Tsitsamuri ( ka, წიწამური) is a small village outside

Mtskheta Mtskheta ( ka, მცხეთა, tr ) is a city in Mtskheta-Mtianeti province of Georgia. It is one of the oldest cities in Georgia as well as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the World. Itis located approximately north of ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. It is known as the place where the nation's famous writer and poet,

Ilia Chavchavadze Prince Ilia Chavchavadze ( ka, ილია ჭავჭავაძე; 8 November 1837 – 12 September 1907) was a Georgian public figure, journalist, publisher, writer and poet who spearheaded the revival of Georgian nationalism during th ...

, was assassinated in 1907. Near Tsitsamuri (identified as the ''Seusamora'' of

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called " Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could s ...

) a ruined

acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens, ...

of ancient Iberia was unearthed by the archaeologist

Andria Apakidze Andria Apakidze ( ka, ანდრია აფაქიძე) (September 3, 1914 – November 25, 2005), Doctor of History and professor, was a Georgian archaeologist and historian specializing in the studies of ancient Georgia, and the author of ...

in 1953. It is to be identified with the ''Zaden-tsikhe'' (ზადენციხე), i.e., "the fortress of

Zaden Zaden (; ka, ზადენი, tr) was, according to the medieval Georgian chronicles, the god of fruitfulness in a pre-Christian pantheon of the ancient Georgians of Kartli (Iberia of the Classical sources). King Parnajom of Iberia (109– ...

" of the medieval Georgian chronicles. This fortress and a possible pagan temple was overlooked by Mount

Zedazeni Zedazeni Monastery ( ka, ზედაზნის მონასტერი) is a Georgian Orthodox monastery, located on the Zedazeni mountain the hills of Saguramo, northeast to Mtskheta and to the east side of the Aragvi River. The monastery ...

("Upper Zaden") where later a Christian

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

was built. A

necropolis A necropolis (plural necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'', literally meaning "city of the dead". The term usually im ...

of the 1st century BC / 2nd century AD was brought to light early in the 1980s; a bronze

batillum Batillum or vatillum was an ancient Roman iron shovel with a short handle used for various purposes, especially as a fire-shovel, chafing-dish, and for burning incense. Etymology The name is possibly related to ''battualia'' "the exercise of so ...

and an Italic

oenochoe An oenochoe, also spelled oinochoe ( grc, οἰνοχόη; from grc, οἶνος ''oînos'', "wine" and grc, χέω ''khéō'', "I pour," sense "wine-pourer"; plural ''oinochoai''; New Latin ''oenochoë,'' plural ''oenochoae,'' English plura ...

were among the finds.Kacharava, D. Archaeology in Georgia 1980-1990 (Post-Prehistoric to Pre-Mediaeval). ''Archaeological Reports'', No. 37 (1990 - 1991), pp. 79-86.

References

{{Reflist Villages in Mtskheta-Mtianeti Archaeological sites in Georgia (country)

See also

References