Presentation of the expeditions to the Tao-Klarjeti cultural monuments and photo exhibition

17 June 2019

On June 17, the presentation of the expeditions to investigate the Tao-Klarjeti cultural monuments and photo exhibition was held at Caucasus University.

 

Historical Tao-Klarjeti Intensive Study Expeditions have been held since 2012 by Caucasus University, with the participation of the Georgian Center for Culture and Tourism Resources. The research done in 2012-2013 historical Samtske, 2016-2017 historical Tao and 2018 historical sphere were presented in the conference hall of CU.

 

In 2018 expeditions were held in the framework of the – ‘Catalog of the Georgian Historical Sites in Turkey, Spirits, Beberbia and Lazetia’; project organized by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation. Tao-Klarjeti Expeditions of 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017 were carried out by Caucasus University and Georgian Center for Culture and Tourism Resources. In these years 14 investigative expeditions were conducted in historical Samtskhe, Tao and Spir, where up to 750 historic villages and their surroundings were explored and more than 270 monuments from well-known written sources were found; more than 400 unknown cultural monuments were discovered that were not mentioned in well-known written sources (including churches and monasteries, defending buildings, lapidary inscriptions, etc.). It should be noted that during the expeditions 21 unknown Georgian inscriptions (lapidary, scratches) and four manuscript fragments were revealed. Photos of each monument were taken, they were measured and annotated; their coordinates were recorded. During the submission of the report, the public received CDs, where all the electronic versions of the expeditions from 2012 to 2018 are recorded. Additionally, visitors had access to the expedition reports in the historical spread in 2018.

 

With the presentation of the expedition’s reports, a photo exhibition was held, where a number of important monuments that were explored in the years were presented.