მაცნე - PROCEEDING

ON THE DERIVATION OF THE ANCHA ICON OF THE SAVIOR

2025-07-14T17:54:30+00:00

Till the thirties of the 20th century, the Ancha Icon of the Savior resided in Tbilisi Anchiskhati church. In 1930, it was transferred to the possession of the state and at the time is kept in the Georgian National Museum.
The opinions about the icon’s origins are diverse in the community of researchers and society. Some consider the Ancha Icon of the Savior: a) to be that very fabric, which Jesus Christ put against his face and which got mysteriously imprinted by the image of the face of the Saviour (so-called “Mandilioni”); b) not to be a “Mandilioni”, although to be imprinted with the image of Christ’s face by the mystery; c) was painted in VII-VIII centuries and originally bearing only the face of the Saviour; d) belongs to the type of icons called “Christ Pantocrator”, usually featuring the bust of Christ, the blessing right hand and the book of New Testament holding in the left hand.
This article emphasizes the information transferred by John of Ancha (XIII c.), the initiator of the renewal of the icon cover and the bishop of the ancient diocese of Ancha (currently situated in Turkey), about how the Ancha Icon was brought to Klarjeti, hence to Georgia. Based on this information, taking into account some findings of precedent scholars and a few shreds of evidence related to the icon, the new version of its derivation is presented.

MATERIALS FOR THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN ART OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE 19TH CENTURY (TWO NEW EXHIBIT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA)

2025-07-14T13:15:52+00:00

The Christian art treasures of Georgia are particularly rich in metal artifacts. These works are characterized by a wide typological, technological, iconographic, and stylistic diversity. Their chronology is extensive, and their composition is varied. This group mainly includes repousséd, engraved, or stamped crosses, icons, and liturgical items made primarily of gold and silver, though occasionally of copper or bronze. While a significant portion of these artifacts has already been studied, numerous examples of metal plastic arts, still unknown, lesser-known, and unstudied, remain in Georgian museums, churches, and private collections.
The present article introduces two previously unknown ecclesiastical items made of silver, belonging to the Museum of the University of Georgia: a pendant icon and a reliquary cross, which are noteworthy works from functional, substantive, and artistic perspectives. This article serves as the first publication of these items. It aims to disclose their comprehensive research results and incorporate these artifacts into scientific circulation.

1924 ANTI-SOVIET NATIONAL REBELLION IN GEORGIA (NEW ARCHIVE MATERIALS)

2025-07-14T12:20:15+00:00

In February–March 1921, Soviet Russia annexed the Democratic Republic of Georgia. Most of the politicians left Georgia and emigrated. Soon, the anti-Soviet national movement began in Georgia, the goal of which was to restore Georgia’s State independence. The Soviet government of Georgia responded to every such manifestation of the national movement with repression. In 1921 - 1922, an anti Bolshevik uprising broke out in Svaneti and Kakheti-Khevsureti, however, it was pretty sporadic and was easily put down. Thus, the next rebellion had been planned throughout the Caucasus, however, the effective work of the Bolsheviks’special commission didn’t let that occur. It broke out only in Georgia, including the districts of Zugdidi, Senaki, Kutaisi, Shorapani, Ozurgeti, Lechkhumi, Kodori, Samurzakhano, Gori, Tianeti, Dusheti, Tbilisi and Adjara, and finally failed again. After its suppression, the local government resorted to another wave of repression by different ways (shootings without trials, arrests, expulsions from the residences, exiles in Russia, forced employments, etc.).

OF THE DATE OF ST. KETEVAN THE MARTYR’S BIRTH

2025-07-14T11:14:54+00:00

The essay estimates figures of the date of the Georgian Martyr St. Queen Ketevan’s (executed in 1624, Iran) nativity. Al. Savaneli’s essay “The Life of Queen Ketevan”, published in 1857 in “Tsiskari’’ paper, is the only Georgian historical or
literary source that clarifies the year of her birth, 1573. Moreover, the same year is claimed by the material found in the archive of the Bollandists’ main center in Brussels, which initially attracted Georgian researchers’ attention through a photocopy published in newspaper. The latter mentions the date of Queen Ketevan’s birth:„Mar* 1573’’. Thus, it also submits the month of her nativity, although the day is skipped (marked with asterisk).

FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ONE INFORMATION OF MIR TEMUR MARASHI

2025-07-14T10:56:26+00:00

Information about the historical relations between Georgia and Iran is pre served in written sources in different languages. Persian historical writings are es pecially important among them. This is primarily conditioned by the centuries-old historical relations between the two countries. It must be stressed, that these relations were mostly hostile. However, there were also periods of peaceful diplomatic and cultural terms between them. As it is known from the history, in the XVI-XVII centuries, Georgia was one of the main arenas of ongoing wars between Iran and the Ottoman Empire, which greatly aggravated the situation of the country divided into kingdoms, caused its economic and cultural degradation. Accordingly, cultural and spiritual values in Georgia were pushed to the background. In contrast to the crisis situation in Georgia, Safavid Iran was a powerful empire at that time. Along with the successful development of various fields, Persian historical writing was also at the zenith of prosperity. Therefore, the Georgian chroniclers of the later period, when narrating the events of relations between Georgia and Iran in 16th and the first half of 17th centuries, primarily used exactly Persian written sources, whose authors were contemporaries or in some case even participants of the events described in their works.
Due to the actuality of studying and researching of Persian written sources, most of them are well known in Georgian scientific literature, although a certain part still needs to be studied and brought into scientific circulation as a result of proper critical analysis. Among them, deserves special attention the work of Mir Temur Marashi, an Iranian chronicler of the 17th century, “The History of the Mazandaran Marashi family” („Tarikh-e khanedan-e Marashi-e Mazandaran”), which, along with rich factual material depicting the political, socio-economic and cultural spheres of the Safavid state, contains interesting information about Georgia and Georgians living in Iran. This time, our attention is focused on one account preserved in the mentioned work, which relates to the events that developed in Iran at the time of the death of Shah Abbas I (in 11629). Specifically, the issue refers to the position of Georgian nobleman promoted in Iran - Rostom (the same Khosro-Mirza Bagrationi) and the measures implemented by him regarding the enthronement of the grandson of Shah Abbas I- Sam-Mirza. The information is noteworthy and interesting from the point of view that the author provides completely different information about this important historical event, the like of which is not recorded in other sources. In particular, the Iranian author describes in detail how and why
Khosro-Mirza opposed the enthronement of Sam-Mirza. However, in the end, it was with his confirmation that the above-mentioned prince ascended the throne of the Safavid state in the name of Shah Safi I (1629-1642).
The information of our interest preserved in Mir Temur Marashi’s work, is compared with written sources in different languages containing parallel refer ences. Based on their critical analysis and also taking into account the logical development of events in a specific historical situation, relevant conclusions are drawn in the paper.

CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL REFORMS DRIVEN BY EREKLE II THE KING AND CATHOLICOS ANTON I THE GREAT

2025-07-14T12:28:39+00:00

The article overviews the cultural and educational reforms and measures carried out as a result of the cooperation of the state and the church in the second half of the 18th century, which played an essential role in the revival and strengthening
of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, then being on the verge of collapse.
The geopolitical reality had been determined by the interests of the Persian and Ottoman Islamic powers which intended to exterminate the Georgian community and the transformation of local territories into imperial provinces. Notably, they were engaged in Georgians’ moral and mental degradation.
Erekle II, the king of Kartli-Kakheti and the catholicos Anton I the Great actively fought against this policy. As a result of their joint efforts, the rule of consecration of the king as a Christian was restored in Georgia, the positions of the church were strengthened, cultural-educational relations with the North Caucasus were renewed, and the living conditions of the local population improved.

THE GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND ATHEISTIC PROPAGAN DA METHODS IN THE SOVIET GEORGIA (20-30S OF THE 20TH CENTURY)

2025-07-14T12:02:50+00:00

After the creation of the USSR in 1921, Georgia became part of a totalitarian state whose ideological basis was atheism. The Soviet “cultural revolution”, the concept of “socialist realism”, and the formation of a new person meant the struggle against religion and the church. The article analyzes the peculiarities of the anti religious policy in Soviet Georgia in the 1920s-30s, the contradictions between the State and the Georgian Orthodox Church; Methods and results of atheistic propa ganda in Georgia. Also, it clarified its stages and character.
The government tried to replace the traditional church with a „New Church“. He also supported „Renovationism“ („Obnovlenchestvo“) as an instrument for the adaptation of the Georgian Orthodox Church to the Socialistic Revolution which
threatened the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church restored in 1917.
However, this movement could not be established in Georgia. Abolition and destruction of churches and holy places, insulting of clergy, repression, banning of church holidays and their replacement with communist events became a common state-encouraged event in Soviet Georgia. From 1925 to 1947, the Soviet Union operated an anti-religious propaganda organisation - the “Union of Godless” which was renamed the “Union of the Militant Godless” in 1929. The regional office of this union existed in Georgia from 1929 to 1947. Press, literature, theatre, radio, painting, education system, and museology were used as
tools of anti-religious campaigns and propaganda to influence the broad masses of the society.
The study revealed that in 1922-1924 the anti-religious campaign and pressure on the church were particularly acute and powerful, in 1925-1927 it became relatively soft and loyal, while at the end of the 1920s and in the 1930s the antireligious campaign and atheistic propaganda took extreme forms.

FROM THE HISTORY OF THE GELATI MONASTERY TREASURY IN 1918-1923

2025-07-14T11:06:08+00:00

For centuries, Gelati Monastery was one of the largest and richest repositories of church treasures in all of Georgia. In addition to the goldsmith’s works of art created on site and donated to the monastery, you could also find church treasures brought here from various parts of Georgia for safekeeping. Despite frequent at tacks and robberies, Gelati housed many ancient manuscripts, unique examples of precious metal engravings, and other items until 1923 (when the monastery was
closed by the Soviet government), which later found their home in various muse ums in Georgia.
The period of the Russian Exarchate was particularly difficult for the Gelati Monastery, during which it was robbed several times. The Exarchate authorities and the local judicial police did not solve any of the crimes of that time. After the restoration of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church (March 12 (25), 1917), a new era began in the history of Gelati, which was reflected in the strengthening of the care and protection of the monastery’s treasures.
The article, based largely on archival documents, describes the state of pres ervation of the Gelati treasure in 1918-1923 and tells about the contribution of the inhabitants of the village of Gelati to it. Moreover, it includes several facts of the inspection of the treasure, the history of the removal of church items and jewelry from the Jrucha Monastery, and the episode of the removal of the treasure from the monastery by decree of the Georgian government on November 24, 1920.

Education, science and culture during the Second World war

2025-07-14T09:05:21+00:00

The 20th century is the most difficult period in world history. This century filled life with a thousand difficulties and cataclysms.
Georgia lost its statehood, the Georgian Church lost its autocephaly. The Georgian language was persecuted.

THE GEORGIAN APOSTOLIC ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE 1940s-1950s

2025-07-14T12:35:23+00:00

The religious policy of the Soviet Union in Georgia was mainly based on the principle of separation of the state and the church and reducing the latter’s influence on society. This policy was based on Lenin’s doctrine, according to which the power of the Church over the people should completely disappear in the future.
Supposed elimination of religion on a daily basis had been an important element of the communist doctrine, which provided for intensive propaganda and the introduction of anti-religious Marxist-Leninist views into the education system. To that end, socialist ideals were expected to be strengthened.
The Georgian Orthodox Church tried to maintain itself under these conditions and pursue a compromise policy. The leaders of the church realized that undisguised opposition would only increase the pressure from the state, thus they chose the path of cooperation with the Soviet government. However, they kept working on strengthening autocephaly and their position in the international arena.
The essay studies the contradictions in this policy that raise questions about ecclesiological and ethical choices. Above all, it must be said that the compromise policy played a positive role in the gradual restoration of religious autocephaly in
the wake of coexistence with the Soviet agenda.

ENUMERATION FOR CATHOLICOI OF KARTLI IN MEDIEVAL GEORGIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

2025-07-14T13:09:13+00:00

Enumeration for Catholicoi of Kartli has been a significant issue for medieval Georgian historiography.
“The Conversion of Kartli” (,,Moktsevai Kartlisai”) is the oldest example of the Georgian historical work known today, which keeps the enumeration of the Catholicoi of Kartli. The major story of the chronicle, which concludes circa 650 AD, involves 20 Catholicoi from Peter to Eunone. In the essay, Catholicoi’s order is synchronized with the order of the kings and “Erismtavaris” (literary “grand dukes’’) of Kartli.
There is a so-called “additional list” which is attached to the end of the major story. It includes Catholicoi’s numbered order until the 970s. The protograph of the additional list separately contained the list of married Catholicoi (Tavachag, Eulale,
Joel, Samuel, Georgi, Kirion, Izid-Bozid, Tevdore, Peter) who headed Georgian Or thodox Church until the years of 640–50, that is, before Eunone. The list was followed by the numbered order of other high primates since Eunone.
Later scribes have misidentified those married Catholicoi as post-Eunone ones, and united them under single numbering. Then-made mistake influenced modern historiography too, which was manifested in the fact that the non-existent Tvarachung II, Eulale II, Joel II, Kirion II, etc. are named as the next hierarchs of the Georgian Catholicoi’s rank. Apparently, the mentioned order and numbering require revision.

DOCUMENTS ABOUT KARTLI REGENT LEVAN PRESERVED IN THE VATICAN PROPAGANDA FIDE HISTORICAL ARCHIVE

2025-07-14T13:02:49+00:00

The scientific project submitted by the research team from Gori State University - “Research on Georgian and Georgia-Related Scientific Sources Preserved in the Vatican Propaganda Fide Historical Archive” (project code: HE-22-2353; Head of the project, Doctor of History, Professor Giorgi Sosiashvili; Project coordinator, master of philology, Tatia Mtvarelidze; Scientists participating in the project: Doctor of History, Professor Eldar Mamistvalishvili; Doctor of History, Professor Murman Papashvili; Doctor of Philology, Natia Mirotadze; Doctor of Philology, Nino Dianosashvili; Master of Philology, Tamar Koshoridze) was funded in 2022 by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, within the framework of the Grant Competition for scientific Research on Georgian Material and Spiritual Heritage in Georgia and Abroad (HE-2022).

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SITUATIONAL MODELS IN PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS

2025-07-14T12:57:45+00:00

In general, situational models are created using so-called “situational schemes.” This means that people are continually creating models, which is not random and does not depend heavily on circumstances. The term “social scenario schemes” is useid in the literature to describe these models. People generally form solid categories depending on their experiences, from which a “situational model” is developed. These are situational models that give appropriate information processing techniques and analysis that diverse circumstances with the same resources. Consequently, this method is frequently inappropriate for the current scenario. It is constant, however that not all categories will be applicable in some cases. It could be a false charge or an insidious slander. The clearest example of this is yesterday’s “non-Russian law” events in Georgia, also known as the mythology of ritual murder: Antisemitic via the lens of projected inversion. And what should we expect for tomorrow?

NAPOLEON FROM ANOTHER SIDE

2025-07-14T12:41:40+00:00

What does another Napoleon mean? In this paper, we will try to answer this interesting question as much as possible. The fact that nothing has been written about it in the Georgian language, it has a scientific-popular character, has a purely cognitive load and is a compilation, is the main reason why we are unable to speak on this difficult issue. It will help students to understand this difficult issue. The present work aims to fill this vacuum in Georgian historiography.
Napoleon created an image that he was a great general, a conqueror, a sole ruler, a dictator. In fact it really is. This opinion undoubtedly contains a rational grain of truth. We do not see anything unacceptable in it and no one disputes it.
This is one side of the medal, which must be said to be directly on the surface, the top, visible, part of the iceberg and is well read, but it should not be enough and it never gives us a complete, comprehensive, idea of Napoleon’s work. Some thing doesn’t fit in the frame. Some component is missing. There is another side to the coin. Napoleon’s triumphant military successes, i.e. as it is called “military Bonapartism”, is the priority, and the second is no less interesting and important,
his law-creating activities, legislation, reforms, i.e. as it was called “administrative Bonapartism” were relatively less in the spotlight. Having been overshadowed and seen as a peripheral topic, recent historiography is trying to correct this relevance,
and the issue has been increasingly given more and more attention, brought to the fore. This is obviously very good and a step forward.

TSIRA JANASHIA’S MONOGRAPH “THE ISSUE OF TAVADURI MENTALITY IN XVII CENTURY GEORGIA ACCORDING TO IOSEB TBILELI’S “DIDMOURAVIANI”

2025-07-14T18:00:24+00:00

In 2024, the publishing house Meridiani published the monograph of Tsira Janashia, doctor of history, researcher at the Institute of History of the Tskhum Apkhazeti Academy of Sciences, “The issue of Noblemen mentality in the XVII century Georgia according to Ioseb Tbileli’s “Didmouraviani”. Scientific editors are academician Roin Metreveli, Doctor of History, Professor Sergo Vardosanidze, Doctor of History and Theology. The book was published with the support of the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia (project SP-23-762, the head is Doctor of History Tsira Janashia, the coordinator is Doctor of History Kete van Mania).

SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGES REFLECTED ON THE ORAL HEALTH OF GEORGIA’S POPULATION DURING THE MIDDLE AND LATE BRONZE AGE (PRELIMINARY DATA)

2025-07-14T12:49:10+00:00

This study examines the impact of the transition from a nomadic (pastoral) to a sedentary (agricultural) lifestyle on the oral health of ancient populations in Georgia. Oral health serves as a key indicator of dietary patterns, which are intrinsically linked to economic and subsistence practices.
Throughout human history, major shifts in subsistence strategies-such as the adoption of farming and the increased consumption of domesticated crops-have altered the microbial ecology of the oral cavity (microbiome). These changes often
increased susceptibility to oral diseases, including dental caries (cavities) and periodontal pathologies.

New Books

2025-07-14T18:06:50+00:00

New Books.