952]. Masalebi sakartvelos da kavkasiis arkeologiisatvis [Materials for the archaeology of Georgia and the Caucasus], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 149-162, pls. I-XIX. (In Russian.) p. 149-150., 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. P. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Ramishvili, A., and O. Lanchava. 1973. Vanis kveqana [The “kveqana” of Vani]. Twenty-five Years of the Vani Archaeological Expedition. Summaries of the Scientific Session. Tbilisi. p. 20. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1976. Mtisdzirshi napovni qants -ritoni [Horn-rhyton found in Mtisdziri]. Dzeglis megobari, N 41. Tbilisi. pp. 17-20. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi sop. Mtisdziris midamoebshi [Archaeological excavations in the environs of the village of Mtisdziri]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 74-78. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. A. 1977b. K izucheniyu drevnekolkhidskikh oboronitelnykh sooruzhenii [Towards the study of the ancient Colchian defensive structures]. Sakartvelos metsnirebata akademiis moambe [Bulletin of the Georgian Acad. Sci.], vol. 88, N 2. Tbilisi. pp. 501-505. (In Russian with summaries in Georgian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1977c. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of Mtisdziri]. Vani III. Pp. 58-70, pls. 25-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1978. Vanis mtisdziris akhlad aghmochenili adreuli shuasaukuneebis nageboba [Recently discovered building in Mtisdziri of Vani of the early Middle Ages]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 3. Tbilisi. pp. 109-123. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1979. Drevniye poseleniya v srednem techenii reki Rioni (Mtisdziri v VII v. do n. e. – VII v. v. e.). Avtoreferat dissertatsii na soiskaniye uchenoi stepeni ckandidata istoricheskikh nauk [The ancient settlements in the middle part of the river Rioni (Mtisdziri in the 7th cent. B.C. – 7th cent. A. D.). Synopsis of thesis to defend the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences]. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period]. Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982a. Adreshuasaukuneebis samshenenblo keramika adeishvilebis goridan [The early medieval pottery from the Adeishvili hill]. Arkeologiuri dziebani. Akhalgazrda mkvlevarta II da III sametsniero sesiis masalebi [Archaeological investigations. Materials of the 2nd and 3rd scientific sessions of young researchers]. Tbilisi. pp. 115-122. (In Georgian.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1982b. Tsentraluri kolkhetis dzveli namosakhlarebi [Ancient settlements of Central Colchis]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian with summaries in Russian and English.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983a. Antikuri importi vansa am is da mis midamoebshi. Mtisdziri [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Mtisdziri]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 127-128, pl. 52. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Gamqrelidze, G. 1983b. Sop. Mtisdziris arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological monuments of the village of Mtisdziri]. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 6. Tbilisi. p. 672. (In Georgian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1990. From Colchian mythology (Ochopintre – a Pantype God). Preprinter. Tbilisi. (Summary in Russian.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Gamkrelidze, G. 1992. K arkheologii doliriy doliny Phazisa (Rioni) [Towards the archaeology of the Phasis (Rioni) valley]. Tbilisi. pp. 11, 20-25, 49-100. (In Russian.), Gamkrelidze, G. 1998. Ein Rhyton mit Götterdarstellung aus der Kolchis. Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 30. Pp. 211-16., Knauß, F. S. 1999a. “Ein silbernes Trinkhorn aus Mtisdziri. Die Kolchis zwischen Achämeniden und Griechen.” In R. F. Docter and E. M. Moormann (eds.), Proceedings of the XVth International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Amsterdam 12. – 17. July 1998. Amsterdam. p. 218-222., Knauß, F. S. 1999b. Bocksdämon und Perserin. Untersuchungen zur Ikonographie und Chronologie der späten graeco-persischen Glyptik, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan 31. Pp. 161-189., Gamkrelidze, G. 2001. Kolkhologiuri narkvevebi [Colchological sketches]. Tbilisi. (In Georgian.), Knauss, F. 2006. “Ancient Persia and the Caucasus.” Iranica Antiqua XLI: 79-118., and Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveq’nis” Arqeologiuri Ruk’a (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.). (Archaeological Map of the Vani Land, 8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD). Tsardgenilia Doqt’oris Ak’ademiuri Khariskhis Mosap’oveblad. Saqartvelos T’eqnik’uri Universit’et’i. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. P. 29-31. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- In the east (uphill) scarp of a low terrace southeast of the point where the main east-west road crosses the Shavi Ghele, Sulkhan Kharabadze and Guram Kvirkvelia identified an 8th-7th century B.C. “cultural layer,” dated by a fragment of a zoomorphic handle and including many fragments of burnt mud plaster. This layer appears to be about 0.40 m thick, but the bottom of the layer is obscured by slump at the base of the scarp, and it may be thicker. The layer is covered by river gravel about 0.30-0.40 m thick, on top of which lies a more recent cultural layer, about 0.30-0.40 m thick. To the south, the remains of a Mediaeval church (A021) are embedded in this upper layer.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: Ellinizm i Prichernomorye. Tskhaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982 g. Tezisy dokladov i soobshchenii [Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral on the theme: “Hellenism and the Black Sea littoral.” Tsqaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982. Abstracts of reports and communications]. Tbilisi. pp. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The remains of a church, probably destroyed by Communism enthusiasts in the early 20th century were noted just southeast of the point where the main east-west road crosses the Shavi Ghele (which runs north-south). The church is built of limestone slabs set in hard white mortar. The foundations of the church are exposed in the east (uphill) scarp of a low terrace. Further to the north, in the same scarp, Sulkhan Kharabadze and Guram Kvirkvelia identified an 8th-7th century B.C. “cultural layer” (A022).
- Keyword:
- Church and Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: Ellinizm i Prichernomorye. Tskhaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982 g. Tezisy dokladov i soobshchenii [Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral on the theme: “Hellenism and the Black Sea littoral.” Tsqaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982. Abstracts of reports and communications]. Tbilisi. pp. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- To the southeast of Natsikhvarisgora runs the Shavi Ghele. East of the Shavi Ghele rises a stepped series of hills oriented north-south. To the east of this series of hills is a village called Gomnatekhebi, which means “Place of Broken Sherds.” Though this series of hills does not have a specific name, this record will refer to it as Gomnatekhebi as well. We drove south to a high point on this series of hills and walked north, down the hills and towards the main road. On the way, Sulkhan Karabadze found a large pottery sherd with a multirolled handle, which Guram Kvirkvelia identified as Roman or early Mediaeval. A man living in a 19th-century wooden house nearby reported to have found pithos fragments in the same area. All pottery collected from this area has been identified as Early Mediaeval.
- Keyword:
- Settlement and Early Mediaeval
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: Ellinizm i Prichernomorye. Tskhaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982 g. Tezisy dokladov i soobshchenii [Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral on the theme: “Hellenism and the Black Sea littoral.” Tsqaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982. Abstracts of reports and communications]. Tbilisi. pp. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- 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
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Just east of the hill crossed by the Baku-Supsa pipeline (A009) runs a minor tributary of the Phasis River (oriented northwest-southeast). The small village of Nigorzghva (A018) lies approximately 2 km up this stream, southeast of Sajavakho (A016). Two points of interest were recorded near Nigorzghva: a modern quarry with ancient pottery (A011) and a reported pithos burial (A012).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research in the area around Sajavakho began with limited excavations in 1896. In 1958 a survey carried out by the Kutaisi State Historical-Ethnographical Museum identified pithos graves at Sajavakho., 1898. “Otcheti arkheologicheskoi komissii za 1896 god [Reports of the archaeological committee for 1896].” Otchet Imperatorskoy arkheologicheskoy komissii [Report of the Archaeological Committee]. St. Petersburg. p. 109. (In Russian.) [OAK for 1896], 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. p. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 23., Noneshvili, A. I. 1992. Pogrebalnie obryady narodov Zakavkazya [Burial Rites of Trans-Caucasian Peoples]. Tbilisi. p. 52. (In Russian.), Charkviani, M. 2005. eqvtime taqaishvilis mier aghmochenili antikuri khanis arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological Monuments of Classical Time Found by Eqvtime Taqaishvili]. Iberia-Kolkheti 2: 76-84. p. 77. (In Georgian.), 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. 34. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Dablagomi lies 11 km west of Vani on the main east-west road south of the Phasis River at the edge of the river plain. It is located in the Samtredia administrative district. Our survey focused on an area south of the main road centered on the Tetri Ghele (“White Stream”) and the Shavi Ghele (“Black Stream”) Rivers, and on the hills on either side. In these areas, excavations carried out in the 1970s and earlier had recovered archaeological remains extending in date from the early Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period. Pride of place goes to a rich grave of the early 3rd century, set in a large wooden coffin and covered with Sinopean tiles (Tolordava 1976b). To the west of the Tetri Ghele, we visited and recorded sites at Nasakirevigora (A014) and Nasaqdrevigora (A015). Although we observed no ancient remains at the latter location, earlier excavations had revealed finds of the Classical period. Between the Tetri Ghele and Shavi Ghele, we assigned a site number to Natsikhvarigora (Natsikhvara) (A019), where we saw both pottery and fragments of burnt mud plaster on the surface, and where excavations had also been carried out in the 1970s. East of the Shavi Ghele, we walked along a hill called Gomnatekhebi (A020), where Sulkhan Kharabadze found an amphora handle, and other pottery finds were reported by a farmer living on the hill. In the central part of the village of Dablagomi, just south of the main road, we gave site numbers to a destroyed church (A021) and an 8th-7th century B.C. “cultural layer” exposed in a modern terracing operation (A022).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: Ellinizm i Prichernomorye. Tskhaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982 g. Tezisy dokladov i soobshchenii [Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral on the theme: “Hellenism and the Black Sea littoral.” Tsqaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982. Abstracts of reports and communications]. Tbilisi. pp. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
-
- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- The modern village of Sajavakho lies 18 km west of Vani on the main east-west road south of the Phasis River, where the level river plain meets the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. It is located in the Samtredia administrative district. The area of Sajavakho includes: the modern town; the hills around the town; a portion of the river plain between the main road and the Phasis River, near the confluence of the Phasis and Tskhenistsqali Rivers, locally known as “Port”; and a subordinate village called Nigorzghva southeast of Sajavakho (A018). In the hills southeast of the town, we identified the following points of interest: a sherd scatter on a hillside transversed by the Baku-Supsa pipeline (A009), and another sherd scatter on a cornfield located across a small stream at the base of this hill (A010). We observed no archaeological remains in the agricultural fields that blanket the area of the flat river plain north of Sajavakho called Port. Two points of interest were recorded southeast of Sajavakho along a small stream and parallel road near the modern hamlet of Nigorzghva (A018): a sherd scatter around a modern gravel quarry (A011) and a reported pithos burial (A012).
- Keyword:
- Modern Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological research in the area around Sajavakho began with limited excavations in 1896. In 1958 a survey carried out by the Kutaisi State Historical-Ethnographical Museum identified pithos graves at Sajavakho., 1898. “Otcheti arkheologicheskoi komissii za 1896 god [Reports of the archaeological committee for 1896].” Otchet Imperatorskoy arkheologicheskoy komissii [Report of the Archaeological Committee]. St. Petersburg. p. 109. (In Russian.) [OAK for 1896], 1971. Chronicles. Herald of Kutaisi Historical-Ethnographical Museum. Vol. 2. p. 135-136. (In Georgian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 23., Noneshvili, A. I. 1992. Pogrebalnie obryady narodov Zakavkazya [Burial Rites of Trans-Caucasian Peoples]. Tbilisi. p. 52. (In Russian.), Charkviani, M. 2005. eqvtime taqaishvilis mier aghmochenili antikuri khanis arkeologiuri dzeglebi [Archaeological Monuments of Classical Time Found by Eqvtime Taqaishvili]. Iberia-Kolkheti 2: 76-84. p. 77. (In Georgian.), 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. 34. (In Georgian with an English summary.)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities
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- Creator:
- Vani Archaeological Survey
- Description:
- Nasaqdrevigora 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 a small hillock that rises up behind and to the west of Nasakirevigora (A014). In contrast to Nasakirevigora (A014) and Natsikhvarigora (A019), where extensive evidence for occupation of the Classical and Hellenistic period was found, here on Nasaqdrevigora evidence of occupation is limited to the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age (burnt daub, Colchian pottery, bronze tools) in two phases (12th-10th and 8th-7th centuries) and was found on the north slope only, not on the top or the east slope (other areas were not explored). Nasaqdrevigora is currently crowned with an illuminated wooden cross. We did not find ancient remains at the time of our visit. A path along the northern slope of this hill connects Nasaqdrevigora with Nasakirevigora (A014) on the eastern slope of the hill.
- Keyword:
- Iron Age, Late Bronze Age, and Settlement
- Citation to related publication:
- Archaeological investigation at Dablagomi began after the chance discovery of rich burial goods in the garden of a village house in 1929. Small scale excavations and survey took place in the area in 1933. Natsikhvari Gora, Nasakirevi Gora, and Nasaqdrevi Gora were the foci of large-scale excavations in 1936 and again from 1970-1974., Makalatia, S. 1940. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v sel. Dablagomi i Aghaiani [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi and Aghaiani]. SA, 5. pp. 264-271. (In Russian.), Khoshtaria, N. 1941. Drevnee poselenie v Dablagomi [The ancient settlement in Dablagomi]. Manuscript of dissertation. Tbilisi. (In Russian.), Makalatia, S. 1941. Arkeologiuri aghmochenebi sakobinaoshi, dablagomshi da aghaianshi [Archaeological discoveries in Sakobinao, Dablagomi, and Aghaiani]. Sakartvelos sakhelmtsipo muzeumis moambe, XI-B [Bulletin of the Janashia State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B]. Tbilisi. pp. 84-86. (In Georgian.), Kuftin, B. A. 1950. Materialy k arkheologii Kolkhidy [Materials for the archaeology of Colchis], vol. II. Tbilisi. pp. 1-82. (In Russian.), Jikia, L. 1971. Antikuri khanis masalebi kutaisis muzeumshi. Kiemm, II. pp. 26-27. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. A. 1971. Arkheologicheskiye raskopki v Dablagomi v 1970 godu [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970]. Tezisy dokladov, posvyashchennykh itogam polevykh arkheologicheskikh issledovanii v 1970 g. v SSSR [Abstracts of the papers devoted to the results of the field-archaeological studies in the USSR in 1970]. Tbilisi. pp. 183-184. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Savele arkeologiuri kvlevedzieba sakartveloshi 1972 tsels [Field-archaeological studies in Georgia in 1972]. Tbilisi. pp. 69-73. (In Georgian.), Tolordava, V. 1973. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vanis arkeologiuri expeditsiis 25 tseli (1947-1972), sametsniero sesiis tezisebi da bibliograpia, 27-28 tebervali 1973 tseli [The 25th anniversary of the Vani archaeological expedition (1947-1972), Abstracts of the scientific session and bibliography, the 27-28th of February, 1973]. Tbilisi. pp. 23-25. (Parallel texts in Georgian and Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1976a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi 1970-1971 tsts. [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi in 1970-1971]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 48-67. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1976b. Mdidruli samarkhi Dablagomidan [The rich grave from Dablagomi]. Vani II. Tbilisi. pp. 68-78. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977a. Arkeologiuri gatkhrebi Dablagomshi [Archaeological excavations in Dablagomi]. Vani III. Tbilisi. pp. 71-81, figs. 45-64. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. 1977b. Pogrebeniye s cherepichnym perekrytiyem iz Dablagomi [Burial with a tile roofing from Dabalgomi]. Kratkiye soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, 151. Moscow. pp. 48-54. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1977c. Sépulture au toit de tuile de Dablagomi. Ouvrages de I’Institut d’archéologie 151: 48. (In French.), Tolordava, V., and G. Pkhakadze. 1978. Dablagomi. Kartuli sabchota entsiklopedia [The Georgian Soviet Encyclopaedia], vol. 3. Tbilisi. pp. 325-326. (In Georgian.), Pkhakadze, G. 1978. Mtkvar-araksis da dasavlet sakartvelos adrebrinjaos khanis kulturebis zogierti shekhvedra dasavlet sakartvelos teritoriaze [Some contacts of Kura-Araxes culture with the West-Georgian culture of the Early Bronze Age on the territory of western Georgia]. Sakartvelos arkeologiis sakitkhebi [Questions of the archaeology of Georgia], vol. I. Tbilisi. pp. 3-12, 57. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1980. Dakrdzalvis tsesebi elinisturi khanis sakartveloshi [The burial rites in Georgia of the Hellenistic period.] Tbilisi. pp. 6-23, pls. II-XVIII. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Tolordava, V. A. 1982. Innovatsii v pogrebalnykh obryadakh Kolkhidy elinisticheskogo vremeni [Innovations in the burial customs of Colchis in the Hellenistic period]. Materialy III Vsesoyuznogo simpoziuma po drevnei istorii Prichernomorya na temy: Ellinizm i Prichernomorye. Tskhaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982 g. Tezisy dokladov i soobshchenii [Materials of the 3rd All-Union symposium on the ancient history of the Black Sea littoral on the theme: “Hellenism and the Black Sea littoral.” Tsqaltubo, 21-27. V. 1982. Abstracts of reports and communications]. Tbilisi. pp. 126-127. (In Russian.), Tolordava, V. 1983. Antikuri importi vansa da mis midamoebshi. Dablagomi [Classical import in Vani and its environs. Dablagomi]. Vani VII. Tbilisi. pp. 129-135, pls. 53-59. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Licheli, V. 1987. Dablagomuri asonishnebi [The Dablagomi letter-signs]. Matsne (Istoriis, arkeologiis, etnograpiis da khelovnebis istoriis seria) [Herald of the Academy of Sciences (Series of history, archaeology, ethnography and history of art)], N 4. Tbilisi. pp. 30-44. (In Georgian with a Russian summary.), Kvirkvelia, G. 1990. La Région de Vani aux VIIIème – Vème Siècles. In Le Pont-Euxin Vu Par les Grecs, Sources Écrites et Archéologique, Symposium de Vani (Colchide), Septembre-Octobre 1987, Otar Lordkipanidze et Pierre Lévêque, ed. Tea Khartchilava et Evelyne Geny, pp. 253-56. Centre de Recherches d’Histoire Ancienne, Vol. 100. Paris: Annales Littéraires de l’Université de Besançon., Pkhakadze, G. 1993. Dasavleti amierkavkasia dzveli tseltaghritskhvis III atastsleulshi. Tbilisi. pp. 53-59. (In Georgian.), Kharabadze, S. 2008. “Vanis Qveqnis” Arqeologiuri Ruka (dzv.ts. VIII – akh.ts. III ss.) [Archaeological Map of the “Vani Region” (8th Century BC – 3rd Century AD)]. Tsardgenilia Doqtoris Akademiuri Khariskhis Mosapoveblad. Saqartvelos Teqnikuri Universiteti. Tbilisi, 0175, Saqartvelo. Seqtemberi. p. 14-17. (In Georgian with an English summary.), and Golenko, K. V., and D. G. Kapanadze. 1966. “Four Hoards of Colchian Coins.” Numismatica and Epigraphica 6: 31-73, p. 35. (In Russian)
- Discipline:
- Social Sciences and Humanities