Research Paper Volume : 5 | Issue : 3 | March 2016 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 | IF : 3.508 | IC Value : 69.48 The Retrospective Image of Vine Geography KEYWORDS : Vine, artificial terraces, ter- Distribution on the Back-ground of race viticulture, Samtskhe-Javakheti. Samtskhe-Javakheti Department of Geography, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, Dali Nikolaishvili Tbilisi, Georgia Davit Sartania Museum of TSU, Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia Avtandil Ujmajuridze Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature, Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia ABSTRACT Study of certain issues of natural management is quite significant for many reasons. In this point of view it's very important to learn about the traditional knowledge and experience, which enabled the population having economic profit in the past and the effective use of which is also possible nowadays. This would lead to sustainable ecologic development. In the past, in Samtskhe-Javakheti viticulture was a dominant branch together with wheat farming and fruit growing in agriculture. However, due to the historical processes viticulture nearly died out here. Investigations showed that here vine mainly grew together with fruit in artificial terraces with stone walls. The terraces were arranged in the gorges of the river Mtkvari and its numerous tribu-taries, since vine required irrigating due to the local climatic conditions. For the research numerous sources have been used – historical, toponymic, ampelographic, cartographic, the analyses of which determined that in the past vine covered comparably more area on the territory of Samtskhe-Javakheti, especially Samtskhe. The study is also based on field investigations, during which by means of observations and inquiries we collected useful information. We determined that nowadays only fragments of the terrace viticulture have survived here and its restora-tion is possible. 1. Introduction here. These circumstances are the additional factor for studying Besides cognitive, the study of traditional forms of nature man- the issue. agement has practical use, since the centuries’ experiences of land farming is useful even in our industrial epoch as well. Thus, There is just little information about wide spread of vine and its the study of separate issues of nature management is signifi- numerous cultivars here. However, we will be able to convinc- cant as far as we obtain a detailed image of the human-nature ingly speak about it if we refer to various sources like toponyms, interrelation – what we, humans use and how on the one hand artificial terraces, old historical documents, the rich vocabulary and on the other hand how we protect or damage it. Samtskhe- of the region regarding vine and wine and the analysis of the pe- Javakheti is not an exception regarding this issue. This tradition culiarities of relevant medium for viticulture development. Ac- teaches us not only the optimal way of harvest reaping but also cording exactly to this valuable information we may prove more the best form of the nature protection. Samtskhe-Javakheti, es- – viticulture has been quite advanced branch in the region. pecially Samtskhe (the western part of the region) and Tori (the north-eastern part of the region) are rich in such experience, We used numerous sources for the research – historical, topo- though we cannot say the same about Javakheti (the eastern nymic, ampelographic and cartographic, on the basis of which part of the region). it became known that viticulture covered more area in the past in Samtskhe-Javakheti, especially in Samtskhe. The work is also Samtskhe-Javakheti is located in the southern part of Georgia. based on field investigations, during which quite useful and It covers 6413 km2 area. It is characterized with various natu- relevant information has been collected by observation and in- ral conditions and resources. However, the irrational use of the quiries. We used the information obtained by observations and natural resources delays the economic development of not only inquiries in 2014 during the field investigations. this region. The most part of the region is either insignificantly changed or completely untouched by human hand. This natural It is determined that nowadays only fragments of the terrace vit- wealth is less studied and its ecological function is underesti- iculture have survived in the region, though it is quite restorable. mated. Samtskhe-Javakheti is known for its tourism and recrea- tion potential; prospects of development of transboundary tour- The goal of the research is to create the retrospective Image of ism, formation of protected areas of arid zones and wetlands; vine distribution of Samtskhe-Javakheti on the base of different possibility of cultivation of lands for natural food production sources. necessary for stockbreeding, and etc. Therefore, the region at- tracts special attention regarding its social and economic devel- 2. Research Methods and Initial Data opment. For the research numerous sources have been used – historical, toponymic, ampelographic, cartographic, the analyses of which Samtskhe-Javakheti is mainly an agricultural region. The agri- determined that in the past vine covered comparably more area cultural land covers more than 2/3 of the whole supply of land on the territory of Samtskhe-Javakheti, especially Samtskhe. and the most of the population is involved in agriculture. It is The study is also based on field investigations, during which by one of the regions of Georgia, where stockbreeding is the lead- means of observations and inquiries we collected useful infor- ing sector of agriculture. The industry here is characterized with mation. All these materials were gathered, systematized and an- very limited branches. Here, agriculture and firstly viticulture, to- alyzed. Total 34 field descriptions were filled in, 25 terraces were gether with wheat farming and fruit growing have been mainly described and 19 local people were interviewed. The field studies developed. However, the historical processes followed by settle- allowed generalizing the data found in special literary sources ments of the people, whose culture was quite different from the and evaluating the retrospective imaging and the state of the local population and who lead quite different way of life than the present-day viticulture in the region. Georgians, became the reason for almost dying out of viticulture The viticulture data, amassed by branch geographical, ampelo- IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 519 Volume : 5 | Issue : 3 | March 2016 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 | IF : 3.508 | IC Value : 69.48 Research Paper graphic, historical literature, is scattered in various scientific-re- was grown in the territories of modern Samtskhe and Javakheti, search organizations, also different approaches and techniques also on the rest area of historical Meskheti, i.e. Artaani, Kola pose difficulties in their comparison. In this regard, data system- and Erusheti (nowadays in Turkey). This is mentioned in many atization and creation of integrated database is very important. sources [Javakhishvili, 1930; Vakhushti Bagrationi, 1941; Ketsk- hoveli, 1954, 1955; 1957; Ketskhoveli, Ramishvili, Tabidze, 1960; 3. Study Area Proneli, 1991, etc.]. Samtskhe-Javakheti is one of the administrative unit - region (“Mkhare”) located in the south of Georgia. It’s an agrarian re- Some authors clearly distinguish vertical zonality in Samtskhe- gion and also historically, agriculture played a significant role Javalketi [Beriashvili, 1989; Ukleba, 1964; Beruchashvili, 1979; in the development of this region. The agriculture remains a Ukleba, 1983]. Here several vertical zones / landscapes are dis- leading branch in here. Samtskhe-Javakheti has rich natural ag- tinguished. Among these vertical zones of Samtskhe-Javakheti, ricultural resources [Jaoshvili, 1996]. Agricultural lands make regarding the development of viticulture, the mountain depres- up more than 2/3 of all lands in the region and the major part sion landscapes up to 1200-1300 m msl (mean sea level) are of local population is involved in agriculture. Pastures have the named. These areas are presented as hilly erosive relief and greatest proportion of the land fund - almost 70% of whole area. mainly mild forms of landscape. Here, on the low slopes of the So, that’s one of the regions of Georgia where animal husbandry ravines some terraces are arranged, where autumn varieties is the leading branch of agriculture. Industry is limited to only predominate among wheat species. Historically this zone was several spheres. distinguished for its developed viticulture and wine production. There were various aboriginal vine cultivars, which had well ad- Samtskhe-Javakheti, located within the hypsometric range of justed to the local mountain climate conditions and were known 700-3300 m above sea level, by considering the vertical zoning, for their high yielding [Beriashvili, 1989]. is distinguished for a strongly split relief and diversified climatic and soil conditions. All this supports the development of dif- Many scientists have made efforts to find out the reason for ferent branches of agriculture, starting from vine-growing and dying out viticulture as a branch of agriculture in Meskheti. In gardening through cattle-breeding, and determines the spe- most cases they mainly name the political processes in the re- cialization of different regions in some type of agricultural crops gion as the main factor. [Sartania, 2015]. “The map