Epigraphy of Abkhazia comprises all the epigraphic monuments (inscriptions written on hard material) inside Abkhazia,[1] Georgia. They are all in Georgian, Greek, Ottoman and Latin languages. The number of the Georgian epigraphic monuments is more than 100 and they date from the 8th century AD. The Greek inscriptions are up to 22 and they mostly date before the 9th century AD. Out of the Ottoman Turkish inscriptions, the oldest one is from 1598. Out of the Georgian inscriptions up to 15 ones mention the kings of Abkhazia. About 30 inscriptions are seen on icons from Bedia, Bichvinta, Tsebelda and Ilori churches.
According to their exterior sign known Georgian inscriptions can be divided into three groups: lapidary (about 50), mural (about 30) and embossed inscriptions (about 20).[2]
List of the epigraphic monuments of Abkhazia edit
Georgian inscriptions edit
| Type | Description | Inscription site | Location | Date | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapidary | Ruined church | Samato Hill, Gudauta Municipality | 11th c. | ||
| Lapidary | Khopi Saint Nicholas Church | Khopi, Gudauta Municipality | 1156–1178 | 
| |
| Lapidary | multiple | Ruined church of Msygkhua | Msigkhua Hill near Primorskoe, Gudauta Mun. | 9th c. | |
| Mural | Lykhny Church | Lykhny, Gudauta Municipality | 
| ||
| Lapidary | mentions archangels Michael and Gabriel | table in Anukhva Archangels church | Anukhva, Gudauta Municipality | 12th c. | |
| Lapidary | mentions Giorgi Basilisdze | column in Anukhva Archangels church | Anukhva | 11th c. |  |
| Lapidary | mentions five saints | Anukhva Archangels church | Anukhva | 11th c. | |
| Embossed | excavated by colonel Tsilosani in 1885–86 | Iron and copped objects | Kelasuri right bank, Sokhumi Municipality | ||
| Lapidary | mentions king Bagrat | Besleti Bridge | Besleti, Sokhumi Municipality | 11th c. – 12th c. | |
| Lapidary | "st. Theodore, have mercy on Michael" | Chapel iconostasis | Oktomberi (Olginskoe), Tsebelda district, Gulripshi Municipality | 11th c. | |
| Embossed | asks for mercy on Mariam | St. Catherine icon | Achandara (Poltavskoe), Tsebelda district, Gulripshi Municipality | ||
| mentions Abulasan Iobisdze | metal slab or an icon inside a chapel | Achandara (Poltavskoe), Tsebelda district, Gulripshi Municipality | 13th c. | ||
| Embossed | Dedicated to st. George | metal slab | Kavakluk valley, Tsebelda, Gulripshi | 13th c. – 14th c. | |
| Lapidary | tombstone | Kavakluk valley, Tsebelda, Gulripshi | 13th c. – 14th c. | ||
| Lapidary | mentions Luka Martineva | stone plate | Tsebelda | 14th c. or 12th. c.[3] | |
| St. George church | Tsebelda | 12th c. – 13th c. | |||
| Lapidary | mentions Ozbeg Dadiani | Chlou church | Chlou, Ochamchire municipality | 1445–1452 | |
| Lapidary | mentions Grigol Guzanisdze bishop of Mokvi | Mokvi Cathedral | Mokvi, Ochamchire municipality | 12th c. | |
| Lapidary | mentions Raba and Nugamtsira | Gudava church | Gudava, Gali Municipality | 15th c. | |
| Lapidary | "Gregory, the chief mason" (გრიგოლ გალატოზთუხუცესი)[4] | Dikhazurga Saint Barbara Church | Dikhazurga, Gali district | 11th c. | 
|
Greek inscriptions edit
| Type | Description | Inscription site | Location | Date | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | A treaty or a honorific decree. The inscription survived in small fragments.[5] | The remains of the largest building uncovered at Eshera (possibly the civic centre of Dioscurias)[5] | Found in Eshera | 4th c. BC[5] | |
| Lapidary | Portraits of "three members of the elite of the Abasgi (?)" and their names: Ninas, Varnokhes, and Thyezanes.[6] | Found near Sukhumi | Probably 2nd c. AD[6] | ||
| Lapidary | Nikopsis fortress (New Athos) | 10th c. | 
| ||
| Lapidary | Nikopsis fortress (New Athos) | 11th c. | 
|
Other inscriptions edit
| Type | Description | Inscription site | Location | Date | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapidary | A Latin inscription containing letters LEG, possibly a building-inscription. The presence of the names of Hadrian and Arrian is not certain.[7] | Found during the excavations of the Roman fort in Sukhumi[7] | Found in Sukhumi, now lost.[7] |
Map of the Georgian Lapidary edit
Msigkhua Mount near Primorskoe
Samato Hill
Anukhva
Khopi
Gudava
Tsebelda
Chlou (Jvari Pat'iosani)
Mokvi
Bedia
Dikhazurga
Tskelikari
Besleti
Ilori
Tsarche
Epigraphy of Abkhazia (Abkhazia)
External links edit
- "Грузинские лапидарные надписи в Абхазии". Наша Абхазия. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
- Heritage of Georgia, Apkhazeti - short review, Tbilisi, 2018 ISBN 978-9941-8-0548-6
References edit
- ^ The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
- ^ Akhaladze, Lia (2008). "For classification of some issues of Abkhazia's epigraphic monuments" (PDF). Kartvelian Heritage. 12.
- ^ Valeri Silogava, დასავლეთ საქართველოს X-XVIII სს ქართული ლაპიდარული წარწერები როგორც საისტორიო წყარო, 1972
- ^ Kapanadze, Salome, ed. (2007). Georgian Cultural Heritage. Book 1: Abkhazeti. Tbilisi: Ministry of Education and Culture of Abkhazia. p. 109.
- ^ a b c David, Braund (1994). Georgia in Antiquity. A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC AD 562. Calendon Press. pp. 142–143. ISBN 0198144733.
- ^ a b David, Braund (1994). Georgia in Antiquity. A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC AD 562. Calendon Press. p. 196. ISBN 0198144733.
- ^ a b c David, Braund (1994). Georgia in Antiquity. A History of Colchis and Transcaucasian Iberia 550 BC AD 562. Calendon Press. pp. 194–195. ISBN 0198144733.