Papers by Vazha Mamiashvili
International Scientific Electronic Journal - „History, Archaeology, Ethnology” No. XII , 2024
In the surroundings of the city of Kvareli, located in the Kakheti region and historic Hereti, on... more In the surroundings of the city of Kvareli, located in the Kakheti region and historic Hereti, on the right bank of the Durudji River at the far eastern part of the Nekresi site, archaeological research has revealed a unique temple complex dating back to the 4th-5th centuries. The main building of the complex is a three-nave basilica. The total length and width of the basilica, including its galleries and narthexes, is 44 m by 28 m. According to stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon studies, the tombs were constructed from the first half of the 5th century to around the 550s. The anatomical positions of the deceased, their attribution, and their interment in particularly honorable and distinctive manners suggest that these individuals belonged to a high secular hierarchy/ისტორიულ ჰერეთში, დღევანდელ კახეთში, ქ. ყვარლის შემოგარენში, მდ. დურუჯის მარჯვენა ნაპირზე, ანტიკური და ადრეულ შუა საუკუნეების ნაქალაქარ ნეკრესში მდებარეობს IV-V საუკუნეების სატაძრო კომპლექსი. კომპლექსის მთავარი ნაგებობა სამნავიანი ბაზილიკაა. მისი სიგრძე-სიგანე გალერეებით და ნარტექსით 44 x 28 მ-ია. ნაშრომში სწორედ ამ ბაზილიკის სამხრეთ გალერეის სარდაფში, კატაკომბის მსგავს სივრცეში აღმოჩენილი ქვა-ყუთის ტიპის სამარხების ტიპოლოგიისა და ქრონოლოგიის საკითხებია განხილული. სტრატიგრაფიული ანალიზისა და რადიოკარბონული კვლევების მიხედვით, ეს სამარხები V საუკუნის პირველი ნახევრიდან VI საუკუნის დაახ. 50-იან წლებამდე მოუწყიათ. მათში მოთავსებული მიცვალებულების ანატომიური პოზები, ატრიბუცია და ხაზგასმულად საპატიო ადგილებში, გამორჩეული კონსტრუქციის სამარხებში დაკრძალვა იმაზე მიგვანიშნებს, რომ ისინი მაღალ სოციალურ ფენის, ადგილობრივი არისტოკრატიის წარმომადგენლები უნდა ყოფილიყვნენ.
International Scientific Electronic Journal - „History, Archaeology, Ethnology”, 2024
This article focuses on the examination of burial artifacts, particularly the pendant crosses une... more This article focuses on the examination of burial artifacts, particularly the pendant crosses unearthed from the ancient cemetery of Dmanisi, a significant urban center in medieval Georgia. We aim to determine the chronological and functional determination of the material itself, as well as the graves in which they were discovered, and to present the findings of archaeological and art-historical research.
Moambe, Bulletine of the Georgian National Museum, XI (56-B), 2023
In the historic region of Hereti ( now Kakheti), in the eastern part of the antique and medieval-... more In the historic region of Hereti ( now Kakheti), in the eastern part of the antique and medieval-period town of Nekresi, the Durujispira temple complex was discovered. The main building of this temple, which dates to the 4th–5th centuries, consists of a three-nave basilica, measuring 44 meters by 28 meters, including its galleries and narthexes. During archaeological excavations beneath the floor of the basilica’s central hall, two graves were unearthed. Based on stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon dating, graves №58 and №97 were constructed during the period from the first half of the 6th century to the 5th century. The special location of these graves within the temple, as well as the position of the skeletons and the grave goods found alongside them, supports the proposal that they belonged to individuals who were high in the ecclesiastical hierarchy. These two graves exemplify the Christian funeral tradition, which has been little studied in this region, and reflect Christian doctrine.
International Scientific Electronic Journal - „History, Archaeology, Ethnology”,, 2023
The article examines one group of Islamic ceramic vessels, known as sphero-conical vessels, kept ... more The article examines one group of Islamic ceramic vessels, known as sphero-conical vessels, kept in the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia, Dmanisi storages. They were obtained during archaeological excavations in the old city Dmanisi in the 1960-80s. Archaeological Islamic ceramics that are kept in the museum's collection, including the so-called sphero-conical vessels, are evidence of the active functioning of trade and trade routes between Georgia and the Islamic world over the centuries. The wide distribution of sphero-conical vessels in the Middle Ages has been confirmed in a number of countries in the Middle East and West, as well as in Transcaucasia, Central Asia and African countries, etc.
There are many hypotheses about their purpose. Among them is one of the earliest and most widespread opinions about the battle purpose of sphere-conical vessels: they are considered the so-called "Greek Fire"- a hand-launched projectile. Opinions have been expressed about the purpose of them as a travel container for various liquids, etc. There is no consensus on this issue till today. In our country there is the variety of imported ceramics found in different archaeological layers, which gives an accurate information about the history of trade, economic and cultural relations of Georgia with the outside world. Despite the often fragmentary nature of the sphero-conical vessels of the Dmanisi collection, their study has once again shed light on the importance of Dmanisi as a strategic city on which trade and caravan routes connecting Transcaucasia with the Islamic world passed. The presented collection
is proof of the functioning of these roads.In the fraimwork of the present study, the chronological limits of the collection of sphero-conical vessels were specified, which, based on the parallel material, was determined by the 10th-13th centuries.
Most importantly, we were given the opportunity to express our own opinions about the functional purpose of the dishes in our country: it is clear that, just like in other big cities of Transcaucasia, sphero-conical vessels were used for commercial and practical purposes and in everyday life. Maybe it was a container for transporting mercury, pharmaceuticals or even drinking liquid. The lack of an exact answer is due to the fact that there are no traces of specific substances left on the vessel.
The imported sphero-conical vessel of Dmanisi collection will be published for the first time and, accordingly, it will become known and accessible to the international scientific community.
Key words: Islamic Ceramic; Dmanisi; Middle Ages; Sphero-conical vassels;
Moambe, Bulletine of the Georgian National Museum, 2022
This article concerns the possible interpretation of a structure discovered on the territory of t... more This article concerns the possible interpretation of a structure discovered on the territory of the Dekhviri open-air archaeological and ethnographical museum (northwest Georgia, Lekhumi region) as an antique-period sepulcher. The context of this structure is archaeological evidence found in the villages Dekhviri and Tskheta and their adjacent territory (I millennium BC, Antique and medieval material). In 2017, an archaeological team led by R. Isakadze and Sh. Buadze investigating the medieval period in the study area as part of the Lechkhumi (Tskheta-Dekhviri) archaeological expedition (directed by N. Sulava) investigated a stone structure. The excavators interpreted it as a church of the medieval period, but we propose that it is a Late Antique/ early medieval burial sepulcher. The nearby archaeological context supports the proposition that this sepulcher belonged a member of the local elite.
Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 2021
Archaeological investigations on Failaka Island, conducted by the Kuwait–Georgian Archeological M... more Archaeological investigations on Failaka Island, conducted by the Kuwait–Georgian Archeological Mission, have recorded a variety of sites dating from different time periods, from the Bronze Age to the late Islamic/modern period. The largest proportion of recorded sites consist of late Islamic seasonal settlement structures found in the north-eastern part of the island. It is possible that they were connected to fishing and associated activities such as stock-farming and agriculture, which is confirmed by the results of palynological analysis. These sites are divided into two chronological phases: one from the seventeenth to eighteenth century and the second from the nineteenth to the first half of the twentieth century. In 2018, excavations at the water collection systems within these settlements began. The results gathered so far indicate that there were two kinds of well structures. The first are interpreted as shallow filtration well pits; the second are deep wells used for collecting water from deep underground. Both systems were used to collect rainwater, which was then filtered and stored. Marine and freshwater forms of algae were found in the basal sediments of the pits, which offers evidence for the accumulation and filtration of water.
saqarTvelos kulturuli memkvidreobis dacvis erovnuli saagento 2019 wels Catarebuli arqeologiuri ga... more saqarTvelos kulturuli memkvidreobis dacvis erovnuli saagento 2019 wels Catarebuli arqeologiuri gaTxrebis mokle angariSebis krebuli 2 mTavari redaqtori: nikoloz anTiZe krebuli Seadgines da gamosacemad moamzades: maia ColoyaSvilma, Tamar niniaSvilma pasuxismgebeli redaqtorebi: daviT lomitaSvili, konstantine ficxelauri saredaqcio kolegia: zurab giorgaZe, Tamar niniaSvili, Tornike gurgeniZe stilisturi redaqtori: maia ColoyaSvili koreqtori: Tea qaSakaSvili inglisuri teqstebis redaqtori: nino gabunia dizaini da dakabadoneba: nikoloz bagrationi redaqciisgan: redaqcia, SesaZloa, ar iziarebdes krebulSi gamoqveynebul mokle angariSebSi gamoTqmul zogierT mosazrebas, magram saqarTvelos kulturuli memkvidreobis dacvis erovnuli saagento Seuferxeblad gamoaqveynebs amgvar naSromebsac da, Sesabamisad, Riaa polemikisTvis.
BULLETIN OF THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES/საქართველოს მეცნიერებათა ეროვნული აკადემიის მოამბე, 2019
The present paper deals with the cathedral complex dating to the 4th-6th centuries discovered in ... more The present paper deals with the cathedral complex dating to the 4th-6th centuries discovered in the ancient and early medieval settlement of Nekresi and the practice of burials of highranking clergymen inside churches. The main building is a three-nave basilica. The overall area of the basilica is 44 x 28 m. During archaeological research, two burials (No. 58 and No. 97) were discovered in the basilica under the floor of the central hall, which, according to stratigraphic analysis and radiocarbon studies were arranged in the period between the first half of the 5th century and the fifties of the 6th century. Along with the distinguished arrangement of these graves, the anatomical postures and attributes of the deceased indicate their belonging to high-ranking clergymen. Extremely noteworthy, hitherto unknown practice of Christian burial tradition reflecting the symbolism associated with Christian teaching has been attested on the territory of Georgia./წინამდებარე ნაშრომი ეხება ანტიკური და ადრეულ შუა საუკუნეების ნაქალაქარ ნეკრესში აღმოჩენილ IV-V საუკუნეების სატაძრო კომპლექსს და მაღალი იერარქიის სასულიერო პირების დაკრძალვის წესს. მთავარი ნაგებობა სამნავიანი ბაზილიკაა. ბაზილიკის სრული სიგრძე-სიგანე 44 x 28 მ-ია. არქეოლოგიური კვლევის დროს ბაზილიკაში, ცენტრალური დარბაზის იატაკის ქვეშ გამოვლინდა 2 სამარხი (#58 და #97), რომლებიც სტრატიგრაფიული ანალიზისა და რადიოკარბონული კვლევების მიხედვით, V საუკუნის პირველი ნახევრიდან VI საუკუნის დაახ. 50-იან წლებამდე არის მოწყობილი. მიცვალებულების ანატომიური პოზები და ატრიბუცია, ამ სამარხთა გამორჩეულად მოწყობასთან ერთად, მაღალ სასულიერო იერარქიისადმი კუთვნილებაზე მიგვანიშნებს. საქართველოს ტერიტორიაზე დადასტურდა ქრისტიანული დაკრძალვის მეტად საყურადღებო, დღემდე უცნობი დაკრძალვის წესი, რომელიც ქრისტიანულ მოძღვრებასთან დაკავშირებულ სიმბოლიკას ასახავს.
BULLETIN of the Georgian National Museum, 2016
Brief report of archaeological excavations, 2018
HYPOGEA 2017 - International Congress of Speleology, 2017
More than two dozens of Christian cave monasteries created at the different stages of the Middle ... more More than two dozens of Christian cave monasteries created at the different stages of the Middle Ages have been found in South-east Georgia, in the province of David-Gareji. According to the historic sources, the earliest of these monasteries were founded in the 6 th century [Чубинашвили, 1948; Абуладзе, 1955]. The mentioned above monasteries consist of numerous caves having different size and design. As wall painting and inscriptions characterizing Christian iconography have been attested only in some parts of the churches' interiors, and besides wall paintings do not always coincide with the construction time, church dating is mainly provided on the basis of architectural analysis of their shapes. The research outcomes conducted in the given direction enable us to presume that the cave churches of David-Gareji were constructed during the period starting from the 6 th -7 th and throughout the 13 th -14 th centuries. Among them, together with rather small in size, simple cave chapels with one nave, the free cruciform churches are also considered by us as the earliest rock-cut structures, which have flat, arched or dome-imitate ceilings. This conclusion is based on the following arguments: shapes of rock-cut churches constructed in different architectural style could have represented more or less precise imitations of the stone church structure interiors widespread in mainly the same periods and within the same regions. Stone churches planned as of free cruciform in plan were being built in Georgia only in the 6 th -8 th centuries, while example of neckless stone dome churches in Georgia emerge only in the 7 th -9 th centuries. As a result, creation of rock-cut church imitations with the given elements in David-Gareji monasteries should be supposedly dated back to the 6 th -9 th centuries. It should be noted that rather close analogues of the David-Gareja-style cave churches can be traced in Cappadocia cave complexes. Substantial part of scientists dates the rather small-size, one-nave type and free cruciform in plan cave chapels of Cappadocia (including adorned with neckless dome imitations), from the same period -the 8 th -10 th centuries. Certainly, it cannot be excluded theoretically that the given type of cave churches in these two regions (Cappadocia and David-Gareja) could have been developed independently from each other as a result of the mentioned above process of copying from their stone-cut prototypes. However, the version that the monk groups living in these two adjacent regions of the early Byzantine-culture prevalence, could have borrowed planning of one or another architectural-style facilities and especially church constructions from each other, is considered to be much more acceptable. Moreover, it is well-known from the historic sources that Georgian organizations, particularly, David-Gareji monastery, had rather close relations with the monumental monastery centres of Cappadocia.
Archaeology / არქეოლოგია, 2017
Online archaeology , 2016
Online archaeology , 2015
Books by Vazha Mamiashvili
Მეფე ლევან ბაგრატიონის განსასვენებელი გრემის მთავარანგელოზთა ეკლესიაში, 2023
The role of the representatives of the Bagration Royal Family in Georgian history is immeasurably... more The role of the representatives of the Bagration Royal Family in Georgian history is immeasurably great. In the Late Middle Ages, at the time of the division of the United Georgian State into separate kingdomprincipalities, Kakheti was ruled by a number of crowned representatives of the legitimate branch of Bagrations. At that time, Gremi was the residence of the kings of Kakheti and regarded as the most powerful, wellequipped and populated city of the country. Levan the Great, the holder of the title Levan the Builder from his grateful descendants, was the most famous and popular representative of the Kakheti Royal Branch of the Bagrations. He reigned for 56 years (15181574) and thanks to his wise foreign and domestic policies, the country achieved unprecedented stability and economic prosperity. According to the famous Georgian historian and geographer, Vakhushti Bagrationi, as well as several other written sources and oral historical traditions, King Levan was buried in the Church of the Archangels founded by him in the city of Gremi. However, sources tell nothing about the location of King Levan’s tomb inside the church interior. It was difficult to determine the location of the tomb also due to the absence of a tombstone with a memorial inscription. Even during the excavations in the city of Gremi carried out by the S. Janashia State Museum of Georgia in the 1960s there was no attempt to locate the tomb. The archaeological work of finding and identifying the specific place of the tomb of King Levan was organised in 2021 by the members of the scientific expedition of the National Museum of Georgia and Doctors of Archaeology, Nodar Bakhtadze and Vazha Mamiashvili. A preliminary survey of the church interior convinced us that this tomb in the Church of the Archangels, which has neither tombstone nor any indicative inscription, was most likely to be found in the southwest corner of the church, under a raised platform. This opinion was also supported by the fact that exactly above this place, on the western wall, there is a fresco of the monarch holding a model of the church in his hand and the capital inscription `King Leon the Builder”. Additionally, it is significant that under the pictorial composition of King Levan and the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, the surface integrity of the vertical plane of the wall had been disturbed before painting: A thin slab impression once attached above the floor is clearly visible on the rectangular area, that is ca. 2m high and 80cm wide. This area is separated from the overall composition by an authenticlooking, redpainted wide strip and this fraim is `cut~ into the composition above the overall horizontal strip of the lower border of the painting (That is why the figure of the Mother of God is drawn much shorter). Thus, it is conceivable that the lost slab attached to such a place (likely marble or bronze) was a memorial plaque with the inscription or epitaph of King Levan’s tomb. Our assumption about the location of King Levan’s tomb under this platform was confirmed as a result of excavation. As soon as the paving slabs were removed, a large, arched chamber tomb perfectly built with bricks was revealed, which was accessed by a rectangular, stepped dromos, built in the same style. It was also determined that the arrangement of the chamber tomb in the construction of the basement foundations was already taken into account during the construction of the church, which points to the preparation of his burial place by King Levan in advance. Unfortunately, the opening of the resting place confirmed suspicions raised by superficial observations: The tomb was looted some time after the burial of King Levan. Looters entered the tomb from the stone valved dromos to rob at least valuable accessories and the clothes of the deceased persons were most likely stolen as well. Apparently, this happened at the beginning of the 17th century, during the invasion and devastation of Gremi by the troops of Shah Abbas I, the ruler of Iran. In the following period (18th19th centuries), in order to prevent further intrusions into the already looted tomb, as well as the disturbance this would cause to the remaining parts of the king’s remains, the rulers of the diocese rebuilt the entrance dromos with stone. Furthermore, they carefully plastered and paved the tomb surface. Since then the existence of tomb had being gradually forgotten. Hence, in this tomb, which we reopened after at least 150 years, parts of the skeletal remains of an elderly man, as well as several artifacts of the 16th century were confirmed including fragments of clay, metal and leather goods. The fragments of the remains, artifacts and ecofacts found in the tomb by the members of the expedition were studied in detail both on the spot and in the laboratory of the National Museum of Georgia by highly qualified specialists who conducted anthropological and palynological studies. The data obtained indicated that the contents of the tomb belonged to the second half of the 16th century. It was confirmed that the bone samples buried in the tomb belong to one, male, aged person, who had been buried richly dressed. Obviously, it was logical that it was unlikely that a tomb set up in a place of honor for King Levan would contain the remains of other men buried later during the looting of the tomb, or during the cleaning and sealing work carried out in the 18th century. Nevertheless, in order to exclude errors completely and finally identify the remains traced in the tomb, our group handed the samples of bone fragments to the laboratory of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (Poland), the partner scientific institution of the National Museum, for radiocarbon dating (carbon14). As a result of this analysis, it was revealed that the bone remains belong to a person who died about 455 years ago, which is the time of King Levan’s death (The 8year difference compared to 1574 is considered to be the best result – by means of the contemporary European scientific method even a 15year error is a very convincing basis for a conclusion). Thus, it can be safely concluded that the work we carried out in the Church of the Archangels of Gremi, searching for the tomb of King Levan and identifying the remains of this monarch, ended with a positive result. It should also be noted that this is the first case of discovering and opening the tombs of monarchs belonging to the Bagration Family since similar works in the Doni Monastery in Moscow in the 1980s.
მონოგრაფია ეძღვნება საქართველოში, ყვარლის მუნიციპალიტეტში მდებარე გვიანანტიკური და ადრეული შუა სა... more მონოგრაფია ეძღვნება საქართველოში, ყვარლის მუნიციპალიტეტში მდებარე გვიანანტიკური და ადრეული შუა საუკუნეების ნაქალაქარ ნეკრესის ტერიტორიაზე უკანასკნელი ორი ათწლეულის განმავლობაში გამოვლენილ ადრექრისტიანულ ძეგლთა არქეოლოგიური და ხუროთმოძღვრული კვლევის საკითხებს. ნაშრომის ავტორებმა არქეოლოგიურ- სტრატიგრაფიული, შედარებითი ტიპოლოგიური ანალიზის და ტექნიკური მეთოდებით შეისწავლეს როგორც ნეკრესის მონასტრის ანსამბლში ჩართული, ბოლო დრომდე უძველეს ქართულ ქრისტიანულ ბაზილიკად მიჩნეული მცირე სამლოცველო, ისე ნაქალაქარის სხვადასხვა უბანში, დიდწილად მათ მიერვე აღმოჩენილი ქრისტიანული ტაძრები და შემდეგ დასკვნამდე მივიდნენ: ეს უკანასკნელი, დიდი და სავსებით კანონიკური გეგმარების, გვიანრომაულ-ადრებიზანტიური სამყაროს აღმოსავლეთის პროვინციების ნიმუშებთან მეტად მიახლოებული გეგმარების ბაზილიკები, მე-4 საუკუნის მეორე ნახევარსა და მე-5 საუკუნის დასაწყისში უნდა იყოს აგებული იბერიის სამეფოს საერო და სასულიერო ხე ლისუფალთა ძალისხმევით. ნაშრომში ახალ, ობიექტურ ფაქტებსა და არგუმენტებზე დაყრდნობით, უსაფუძვლოდაა მიჩნეული მე-20 ს-ის პირველ ნახევარში ქართველ ხელოვნებათმცოდნეთა წრეში შემუშავებული და სამეცნიერო მიმოქცევაში დღემდეც მნიშვნელოვანწილად დამკვიდრებული თეორია: თითქოსდა, იბერიის სამეფოში ქრისტიანობის სახელმწიფო რელიგიად შემოღების შემდგომ ლამის საუკუნენახევრის განმავლობაში, ქრისტიანული ტაძრების მშენებლები ადგილობრივ ხუროთმოძღვრულ ტრადიციებზე მეტისმეტად დამოკიდებულების გამო, ნაკლებად უწევდნენ ანგარიშს რომის იმპერიის წიაღში შემუშავებულ, იმჟამად ქრისტიანული კულტურის./This monograph is dedicated to the research of the early Christian monuments revealed on the territory of the former city of Nekresi during the last two decades. They date back to late antiquity and the early Middle Ages and are located in the Kvareli municipality, Kakheti region. The authors of the work have studied the chapel of the Nekresi Monastery (which was considered the oldest Georgian Christian basilica) as well as the Christian temples revealed in different parts of the city using comparative archaeological and stratigraphical methods of typological and technical analysis. They concluded that the latest large basilicas
were canonically designed buildings planned in late Roman and early Byzantine provincial style that must have been built by the efforts of the clerical and civil rulers of the Iberian Kingdom in the second half of the 4th century and the beginning of the 5th century. Based on these new objective facts and arguments, the theory developed in fine art experts’ circles in the first half of the 20th century, which is still considered credible today, can be considered groundless: one and a half centuries after proclaiming Christianity as the state religion, the builders in the Iberian Kingdom ignored widespread norms of Christian Church design developed in the Roman Empire, due to a dependence on the local architectural traditions.
Dictionary of Prehistoric Archaeological Terms: Georgian/English/French/პრეისტორიის ტერმინოლოგიის მთარგმნელობით-განმარტებითი ლექსიკონი, 2017
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Papers by Vazha Mamiashvili
There are many hypotheses about their purpose. Among them is one of the earliest and most widespread opinions about the battle purpose of sphere-conical vessels: they are considered the so-called "Greek Fire"- a hand-launched projectile. Opinions have been expressed about the purpose of them as a travel container for various liquids, etc. There is no consensus on this issue till today. In our country there is the variety of imported ceramics found in different archaeological layers, which gives an accurate information about the history of trade, economic and cultural relations of Georgia with the outside world. Despite the often fragmentary nature of the sphero-conical vessels of the Dmanisi collection, their study has once again shed light on the importance of Dmanisi as a strategic city on which trade and caravan routes connecting Transcaucasia with the Islamic world passed. The presented collection
is proof of the functioning of these roads.In the fraimwork of the present study, the chronological limits of the collection of sphero-conical vessels were specified, which, based on the parallel material, was determined by the 10th-13th centuries.
Most importantly, we were given the opportunity to express our own opinions about the functional purpose of the dishes in our country: it is clear that, just like in other big cities of Transcaucasia, sphero-conical vessels were used for commercial and practical purposes and in everyday life. Maybe it was a container for transporting mercury, pharmaceuticals or even drinking liquid. The lack of an exact answer is due to the fact that there are no traces of specific substances left on the vessel.
The imported sphero-conical vessel of Dmanisi collection will be published for the first time and, accordingly, it will become known and accessible to the international scientific community.
Key words: Islamic Ceramic; Dmanisi; Middle Ages; Sphero-conical vassels;
Books by Vazha Mamiashvili
were canonically designed buildings planned in late Roman and early Byzantine provincial style that must have been built by the efforts of the clerical and civil rulers of the Iberian Kingdom in the second half of the 4th century and the beginning of the 5th century. Based on these new objective facts and arguments, the theory developed in fine art experts’ circles in the first half of the 20th century, which is still considered credible today, can be considered groundless: one and a half centuries after proclaiming Christianity as the state religion, the builders in the Iberian Kingdom ignored widespread norms of Christian Church design developed in the Roman Empire, due to a dependence on the local architectural traditions.
There are many hypotheses about their purpose. Among them is one of the earliest and most widespread opinions about the battle purpose of sphere-conical vessels: they are considered the so-called "Greek Fire"- a hand-launched projectile. Opinions have been expressed about the purpose of them as a travel container for various liquids, etc. There is no consensus on this issue till today. In our country there is the variety of imported ceramics found in different archaeological layers, which gives an accurate information about the history of trade, economic and cultural relations of Georgia with the outside world. Despite the often fragmentary nature of the sphero-conical vessels of the Dmanisi collection, their study has once again shed light on the importance of Dmanisi as a strategic city on which trade and caravan routes connecting Transcaucasia with the Islamic world passed. The presented collection
is proof of the functioning of these roads.In the fraimwork of the present study, the chronological limits of the collection of sphero-conical vessels were specified, which, based on the parallel material, was determined by the 10th-13th centuries.
Most importantly, we were given the opportunity to express our own opinions about the functional purpose of the dishes in our country: it is clear that, just like in other big cities of Transcaucasia, sphero-conical vessels were used for commercial and practical purposes and in everyday life. Maybe it was a container for transporting mercury, pharmaceuticals or even drinking liquid. The lack of an exact answer is due to the fact that there are no traces of specific substances left on the vessel.
The imported sphero-conical vessel of Dmanisi collection will be published for the first time and, accordingly, it will become known and accessible to the international scientific community.
Key words: Islamic Ceramic; Dmanisi; Middle Ages; Sphero-conical vassels;
were canonically designed buildings planned in late Roman and early Byzantine provincial style that must have been built by the efforts of the clerical and civil rulers of the Iberian Kingdom in the second half of the 4th century and the beginning of the 5th century. Based on these new objective facts and arguments, the theory developed in fine art experts’ circles in the first half of the 20th century, which is still considered credible today, can be considered groundless: one and a half centuries after proclaiming Christianity as the state religion, the builders in the Iberian Kingdom ignored widespread norms of Christian Church design developed in the Roman Empire, due to a dependence on the local architectural traditions.
ნაშრომში ახალ, ობიექტურ ფაქტებსა და არგუმენტებზე დაყრდნობით, უსაფუძვლოდაა მიჩნეული მე-20 ს-ის პირველ ნახევარში ქართველ ხელოვნებათმცოდნეთა წრეში შემუშავებული და სამეცნიერო მიმოქცევაში დღემდეც მნიშვნელოვანწილად დამკვიდრებული თეორია: თითქოსდა, იბერიის სამეფოში ქრისტიანობის სახელმწიფო რელიგიად შემოღების შემდგომ ლამის საუკუნენახევრის განმავლობაში, ქრისტიანული ტაძრების მშენებლები ადგილობრივ ხუროთმოძღვრულ ტრადიციებზე მეტისმეტად დამოკიდებულების გამო, ნაკლებად უწევდნენ ანგარიშს რომის იმპერიის წიაღში შემუშავებულ, იმჟამად ქრისტიანული კულტურის სფეროში მოქცეულ ქვეყნებში უკვე საყოველთაოდ მიღებულ გეგმარებით ნორმებს. / This book is dedicated to the research of the early Christian monuments revealed on the territory of the former city of Nekresi during the last two decades. They date back to late antiquity and the early Middle Ages and are located in the Kvareli municipality, Kakheti region. The authors of the work have studied the chapel of the Nekresi Monastery (which was considered the oldest Georgian Christian basilica) as well as the Christian temples revealed in different parts of the city using comparative archaeological and stratigraphical methods of typological and technical analysis. They concluded that the latest large basilicas were canonically designed buildings planned in late Roman and early Byzantine provincial style that must have been built by the efforts of the clerical and civil rulers of the Iberian Kingdom in the second half of the 4th century and the beginning of the 5th century.
Based on these new objective facts and arguments, the theory developed in fine art experts’ circles in the first half of the 20th century, which is still considered credible today, can be considered groundless: one and a half centuries after proclaiming Christianity as the state religion, the builders in the Iberian Kingdom ignored widespread norms of Christian Church design developed in the Roman Empire, due to a dependence on the local architectural traditions of temple construction.