Work Description

Title: Dzulukhi, Melauritsike A042 Open Access Deposited

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Methodology
  • This is one of the 96 archaeological points of interest recorded by the Vani Archaeological Survey between 2009 and 2011. For a general description of the methods of the survey, See Vani Archaeological Survey Goals and Methods  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/data/concern/data_sets/8p58pd227?locale=en

  • Related Sites: A040, A041, B002

  • The survey team visited the area around Dzulukhi on 22 June 2009 and 17 July 2010. We identified four points of interest.
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.
Creator
Depositor
  • ratte@umich.edu
Contact information
Discipline
Keyword
Citations to related material
  • 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.)
  • 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.)
Resource type
Last modified
  • 05/17/2023
Published
  • 05/17/2023
DOI
  • https://doi.org/10.7302/ef3e-8j88
License
To Cite this Work:
Vani Archaeological Survey. (2023). Dzulukhi, Melauritsike A042 [Data set], University of Michigan - Deep Blue Data. https://doi.org/10.7302/ef3e-8j88

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Thumbnailthumbnail-column Title Original Upload Last Modified File Size Access Actions
Vani09.0257.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.18 MB Open Access
Vani09.0258.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 3.49 MB Open Access
Vani09.0259.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.15 MB Open Access
Vani09.0260.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.91 MB Open Access
Vani09.0261.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 3.26 MB Open Access
Vani09.0262.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 3.34 MB Open Access
Vani09.0263.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 2.05 MB Open Access
Vani09.0264.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 3.11 MB Open Access
Vani09.0265.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 2.08 MB Open Access
Vani09.0266.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 2.3 MB Open Access
Vani09.0267.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.83 MB Open Access
Vani09.0269.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.45 MB Open Access
Vani09.0270.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.95 MB Open Access
Vani09.0271.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.87 MB Open Access
Vani09.0272.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.31 MB Open Access
Vani09.0273.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.33 MB Open Access
Vani09.0274.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.29 MB Open Access
Vani09.0276.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 2.58 MB Open Access
Vani09.0277.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.37 MB Open Access
Vani09.0278.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.99 MB Open Access
Vani09.0279.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 3.56 MB Open Access
Vani09.0280.jpg 2017-05-10 2021-03-16 4.16 MB Open Access
Map_Dzulukhi_Melauritsike_A042.jpg 2020-08-12 2020-08-12 3.59 MB Open Access

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