DOCSLIB.ORG

RESEARCHES in IBERIA-COLCHOLOGY (History and Archaeology of Ancient Georgia)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
RESEARCHES in IBERIA-COLCHOLOGY (History and Archaeology of Ancient Georgia) Otar LORDKIPANIDZE CENTRE OF ARCHAEOLOGY OF GEORGIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM RESEARCHES IN IBERIA-COLCHOLOGY (History and archaeology of ancient Georgia) by Gela Gamkrelidze *** Edited by David Braund Prof. of University of Exeter (UK) gela gamyreliZe: iberia-kolxologiuri kvlevebi. winamdebare wignSi avtoris mier ucxoeTSi gamoqveynebuli statiebis nawilia Tavmoyrili. zogierT statiaSi damatebebia Setanili. wignSi ganxilulia iberia-kolxologiis _ saqarTvelos klasikuri da adremedievuri periodis istoria-arqeologiis sakiTxebi. wigni gankuTvnilia specialistebisaTvis da Cveni qveynis istoriiT dainteresebuli ucxoeli mkiTxvelisaTvis. In the present book the author considers some issues related to Iberia- Colchology, studying history and archaeology of Georgia. The book accumulates scientific essays published in the past and also those written lately. The book is designated for the specialists and also for the readers concerned with history and archaeology of Georgia (in Caucasus). The author, Gela Gamkrelidze is Doctor of historical sciences, Prof., Leading scientist of the Centre of Archaeology of Georgian National Museum. He is the editor of the Journal Iberia–Colchis (Researches of Georgia in the Classical period). He was born in Tbilisi in 7.01.1951. In 1973 he graduated Tbilisi state university. In 1979 he defended Ph.D. thesis and in 1990 DHS dissertation. He participated in Vani, Mtisdziri, Poti, Namakhvami, Vale and other archeological expeditions. In 1979 he explored terms of Mtisdziri settlement. He has discovered the settlement near city Poti-Phasis. He has been studying issues related to the history and archeology of the Georgian Classical period and early middle ages. In particular, relationship of Iberia and Colchis with Greek, Roman and Iranian world; typological classification and topographical archeology of settlements; influence of bio-geo environment on the process of historical development of community in Georgia; the military history of Iberia-Colchis (armament and fortification). He has published books and scientific essays dedicated to the above-mentioned problems (see List of works by G. Gamkrelidze - 1976-2011). He is an authority on the history and archaeology of Georgian Classical period and early middle ages. see: http://www.nplg.gov.ge/bios/en/00000291/ http://www.nplg.gov.ge/dlibrary/coll/0001/000499/ http://www.nplg.gov.ge/dlibrary/coll/0001/001087/ Published for Centre of Archaeology of Georgian National Museum. Address: 14, D. Uznadze str. Tbillisi, 0102, GEORGIA. e-mail: [email protected]. © Georgian National Museum. 2012. Gela Gamkrelidze. ISBN 978-9941-0-4565-3. 2 G. Gamkrelidze ================================================= Contents: THE ARCHAEOLOGY IN GEORGIA ------------------------------------ 5 THE LAND OF COLCHIS AND THE CITY OF PHASIS(Towards a historical-archaelogical study of western Georgia in the Classical period) ----- 38 ON THE EVOLUTION THE COLCHIAN AMPHORAE (the 4th c. BC to the 3rd cent. AD) --------------------------------------------- 75 COLCHIAN AMPHORA WITH STAMP FROM POTI-PHASIS -------- 84 TWO SILVER RHYTONS FROM WEST GEORGIA–COLCHIS (Mtisdziri and Gomi) ---------------------------------------------------- 100 ABOUT THE MILITARY- POLITICAL SITUATION IN IBERIA- COLCHIS (GEORGIA) IN THE 4th cent.BC – 2nd cent.AD. (Written Sources and archaeological evidence) --------------------------------------- 118 SINOPEAN AND COLCHIAN AMPHORAS WITH GREEK GRAFFITI IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TOWN OF PHASIS---------- 139 STAMPS OF ROMAN MILITARY UNITS AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE COLCHIS and IBERIA --------------------------- 152 HYDROARCHAEOLOGY IN THE COLCHIAN LITTORAL ------ 162 ABOUT PETROLEUN TRANSPORTATION IN PHASIS & THE “MEDEA’S OIL” ACCORDING TO THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA ----------------------------------------------- 171 A VERSION OF PROTOJEWS IN GEORGIA------------------------- 177 ZUR IDENTIFIKATION DER KOLCHERIN MEDEA AUF EINEM STELENRELIEF VON SUCHUMI-------------------------------- 182 THE PROCESS OF GLOBALISTIC ROMANIZATION AND IBERIA-COLCHIS-------------------------------------------------------------- 193 3 SCHEME OF A MODEL OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY (Bio-geo-environment and Socio-environment)----------------- 211 ON THE INFLUENCE OF BIO-GEO-ENVIRONMENT AND EXTERNAL FACTOR ON THE PROCESS OF THE COLCHIS HISTORY DEVELOPMENT ------------------------------------------------- 217 PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF GEORGIA'SCLASSICAL AND EARLY MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY---------------------------------- 222 INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOPOARCHAEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF “Kartlis Tskhovreba”----------------------------------- 227 LIST OF WORKS BY Gela GAMKRELIDZE (1976 – 2010) ------------ 230 Abbreviations -------------------------------------------------------------------- 238 PLATES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 239 4 G. Gamkrelidze ================================================= THE ARCHAEOLOGY IN GEORGIA Georgia is a land rich in matters antiquarian, and the collecting of antiquities has a long history. Attempts to study these antiquities in a serious manner, and to relate them scientifically to specific periods of Georgian history were only made comparatively late. There was a depository of antiquities at the royal Georgian court in the Middle Ages, overseen by the mechurchletukhutsesi (royal treasurer). Whilst on a visit to a museum in Rome, the enlightened Georgian Sulhkan-Saba Orbeliani (1658-1725) recalled seeing similar objects in the depository of the Georgian king Vakhtang VI (1675-1737). The Georgian historian Teimuraz Bagrationi (1782-1846) also mentions the storage of excavated objects such as coins and weapons, in the royal treasury of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi: ―In various times there were found dead people, buried at differing localities in Iberia [i.e. Georgia], not only in earlier periods, but even in modern times during the rule of Erekle II there were found dead people buried in the period of Idolatry [paganism] with coins put in their mouths and with iron weapons. These artefacts are housed in the depository of king Erekle II...‖. He adds that unfortunately the Royal Court, together with the depository, was pillaged during the Persian sack of Tbilisi (1795). Until the nineteenth century, the study of antiquities in Georgia was of a haphazard nature. Some information was been preserved concerning certain relics. This testimony is most interesting because of its descriptive character, inasmuch as these remains have either been completely destroyed or damaged almost beyond recognition. Despite the untimely destruction of these quintessential Georgian antiquities, copious descriptions of the articles in question are to be found in the works of such Georgian scholars as Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, Teimuraz Bagrationi and Vakhushti Bagrationi. They are mentioned by foreign travellers such as Arcangelo Lamberti, Cristoforo de Castelli, Frédéric 5 Dubois de Montpéreux, Johann Anton Güldenstaedt, and others. In the nineteenth century, the study of Georgian antiquities belatedly acquired a more systematic character. Beginning in 1837, the Georgian Statistical Committee gave attention to the recording and protection of historical monuments; special instructions were drawn up and circulated to administrative offices (see: The Central State Historical Archives of Georgia, depository 16, file 5433). One of the compilers of these pioneering instructions was M. F. Chilashvili, who, as a staff member of the Committee of Statistics was familiar with the state of affairs in this field. While addressing a meeting of the Caucasian Geographical Society on the 8th of December, 1856, he underscored the necessity of conducting an intensive campaign of archaeological excavations throughout the whole of Georgia. The instructions composed by the Committee of Statistics played a special role in the location and preservation of Georgian antiquities and proved to be of importance since many archaeological and historical monuments were saved as a result. But this was only a small step to advance the study of antiquity. The need for a study of Georgian antiquities on a larger scale that was at the same time more flexible led to the start of scientific archaeological excavations. The first excavations undertaken with a truly scientific purpose were conducted in the summer of 1852 at the ancient city site of Uplistsikhe, about 15 km from Gori. The excavations were conducted by Dimitri K. Meghvinetukhutsesishvili (1815-1878), a pioneer of Georgian archaeology. Regrettably, very little is known about him, hence the sketchy nature of his biography. His contemporaries thought him to be one of their most gifted colleagues. ―He knew Georgian history very well and was, in point of fact, a reconstructor of Georgian history‖ (Sakartvelos Kalendari, Tiflis, 1895). The eminent French Kartvelologist Marie Brosset thought highly of his scholarly activity and refers in one of his works to the assistance he had received from 6 G. Gamkrelidze ================================================= him. Meghvinetukhutsesishvili described and studied many important historical monuments, relics and remains of Georgia. He gathered and left for posterity many important manuscripts and items of archaeological interest. He surveyed several regions of Georgia: Kartli, Imereti, Guria, Meskheti, Adjara, and other regions. In one of the letters sent to Marie Brosset, Meghvinetukhutsesishvili notes as follows: ―I should like to describe all the churches and monasteries, crosses and icons bearing
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Crusaders and Georgia: a Critical Approach to Georgian Historiography1
    David Tinikashvili Ilia State University Ioane Kazaryan Unaffiliated researcher Crusaders and Georgia: A Critical Approach to Georgian Historiography1 Keywords: Georgia, Iberia, Crusades, David the Builder (King of Georgia), Jerusalem, Antioch, Roman Church, Pope I. Introduction In the present article we consider military relations between Latins and Georgians (Iberians) in the period of the Crusades. The research draws on Georgian and non-Georgian medieval sources as well as relevant secondary historical publications and reassesses some of the opinions expressed in the works by Georgian researchers. One of the first mentions of Georgians (Iberians2) in the Medieval Latin sources is a letter of a 12th century Latin clergyman, Ansellus, the Cantor of the Holy Sepulchre, addressed to Gallon the Bishop of Paris [Ansellus 1902: 729-732]. However, the major source of information about the Georgians is Historia Orientalis by Jacques de Vitry, bishop of Acre (†1240) [Jacques de Vitry 2008]. The chronicle was written at the time of the Fifth Crusade. Since then Georgians become widely known to Latin authors, who portrayed them 1 The authors are grateful to Dr Peter Halfter for his helpful comments on the article. 2 In this period “Iberia” and “Georgia” were synonyms [Skylitzae 1973: 339, 74-80; 340]. It should be mentioned that when Emperor Basilius arrived in Georgia, it was not eastern but south-western Georgia, which Skylitzae likewise calls Iberia. Besides, under the reign of David the Builder and King Thamar, Georgia (Saqartvelo) was a single kingdom called by the Latins Iberia in the 12th-13th centuries; e.g. crusader G. De Boys writes: “quodde Hiberia quidam Christiani” (“Christians from Iberia”).
    [Show full text]
  • Nationalism, Politics, and the Practice of Archaeology in the Caucasus
    -.! r. d, J,,f ssaud Artsus^rNn Mlib scoIuswVC ffiLffi pac,^^€C erplJ pue lr{o) '-I dlllqd ,iq pa11pa ,(8oyoe er4lre Jo ecr] JeJd eq] pue 'sct1t1od 'tustleuolleN 6rl Se]tlJlljd 18q1 uueul lOu soop sltll'slstSo[ocPqJJu ul?lsl?JneJ leool '{uetuJO ezrsuqdtue ol qsl'\\ c'tl'laslno aql 1V cqtJo lr?JttrrJ Suteq e:u e,\\ 3llLl,\\'ieqt 'teqlout? ,{g eldoed .uorsso.rciclns euoJo .:etqSnr:1s louJr crleuols,{s eql ul llnseJ {eru leql tsr:d snolJes uoJl uPlseJnPJ lerll JO suoluolstp :o ..sSutpucJsltu,' "(rolsrqerd '..r8u,pn"r.. roJ EtlotlJr qsllqulso ol ]duralltl 3o elqetclecctl Surqsrn8urlstp o.1". 'speecorcl ll sV 'JB ,(rnluec qlxls-pltu eql ut SutuutSeq'et3:oe9 11^ly 'porred uralse,t\ ut uotJl?ztuolol {eer{) o1 saleleJ I se '{1:clncrlled lBJlsselc uP qil'\\ Alluclrol eq] roJ eJueptlc 1r:crSoloaeqcJe uuts11311l?J Jo uollRnlele -ouoJt-loueqlpue-snseon€JuJequoueqlpuE'l?luoulJv'er8rocg'uelteq -JaZVulpJosejotrolsrqerdsqtJoSuouE}erdlelutSutreptsuoc.,{11euor8ar lsrgSurpeeco:cl'lceistqlsulleJlsnlpselduexalere^esButlele;"{qsnsecne3 reded stql cql ur .{SoloeeqJlu Jo olnlpu lecrllod eql elBltsuotuop [lt,\\ .paluroclduslp lou st euo 'scrlr1od ,(:erodueluoJ o1 polelsJUtr '1tns:nd JturcpeJe olpl ue aq or ,{Soloeuqole 3o ecrlcu'rd eq} lcedxa lou plno'{\ 'SIJIUUOC aAISOldxe ouo 3Jor{,t\ PoJe uP sl 1t 'suolllpuoJ aseql IIe UsAtD sluqle pur: ,{poolq ,{11euor1dacxo lulo^es pue salndstp lelrollrrel snor0tunu qlr,n elalder uot,3e; elllBlo^ ,(re,r. e st 1l 'uolun lel^os JeuIJoJ aql io esdelloc eqt ue,tr.3 'snsBsnBJ aql jo seldoed peu'{u oql lle ro3 ln3Sutueau 'l?Iuusllllu
    [Show full text]
  • The Herodotos Project (OSU-Ugent): Studies in Ancient Ethnography
    Faculty of Literature and Philosophy Julie Boeten The Herodotos Project (OSU-UGent): Studies in Ancient Ethnography Barbarians in Strabo’s ‘Geography’ (Abii-Ionians) With a case-study: the Cappadocians Master thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Linguistics and Literature, Greek and Latin. 2015 Promotor: Prof. Dr. Mark Janse UGent Department of Greek Linguistics Co-Promotores: Prof. Brian Joseph Ohio State University Dr. Christopher Brown Ohio State University ACKNOWLEDGMENT In this acknowledgment I would like to thank everybody who has in some way been a part of this master thesis. First and foremost I want to thank my promotor Prof. Janse for giving me the opportunity to write my thesis in the context of the Herodotos Project, and for giving me suggestions and answering my questions. I am also grateful to Prof. Joseph and Dr. Brown, who have given Anke and me the chance to be a part of the Herodotos Project and who have consented into being our co- promotores. On a whole other level I wish to express my thanks to my parents, without whom I would not have been able to study at all. They have also supported me throughout the writing process and have read parts of the draft. Finally, I would also like to thank Kenneth, for being there for me and for correcting some passages of the thesis. Julie Boeten NEDERLANDSE SAMENVATTING Deze scriptie is geschreven in het kader van het Herodotos Project, een onderneming van de Ohio State University in samenwerking met UGent. De doelstelling van het project is het aanleggen van een databank met alle volkeren die gekend waren in de oudheid.
    [Show full text]
  • COLUMBIA UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL of ART HISTORY Winter 2021
    COLUMBIA UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL of ART HISTORY Winter 2021 COLUMBIA UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL of ART HISTORY Winter 2021 The Columbia Undergraduate Journal of Art History January 2021 Volume 3, No. 1 A special thanks to Professor Barry Bergdoll and the Columbia Department of Art History and Archaeology for sponsoring this student publication. New York, New York Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Noah Percy Yasemin Aykan Designers Elizabeth Mullaney Lead Editors Zehra Naqvi Noah Seeman Lilly Cao Editor Kaya Alim Michael Coiro Jackie Chu Drey Carr Yuxin Chen Olivia Doyle Millie Felder Kaleigh McCormick Sophia Fung Sam Needleman Bri Schmidt Claire Wilson Special thanks to visual arts student and lead editor Lilly Cao, CC’22, for cover art, Skin I, 2020. Oil on canvas. An Editor’s Note Dear Reader, In a way, this journal has been a product of the year’s cri- ses—our irst independent Spring Edition was nearly interrupted by the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic and this Winter Edition arrives amidst the irst round of vaccine distribution. he humanities are often characterized as cloistered within the ivory tower, but it seems this year has irreversibly punctured that insulation (or its illusion). As under- graduates, our staf has been displaced, and among our ranks are the frontline workers and economically disadvantaged students who have borne the brunt of this crisis. In this issue, we have decided to confront the moment’s signiicance rather than aspire for escapist normalcy. After months of lockdown and social distancing in New York, we decided for the irst time to include a theme in our call for papers: Art in Conine- ment.
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantine Missionaries, Foreign Rulers, and Christian Narratives (Ca
    Conversion and Empire: Byzantine Missionaries, Foreign Rulers, and Christian Narratives (ca. 300-900) by Alexander Borislavov Angelov A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in The University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Professor John V.A. Fine, Jr., Chair Professor Emeritus H. Don Cameron Professor Paul Christopher Johnson Professor Raymond H. Van Dam Associate Professor Diane Owen Hughes © Alexander Borislavov Angelov 2011 To my mother Irina with all my love and gratitude ii Acknowledgements To put in words deepest feelings of gratitude to so many people and for so many things is to reflect on various encounters and influences. In a sense, it is to sketch out a singular narrative but of many personal “conversions.” So now, being here, I am looking back, and it all seems so clear and obvious. But, it is the historian in me that realizes best the numerous situations, emotions, and dilemmas that brought me where I am. I feel so profoundly thankful for a journey that even I, obsessed with planning, could not have fully anticipated. In a final analysis, as my dissertation grew so did I, but neither could have become better without the presence of the people or the institutions that I feel so fortunate to be able to acknowledge here. At the University of Michigan, I first thank my mentor John Fine for his tremendous academic support over the years, for his friendship always present when most needed, and for best illustrating to me how true knowledge does in fact produce better humanity.
    [Show full text]
  • Annexation of Georgia in Russian Empire
    1 George Anchabadze HISTORY OF GEORGIA SHORT SKETCH Caucasian House TBILISI 2005 2 George Anchabadze. History of Georgia. Short sketch Above-mentioned work is a research-popular sketch. There are key moments of the history of country since ancient times until the present moment. While working on the sketch the author based on the historical sources of Georgia and the research works of Georgian scientists (including himself). The work is focused on a wide circle of the readers. გიორგი ანჩაბაძე. საქართველოს ისტორია. მოკლე ნარკვევი წინამდებარე ნაშრომი წარმოადგენს საქართველოს ისტორიის სამეცნიერ-პოპულარულ ნარკვევს. მასში მოკლედაა გადმოცემული ქვეყნის ისტორიის ძირითადი მომენტები უძველესი ხანიდან ჩვენს დრომდე. ნარკვევზე მუშაობისას ავტორი ეყრდნობოდა საქართველოს ისტორიის წყაროებსა და ქართველ მეცნიერთა (მათ შორის საკუთარ) გამოკვლევებს. ნაშრომი განკუთვნილია მკითხველთა ფართო წრისათვის. ISBN99928-71-59-8 © George Anchabadze, 2005 © გიორგი ანჩაბაძე, 2005 3 Early Ancient Georgia (till the end of the IV cen. B.C.) Existence of ancient human being on Georgian territory is confirmed from the early stages of anthropogenesis. Nearby Dmanisi valley (80 km south-west of Tbilisi) the remnants of homo erectus are found, age of them is about 1,8 million years old. At present it is the oldest trace in Euro-Asia. Later on the Stone Age a man took the whole territory of Georgia. Former settlements of Ashel period (400–100 thousand years ago) are discovered as on the coast of the Black Sea as in the regions within highland Georgia. Approximately 6–7 thousands years ago people on the territory of Georgia began to use as the instruments not only the stone but the metals as well.
    [Show full text]
  • Acceptance and Rejection of Foreign Influence in the Church Architecture of Eastern Georgia
    The Churches of Mtskheta: Acceptance and Rejection of Foreign Influence in the Church Architecture of Eastern Georgia Samantha Johnson Senior Art History Thesis December 14, 2017 The small town of Mtskheta, located near Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia, is the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Church and is the heart of Christianity in the country. This town, one of the oldest in the nation, was once the capital and has been a key player throughout Georgia’s tumultuous history, witnessing not only the nation’s conversion to Christianity, but also the devastation of foreign invasions. It also contains three churches that are national symbols and represent the two major waves of church building in the seventh and eleventh centuries. Georgia is, above all, a Christian nation and religion is central to its national identity. This paper examines the interaction between incoming foreign cultures and deeply-rooted local traditions that have shaped art and architecture in Transcaucasia.1 Nestled among the Caucasus Mountains, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, present-day Georgia contains fewer than four million people and has its own unique alphabet and language as well as a long, complex history. In fact, historians cannot agree on how Georgia got its English exonym, because in the native tongue, kartulad, the country is called Sakartvelo, or “land of the karvelians.”2 They know that the name “Sakartvelo” first appeared in texts around 800 AD as another name for the eastern kingdom of Kartli in Transcaucasia. It then evolved to signify the unified eastern and western kingdoms in 1008.3 Most scholars agree that the name “Georgia” did not stem from the nation’s patron saint, George, as is commonly thought, but actually comes 1 This research addresses the multitude of influences that have contributed to the development of Georgia’s ecclesiastical architecture.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgian Country and Culture Guide
    Georgian Country and Culture Guide მშვიდობის კორპუსი საქართველოში Peace Corps Georgia 2017 Forward What you have in your hands right now is the collaborate effort of numerous Peace Corps Volunteers and staff, who researched, wrote and edited the entire book. The process began in the fall of 2011, when the Language and Cross-Culture component of Peace Corps Georgia launched a Georgian Country and Culture Guide project and PCVs from different regions volunteered to do research and gather information on their specific areas. After the initial information was gathered, the arduous process of merging the researched information began. Extensive editing followed and this is the end result. The book is accompanied by a CD with Georgian music and dance audio and video files. We hope that this book is both informative and useful for you during your service. Sincerely, The Culture Book Team Initial Researchers/Writers Culture Sara Bushman (Director Programming and Training, PC Staff, 2010-11) History Jack Brands (G11), Samantha Oliver (G10) Adjara Jen Geerlings (G10), Emily New (G10) Guria Michelle Anderl (G11), Goodloe Harman (G11), Conor Hartnett (G11), Kaitlin Schaefer (G10) Imereti Caitlin Lowery (G11) Kakheti Jack Brands (G11), Jana Price (G11), Danielle Roe (G10) Kvemo Kartli Anastasia Skoybedo (G11), Chase Johnson (G11) Samstkhe-Javakheti Sam Harris (G10) Tbilisi Keti Chikovani (Language and Cross-Culture Coordinator, PC Staff) Workplace Culture Kimberly Tramel (G11), Shannon Knudsen (G11), Tami Timmer (G11), Connie Ross (G11) Compilers/Final Editors Jack Brands (G11) Caitlin Lowery (G11) Conor Hartnett (G11) Emily New (G10) Keti Chikovani (Language and Cross-Culture Coordinator, PC Staff) Compilers of Audio and Video Files Keti Chikovani (Language and Cross-Culture Coordinator, PC Staff) Irakli Elizbarashvili (IT Specialist, PC Staff) Revised and updated by Tea Sakvarelidze (Language and Cross-Culture Coordinator) and Kakha Gordadze (Training Manager).
    [Show full text]
  • The Spread of Christianity in the Eastern Black Sea Littoral (Written and Archaeological Sources)*
    9863-07_AncientW&E_09 07-11-2007 16:04 Pagina 177 doi: 10.2143/AWE.6.0.2022799 AWE 6 (2007) 177-219 THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE EASTERN BLACK SEA LITTORAL (WRITTEN AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES)* L.G. KHRUSHKOVA Abstract This article presents a brief summary of the literary and archaeological evidence for the spread and consolidation of Christianity in the eastern Black Sea littoral during the early Christian era (4th-7th centuries AD). Colchis is one of the regions of the late antique world for which the archaeological evidence of Christianisation is greater and more varied than the literary. Developments during the past decade in the field of early Christian archaeology now enable this process to be described in considerably greater detail The eastern Black Sea littoral–ancient Colchis–comprises (from north to south) part of the Sochi district of the Krasnodar region of the Russian Federation as far as the River Psou, then Abkhazia as far as the River Ingur (Engur), and, further south, the western provinces of Georgia: Megrelia (Samegrelo), Guria, Imereti and Adzhara (Fig. 1). This article provides a summary of the literary and archaeological evidence for the spread and consolidation of Christianity in the region during the early Christ- ian era (4th-7th centuries AD).1 Colchis is one of the regions of late antiquity for which the archaeological evidence of Christianisation is greater and more varied than the literary. Progress during the past decade in the field of early Christian archaeology now enables this process to be described in considerably greater detail.2 The many early Christian monuments of Colchis are found in ancient cities and fortresses that are familiar through the written sources.3 These include Pityus (modern Pitsunda, Abkhazian Mzakhara, Georgian Bichvinta); Nitike (modern Gagra); Trakheia, which is surely Anakopiya (modern Novyi Afon, Abkhazian Psyrtskha); Dioscuria/ * Translated from Russian by Brent Davis.
    [Show full text]
  • A Little About Georgia at the Crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia Is a Combination of Uniqueness and Diversity. Although a Sm
    A little about Georgia At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Georgia is a combination of uniqueness and diversity. Although a small country, you can find here the Caucasus Mountain range, Black Sea coastline, curative climate and mineral waters, national parks and UNESCO Heritage Sites, ancient history, diverse culture and traditions, delicious cuisine, rich wine culture and last but not least, our world- famous Georgian hospitality. Its history goes back much, much further, some of the world’s oldest hominid remains, dating back over 1.8 million years have been found in Dmanisi, city located near the capital, Tbilisi. From the architecture of Tbilisi’s Old Town to the vineyards of Kakheti; from the ancient stone towers of Svaneti to the beaches and nightlife of Batumi, there is something to inspire and excite everyone. Ski the Caucasus Mountains, Europe’s highest mountain range, in the morning and relax by the Black Sea coast in the afternoon. Georgia has a unique, welcoming culture which explains its world-famous hospitality. With its unique alphabet and language, and many world-famous artists, Georgia will surprise and delight you at every turn. Information about Tbilisi Tbilisi, formerly known as Tiflis, is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of roughly 1.5 million inhabitants. Founded in the 5th century by the monarch of Georgia's ancient precursor Kingdom of Iberia, Tbilisi has served, with various intervals, as Georgia's capital for more than a thousand years. Located on the southeastern edge of Europe, Tbilisi's proximity to lucrative east-west trade routes often made the city a point of contention between various rival empires throughout history and the city's location to this day ensures its position as an important transit route for global energy and trade projects.
    [Show full text]
  • Horace - Poems
    Classic Poetry Series Horace - poems - Publication Date: 2012 Publisher: Poemhunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive Horace(8 December 65 BC – 27 November 8 BC) Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. The rhetorician Quintillian regarded his Odes as almost the only Latin lyrics worth reading, justifying his estimate with the words: "He can be lofty sometimes, yet he is also full of charm and grace, versatile in his figures, and felicitously daring in his choice of words." Horace also crafted elegant hexameter verses (Sermones and Epistles) and scurrilous iambic poetry (Epodes). The hexameters are playful and yet serious works, leading the ancient satirist Persius to comment: "as his friend laughs, Horace slyly puts his finger on his every fault; once let in, he plays about the heartstrings". Some of his iambic poetry, however, can seem wantonly repulsive to modern audiences. His career coincided with Rome's momentous change from Republic to Empire. An officer in the republican army that was crushed at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, he was befriended by Octavian's right-hand man in civil affairs, Maecenas, and became something of a spokesman for the new regime. For some commentators, his association with the regime was a delicate balance in which he maintained a strong measure of independence (he was "a master of the graceful sidestep") but for others he was, in < a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/john-henry-dryden/">John Dryden's</a> phrase, "a well-mannered court slave".
    [Show full text]
  • Calendar of Roman Events
    Introduction Steve Worboys and I began this calendar in 1980 or 1981 when we discovered that the exact dates of many events survive from Roman antiquity, the most famous being the ides of March murder of Caesar. Flipping through a few books on Roman history revealed a handful of dates, and we believed that to fill every day of the year would certainly be impossible. From 1981 until 1989 I kept the calendar, adding dates as I ran across them. In 1989 I typed the list into the computer and we began again to plunder books and journals for dates, this time recording sources. Since then I have worked and reworked the Calendar, revising old entries and adding many, many more. The Roman Calendar The calendar was reformed twice, once by Caesar in 46 BC and later by Augustus in 8 BC. Each of these reforms is described in A. K. Michels’ book The Calendar of the Roman Republic. In an ordinary pre-Julian year, the number of days in each month was as follows: 29 January 31 May 29 September 28 February 29 June 31 October 31 March 31 Quintilis (July) 29 November 29 April 29 Sextilis (August) 29 December. The Romans did not number the days of the months consecutively. They reckoned backwards from three fixed points: The kalends, the nones, and the ides. The kalends is the first day of the month. For months with 31 days the nones fall on the 7th and the ides the 15th. For other months the nones fall on the 5th and the ides on the 13th.
    [Show full text]