qarTuli qristianuli xelovneba Georgian Christian Art

qarTuli

Georgian Christian Art

qristianuli xelovneba
 saqarTvelos kulturis, ZeglTa dacvisa da
sportis saministro
Ministry of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sport of Georgia

g. CubinaSvilis sax. qarTuli xelovnebis

istoriisa da ZeglTa dacvis kvlevis
erovnuli centri
G. Chubinashvili National Research Centre for Georgian
Art History and Heritage Preservation
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wigni gamosacemad moamzades: dimitri TumaniSvili,
qeTevan miqelaZe, mariam didebuliZe
teqstis avtorebi:
dimitri TumaniSvili: winaTqma. xuroTmoZRvreba
kiti maCabeli: qvis reliefebi
mariam didebuliZe: kedlis mxatvroba
nino WiWinaZe: xatwera
Teimuraz sayvareliZe: Weduroba
leila xuskivaZe: minanqari
asmaT oqropiriZe: xelnawerTa dasuraTeba
mzisTvala kecxoveli: naqargoba
inglisuri Targmani: nino mataraZe.
dizaini, dakabadoneba: giorgi demetraSvili,
nata yifiani, natalia Rlonti
daxmarebisTvis madlobas vuxdiT:
saqarTvelos sapatriarqos, saqarTvelos erovnul
muzeums, xelnawerTa erovnul centrs, bodbes wm.
ninos monasters,
q-n nana burWulaZes, b-n vaxtang gabelias,
q-n marina vaCnaZes, q-n Tamila mgalobliSvils,
b-n luarsab togoniZes, q-n eTer urotaZes,
b-n daviT xoStarias
© 2008 g. CubinaSvilis sax. qarTuli xelovnebis
istoriisa da ZeglTa dacvis kvlevis erovnuli centri.
© 2010 meore gamocema.
g. CubinaSvilis sax. qarTuli xelovnebis istoriisa
da ZeglTa dacvis kvlevis erovnuli centri.
© saqarTvelos erovnuli muzeumi. ilustraciebi
gverdze: 71, 84, 87, 96, 97, 100, 101, 104, 120-125, 140-147,
162-165, 168, 170-175,
193-197, 216-218, 220-222, 242-245,
© xelnawerTa erovnuli centri. ilustraciebi
gverdze: 98, 99, 134, 135, 167, 192, 198-201, 219, 238, 246.
© n. berZeniSvilis quTaisis istoriul-eTnografiul
muzeumi. ilustraciebi gverdze: 223, 247.
ISBN 978-9941-0-2176-3
2
Editors: Dimitri Tumanishvili,
Ketevan Mikeladze, Mariam Didebulidze
Authors of the text:
Dimitri Tumanishvili: Introduction. Architecture
Kiti Macahebeli: Stone Reliefs
Mariam Didebulidze: Wall Paintings
Nino Chichinadze: Icon Painting
Teimuraz Sakvarelidze: Repoussé Art
Liela Khuskivadze: Enamel Art
Asmat Okropiridze: Manuscript Illumination
Mzistvala Ketskhoveli: Embroidery
Translation into English: Nino Mataradze
Design and layout: George Demetrashvili, Nata Kipiani,
Natalia Glonti
The editors express their gratitude to:
Georgian Patriarchate, Georgian National Museum, N.
Berdzenishvili Kutaisi Museum of History and Ethnography,
National Center for Manuscripts, Bodbe St. Nino Monastery,
Ms. Nana Burchuladze, Mr. Vakhtang Gabelia,
Mr. David Khoshtaria, Ms. Tamila Mgaloblishvili,
Mr. Luarsab Togonidze, Ms.Eter Urotadze,
Ms. Marina Vachnadze
© 2008 G. Chubinashvili National Research Centre for
Georgian Art History and Heritage Preservation
© 2010. Second edition.
G. Chubinashvili National Research Centre for Georgian Art
History and Heritage Preservation
© Georgian National Museum. Illustrations on the page: 71,
84, 87, 96, 97, 100, 101, 104, 120-125, 140-147, 162-165, 168,
170-175, 193-197, 216-218, 220-222, 242-245,
© National Center for Manuscripts. Illustrations on the page:
98.99.134,135, 167, 192, 198-201, 219, 238, 246.
© N. Berdzenishvili Kutaisi Museum of History and
Ethnography. Illustrations on the page: 223, 247.
eZRvneba uwmindesisa da unetaresis sruliad saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqis
ilia II-is dabadebidan 75 da aRsaydrebidan 30 wlisTavs

Dedicated to the 75th birth and 35th enthronement anniversaries of

His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II

qarTuli
qristianuli xelovneba
Georgian Christian Art

Tbilisi
Tbilisi
2010
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4
winaTqma
saqarTvelos eklesia “saTaveSi edga qarTul
xelovnebas. arqiteqtura qarTulis eklesiisa
exlac gansacvifrebelia, saunje, romelic masSi
inaxeba udidesi ganZia qarTuli erovnuli
kulturisa. eklesia asazrdovebda ara marto
niWier xuroTmoZRvrebs, igi iyo amasTanave didi
mimdevari mxatvrobisa. Cvenamdisac moaRwies
saucxovo naxatebma da freskebma” _ ase werda
1913 wels qarTveli poeti Salva amirejibi.
TiTqmis saukunis winandel am naTqvams dResac
bevrs verafers davumatebT. ar yofila sulieri,
gindac nivTieri arsebobis raime mxare, rasac
keTilismyofelad ar damCnevia qristes eklesiisa
da misgan naqadagebis gavlena. misi qmediTobis
erT-erTi yvelaze TvalnaTlivi gamovlineba,
uTuod, xelovnebaa. eklesiis did maswavleblebs
RmrTivmomadlebuli niWiT adamianTagan Seqmnili
xelaRebiT araferi uaruyviaT, oRond mTel
Zvel sibrZnesa da xelovanebas axali gza uCines.
sadac ki uflis sityva iqadaga, filosofia Tu
mecniereba, mWermetyveleba Tu poezia, arqiteqtura
Tu mxatvroba, musika Tu mqandakebloba _
yovelive RvTis sadideblad da misi sityvis
sacnaursayofad miimarTa. ase iyo yvelagan, ase
iyo saqarTveloSic.
saqarTvelos eklesias, I saukuneSi wmidaTa
mociqulTa andria pirvelwodebulisa da simon
kananelis dasaZirkvebulsa da IV saukuneSi wm.
ninos sityviT damkvidrebuls, samwysod imTaviTve
Tavis miwa-wyalze didi xnis mkvidri, grZeli
istoriis xalxi hyavda. da maszedac, araerT
sxvasaviT, Wris wm. daviT winaswarmetyvelis
sityva: “ganaxldes, viTarca orbisa, siWabuke Seni”
(fs., 102,5). macxovris aRTqmisaebr, WeSmaritebis
mier ganTavisuflebuli qarTvelobis zneobriv,
gonebriv Tu mxatvrul Semoqmedebas gamraval-
kecebuli Zala mieca. matianeebTana da wmindanTa
cxoreba-martvilobebTan erTad, CvenSi qristia-
nobis myofobis mowamenica da Tanamdevnic
mgosanTa, memusikeTa da, rasakvirvelia, xelovanTa
nawarmoebnia, saxeldobr, Cveni taZrebi, maTi
mxatvroba da naqandakevi.
naSensa da naCuqurTmevze, moxatulobebze,
xat-jvrebsa da naqargobebze dakvirveba Segva-
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grZnobinebs, rogor momravlda da gaRrmavda
sarwmunoebrivi codna da gancda saimdrood,
rodesac wm. mefe vaxtang gorgasalis mowadinebiT,
safuZveli Caeyara saqarTvelos eklesiis
TviTmwysobas; rogor zeobs marTlmadidebloba
VI saukuneSi sparsTa moZalebis Jamsac da VIII
saukuneSi islamis mZlavrobisasac; rogor xdeba
eklesia qveynis warmmarTveli da _ IX saukunidan
srulad avtokefaluri _ X saukuneSi, politikur
gamTlianebaze bevrad adre, misi gamaerTianebeli;
rogor ganaspetakebs igi wmidaTa mefeTa daviTisa
da Tamaris mZleTamZle raindebs; rogor iRvwis
eris siwrfelis da sasoebis, TviT arsebobis
gadasarCenad da SesanarCuneblad gauTavebeli
Znelbedobisas, rac XIII saukunidan XVIII-mde
TiTqmis ganuwyvetliv Cveni xvedri iyo...
mxolod XIX saukuneSi, rodesac qarTuli
saxelmwifoebriobis ganadgurebas saqarTvelos
eklesiis rusulTan kanonikurad gaumarTlebeli
SeerTeba daerTo, gaCnda erTgavri bzari da
taZarmSenebloba anda xatwera nawilobriv Tu
gamoxatavs Tumc uflebamoklebuli, magram
kvlavac mravalricxovani da SemarTuli
qarTveli samRvdeloebis suliskveTebas. droTa
ganmavlobaSi axlis qmnis klebas TiTqosda avsebs
qveynis qristianul memkvidreobaze zrunva _
eriskac mkvlevarTa mxardamxar Suasaukunovani
Txzulebebis moZiebasa da gamoqveynebas, qarTuli
galobis Cawerasa da aJRerebas, nivTieri siZveleebis
mogrovebasa da aRwera-gamocemas swavluli berebi
da mecnieri mRvdelmTavrebic misdevdnen. swored
eklesiis wiaRSi daarsda, mRvdlis ojaxSi
gazrdilisa da im drois erTi ucnobilesi
asketis Zmis, dimitri baqraZis moTaveobiT,
pirveli erovnuli muzeumi. Cveni saukeTeso
arqeografosebis rigSi unda moixseniebodnen
mama polievqtos karbelaSvili, TviT sruliad
saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqebi kirioni
(saZagliSvili) ambrosi (xelaia), kalistrate
(cincaZe). es ki maSin, rodesac am mRvdelmTavarTa
upiratesi sazrunavi jer saqarTvelos eklesiis
uflebebis dacva iyo, rac 1917 wels avtokefaliis
aRdgeniT dagvirgvinda, Semdeg ki misi jerovani
aRiareba _ es ki bevrad gvian, uwmindesisa da
unetaresis, sruliad saqarTvelos kaTolikos-
patriarqis, ilia II-is RvawliT moxda.
magram es wigni mis uwmindesobas martooden am,
marTlacda istoriuli damsaxurebis gamo rodi
eZRvneba. arc mxolod im mizeziT, rom igi im
rCeulTagania, vis sityvasa da azrs gansacdelsa
da gasaWirSi yurs urwmunonic ki miapyroben.
ocdaaTiod wlis winaT qarTuli saeklesio
xelovneba yvelas TvalSi warsulis kuTvnilebad
qceuliyo. da, albaT, Cvens kaTolikos-patriarqsRa
swamda uryevad, rom is aucileblad unda
aRorZindes da aRorZindeba kidec. araTu 1991
wels saqarTvelos damoukideblobis aRdgenamde,
TviT sabWour “perestroika”-mde, 1980-iani wlebis
dasawyisSive mouwoda man qarTvel xelovanT
qarTuli qristianuli “saxeTqmnis” yvela
xuroTmoZRvreba
qarTuli taZarmSenebloba, sul cota, lixs
gaRma-gamoRma qristianuli sarwmunoebis
damkvidrebis Tanadroulia. imxanad, qristes
aqeT IV saukuneSi, msoflio eklesias ukve
SemuSavebuli hqonda RvTismsaxurebisa da mis ama
Tu im saxeobaTa Sesabamisi nagebobaTa ti pebic
(mag., sakrebulo taZari, samartvile, sanaTlavi).
mociqulTa xanidan iqna miRebuli, rom qristianuli
msaxureba morwmuneTa sagangebo sivrceSi
Sekrebas gulisxmobda. saukuneTa ganmavlobaSi
dadginda aseve, rom igi orad, mRvdelmsaxurTa
da mlocvelTa sayofelad unda ganiyofodes
da aRmosavleTisaken unda iyos damxrobili.
es moTxovnebi, iseve rogorc samRvdeloebis
dasadgomis, sakurTxevlis afsiduroba,
rasakvirvelia, qarTvelma xuroTmoZRvrebmac
gaiziares. mogvianebiT maT sxva bevri qveynis
ostatebze adre SemoiRes adreqristianuli
siriis magaliTiT sakurTxevlis aqeT-iqiT
oTaxebis gamarTva, sadac Jamiswirvis Semdgomi
daxvewis kvalad, VIII-IX saukuneebidan samkveTlo
da sadiakvne Tavsdeba. cxadia, mTeli saqristianos
Tanaxmierad esmodaT CvenSi taZris simbolikac –
misi aRmosavleTi da zeda monakveTebi zeciurisa
da RvTiuris, dasavleTi da qveda _ qveyniurisa da
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dargis gansaaxleblad. maTTan erTad ki misma
uwmindesobam qarTveli xelovnebaTmcodneebic
moixmo, radgan mavanTagan gansxvavebiT uwyoda,
rom swored qarTvel xelovnebis istorikosTa
mecadineobiT moxerxda 70-wliani usjuloebis
xanaSi araTu winandel droTa didostatebis
qmnilebaTa fizikurad gadmonaxva, maTi Rirsebisa
da mniSvnelovnebis isev da isev gacnobiereba da
warmoCena. SeuZlebelia, madliereba ar gamovxatoT
imis gamo, rom misma uwmindesobam gvarguna pativi,
viyoT CvenSi qristianuli saxviTi Semoqmedebis
gacxovlebis diadi saqmis monawileni; uwinaresad
ki _ imis Taobaze, rom swored misi uwmindesobis,
kaTolikos-patriarqis ilia II-is wyalobiT aqvs
mas awmyoca da momavalic.
saamsoflosi, mTlianobaSi taZari ki RvTivqmnili
kosmosis xateba-gansaxierebad gaiazreboda.
miuxedavad amisa, qarTuli taZrebi iolad
sacnobia, sxvaTagan gansxvavebuli. amis mizezi
isaa, rom aqauri ostatebi sayovelTao wesebsa
da sazrisebs sakuTari gemovnebisa da samSeneblo
Cvevebis Sesatyvisad ganaxorcielebdnen. rogorc
yvelagan da yovelTvis, qristianobas saqarTvelo-
Sic sakuTari warsulisa da gamocdilebis
qveyana da xalxi daxvda, romelsac misi nauwyebi
WeSmariteba Tavisi, sityvieri Tu mxatvruli eniT
unda gamoeTqva. qarTvelni ki saimdrood ukve didi
xania da bevrnairad aSenebdnen. uflis gankacebamde
aTaswleulebiT adre iswavles maT xiTxurooba
(misi donis maCvenebeli Tundac TrialeTuri
yorRanebis rTuli Sida Zelovani konstruqciebia).
Zveladve mohkides maT xeli qvis damuSavebasac _
jer lodovan, e.w. ciklopur, mSralad nawyob
cixeebs da akldamebs agebdnen, Semdgom Senobebi
Tlili, liTonis firfitebiT gadabmuli qvebiT
amohyavdaT, welTaRricxvaTa gasayaridan ki
duRabiT, ramac kamarovani gadaxurvis gamoyeneba
moitana. antikuri xanidan amzadebdnen CvenTan
agursa da kramits. daaxloebiT maSinve gamoikveTa
kldis qalaqi ufliscixe, romlis darbazebi maSin
arsebuli qvisa Tu xis saxlebs (Tu sasaxleebs)
asaxavs, meore mxriv ki “qvabovani”, soflebisa da
samarxebis gamokafvis oraTaswlovan tradiciasac
abolovebs; es ukanaskneli mogvianebiT, VI
saukunidan, qarTvelma berebmac gaagrZeles.
Sua saukuneebis kalatozebma mTeli es
samSeneblo codna moixmes da moiSvelies.
qarTuli sataZro xuroTmoZRvreba, upiratesad,
kiris xsnarze qvis xuroTmoZRvrebaa. met-
naklebad mniSvnelovani nagebobebisTvis VI-XV
saukuneebSi, kaxeTis gamoklebiT, kedlis gare
pirze mainc, xSirad gare-SigniTac umravlesad
Tlili kvadrebi an filebi gamoiyeneba.
magram adridanve iyo CvenSi xis eklesiebic _
aRmosavleT da samxreT saqarTveloSic, ufro
metad ki qveynis dasavleT nawilSi; _ gasagebi
mizezebis gamo maTi mcirericxovani magaliTebi
XIX saukunisRa SemogvrCa. aguriT naSeni taZrebi
kantikuntad, sul gvian IX saukunidan viciT
da mravlad XVI-XIX saukuneebSi. rac Seexeba
aguriviT meTuneobasTan dakavSirebul kramits, igi
erTi umTavresi gadasaxuravi masalaa (dasavleT
saqarTveloSi xmarobdnen xisgan damzadebul
yavars, dro da dro spilenZis furclebsac, XIII
saukinidan aRmosavleT da samxreT saqarTveloSi
gavrcelebulia qvis kramitisebri lorfinebic).
mxatvruli TvalsazrisiT unda aRiniSnos wmindanTa
da bibliuri ambebis (danieli lomTa xaroSi
da sxv.) gamosaxulebebiT aRbeWdili VIII-IX
saukuneebis kramitebi da XV saukunis Sorenkecebi.
xuroTmoZRvrebis gamomsaxvelobisTvis, iqneb,
kidev ufro mniSvnelovania feradi (laJvardis-
feri, mewamuli, zurmuxtisferi Tu balaxisferi
mwvane da sxv.) WiquriT dafaruli kramitebi,
romelnic X saukunis meore naxevridan Semodis
da XII saukunis CaTvliT, albaT, yvela da gviana
Sua saukuneebis araerT eklesias amSvenebda.
aguris taZrebze XIII da momdevno saukuneebSi
feradWiquriani filebic Cndeba, XII-XIII
saukuneebSi ki IX-X saukuneebis ozaanis taZarSi
(siRnaRis maxloblad) nairferadi agurebiT
sakurTxevelSi mozaikuri iatakic moages.
amis garda, am mravlismomcvel samSeneblo
codnasTan erTad, qarTvelebs gamokveTili
esTetikuri ganwyobac hqondaT. jer kidev Zveli
welTaRricxvis V aTaswleulis sacxovreblebSi
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vxedavT da Semdgomac mudam vadasturebT, rom
maT gamorCeulad mkafiod mofargluli, mrgvali
an kvadrats miaxloebuli, xSirad zeaRmavali,
namdvili Tu warmosaxviTi Sua RerZis
irgvliv Tavmoyrili sadgomebi moswonT. amgvar
midrekilebas Zalze didi mniSvneloba hqonda,
radgan qristianobis umTavres kerebSi, TviT Cvens
mezobel mcire aziaSi, odiTganve sigrZiv gaWimuli
sivrceebi erCivnaT; SemTxveviTi rodia, rom IV-V
saukuneebis didi bazilikebi romSi, ierusalimSi,
saberZneTSi da a.S. zogierT mkvlevars gadaxurul
quCad Tu gzad warmoudgeba.
amdenad, eklesiaTa ageba saqarTveloSi,
miaxloebiT, qarTlSi qristianobis saxelmwifo
religiad aRiarebis Semdeg unda dawyebuliyo
e.i. IV saukunis pirvel naxevarSi. qarTuli
matianeebis cnobiT, pirveli taZrebis umetesoba
saberZneTidan (e.i. berZnulenovani qveynebidan)
mosul ostatebs auSenebiaT. aRmosavleTsa da
samxreT saqarTveloSi maTi kvali, amJamad mainc,
ar Cans, dasavleTSi ki, romelic maSin romis
(Semdgom – bizantiis) uSualo qveSemrdomi iyo,
mignebulia ramdenime aseTi, uTuod, ase vTqvaT,
“importuli”, IV-V saukuneebis nageboba, (mag.,
biWvintaSi _ igi imJamad “pitiunti”, romauli,
Semdeg ki bizantiuri dasaxleba iyo, _ anda
lazikis… dedaqalaq noqalaqevSi). ramdenic unda
yofiliyo amgvari Senoba Tavdapirvelad, maT ver
gansazRvres qarTuli saeklesio arqiteqturis
da, e.i., sazogadod qarTuli xuroTmoZRvrebis
ragvaroba da istoriuli gza. sayuradReboa,
amasTanve, kidev erTi garemoeba: sakuTriv
antikuri, gindac fercvlili, formebi CvenTan
Zalze iSviaTia da ise rodi ayalibebs mxatvrul
STabeWdilebas rogorc romSi, siria-palestinasa
Tu CrdiloeT afrikaSi. ufro xvdeba mzeras iranul
xelovnebasTan saerTo calkeuli elementebi,
magram isinic V saukunis meore naxevarSi mainc,
sagrZnobladaa gardasaxuli.
uadresi, Zalian mcirericxovani nagebobebi, rac
IV saukuniTa Tu V saukunis pirveli naxevriT
SegviZlia davaTariRoT, friad Tavisebur suraTs
gviCvenebs. rac dro-Jams gadaurCa, momcroa,
zogjer patarac da xandaxan iseTi ucnauri,
imasac ki gvafiqrebinebs, mSeneblebi saimdrood
arsebul normebs bolomde, iqneb, arc gascnobiano.
aseTia, mag., nekresis monastris Zveli eklesia,
sakurTxevlisaken ki ara, mis marTobulad gaSlili,
TaRebiT gareTken gaxsnili kedlebiT. ufro
“Cveulebrivia” (mis magvars IV saukunis bolos,
mag., antioqiasa da efesoSi vicnobT), gumbaTovani,
TaRebiT Sedgenili “kvadrati” ucnobi saeklesio
moRvawis saflavze Weremis saepiskoposo taZris
ezoSi. magram TviT am, araerTi axlandeli
mnaxvelis TvalisTvis Seuxedav, nagebobebSi
dgindeba xuroTmoZRvruli formebis (mag.,
TaRebis moyvanilobis) mizandasaxuli SerCeva da,
rac mTavaria, is siyvaruli “gauwelavi” sivrce-
moculobisadmi, rac ganasxvavebs qarTul taZrebs
maSindeli saqristianos da mermindeli dasavleTis
umetes, gansakuTrebiT bazilikur eklesiaTagan,
ase Zlierad romaa sakurTxevlisaken sigrZiv
mimarTuli. es, rogorc iTqva, ZvelTaZveli
mSeneblobiTi da sivrciT-gancdiTi CveviTaa
Sepirobebuli. V saukunis bolosaTvis Cven
ukve mozrdili taZrebic gvaqvs (mag., bolnisis
sioni; wm. mefe vaxtang gorgasalis aSenebuli
mcxeTis sveticxoveli, romlis didroni naSTebi
CarTulia kaTedralis awindel XI s-is nagebobaSi;
kawareTis sameba da sxv.). isini dagvanaxebs, raoden
kargad SeuTvisebiaT qarTvel xuroTmoZRvarT
elinistur-romauli bazilikis struqtura, Tan
ki, TavisTvisa da Tavis damkveTTaTvis sasurvelad
“daukumSavT”, grZivad ki ara, zemiumarTavT igi.
kompaqturobis, mosazRvruli sivrcis erTianobis
Ziebis maniSnebelia VI saukunis pirvel naxevarSi
e.w. “sameklesiiani bazilikis” gaCena, sadac
bazilikis Sua navi TiTqos kedlebiT moifargla
da calke sadgomad iqca. ugumbaTo taZris am
nairsaxeobis SemuSaveba, romlis msgavsi calkeuli
Senobebi sxvaganac SeiZleba vnaxoT, xolo ti pad
ki saqarTvelos gareT _ arsad, ueWvelad raRac
liturgiul saWiroebas epasuxeba. magram funqciis
aseTi formiT “Semosva” esTetikur-SemoqmedebiTi
bunebisaa. “sameklesiianma bazilikam”, romlis
magaliTebi TiTqmis erTdroulad gamoCnda
aRmosavleT saqarTveloSi (qarTlSica da
kaxeTSic _ qvemo bolnisi, vanaTi, kardanaxis wm.
nikolozis, ruispiris wm. Tevdores eklesiebi da
a.S.) da qveynis Crdilo-dasavleTSic, axlandel
afxazeTSi (Zveli gagris eklesia), VI saukunis
ganmavlobaSi sagulisxmo ganviTareba ganicada
10
da mis gasuls srulyofili kompoziciuri
saxec miiRo (zeganisa da nekresis yvelawmindis,
vaCnaZianis “amidasturis” eklesiebi da sxv.).
Tanadroulad, albaT, VI saukunis
dasawyisidanve, iseve rogorc mTels aRmosavleT
saqristianoSi, win gumbaTiani taZrebi moiwevs.
maT Soris uZvelesni centruli, srulebiT
simetriuli nagebobania, oTxafsidiani (e.w.
tetrakonqebi) Tu “Tavisufali jvris” gegmisa
(“Zveli gavazi”, “erelaanT saydari”, idleTis
naTlismcemeli; ufro rTuli saxis _ ninowmindis
kaTedrali). daaxloebiT VI saukunis Sua xanidan
arqiteqtorebs aRar akmayofilebT es sakmaod
martivi Senobebi _ axla surT kompoziciaTa
mravalnawilianoba, savsebiT gawonasworebuli
Sida sivrcisa Tu gare moculobis pirvel da
meorexarisxovani nawilebis garCeva da a.S. am
mcdelobis pirveli dagvirgvinebaa mcxeTis wm.
jvris didi taZari (586-604 ww.), qarTuli da
msoflio xuroTmoZRvrebis erTi SedevrTagani. aq
ara marto miRweulia SemadgenelTa harmoniuli
Sewoniloba da garemo bunebasTan iSviaTi
TanaSewyobiloba, aramed erTmaneTs Sefardebulia
interierisa da fasadebis mxatvruli gadawyveta,
rac ar icoda wina saukuneebis da mogvianebiTac
saqristianos bevri regionis arqiteqturam.
mcxeTis wm. jvris taZars VII saukunis pirvel
naxevarSi (SeiZleba, cota gvian) mihyva misi wabaZviT
agebuli, mTels saqarTveloSi mimofantuli oTxi
eklesia (Zveli SuamTa _ kaxeTSi, atenis sioni
_ qarTlSi, martvilis RmrTismSoblis taZari
odiSSi, Camxusi – taoSi), romelTac mecnierebaSi
“mcxeTis jvris ti pis” nagebobebi ewodeba. taZarTa
es jgufi ara marto calke etaps qmnis qarTuli
xuroTmoZRvebis istoriaSi, aramed aCvenebs, rom
niWier SemoqmedTac ki am kompoziciaSi mxolod
mciredi siaxleebis Semotana ZaluZT, xolo
princi pulad axali gumbaTovani taZris axalive
nairsaxeoba Tu iqneboda. swored igi SemogvTavaza
wromis taZris (VII saukunis pirveli naxevari)
didebulma arqiteqtorma. man ara marto mSvenieri,
mravalmxriv SesaniSnavi nageboba Seqmna, aramed
erT-erTma pirvelma (droiT mas samiod somxuri
taZariRa uaxlovdeba, Tan mxatvrulad arsobrivad
msxvaobari) aago garedan sworkuTxa taZari,
oTx burjze Camoyrdnobili gumbaTiTa da misgan
gaSlili mklavebiT sivrceSi Seqmnili jvriT. es
e.w. “Cawerili jvris” xuroTmoZRvruli ti pia,
IX-X saukuneebidan mTels samarTlmadidebloSi,
albaT, yvelaze metad gavrcelebuli. kidev erTi
gza scada, odnav mogvianebiT, banas samxreT-qarTuli
taZris mSenebelma, romelmac grandiozuli
garSemosavleliani tetrakonqis Senebisas mcxeTis
wm. jvris xuroTmoZRvris gamocdilebac moiSvelia,
wromelisac da gvianromaul-adrebizantiur
arqiteqturaSi cnobili msgavsi kompoziciuri
ideac. am da zogierT sxva eklesiaSi (mag.,
samwevrisis wm. jvris patara eklesia qarTlSi)
Cans, rom xuroTmoZRvarTa guls ukve naklebad
ekareba uSualo winamorbedTa naxelavis sruli
simSvide da uSfoTveloba, maT nagebobebSi Semodis
moZraobisa da daZabulobis elferi _ swored
aseTi iyo qarTuli arqiteqturis samomavlo
gezic.
am axali Ziebebis ganxorcieleba qarTvel
xelovanT arcTu saxarbielo viTarebaSi mouwiaT.
VII saukunis Sua wlebidan aRmosavleTsa da
samxreT saqarTvelos miwa-wyalze arabTa laSqarma
Semoabija da qveynis didi nawili xalifatis
farglebSi moeqca. marTalia, VIII saukunis
bolodan arabTa Zalaufleba Sesustda da iwyeba
adgilobrivi politikuri erTeulebis gaZliereba,
dasavleT saqarTveloSi ki bizantiisagan
damoukideblobis moswrafe “afxazeTis samefo”
gamoiyofa. arc Sida politikuri qiSpoba da
arc gareSe ZalasTan Serkineba ar unda iyos,
TiTqos, xuroTmoZRvrebisaTvis xelsayreli.
miuxedavad amisa, VIII, IX da X saukuneebis
qarTul saeklesio xuroTmoZRvrebaSi iSviaT
gamococxlebas vadasturebT. aSeneben yvelgan
_ yvela kuTxeSi, mTasa da barSi, qalaqebsa,
soflebsa da monastrebSi. raodenobrivad am
Znelbedobis dros TiTqmis verc erTi sxva xana
ver gauwevs metoqeobas. Zalze mravalferovania
TviT nagebobanic – am dros gumbaTian taZrebsac
ageben (tetrakonqebs, trikonqebs, mravalafsidians,
“Tavisufali” da “Cawerili jvris” ti pisas)
da ugumbaTosac: calnaviansac, bazilikebsac,
“sameklesiian bazilikebsac”, ornavian eklesiebsac.
wamZRoloba, rogorc es ukve VI saukunidan gvaqvs,
gumbaTur arqiteqturas ekuTvnis. rasakvirvelia,
ara ricxobrivad (erTnaviani eklesiebi, mcire
11
mrevlisaTvis ufro Sesaferisica da misawvdomic,
maSinac da momdevno epoqebSic yvelaze mravlad
moi poveba), aramed xarisxobrivad – axlac da
merec swored gumbaTian nagebobebSi iSveba xolme
axali ideebi Tu motivebi, isaxeba SemoqmedebiTi
Zvrebi. mravlferovania imJamindel arqiteqtorTa
xerxebic _ isini xan amravalkeceben formas, xan
TiTqos amartiveben mas, Sedegad ki yovelTvis
ram moulodnelia, Znelad amosacnobic ki.
damaxasiaTebelia, mag., samnaviani Tu “sameklesiiani”
bazilikebis kompoziciaTa Serwyma gumbaTur
sivrcesTan (gurjaanisa da vaCnaZianis yvelawmidis
taZrebi kaxeTSi, sinkoTisa _ klarjeTSi); meore
mxriv, mdinareebis qsnisa da rexulas xeobebis
zogierT eklesiaSi gumbaTi calnavian gare
moculobaSi Caimala (wirqoli, armazi, inauri…...);
bazilikebis navebi ganaTebis ganawilebiT xan sam
nairgvar sadgomad gardaiqmneba (zedazeni), xanac
erTian saTavsod SeduRdeba (akuras “mama daviTi”)
da a.S. da kidev erTi ram _ jer kidev V-VII
saukuneebSi gamoikveTa ramdenime regionaluri
skola (qarTlis, kaxeTis), axla ki maTi raodenoba
mkveTrad izrdeba. mozrdil mxareebsa da ufro
wvril geografiul erTeulebSic (mag., igive
qsnis xeoba Tu javaxeTis zegani) TvalsaCinoa
nagebobaTa erTgvari kuTxobrivi niSnebis
matarebeli jgufebi, romelnic adgilobrivi,
erTmaneTisagan ganswavluli ostatebis ramdenime
Taobis xelidan aris gamosuli. gansakuTrebiT
gamoirCeva maSindeli arqiteqturis sami “nakadi”
_ kaxeTis, tao-klarjeT-SavSeTisa da saqarTvelos
CrdiloeTi SavizRvispireTis (e.w. “afxazeTis
skola”).
yvela am, didsa Tu mcire centrSi mxatvruli
miswrafeba, ZiebaTa mizanmimarTuloba erTia, Tumca
sxvadasxvanairad gamoxatuli. maTma gamalebulma
Rvwam da, amasTan, gacxovelebulma gacvla-
gamocvlamac X saukunis Sua xanisaTvis mTels
istoriul saqarTveloSi erTi bunebis cvlileba
moitana _ winare, Cveulebriv “gardamaval
xanad” wodebul VIII-IX saukuneebSi dinamikis
mxatvruli STabeWdileba proporciebis, ganaTebis
da a.S. kontrastiT, garkveuli daZabulobiT
iqmneba, Tan nagebobis nawilebi da elementebi,
iseve rogorc VI-VII saukuneebSi, TavisTavadi,
mosazRvruli Cans. axla ostatebs undaT isini
urTierTgardamavlad aRiqmebodes. momxdari
cvlilebebis kidev erTi maniSnia CuqurTmovani Tu
plastikuri da qandakovani samkaulis odenobisa
da mniSvnelovnebis matebac. Tu adre reliefi
Tu ornamentuli arSia maxvilad axlavs, vTqvaT,
karebsa da sarkmlebs, axla isini an sazogadod
damoukidebelia, anda Tu metad ara, arc naklebad
wonadi, vidre Riobi an Senobis romelime sxva
komponenti. gansakuTrebiT winwasuli gamodga
samxreT-dasavleTi saqarTvelos xuroTmoZRvreba
_ aqauri monastrebis taZrebi (Tundac oSkis,
xaxulis Tu tbeTis gumbaTiani eklesiebi, oTxTa
eklesiisa da parxlis bazilikebi da a.S.),
romelTac ZiriTadad bagrationTa momZlavrebuli
samefo saxlis wevrni ukveTaven, saukeTesod
gvisuraTebs imdroindeli xelovnebis monapovarT.
ra Tqma unda, sayuradRebo nagebobebi sxvaganac
iqmneboda _ gavixsenoT kumurdos taZari
javaxeTSi, boWormisa da kveteris cixeTa
eklesiebi kaxeTSi, moqvis kaTedrali afxazeTSi
da mravali sxva. magram swored samxreT-qarTveli
ostatebis damuSavebuli mamkobi elementebi da
CuqurTmebi aitaces X-XI saukuneebis mijnaze
imereTis, afxazeTis, qarTlis xuroTmoZRvrebma,
TviT kaxeTmac ki, sadac manamade arqiteqturuli
samkauli TiTqmis arc gamoiyeneboda. ase Seiqmna
politikurad jer bolomde gauerTianebel, Tumca
eklesiurad ukve erTian saqarTveloSi erTianive,
ase vTqvaT, “arqiteqturuli ena”. ase rom, Tu
siRrmiseulad saqarTvelo, kulturis mxriv,
mTliani antikur xanaSive da savsebiT TvalsaCinod
V saukunis aqeTac iyo, axla igi garegnuladac,
TviT uzerelesi TvalisTvisac, gaerTgvarovanda.
SemoqmedebiTi Zalisxmeva XI saukunis dasawyisSi
arc sxvafriv mimcxrala. am droisaa saqarTvelos
“sami udidesi kaTedrali” _ quTaisis
RmrTismSoblis miZinebis (1003 w., e.w. “bagratis
taZari”), mcxeTis sveticxovlis (1010-1029ww.)
da alaverdis wm. giorgis (1030 w-mde) eklesiebi.
maTze dakvirvebiT naTeli xdeba, rom X saukunis
xuroTmoZRvarni dinamikurad “gadamTlianebul”
arqiteqturas ki qmnian, magram Tanadroulad yvela
komponentis gamonakvTva, elementTa siuxevec ar
emetebaT. amieridan gegmebi ufro martivi xdeba,
sivrcesa, moculobebsa Tu mosarTavebSi yvelaferi
TiTqos erTmaneTSi gadaedineba, gancalkavebul
12
elementebsac Cveni mzera sxvebs mierTebulad
“kiTxulobs”. TandaTan muSavdeba erTgvari
“formulebic”, ostatTa gankargulebaSi sul
ufro meti srulad Camoqnili forma Tu xerxia,
sul ufro cotaa saZebni da mosaxelTebeli.
erTgvar “damaboloveblad” am gzaze wamoimarTeba
1030 wlis samTavisis kaTedrali da mcxeTis e.w.
“samTavros” taZari (XI s-is meore mesamedi). amis
mere qarTvel xuroTmoZRvarT Tvalwin sruliad
CamonakvTuli sataZro forma aqvT, romelic
maT saukuneebis manZilze Tavisebur etalonad
gadaeqcaT.
orasi wlis manZilze, qarTuli saxelmwifo-
ebriobis umwvervalesi Zlevamosilebis xanaSi,
ostatebi ufro xSirad samTavro-samTavisSi
SemoTavazebuli “formulebis” nairgvar, rig
SemTxvevaSi brwyinvale variacias qmnian xolme _
esaa “Cawerili jvris” lakoniuri, orburjiani
gegmiT gamoyvanili (XI s-is 30-iani wlebidan misi
da calnavian eklesiis garda sxva ti pi TiTqmis
aRarc moixmareba), CuqurTmiT uxvad morTuli,
didroni jvrebiT damSvenebuli Senobebi (mag.,
ikorTa, 1172 w., beTania, qvaTaxevi, XII-XIII s-
Ta mijna; fitareTi, XIII s-is damdegi), sadac
gareTa samkauls SigniT moxatuloba efardeba.
es, uwinares yovlisa, dekoratiuli fantaziis
arqiteqturaa. sul ramdenime magaliTi gvaqvs,
rodesac mSenebeli sakuTriv arqiteqturuli
formis gamomsaxvelobas miendo. XII saukuneSi
esenia gelaTis RmrTismSoblis saxelganTqmuli
taZari da 1152 wlis TiRvis eklesia; XII-
XIII saukuneebis gasayarze ki aguriT naSeni
timoTesubani da yincvisis wm. nikolozis eklesia.
amasTan ki, xangamoSvebiT, “Tamaris xanis” didebul
virtuozebSic gamoereva ostati, romelic
gatacebiT veRar asrulebs mravalgzis nameoreb
saxeebs. ai, maSin ki xuroTmoZRvrebas Zala akldeba,
eklesiis gare kedlebi TiTqos “carieldebao”.
es movlenebi kidev ufro TvalnaTlivia XIII
saukunis Sua xanidan, xvarazmelTa Semosevisa
da monRolebis gabatonebis xanaSi. am drois
eklesiebis daTvalierebisas ueWvelia, rom
“daviTisa da Tamaris” xanis Semdgom, ostatebs
winandeburi “mkuloba” Tu moxdeniloba naklebad
surT, meti sisadave da sidinje swadiaT. amave
dros, isini verc taZris XI-XII saukuneebSi
Camoqnil formas elevian da amitomac TviT gawaful
xelovanTac ki (mag., erTawmindis da Tbilisis
metexis taZrebi qarTlSi, safarisa da zarzmis
samcxeSi, mRvimevisa imereTSi, bediisa – axlandel
afxazeTSi) metad Tu naklebad winaaRmdegobrivi,
erTgvari ekleqturobiT aRbeWdili nagebobebi
gamosdiT. mere da mere TviT xelosnuri donec
qveiTdeba. da swored am dros uswro qarTul
xuroTmoZRvrebas Temur-lengis gamanadgurebelma
laSqrobebma. maT ise gaaCanages qveyana, rom lamisaa
XV saukunis mTel sigrZeze metwilad aRdgeniTi
samuSaoebi warimarTeboda da naklebad _ axali
mSenebloba. imdroindeli nakeTebi zogjer imasac
gagafiqrebinebs, saqarTveloSi qviTxuroebi xom
ar amomwydarano _ imdenad dauxvewavia naSeni da
naqandakari (ix. Tundac mcxeTis sveticxovlis
XV s-Si aRdgenili nawilebi).
XVI saukuneSi kvlav Cveni saeklesio
xuroTmoZRvrebis aRorZinebas vxedavT. pirvel
yovlisa, man daibruna xelobis, Sesrulebis
maRali done, romelic umetesad XVIII saukunis
bolomde SeinarCuna. amasTan erTad, ar SeiZleba
ar aRiniSnos zogierTi sirTulec. jer erTi,
aRmSenebloba wyvetilebiT, Tu ase SeiZleba iTqvas,
mimonacvlebiT, qveynis xan erT kuTxeSi warmoebs,
xan meoreSi, iq, sadac mSvidoba Camovardeba.
ase, XVI saukunebSi am mxriv dawinaurebulia
kaxeTi da imereTi, XVII-Si qarTli, XVIII-Si
ki raWa-leCxumi da qarTl-kaxeTi. rac mTavaria,
wina aswleulebiviT, maSinac Wirda odindeli
mxatvruli erTianobis miRweva, isev da isev
vawydebiT sakuTari swrafvisa da savaldebulod
aRiarebuli nimuSebis met-naklebad acdenas da,
aqedan gamomdinare, araTanmimdevrulobas. es xels
rodi gviSlis, jerovnad davafasoT imdroindeli
qviTxuroebis mondomeba, rac SeiZleba Rirseulad
warmoaCinon uflis saxli, SevniSnoT maTi
warmatebani da miRwevebi. sakmarisia gavixsenoT,
Tundac, XVI saukunis kaxeTis aguris gumbaTiani
eklesiebis maxvili siluetebi da fasadTa
wyobaSi gamoyvanili jvrebi Tu TaRebi (axali
SuamTis RmrTismSoblis, gremis mTavarangelozTa
da sxva taZrebi), XVII saukunis bolosa da XVIII
saukunis dasawyisis qarTlsa da leCxumSi XI
saukunis Semdeg pirvelad, safasado reliefebis
rTuli sistemis gamoCena (ananuris miZinebis,
13
sagarejos “petre-pavles” eklesiebi, Tbilisis
sionis gumbaTis yeli, 1710w., leCxumis “mcxeTa”
da sxv.); 1753 wels barakonis RmrTismSoblis
taZris simkvidre da sufTad da guldasmiT
naxelavi samkauli.
SeiZleba kidev metad Candes “gviani saukuneebis”
xuroTmoZRvarTa SesaZleblobani iq, sadac maT
“uetalonod” uxdebodaT Seneba. amis magaliTia,
Tugind, XVI-XVIII saukuneebis samrekloebi
(ninowmindis, Tbilisis anCisxatis, bolnisis,
urbnisisa da ruisis kaTedralebis da sxv.) _
yoveli maTgani gamokveTilad individualuria,
aTasi da meti wlis taZars saucxood Sexamebuli,
nairgvarad agebul-dagegmarebulica da morTulic.
qarTvel xelovanTa alRosa da maxvilgonierebis
cxadi mowmobaa is Tavisufleba, romliTac
iSvelieben da gardasaxaven isini iranuli,
XVIII saukuneSi ki aseve dasavleTevropuli
xelovnebidan mosesxebul elementebs. ukanasknelTa
gaCenas gansakuTrebuli yuradReba unda mieqces,
radgan XIX saukuneSi politikurma movlenebma
farTod gauRo kari yovelive dasavlurs da Tu
ara Sinagani mzaoba, am gavlenas SeeZlo mTlianad
waeleka qarTvelTa sulieri arseboba.
Tumca ki, XIX saukune mravalmxriv saZnelo
gamodga qarTvelobisTvis sazogadod da, kerZod,
xuroTmoZRvarTaTvis. 1801 wels qarTl-kaxeTis
ruseTis imperiis mierTebiT daiwyo da maleve
dasrulda _ Cvens istoriaSi pirvelad _
qarTuli saxelmwifoebriobis gauqmeba. 1810-
ian wlebSi aseTive bedi ewia saqarTvelos
marTlmadidebeli eklesiis avtokefaliasac. axal
viTarebaSi sazogadoebrivi mSenebloba didi xniT
mTlianad ucxo Zalis xelSi aRmoCnda da igive
iTqmis didwilad eklesiaTa Senebis Sesaxebac.
meore mxriv, eklesiebi mravlad igeboda da bevri
maTgani _ qarTvel morwmuneTa da mRvdelmTavarTa
(gansakuTrebiT bevri iRvawa am mxriv wm.
gabriel episkoposma) TaosnobiTa da xarjiT.
XIX saukunis pirvel naxevarSi, garkveulwilad
mainc, wina aswleulis mcdelobebis gagrZeleba
SeimCneva, winandeli tradiciis gagrZelebac
da masTan axlebur-dasavluris Serwyma-
Seguebac (erTi TvalsaCino magaliTi 1863 wels
dasrulebuli wm. samebis eklesiaa TbilisSi).
ufro araerTgvarovani viTarebaa 1860 wlebidan
moyolebuli. imdroindeli soflis eklesiebi
umravlesad erTferovania, TiTqos “ti pobrivi”;
aris gamonaklisebic – mag., imereTSi berekaSvilebis
gvaris ostatebis agebuli zogierTi taZari.
qalaqebSi da im dabebSi, sadac ruseTis jaris
nawilebi idga, sasuliero da saero xelisufleba
e.w. “rusuli” an “rusul-bizantiuri” stilis
eklesiebs agebda da es xSirad arc Tu saukeTeso
nimuSebia am yaidis Senobebisa, romelnic mTels
imperiaSi mravlad moi poveboda. maTgan yvelaze
cnobili, albaT, Tbilisis wm. aleqsandre
nevelis “soboro” iyo, “kavkasiis dapyrobis”
saxsovrad aRmarTuli (rac kargad gvisuraTebs
amnairi arqiteqturis politikur sarCuls) da
Tbilisisve didubis RmrTismSoblis taZari.
zogjerac, aSkarad damkveTTa neba-surviliT,
nagebobas Zvel-qarTulsac miamgvanebdnen _ mag.,
“mamadaviTis” eklesia Tbilisis Tavze (1859-
1871ww.). XX saukunis pirvel wlebSi erovnul-
ganmanTavisuflebeli moZraobis aRmavlobis Tu
saqarTvelos eklesiis TviTmwysobis dabrunebis
cdas daerTo erovnuli qarTuli xuroTmoZRvrebis
(rogorc maSin ambobdnen, “qarTuli stilis”)
aRorZinebis mcdelobac. am mimarTulebam
saeklesio arqiteqturaSic iCina Tavi. swored
taZari _ damkveTTa (dekanozebi markoz tyemalaZe
da kalistrate cincaZe _ Semdgom kaTolikos-
patriarqi _ da generali iv. amilaxvari) miTiTebiT
samTavisis taZris SemsgavsebiT aSenebuli
Tbilisis qaSveTis wm. giorgis eklesia (1910w.
arq. l. bilfeldi), _ aris kidevac misi erTi
qvis reliefebi
axali, Sua saukuneebis xelovnebis
Camoyalibebis istoriuli procesi Taviseburad
mimdinareobda xelovnebis sxvadasxva dargSi, maT
Soris qandakebaSi, romelic xuroTmoZRvrebasTan
mWidro kavSirSi viTardeboda. qvis reliefebi,
kedlis mxatvrobasTan erTad, mowodebuli iyo
gadmoecaT uflis, RmrTismSoblisa da wmindanTa
saxeebi, xilulad eqcia morwmuneTaTvis
qristianuli moZRvrebis mTavari cnebebi, saRvTo
istoriis movlenebi. am amocanis Sesruleba
14
uTvalsaCinoesi nawarmoebTagani. safiqrebelia,
amdagvarive iqneboda saburTalos wm. Tamar mefis
eklesia, romlis ageba I msoflio omamde cota
xniT adre ganizraxes...
am omis dros da saqarTvelos demokratiuli
respublikis xanaSi taZarTmSenebloba TiTqmis
SeCerda, 1921 wels Cvens qveyanaSi sabWoTa
wyobilebis damyarebis mere ki, masze fiqric
ki SeuZlebeli gaxda. mxolod 1980-ian wlebSi,
sabWoTa kavSiris dasustebis Jams, sruliad
saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqis, uwmidesisa
da unetaresis ilia II-s RvawliT ganaxlda
zrunva qarTuli saeklesio xuroTmoZRvrebis
gasacxovleblad. gansakuTrebuli mniSvneloba
hqonda Tbilisis wm. samebis sapatriarqo taZris
proeqtebis konkurss, romelic 1990 wels or
safexurad Catarda. man naTlad gamoaCina, ramden
arqiteqtors surs Tavisi wvlili Seitanos
sataZro aRmSeneblobaSi da is siZneleebic, rac dRes
axlavs am saqmis ganxorcielebas, “tradiciulisa”
da “axlis” Sexmatkbilebas, eklesiis aSenebisas
garaduvalad aucilebels. da mainc, miuxedavad
amisa, miuxedavad ukiduresi gaWirvebisa, wm.
samebis taZari, romlis ageba uwmidesisa da
unetaresis sityviT, saqarTvelos gamaerTianebel-
gamamTlianebelia, dRes elias mTidan gadmoscqeris
Cvens dedaqalaqs. ukve nakurTxia Tu Sendeba an
igegmeba bevri sxva eklesia – Tbilissa Tu qveynis
sxvadasxva kuTxeebSi; eWvi araa, mravali sxva
kvlavac gasruldeba momavalSi Cveni samSoblos
sulierad aRsazeveblada da dasamSveneblad.
mkafiod Camoyalibebul xatovan sistemas,
kargad SemuSavebul ikonografias, ganviTarebul
Teologiur azrovnebas saWiroebda, radgan qvaSi
gacocxlebul wminda saxeebs gansakuTrebuli
mxatvrul-ideuri datvirTva hqonda.
Sua saukuneebis qandakeba samyaros Taviseburi
xatia, romelSic gansxeulebulia epoqis
religiuri mrwamsi, filosofia, sazogadoebrivi
azrovneba, erovnuli msoflSegrZneba. Sua
saukuneebis qristianul qandakebaSi mimdinare
procesebi sayovelTaoa, isini droismieri niSniTaa
aRbeWdili, rac erTnairad aisaxeba religiuri
xelovnebis yvela dargSi. yovel epoqas misTvis
damaxasiaTebeli sulierebis kvali atyvia,
rac eklesiis qvis reliefebSic hpovebs Tavis
asaxvas.
Sua saukuneebis qandakeba Tavisi arsiT
arqiteqturulia, igi mtkicedaa dakavSirebuli
nagebobasTan, romlis fasadebi Tu sxvadasxva
konstruqciuli nawilebi (lunetebi, svetisTavebi,
gumbaTis yeli, karebisa da sarkmlebis sapireebi,
kankelebi) mas Tavis kanonebs karnaxobs. kedlis
sibrtye am SemTxvevaSi qandakebis aqtiuri
mxatvruli komponentia.
saqarTveloSi Sua saukuneebis qvis plastikis
yvelaze adreuli qmnilebebi V saukunidanaa
SemorCenili. qarTuli arqiteqturuli
reliefebis uZvelesi nimuSebi bolnisis sionma
Semogvinaxa (V s. meore nax.). es iyo periodi,
rodesac yalibdeboda taZris reliefuri dekoris
ZiriTadi princi pebi. reliefebi upiratesad
taZris interierSia gamoyenebuli, xuroTmoZRvris
winaSe jer ar idga fasadebis Semkobis problema.
bolnisis reliefebSi kargad Cans epoqisaTvis
damaxasiaTebeli mxatvrul-simboluri azrovnebis
done.
saqarTveloSi, sxva qristianuli qveynebis
msgavsad, reliefebis ikonografiuli programebis
Camoyalibeba VI saukunis meore naxevrisTvisaa
dasrulebuli. amis brwyinvale magaliTia mcxeTis
wm. jvris didebuli taZari, romlis reliefuri
samkauli Tavisi srulyofiT, arqiteqturul
formebTan idealuri kavSiriT, mxatvrul-ideuri
mizandasaxulobiT msoflio Sedevrs warmoadgens.
igi nimuSad da etalonad iqca mTeli rigi
taZrebisaTvis saqarTvelosa da somxeTSi.
VI-VII saukeneebis saqarTveloSi arsebobda
reliefebiT Semkuli sakulto-memoriuli Zeglebis
unikaluri qmnilebebi _ qvajvarebi, safexurebian
kvarcxlbekze aRmarTuli, skulpturuli jvriT
dagvirgvinebuli maRali oTxwaxnaga svetebi,
romelTa waxnagebze Zveli da axali aRTqmis
amsaxveli reliefuri “xatebia” ganTavsebuli. es
iyo qveynis gaqristianebis simboloebi, romlebic
feodaluri sazogadoebis maRali fenebis mier
aRimarTeboda qristianobisadmi maTi erTgulebis
15
niSnad (xandisis, davaTis, dmanisis, sacxenisis da
sxv. qvasvetebi).
es iyo tradiciuli xelovnebis gamoRviZebis
saukuneebi, rodesac qarTveli moqandakeebi qvis
zedapirze qmnidnen gamouTqmeli RvTaebrivi
eqspresiiT aRsavse saxeebs. es iyo elinistur-
romauli formebisagan sruliad gansxvavebuli
axali plastikuri metyveleba _ brtyeli, uZravi,
usxeulo da uaRresad gamomsaxveli. es iyo
umniSvnelovanesi periodi qandakebis ganviTarebis
istoriaSi (V-VII ss.), rodesac iqmneboda
naqandakari formis Taviseburi gamomsaxvelobiTi
Zalis mqone axali xelovneba. es iyo Sua
saukuneebis azrovnebis axali forma, sivrcisa da
moculobis dauflebis axali wesi.
adreul qarTul reliefebze vxedavT xalxuri
xeze kveTis damaxasiaTebel xerxebsa da motivebs,
uZveles simbolur saxeebs. maTSi aseve SeiniSneba
spilos Zvlis reliefebisaTvis da Weduri
nawarmoebebisaTvis damaxasiaTebeli elementebi
da motivebi. wminda miwidan da bizantiidan
Camotanili portatiuli saRvTismsaxuro nivTebi
_ sanawileebi, jvar-xatebi, samweroblebi,
sacecxlurebi, spilos Zvlis nakeTobebi
moqandakeebs ikonografiuli sqemebisa da saxeebis
nimuSebs sTavazobda.
VIII-IX saukuneebi saqarTvelos xelovnebis
e.w. “gardamavali” epoqaa, Ziebebisa da mignebebis
mniSvnelovani periodi, romlidanac reliefebis
mcire raodenoba SemogvrCa. am reliefebs gamoarCevT
pirobiTi mxatvruli metyveleba, sibrtyobrivoba
da sqematuroba (Telovanis, wirqolis eklesiebis
- VIII-IXs. usaneTis qvasvetis – IX s. reliefebi,
aSot kurapalatis reliefi opizidan – IX s.)
X sukunidan safasado reliefebis aRmavlobis
xana iwyeba, xdeba qandakebis gamonTavisufleba
qvis blokidan, misi plastikuri moculobis
aTviseba, Tumca qandakebis Tavisufal plastikur
damuSavebamde jer kidev sakmaod didi gzaa
gasavleli (aSot kuxis reliefi tbeTidan - X
s. 20-iani ww., reliefuri fila soxumidan – X
s.). xuroTmoZRvrebasTan qandakebis gaazrebuli
CarTvis magaliTia kumurdos taZris reliefuri
dekori (964 w.), vales, qoroRos eklesiebis
reliefebi (X s.).
 X saukunis meore naxevridan yalibdeba taZris
fasadebis qandakebrivi dekoris princi pebi,
rasac Tvali gaedevneba tao-klarjeTis eklesia-
monastrebSi. oSkisa da xaxulis taZrebis
reliefebi am epoqis qandakebis iSviaT nimuSebs
gvTavazobs. monumenturi plastikis unikaluri
magaliTia oSkis taZris samxreTi fasadis
vedrebis skulpturuli kompozicia qtitorTa
figurebiT. am grandiozul qvis xatSi moqandakis
namdvili Tavisufleba da Zerwvis didi ostatoba
igrZnoba.
klasikuri saxiT qarTuli arqiteqturuli
dekori XI saukunisaTvis Camoyalibda. am droisaTvis
qarTvel xuroTmoZRvrebsa da moqandakeebs ukve
hqondaT xuroTmoZRvruli dekoris mkafiod
SemuSavebuli sistema, Rrmad iyo gaazrebuli
taZarSi reliefuri samkaulis ganTavseba.
taZris reliefuri Sesamoseli efuZneboda
xuroTmoZRvrul Canafiqrs da kargad gaazrebul
ideur princi pebs. reliefi ufrTxildeboda da
angariSs uwevda kedlis sibrtyes, konstruqciul
bloks, struqturul kvanZebs. kedlis sibrtyesTan
mtkiced dakavSirebuli taZris reliefuri
samkauli zustad Seesabameboda xuroTmoZRvrul
formas, simtkicesa da Zalas matebda nagebobis
struqturas, arqiteqturasTan erTad qmnida erT
harmoniul mTlianobas.
erTiani dekoratiuli sistemis iSviaTi
magaliTia nikorwmindis taZari (1014 w.), sadac
nagebobis yvela nawili sagangebod SemuSavebuli
programiT aris Semkuli. es aris mTliani,
organuli reliefuri ansambli, romlis yvela
komponenti qristes didebis ideas emsaxureba.
XI saukunis dasawyisis xuroTmoZRvruli
reliefis brwyinvale ansamblia sveticxovlis
didebuli taZari (1010-1029 ww.), romlis
fasadebi figuruli da ornamentuli reliefebis
daxvewil, ideurad gamarTul erTianobas
gviCvenebs. taZris aRmosavleTi fasadis
daxvewili plastikuri gadawyvetis klasikuri
magaliTia samTavisis taZari (1030 w.).
16
XI saukunis qarTuli safasado reliefebi
daxvewilobiTa da Zerwvis maRali ostatobiT
gamoirCeva. plastikuri forma Tavis maqsimalur
ganviTarebas aRwevs. es Seexeba rogorc monumentur
plastikas, aseve mcire arqiteqturuli formebis
_ kankelebis reliefebsac (safaris, SiomRvimis
kankelebi – XI s.). igive procesi mimdinareobs
Tanadroul qarTul Wedur xelovnebaSic.
XII saukunidan, qarTul xelovnebaSi epoqis
gabatonebuli tendeciis Sesabamisad, safasado
figuruli reliefi adgils wminda ornamentul
reliefs uTmobs, figuruli gamosaxulebebi
ornamentuli dekoris nawilad iqceva. amgvari
midgomis nimuSebia fitareTis taZari (1213-
1222 ww.), safaris wm. sabas eklesia (XIII s-is
dasasruli).
Semdegi saukuneebis Znelbedobam didi xniT
Seaferxa xuroTmoZRvrebisa da, Sesabamisad,
reliefis xelovnebis ganviTareba da mxolod
XVII saukunidan moxda safasado reliefis
erTgvari aRorZineba. gaCnda mkafiod gamokveTili
tendencia _ mibruneba warsulisaken, xalxis
wiaRSi Semonaxuli uZvelesi qristianuli
simboloebisa da ornamentuli Temebisaken.
qandakebam ekleqtikuri xasiaTi miiRo. magram am
epoqaSic iqmneboda reliefuri xelovnebis iseTi
RirsSesaniSnavi ansamblebi, rogoricaa ananuris
RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesia (XVII s-is.
bolo).
Sua saukuneebis qarTuli qvis reliefis
xelovneba dResac agrZelebs arsebobas axal
taZarTa fasadebsa da interierebSi. Tanamedrove
qarTvel moqandakeTa nawarmoebebi, romlebic
UuZvelesi mxatvruli da teqnikuri tradiciebis
erTgulebas avlens, TandaTan ufro srulyofili
xdeba. saeklesio xelovnebis am dargis Seqmnis
Sewyvetili tradiciebis aRdgena da ganviTareba
cocxali SemoqmedebiTi procesia, romelsac
warmatebiT agrZeleben moqandakeTa axali
Taobebi.
kedlis mxatvroba
mxatvroba qristianuli xelovnebis mniSvnelo-
vani dargia. taZarTa kedlebze aelvarebuli
mozaikebi da freskebi, kankelze dasvenebuli
xatebi, wminda wignebis Semamkobeli miniaturebi,
ganuyofeli nawilia im didi sulieri mTlianobisa,
rasac qristianuli eklesia da RvTismsaxureba
hqvia.
saqarTveloSi qristianuli xelovneba
IV saukunidan viTardeba, mas Semdeg, rac
qristianoba saxelmwifo religiad gamocxadda.
Tumca rogorc saRvTismetyvelo literatura,
aseve gamosaxulebaTa ikonografia da, garkveuli
TvalsazrisiT, mxatvruli formebic bizantiidan
da wminda miwidan Semosul nimuSebs efuZneboda,
qarTuli qristianuli xelovneba, faqtobrivad,
maT Tanadroulad da paralelurad iqmneboda da
uZvelesi adgilobrivi mxatvruli tradiciebis
gavleniT, sakmaod Taviseburi da TviTmyofadi
saxe Camouyalibda.
ase, magaliTad, garda tradiciuli,
zogadqristianuli Temebisa, qarTul saxviT
xelovnebaSi SemuSavda erovnul wmindanTa
ikonografia, (mag., qarTvelTa ganmanaTleblis wm.
ninosi, wm. daviT garejelis, wm. Sio mRvimelis da
sxv.), rac mowmobs, rom qarTveli Teologebi da
mxatvrebi qristianul ikonografias Semoqmedebi-
Tad aviTarebdnen. qarTul taZarTa moxatulobebis
programebis SemadgenlobaSic naTlad gamoikveTa
qarTuli Teologiuri azrovnebis gavlena: ase,
mag., bizantiuri moxatulobebisgan gansxvavebiT,
qarTul taZarTa gumbaTebSi ufro xSirad
gamoisaxeba “jvris dideba”, xolo sakurTxevlis
konqSi ki “vedreba”.
qarTuli qristianuli mxatvrobis Tavisebure-
bani mis mxatvrul saxeSic gamovlinda: kompozici-
aTa agebaSi, xazTametyveleba-feradovnebasa da a.S.
warmodgens ra marTlmadidebluri xelovnebis
ganuyofel da mniSvnelovan nawils, igi mainc
gansxvavdeba rogorc sakuTriv bizantiuri, aseve
serbul-makedonuri, kvi prosuli Tu kapadokiuri
ferwerisagan.
qarTul qristianul mxatvrobaSi misi
mravalsaukunovani ganviTarebis manZilze mkafiod
gamoiyofa ramdenime stilisturi etapi, romlebic
17
bizantiuri mxatvrobis ganviTarebis sinqronuli
ar aris. garda amisa, TviT qarTuli ferweris
farglebSi Camoyalibda ramdenime Taviseburi
saxis mqone ferweruli skola (svaneTis, tao-
klarjeTis, daviT-garejis, samefiskaro da sxv.).
saqarTveloSi SemorCenili kedlis mxatvrobis
umetesi nimuSi sekos an Sereuli teqnikiT aris
Sesrulebuli.
Cvens dromde, cxadia, nawarmoebebis mxolod
mcire nawilma moaRwia, adreqristianuli
xanidan ki mxolod monumenturi mxatvrobis
ramdenime fragmenti aris darCenili: biWvintis
bazilikis iatakis mozaikebi mkafiod gamoxatuli
qristianuli simbolikiT (IV-Vss.) da wromis
taZris sakurTxevlis konqis brwyinvale mozaika
“qristes dideba” (VII s-is damdegi).
Semdegi etapis, IX-X s-is qarTuli
monumenturi mxatvrobis nimuSebi aseve arcTu
mravalricxovania da umetesad fragmentuli saxiT
aris SemorCenili. ganviTarebis am etapze qarTuli
mxatvroba upiratesobas aniWebs Zalze pirobiT
formebs: mkafiod gamovlenili sibrtyovaneba,
formaTa pirobiToba da deformacia, aplastikuri
texili xazis prioriteti, mkveTri ferebis
dapirispirebaze agebuli koloriti, formaTa
eqspresiuli gazviadeba, ferweruli modelirebis
TiTqmis sruli ugulvebelyofa da sxv.
am periodSi aris Sesrulebuli armazis
eklesiis kankelis moxatuloba, Telovanis
jvarpatiosnis eklesiis sakurTxevlis freskebi,
mTeli rigi moxatulobebisa zemo svaneTSi (nesguni,
aci, Cvabiani da sxva), romlebic garda saerTo
epoqaluri niSnebisa adgilobrivi ferweruli
skolis mkafiod gamovlenil iers atarebs.
am etapze sagangebod unda gamoiyos daviT-
garejis ferweruli skolis nawarmoebebi. Cvens
dromde SemorCenili misi uadresi nimuSebi
savaraudod VIIIs-iT TariRdeba. erTi aseTi
unikaluri nawarmoebi aris “TeTri udabnos”
monastris eklesiis sakurTxevelis konqSi
SemorCenili ovaluri formis SvidSriani
didebiT mosili gasxivosnebuli, palmis xeebiT
flankirebuli jvari..
ufro gavrcobili da rTuli programebia IX-X
s-iT daTariRebuli sabereebis kompleqsis oTxi
eklesiis moxatulobebSi, romlebic unikaluri
ikonografiiTa da aranakleb Taviseburi
mxatvruli formiT gamoirCeva. erT-erTi eklesiis
moxatuloba ki ukiduresi xazobriobiT, Warbad
gamoyenebuli firuzisferi saRebavis uCveulo
faqturiT tixruli minanqris nawarmoebebTan
iwvevs asociacias. aqve Cndeba egvteris moxatvis
pirveli nimuSebi, maT Soris RmrTismSobeli
eleusas erTi uadresi gamosaxuleba qarTul
xelovnebaSi.
daviT garejis ferwruli skolis nawarmoebebis
programebSi upiratesoba eniWeba konqSi qristes
dideba–xilvis gamosaxvas, xolo dodosrqis
kompleqsis mcire gumbaTiani taZris IX-Xs-
is konqis moxatulobaSi ki samebis Tavisebur
gansaxierebas vxedavT. sabereebis moxatulobaTa
mouxeSav xazobriv eqspresiulobasTan SedarebiT,
dodos mxatvroba ufro daxvewili maneriT aris
Sesrulebuli.
X s-is Suaxanamde eklesiebis Sida sivrce mTlianad
ar ixateboda. freskebi taZris mxolod ramdenime,
Teologiuri TvalsazrisiT mniSvnelovan adgilSi
sruldeboda: gumbaTi, sakurTxeveli, iSviaTad
- Sesasvlelis sapirispiro kedeli. X s-is
miwurulidan moxatulobebi taZris interieris
TiTqmis mTels sivrces ikavebs. Sesabamisad
rTuldeba da farTovdeba mxatvrobis programa.
Tu adre gamoisaxeboda mxolod umTavresi
qristianuli dogmebis amsaxveli gamosaxulebebi
(mag., qristes dideba, amaRleba, mariamis dideba,
jvris amaRleba, jvarcma, mociqulTa da wmindanTa
calkeuli figurebi da sxv.), X s-dan eklesiaTa
kedlebze wminda werilis mravali siuJeti
gamosaxeba, ZiriTadad axali aRTqmidan, ufro
mcire raodenobiT Zveli aRTqmis siuJetebi,
wmindanTa cxovrebis scenebi, gansakuTrebiT wm.
giorgisa, romelic Zalian popularuli iyo
saqarTveloSi, da sxv. yovel gamosaxulebas Tan
sdevda ganmartebiTi warwerebi asomTavruliT,
Tumca zogjer berZnuli warwerebsac vxvdebiT.
XI-XIII ss. _ qarTuli kulturis aRmavlobis
xanaa. monumenturi mxatvrobis, xatwerisa
Tu wignis dasuraTebis mravalricxovani da
mravalferovani nimuSebi qarTvel SemoqmedTa
udides niWsa da maRalprofesiul ganswavlas
18
mowmobs. amave dros, isini aris utyuari dasturi
im didi sulierebis, Rrma rwmenisa da didad
ganviTarebuli saRvTismetyvelo azrovnebisa,
romelic sufevda saqarTveloSi, qveyanaSi, sadac
qristianuli rwmena da erovnuli TviTSegneba
ganuyofelia adamianTa cnobierebaSi.
XI s-is dasawyisiT TariRdeba garejis
udabnos samonastro kompleqsis mTavari
eklesiisa da satrapezos Semamkobeli mxatvroba,
romelic gamoirCeva msxvili figurebis
dinji monumenturobiT, kompozciaTa agebis
regularulobiT da wonasworobiT, naTel ferTa
mSvidi ritmuli monacvleobiT da, rac mTavaria,
wm. daviT garejelisa da misi cxovrebis ciklis
gamosaxulebaTa simravliT.
X s-is meore naxevarsa da XI s-Si gansakuTrebul
mniSvnelobas iZens tao-klarjeTis ferweruli
skola. tao-klarjeTis didi kaTedralebi da
samonastro eklesiebi brwinvale, marTlac rom
mefuri moxatulobebiT iyo Semkuli: oTxTa eklesi-
is (Xs.), xaxulisa (X-XIss-Ta mijna), iSxnis (XI-
XIIss.) oSkis (X-XIss.), da sxva eklesiebis kedlis
mxatvroba gamoirCeva ferweruli ansamblis saerTo
gadawyvetis grandiozulobiTa da didebulebiT,
unikaluri ikonografiuli programebiT (mag.,
“zaqarias xilva” iSxanSi), daxvewili ferweruli
maneriT, umdidresi feradovnebiT da saxeTa
gansakuTrebuli gansulierebiT. iSxnis taZris
gumbaTSi laJvardis fonze gamosaxuli “jvris
amaRleba” marTlmadidebluri xelovnebis erTi
umSvenieresi qmnilebaa.
XI-XII ss-is qarTuli monumenturi mxatvrobis
mravalricxovan nimuSebs Soris gansakuTrebiT
unda gamoiyos atenis sionis XI s-is meore
naxevris kedlis mxatvroba. igi gamoirCeva ara
mxolod unikaluri ikonografiuli programiT
(samoTxis mdinareebis personifikaciebi trompebSi,
samxreT afsidSi RmrTismSoblis cxovrebis
gavrcobili ciklis erTi uadresi magaliTi,
gankiTxvis dRe, bagrationTa portretebis didi
rigi), aramed mxatvruli saxis srulyofilebiT
da gamomsaxvelobiTac. mTeli mxatvroba didebul
polofoniur sagalobels mogvagonebs.
aseve monumentur da teqtonikur gadawyvetas
vxedavT zemo krixis mTavarangelozTa eklesiis
ferwerul ansamblSi, romelSic raWis erisTavTa
didi gamomsaxvelobis mqone portretebi iyo
CarTuli. aq mkafiod Cans meore mimarTuleba qarTul
mxatvrobaSi – ufro xazobriv-sibrtyovani, ufro
pirobiTi midgoma, feradovnebac miwis saRebavebis
ufro mSvid JReradobaze igeba. samwuxarod, es
mxatvroba TiTqmis mTlianad ganadgurda 1991
wlis miwisZvris dros.
XII s-is dasawyisSi mefe daviT aRmaSeneblis mi-
er daaarsebul gelaTis monastris mTavari taZris
sakurTxevlis konqi Seamkes RmrTismSoblis dide-
bis mozaikuri gamosaxulebiT, romelic arafriT
Camouvardeba Tanadrouli bizantiuri mozaikuri
mxatvrobis saukeTeso nimuSebs. savaraudod, igi
bizantiaSi ganswavlulma qarTvelma mxatvarma
Seasrula. sagulisxmoa aseve taZris narTeqsSi
ganTavsebuli Svidi msoflio saeklesio krebis
gamosaxulebebi, romlebic kedlis mxatvrobaSi
am Temis Cven dromde SemorCenili erTi uadresi
nimuSia.
qarTuli mxatvrobis aRmavlobis am
periods ganekuTvneba mefis mxatvar Tevdores
moxatulobani zemo svaneTSi (ifrali, 1096w.;
nakifari, 1130, lagurka, XI-XII s-Ta mijna),
romlebic garda Tavisi maRali mxatrvuli donisa
da araCveulebrivi eqspresiulobisa, imiTac aris
sagulisxmo, rom Semogvinaxes maTi Semqmneli
ostatis saxeli, rac sakmaod iSviaTia Sua
saukuneebis xelovnebaSi. Tevdores moxatulobani
gamoirCeva Zlierad gamovlenili monumenturobiT,
saxeTa eqspresiulobiT, TiTqos saWreTliT
gavlebuli dinamikuri da plastikuri naxatis
gamomsaxvelobiT, TavdaWerili, ZiriTadad miwis
saRebavebiT Seqmnili koloritiT.
svaneTSi cnobilia kidev erTi mxatvris saxeli,
- miqael maRlakeli, romelmac 1140 wels moxata
latalis Temis macxvariSis eklesia. Tevdores
nawarmoebebTan SedarebiT, es moxatuloba ufro
“provinciuli” xasiaTisaa, metad sibrtyovani,
cota mouxeSavi naxatiT, ufro martivi da nakleb
plastikuri modelirebiTa da sxv. aTormet
dResaswaulTa tradiciuli rigis garda, am
moxatulobaSi gansakuTrebiT mniSvnelovania
CrdiloeT kedelze qarTvelTa mefis demetre I-
is mefed kurTxevis unikaluri gamosaxuleba.
XII saukunes ganekuTvneba boWormis cixis
eqvsafsidiani eklesiis mSvenieri mxatvroba daviT
19
aRmaSeneblis portretiT da ikvis eklesiis
moxatuloba wm. giorgis cxovrebis gavrcobili
cikliT. misive cxovrebis ciklia warmodgenili
saukunis meore naxevris favnisisa da kalaubanis
eklesiaTa ferwerul dekorSi.
XII s-is miwurulisa da XIII s-is damdegis
monumenturi mxatvrobis Zeglebs Soris
gansakuTrebiT gamoirCeva is ferweruli
ansamblebi, romlebic Tamar mefis saxelTan aris
dakavSirebuli: varZiis, garejis naTlismcemlis
da berTubnis gamoqvabuli eklesiebis, yincvisis,
beTaniisa da timoTesubnis taZarTa grandiozuli
moxatulobani, romlebSic (garda timoTesubnisa)
CarTuli aris giorgi III-is, Tamar mefisa da misi
Zis laSa giorgis dinastiuri portretebi. isini
sagangebod gamoyofili da xazgasmulia rogorc
kompoziciurad, aseve taZris sivrceSi ganlagebiT
da zomebiT.
Tamaris droindel moxatulobebs bevri
saerTo niSani aerTianebs _ daxvewili naxati,
rkaluri xazebis usasruli dena, formaTa nazi
modelireba, simsubuqe da haerovneba, civi da
SuqmnaTi ferebis gansakuTrebuli JReradoba,
saxeTa lirikuli emociuroba da sxv., magram, amave
dros, yoveli maTgani ganumeorebeli, TavisTavadi
nawarmoebia, rogorc ikonografiuli programis,
aseve mxatvruli gadawyvetis TvalsazrisiT,
gansakuTrebiT feradovnebis mxriv. ase, mag.,
yincvisis wm. nikolozis taZris moxatuloba
SuqmnaTi laJvardis, zurmuxtisferi mwvanisa da
TeTris Sexamebaze igeba, romelic singuris da
Tbili oqrosferis CanarTebiT aris gamdidrebuli
da sakmaod gansxvavdeba danarCeni moxatulobebis
feradovnebisagn. yincvisis moxatulobis
erTi fragementi – saflavis lodze mjdomi
uflis aRdgomis maxarebeli angelozi Tavisi
daxvewilobiT, sinatifiTa da Rrma sulierebiT
Sua saukuneebis qarTuli xelovnebis simbolod
iqca.
XIII s-is meore naxevarSi monumenturi
mxatvrobis nawarmoebebSi SeimCneva, erTi mxriv,
XII-XIII ss. mijnis mxatvruli tradiciebis
gagrZeleba (mag., “udabnos” monastris xarebis
eklesiis moxatuloba, sadac misi mowameobrivi
sikvdilis mere gamosaxes mefe demetre II
Tavdadebulis portreti, meore mxriv ki,
bizantiuri mxatvrobis axali stilis gavlenis
niSnebi (mag., aWis wm. giorgis eklesiis, gelaTis
mTavari taZris samxreTi egvteris moxatulobani
da sxv.).
XIV s-Si qarTul mxatvrobaze didi
zemoqmedeba moaxdina bizantiaSi gavrcelebulma
e.w. paleologosTa stilma, romelmac erTgvarad
daCrdila kidec adgilobrivi mxatvruli
tradiciebi, romelic gamoarCevda mas ganviTarebis
wina etapebze, Tumca qarTul mxatvrobas
TviTmyofadoba arc axla daukargavs. XIV –XV
ss-Si mniSvnelovani ferweruli ansamblebi iqmneba
ubisis, safaras, zarzmis, lixnes, nabaxtevis,
sorisa da mraval sxva eklesiaSi.
gviana Sua saukueneebSi (XVI-XVIII ss.), rodesac
saqarTvelo ramdenime samefod da samTavrod
daiyo, kvlavac mravlad ixateba eklesiebi, Tumca
maTi Sesrulebis mxatvruli done sagrZnoblad
Camouvardeba X-XIII ss-is nawarmoebebs, es
mxatvrobanic sagulisxmo masalas gvawvdis im
drois saqarTvelos sulier cxovrebaze.
am periodSi axlis Seqmnis paralelurad didi
samuSaoebi xorcieldeboda Zveli eklesiebis
aRdgena-ganaxlebisaTvis da, Sesabamisad, maTi
Semamkobeli freskebis ganaxlebisa an sulac maTi
Tavidan moxatvisaTvis. ase, magaliTad, mravalgzis
ganaxlda da moixata gelaTis didi taZari, XVII
s-Si Tavidan moixata jvris monastris taZari
ierusalimSi, sadac Zveli moxatulobebis
fragmentebis Soris SoTa rusTavelis
saxelganTqmuli portretic aris.
farTo moRvaweobas eweodnen qarTvelebi aTonis
mTaze ivironis monasterSi da sxva sasuliero
centrebSi, romlebic erTgvar damakavSirebel
xids warmoadgendnen qristianul samyarosTan
yovelmxriv musulmanuri saxelmwifoebiT
garSemortymuli saqarTvelosaTvis. aTonis
mxatvruli tradiciebis gavlena naTlad Cans XVI
s-is moxatulobebSi, romlebic kaxeTis samefoSi
Seiqmna (alvanis, axali SuamTis, nekresis, gremisa
da sxva eklesiebis ferweruli ansamblebi).
gviana Sua saukuneebSi kedlis mxatvrobis
ikonografiul programaTa Semadgenloba
rTuldeba, mdidrdeba mravali axali siuJetiTa
da gansakuTrebiT simboluri gamosaxulebebiT.
niSandoblivia, am mxriv, “zeciuri liturgiis”
20
gamosaxva gelaTis mTavari taZris gumbaTsa da
sakurTxevelSi (XVI-XVIIss.). aseve niSandoblivia
erovnuli istoriis Temebisadmi interesi (mag.,
qarTlis moqcevis siuJetebi mcxeTis sveticxovlis
taZris “cxoveli svetis” moxatulobaSi, XVII s.).
moxatulobaTa nawili Sesrulebulia
e.w. “post-bizantiur” stilSi, romelic
paleologosTa stilis erTgvar ganviTarebas
warmoadgens da “klasicisturi” xasiaTisaa, Tumca,
miuxedavad maRali profesiuli donisa, sakmaod
aragamomsaxvelia, erTgvarad xisti naxatiTa da
yru feradovnebiT.
am nawarmoebebisgan gansxvavebul mxatvrul
mimdinareobas qmnis e.w. “xalxur” moxatulobaTa
jgufi, romlebic nakleb ganswavluli,
provincieli ostatebis mier aris Sesrulebuli. es
moxatulobebi swored Tavisi uSualobiT, naTeli
da xalisiani feradovnebiT, uxvi ornamentaciiT,
deformaciis eqspresiulobiTaa mimzidveli.
“xalxuri mxatvrobis” umetesi nimuSebi, rogorc
aRmosavleT, aseve (da gansakuTrebiT) dasavleT
saqarTveloSi, XVI s-s ganekuTvneba (Walis,
qoreTis, bugeulis, kalauris, erelaanT saydris,
ilemisa da mravali sxva eklesiis moxatulobebi).
am jgufis nimuSebi iseT mniSvnelovan centrebSic
aris SemorCenili, rogoricaa gelaTis
monasteri.
rogorc ganviTarebul Sua saukuneebSi, aseve
gvianfeodalur xanaSi qarTul mxatvrobaSi
mniSvnelovani adgili eTmoba qtitorTa portre-
tebs: mefeebis, didi feodalebis, saeklesio
moRvaweebis _ anu im adamianebis, romelTa SemweobiT,
dakveTiT da ZalisxmeviT Sendeboda da ixateboda
eklesia-monastrebi, iqmnebioda xatebi, iwereboda
da imkoboda xelnawerebi. gvianfeodaluri xanis
moxatulobebSi mniSvnelovnad izrdeba saero
pirTa portretebis raodenoba, Tanac gamosaxaven
ara mxolod maRali rangis pirebs, aramed wvril
aznaurebsa da TviT glexebsac ki mTeli maTi
ojaxebiTa da naTesaobiT.
XIX saukunisaTvis Sua saukuneebis qarTulma
mxatvrobam, faqtobrivad Sewyvita arseboba, Tumca
mis Sua xanamde misi tradiciis Zala kvlavac
sagrZnobia. ukve XVIII saukunis dasawyisidan
wignis mxatvrobasa da xatweraSi Zalumad Semodis
evropul-rusuli nimuSebis gavlena, romlebic
droTa ganmavlobaSi swored Suasaukunovani
mxatvruli xedvis zegavleniT gardaisaxeba
da sakmaod Tavisebur saxesac iRebs (am yaidis
erTi yvelaze mniSvnelovani nimuSi 1823 wels
Sesrulebuli bodbis moxatulobaa, romelSic wm.
ninos cxovrebis vrceli ciklia CarTuli; amave
xasiaTisaa wm. ninos mcire taZris samTavroSi,
muxranis eklesiisa da sxva moxatulobebi).
1850-ian wlebSi cnobilma rusma mxatvarma
grigol gagarinma Tbilisis sionis taZari
moxata. Tumca man sagangebod Seiswavla Cveni
Zveli xelovnebis nawarmoebebi da ecada maT
kvalSi Camdgariyo, misi qmnileba Tavis drois
“akademisturi” ferweris kalapotSi rCeba. amasTan
ki, igi didi xniT gaxda samagaliTo saqarTveloSi
moRvawe araqarTveli Tu qarTveli (mag., daviT
gegeliZe, TbilisSi karis wm. giorgisa da
feriscvalebis eklesiaTa momxatveli da xatmweri)
ostatebisaTvis. SedarebiT gansxvavdeba maTgan
wm. nikolozis eklesiis niko zaziaSviliseuli
moxatuloba, romelic qarTuli xalxuri
xelovnebiT aris STagonebuli.
XIX saukunis bolosTvis aRsaniSnavia survili
gamoesaxaT qarTveli wmnidanebi, risi safuZveli
mixeil-gobron sabininis qarTul-rusulad
gamocemuli “saqarTvelos samoTxis” dasuraTeba
gaxda, qarTuli eklesiis TiTqmis yvela cnobili
mowamisa Tu marTalTa Tana Seracxili moRvawis
amsaxveli. zogjer (mag., Tbilisis “mamadaviTis”
eklesia) taZris kedlebi lamisaa mTlianad
qarTvel wmindanebs eTmoba.
XX saukunis dasawyisSi, sazogadod
mxatvruli Semoqmedebis aRmavlobisas, saeklesio
xelovnebis ganaxleba-aRorZinebis mcdelobac
Cans (mag., valerian sidamon-erisTavis Telavis
“RvTaebis” eklesiisTvis Sesrulebuli ori
mravalnawiliani xati, an dimitri SevardnaZis
21
WiaTuris samlocvelosTvis moxatuli, aw
ganadgurebuli kankeli). magram am Ziebas bolo
aTeisturi xelisflebis damyarebam mouRo da
70 weli, am mxriv, TiTqmis araferi gakeTebula.
gankerZoebul gamonaklisad darCa uwmindesisa da
unetaresis sruliad saqarTvelos kaTolikos-
patriarqis kalistrates (cincaZe) TaosnobiT
Tbilisis qaSveTis wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatva
lado gudiaSvilis mier (1946-48ww.), romelic
mxatvars bolomde ar miayvanines.
TiTqmis orsaukunovani wyvetilis Semdeg, XX
saukunis bolo meoTxedi qarTuli saeklesio
xelovnebis aRorZinebis, faqtiurad axlad
‘”dabadebis” xanaa, rac uSualodaa dakavSirebulia
misi uwmindesobisa da unetaresobis, saqarTvelos
kaTolikos-patriarqis, mcxeTa-Tbilisis
mTavarepiskoposis ilia II-is moRvaweobasTan,
romelic TviT aris xatmweri da xelovani.
misi locva-kurTxeviT daiwyo axali taZrebis
aRmSenebloba, ferweriT Semkoba, xatebisa da
marTlmadidebluri mRvdelmsaxurebisaTvis
saWiro liturgiuli daniSnulebis nivTebis
Seqmna. moixata uamravi axali taZari. sagulisxmoa,
rom misma uwmindesobam es moRvaweoba jer kidev
sabWoTa periodSi daiwyo, roca saqarTvelos
eklesias Zalian cota ufleba da miTumetes, cota
SesaZlebloba hqonda.
freskebi da xatebi umetesad Zveli nimuSebis
mobaZviT sruldeba, rac sruliad gasagebia, radgan
saWiroa tradiciis aRdgena, raTa misi Semdgomi
ganviTareba gaxdes SesaZlebeli. TandaTan Cveni
epoqac gamoimuSavebs qristianuli Temebis
gamosaxvis Sesatyvis sakuTar mxatvrul enas da
Zvel nimuSebSi mibaZavs ara garegnul, cvlad
formebs, aramed imas, rac yvelaze arsebiTi da
mniSvnelovani iyo maTSi rwmenisa da sulierebis
TvalsazrisiT.
xatwera

xatwera, Sua saukuneebis qarTuli xatovan gamoxatulebas warmoadgens. xati,

qristianuli mxatvruli kulturis ganuyofeli
nawili, mravalsaukunovan istorias iTvlis.
qristianuli xelovnebis sxva dargebTan erTad,
marTlmadideblobis wiaRSi Casaxulma da
ganviTarebulma xatweris xelovnebam CvenSi
damkvidrebisa da ganviTarebisaTvis nayofieri
niadagi hpova. tradiciis Tanaxmad, saqarTveloSi
wminda saxeTa Tayvaniscema mociqulTa xanas
ukavSirdeba da mWidrodaa dakavSirebuli
wm. andria pirvelwodebulis saxelTan.
xatweraSi qristianuli sulierebis mravali
aspeqtia gacxadebuli. wminda saxeTa Tayvaniscema
samebis meore wevris - logosis gankacebas
efuZneba. saRvTo werilze damyarebuli xatweris
kanonikuri xelovnebis safuZvlebi saeklesio
krebaTa dadgenilebebsa da eklesiis mamaTa
TxzulebebSi moiZieba. wminda saxeTa Seqmnis
tradicia ukve macxovris miwieri cxovrebis
periodidan iRebs saTaves da qristes xelTuqmneli
xatis saswaulebriv Seqmnas ukavSirdeba.
mandilionisa da keramionis saqarTveloSi
gadmosvenebis uZvelesi tradicia da anCisxatis
saswaulmoqmedi xatis gamorCeuli kulti
qveynis sulier cxovrebaSi xatTayvanismcemlobis
simkvidresa da siZveleze metyvelebs. rogorc
cnobilia, qristes mier saswaulebrivad Seqmnili
“piri RvTisa”, anu “mandilioni”, wminda saxeTa
Tayvaniscemis safuZvels warmoadgens. niSandobli-
via, rom swored xati uflis gankacebisa _ anCis
VI-VII saukuneebiT gansazRvruli saswaulmoqmedi
xatia saqarTveloSi xatweris dReisaTvis
arsebuli yvelaze adreuli qmnileba. qarTvelTa
es uZvelesi siwminde, romelSic gacxadebulia
qristianuli aRmsareblobis dogmati, siriuli
mxatvruli wridan warmodgeba da wm. asurel
mamaTa moRvaweobasTan aris dakavSirebuli.
marTlmadidebel samyaroSi xatebi sulieri,
sazogadoebrivi da piradi cxovrebis ganuyofeli
nawilia. saukuneTa ganmavlobaSi yalibdeboda
xatweris Teologiuri arsi da mxatvrul-
esTetikuri daxvewili ena. ferweruli xatebis
formebi, Tematika, ikonografia, stili
marTlmadidebluri msoflmxedvelobis simbolur-
marTlmadidebluri RvTismsaxurebis ganuyofeli
nawili, RvTaebrivi gamocxadebis xatovani
gansaxierebaa.
saukuneebis ganmavlobaSi yalibdeboda xatweris
gansakuTrebuli xatovani ena, sagangebo saxviTi
kanoni, raTa xatis mcire zedapirze rac SeiZleba
srulyofilad warmoCeniliyo qristianuli
aRmsareblobis arsi. xatebSi, albaT, yvelaze
ufro sruladaa gacxadebuli marTlmadidebluri
TviTmyofadi esTetika, simbolur-saxovani
azrovneba. calkeul istoriul periods, TiToeul
qveyanas Sehqonda Tavisi wvlili maRali
sulierebiT gamsWvalul xatweris xelovnebaSi,
amdidrebda da srulhyofda mas. Sua saukuneebis
saqarTvelom, sxva marTlmadideblur qveynebTan
erTad, mniSvnelovani kvali datova xatweris
ganviTarebaSi. dReisaTvis SemorCenili xatebi
mxolod mciredi nawilia im wminda saxeebisa,
romlebic iqmneboda saqarTveloSi da Semodioda
sxva qristianuli qveynebidan saukuneTa
ganmavlobaSi.
xatebis formebSi, Temebsa da mxatvrul
gadawyvetaSi vlindeba qristianuli sulierebis
sxvadasxva etapis damaxasiaTebeli niSnebi.
zogierTi gansakuTrebiT Tayvansacemi xatis
an xatebis jgufebis Seswavla ki Suqs hfens
ara mxolod xatis istorias, aramed qveynis
kulturuli Tu socialuri cxovrebis sxvadasxva
etaps. amis dasturad sakmarisia Tundac
anCisxatisa da xaxulis, aTonis wminda mTis iverTa
monastris karis RmrTismSoblis, “portaitisas”
xatebis gaxseneba. qveynis cxovrebasTan mWidrod
gadajaWvuli es siwmindeebi misi bedis Tanaziarni
iyvnen da TiToeulma istoriulma epoqam maT Tavisi
kvali daaCnia. sagangebod unda aRiniSnos sinis
mTis wm. ekaterines monastris qarTuli xatebi,
romlebic mowmobs ara mxolod qarTvelTa aqtiur
mxatvrul da sulier moRvaweobas am wminda savaneSi,
aramed gvacnobs am monastris istoriis naklebad
cnobil mxareebs. amas garda, es unikaluri xatebi
avsebs Cvens codnas xatwerasTan dakavSirebul
iseT sakiTxebze, rogoricaa xatmweris vinaoba,
damkveTis roli xatis SeqmnaSi da sxv.

22
 dReisaTvis saqarTveloSi 200-mde ferweruli
xatia SemorCenili, romelTa umetesoba svaneTis
istoriul-eTnografiul muzeumsa da adgilobriv
eklesiebSi inaxeba. xatweris ramdenime gamorCeuli
qmnileba qvemo svaneTsa da saqarTvelos xelovnebis
saxelmwifo muzeumSia daculi. saqarTvelos
farglebs gareT qarTuli ferweruli xatebis
yvelaze mniSvnelovani koleqcia sinis mTis wm.
ekaterines monasterSia davanebuli. xatweris
SemorCeli qmnilebebi da maT Sesaxeb werilobiTi
wyaroebis mowmobebi cxadyofs, raoden mWidrod
iyo dakavSirebuli wminda saxeTa Tayvaniscema
qveynis sulier cxovrebasTan da mis ZiriTad
mxatvrul-religiur da istoriul-politikur
tendenciebTan.
adreqristianuli xanidan Cvenamde qarTul
ferwerul salocav xatebs ar mouRwevia. am
droidan, rogorc iTqva, CvenTvis cnobilia
erTaderTi, siriuli xelovnebis wres mikuTvnebuli
da VI-VII saukuneebiT gansazRvruli anCisxati.
am saswaulmoqmed xatTan erTad, bolo xanebSi
aRmoCenili X saukunis xelnaweris mowmoba
saqarTveloSi macxovris xelTuqmneli xatis piris
asurel mamebTan, kerZod ki wm. ioane zedaznelis
mowafeebTan ezderioz nabuqelisa da Teodosios
urhaelis saxelTan dakavSirebis Sesaxeb, uflebas
gvaZlevs vivaraudoT ukve VI saukuneSi CvenSi
calkeuli, Tundac siriidan Semotanil, xatTa
arseboba. Sua saukuneebis adreuli periodis
xatebis Tayvaniscemis suraTis aRdgenaSi Cven
gvexmareba sxva hagiografiuli Zeglebic. wm.
grigol xanZTelis (759-861 ww.) “cxorebis”
cnobebi wm. grigolis mier konstantinopolSi
siwmindeebis molocvisa da sxva evlogiebTan
erTad saqarTveloSi xatebis Camotanis Taobaze
cxadyofs, rom am droisaTvis qveyanaSi xatis
Tayvaniscema ucxo ar unda yofiliyo.
IX-X saukuneebisaTvis saqarTveloSi ferweru-
li xatebis Seqmnis praqtikis gaZlierebas gaedev-
neba Tvali. am droiTaa gansazRvruli cnobili
wilknis Cviledi RmrTismSoblis xatis adreuli
nawilebi da aRsaydrebuli Cviledi dedaRvTisas
xati wm. barbares TanxlebiT. xatis Tayvaniscemis
aqtualobas CvenSi X saukunis miwurulisaTvis
23
wm. eqfvTvime mTawmindelis mier Sedgenili “mcire
sCuliskanonic” mowmobs. am kanonikur TxzulebaSi
Sejerebulia xatis Tayvaniscemis marTlma-
didebluri swavleba, romelic eklesiis mamaTa
Txzulebebsa da V-VI da VII saeklesio krebaTa
dadgenilebebs efuZneba.
XI saukunidan moyolebuli, xatweraSi, iseve
rogorc qarTuli xelovnebis sxva sferoebSi,
mkveTrad iCina Tavi bizantiurma saxviTma
tradiciam. magram saeklesio xelovnebis
bizantiisaken orientacia ar gulisxmobda misi
vizualuri formulebisa Tu saxviTi sistemebis
meqanikur gadmoRebas. am periodis maRalmxatvruli
qarTuli xatweris nawarmoebebi, Tavisi Rrma
sulier-dogmaturi da mxatvruli JReradobiT
marTlmadidebluri xelovnebis saukeTeso
nimuSebad warmogvidgeba da qveynis politikuri
siZlierisa da misi gazrdili saerTaSoriso
prestiJis adeqvatur fenomenad gvevlineba
(ix., mag., RmrTismSoblis xatebi uSgulidan,
fxotreris mTavarangelozTa kreba, 40 mowamis
xati, gardamoxsnisa da saflavad dadebis xati
lagurkadan, lazares aRdginebisa da amaRlebis
xatebi da sxv.).
XI_XII saukuneebis qarTuli xatwera efuZneba
epoqiseul kanonzomerebebs, rac gacxadda mxatvrul
saxeTa Teologiur safuZvlebze aRmocenebul
koncentrirebul sulier ZalaSi, Sinaarsobriv
siRrmeSi, wminda saxeTa Tayvaniscemis formebSi
da mxatvrul-tenikur da stilistur xerxebSi.
am dros Seqmnili xatebi araCveulebrivi ZaliT
asxivebs sulier energias. TiToeuli mxatvruli
saSualeba emsaxureba erTi saerTo miznis miRwevas
_ qristianuli swavlebis ama Tu im doqtrinis
srulad warmoCenasa da mis gaxsnas mxatvruli
saSualebebiT.
gansakuTrebiT mravalricxovani xatebia
SemorCenili XIII saukunidan. xatmwerTa
produqtiulobis zrda am droisaTvis, erTi mxriv,
exmianeba Tanadroul marTlmadideblur samyaroSi
arsebul saerTo tendencias - anu xatebis gazrdil
rolsa da mniSvnelobas saeklesio cxovrebaSi-
meore mxriv ki, ferweruli xatebis intensiuri
Seqmna, SesaZloa, adgilobrivi mizezebiTac aixsnas.
monRolTa SemosevebiT dasustebul qarTul
saxelmwifoSi aRar arsebobda monumenturi
mxatvrobis ansamblebis SeqmnisaTvis xelSemwyobi
pirobebi da religiuri ferwera xatweris
mravalricxovani nawarmoebebiT Semoifargla,
rasac gacilebiT naklebi resursebi sWirdeboda.
dReisaTvis SemorCenil qarTul xatebs Soris
gvxvdeba: kankelis Semamkobeli epistilionebisa
da interkolumniebis xatebi, xati-sanawileebi,
“gadasatani sakurTxevlebi” – karedebi da piradi
RvTismosaobisaTvis Seqmnili mravalricxovani
wminda saxeebi. qarTuli xatebis formebis
nairgvarobaSi, erTi mxriv, gacxadebulia
zogadmarTlmadidebluri normebi da mxatvrul-
stilisturi evoluciis etapebi, meore mxriv ki,
asaxulia erovnuli tradiciebi da qveynis sulier
cxovrebaSi mimdinare siRrmiseuli procesebi.
Tavisi drois mowinave mxatvrul-sulieri
tendenciebis amsaxvelia XIVs-is xatebi ubisadan,
vedrebis rigis xatebi fxotreris mTavarangelozTa
eklesiidan, mestiis muzeumis karedi, «gardamoxsnis
karedi» uSgulidan, laxuStis wm. giorgis
eklesiaSi Semonaxuli wm. ioane naTlismcemlis
xati, RmrTismSoblis karedi da sxv.
Weduroba
Sua saukuneebis qarTuli oqromWedloba
arsebiTad saeklesio nivTebs moicavs _ eklesiuri
cxovrebis samsaxurad gankuTvnili xatebi, jvrebi,
samweroblebi, barZimebi da a.S. garda funqciuri
daniSnulebisa, oqro-vercxlisagan nakeTebi es
nivTebi, erToblivad, didi mxatvruli Semoqmedebaa.
am saocari odenobis nimuSebidan (2500-ze
meti!) bevria iseTi, romlebic Tamamad SeiZleba
gautoldes Wedurobis msoflio saganZuris
SesaniSnav qmnilebebs. magram umTavresi mainc
isaa, rom am Zeglebis wyalobiT aris dadgenili
saqarTveloSi Weduri xelovnebis aTaswlovani
istoriis mTliani suraTi VIII-IX saukuneebidan
moyolebuli da, rac kidev ufro mniSvnelovania
da Rirebuli, warmoCenilia am xelovnebis mkafiod
gamoxatuli individualuri saxe.
24
XVII-XVIII ss-is qarTuli xatwera
araerTgvarovan suraTs warmoadgens. miuxedevad
imisa, rom am xanis ferweruli wminda saxeebi
sxvadasxva mxatvruli skolebisa da gavlenebis
kvals atareben, mainc gaedevneba Tvali saerTo
tendencias – am periodis xatebi verc mxatvruli
formiTa da verc sulieri datvirTviT veRar
utoldeba winare periodis xatebs. XIX
saukunisaTvis erovnuli mxatvruli tradicia
mTlianad rusuli xatweris normebma Caanacvla.
bolo aTwleulebis ganmavlobaSi saqarTveloSi
uwmindesisa da unataresis, saqarTvelos
kaTolikos-patriarqis ilia II-is ZalisxmeviTa da
mecadineobiT marTlmadidebluri kulturis sxva
dargebTan erTad xatweris xelovnebamac daikava
mniSvnelovani adgili eris religiuri cxovrebis
aRorZinebis saqmeSi. dRes qarTveli xatmwerebi
agrZeleben saukuneebis siRrmidan momdinare
xatweris tradicias. Tanamedrove xatweraSi
SeiniSneba erovnuli da imavdroulad zogadad
marTlmadidebluri mxatvrul-kulturuli
memkvidreobis gadaazrebis saintereso cdebi.
qarTvelTaTvis qristianuli kultura dResac,
iseve, rogorc saukuneebis ganmavlobaSi, erovnul
identobasTan aris dakavSirebuli.
Suasaukunovani qarTuli oqromWedlobis
istoriidan yvelaze gamorCeuli, SemoqmedebiTi
ZiebebiT aRZruli, mxatvruli Tu ikonografiuli
problemebiT datvirTuli, X-XI saukuneebia. es
is droa, roca Cveni qveyana, politikurad da
ekonomikurad momZlavrebuli, kulturis sferoSic
axali ayvavebis gzazea Semdgari. am epoqasTanaa
dakavSirebuli Zveli qarTuli oqromWedlobis
miRwevebi da yvelaze didi monapovari.
umTavresi mxatvruli amocana, romelic X-
XI saukuneebis qarTveli oqromWedlebis winaSe
idga, gamosaxulebaTa skulpturuli formebiT
gadmocemaa. am amocanis realizeba reliefuri
qandakebis farglebSi moxda. am procesis saTaveSi
dgas 973 wliT daTariRebuli iSxnis sawinamZRvro
jvari, romlis wina pirze jvarcmuli qristes
erTaderTi figuraa – mkafiod gamokveTili
erTiani zogadi moculoba, sxeulis anatomiuri
detalizaciis gareSe. skulpturulobis Ziebis
gzaze es pirveli gadadgmuli nabijia (e.w.
“skulpturuli arqaika”). iSxnis jvramde mxolod
VIII-IX saukuneebis sul ramdenime Zegli gvaqvs
SemorCenili. maT Sorisaa 886 wlis zarzmis
“fericvalebis” xati, sadac fonis sibrtyidan
odnav amoziduli figurebi moculobiTi formebi
ki ar aris, aramed TiTqmis grafikuli naxatia.
iSxnis jvars mosdevs Weduri nawarmoebebi,
romlebic X-XI saukuneebis mijnazea Seqmnili.
am sakmaod mozrdil jgufSi aris Zeglebi,
romlebic, figuraTa swored skulpturuli
damuSavebis mxriv, aSkara progresis maCvenebelia.
aris am jgufSi saoqromWedlo xelovnebis
araerTi pirvelxarisxovani nimuSic: saRolaSenis
xuTi forfita “sauflo dResaswaulTa” ciklis
scenebiT (raRac didi moWedilobis gadarCenili
nawilebi), sxvadasxva wmindanTa xatebi zarzmidan,
Semoqmedidan, bediis oqros barZimi, breTis,
brilis sawinamZRvro jvrebi da sxv.
momdevno xanebSi, sul male, qarTuli
reliefuri qandakebis es progresuli zrda-
ganviTareba kidev ufro TvalsaCinoa. XI saukunis
pirveli naxevris umdidresi da mravalsaxovani
masala, sxvadasxva qronologiur monakveTSi
Sesrulebuli Zeglebis sxvadasxva jgufi, mTeli
sicxadiT warmogviCens, rogori TanmimdevrobiT
ixveweboda saqarTveloSi skulpturis es
xelovneba, ra ostaturad emarjvebodaT xSirad am
epoqis qarTvel oqromWedlebs namdvili plastikis
eniT gadmoecaT rTuli, mravalfigurovani
scenebic, xatad warmoadgenili esa Tu is
calkeuli figurac. cageris, labeWinis, zarzmis
RmrTismSoblis xatebi, ielisa da lanCvanis
macxovris xatebi, gelaTis tondo wm. mamas
gamosaxulebiT, laRamis wm. svimeon mesvetes xati,
wm. giorgis uamravi xati (sxvadasxva versiebiT)
saqarTvelos sxvadasxva regionebidan, mestiis
sakurTxevliswina jvari wm. giorgis cxovrebis
cikliT. yvela es nawarmoebi, da amas SeiZleba
amave periodis kidev araerTi sxvac daematos,
reliefuri mqandakeblobis SesaniSnavi magaliTebia:
figuraTa swori proporciebi, bunebrivi poza,
Jestikulacia, mkafiod “gamoZerwili”, elastikuri
25
formebi, sxeulze kargad morgebuli samoseli,
pirisaxis faqizad modelirebuli nakvTebi. 1040
wliT daTariRebuli oTxi firfita wm. mamebis
gamosaxulebiT Semoqmedidan da daaxloebiT
amave drois martvilis sawinamZRvro jvris
macxovris figura is zRvaria, romelsac ukve
marTlmadideblobisTvis Tavisi materialurobiT
miuRebeli mrgvali qandakebis ganviTareba unda
mohyoloda.
X-XI saukuneebis qarTvel oqromWedelTa
winaSe, garda umTavresi, skulpturuli
problemisa, sxva mniSvnelovani amocanebic idga.
kerZod, es aris mTeli nawarmoebis dekoratiuli
gawyoba, ornamenti, sxva damatebiTi samkauli. da
aqac, am sferoSic, X-XI saukuneebis qarTuli
oqromWedloba gamorCeuli movlenaa. garda
gasaocari mravalferovnebisa, SemoqmedebiTi
fantaziisa da gamomgoneblobisa, garda mxatvruli
da teqnikuri maRalxarisxovnebisa, ornamnetuli
motivebi rig SemTxvevaSi, erTaderTi saSualebaa
mTeli oqromWedlobis dasaTariReblad Tu
calkeuli saoqromWedlo saxelosnoebis
gamosayofad.
mas Semdeg, rac qandakebam plastikurobis
mimarTulebiT saqarTveloSi bunebrivi
ganviTarebis gza galia, qarTvel oqromWedelTa
mxatvrul-SemoqmedebiTi interesebi nawarmoebis
dekoratiul-ornamnetuli sakiTxebis mosa-
gvareblad aris gadarTuli. XII saukunidan
mokidebuli feodaluri epoqis dasasrulamde
saqarTveloSi Wedurobis uamravi Zegli Seiqmna.
aris maT Soris iseTi nimuSebic, romelnic
skulpturuladac ase Tu ise mowesrigebulia,
magram mTeli moWedilobis mxatvrul efeqts
saerTo dekoratiuloba da ornamentuli
morTuloba gansazRvravs. xaxulis RmrTismSoblis
ganTqmuli xatis karedze skulpturuli figura
saerTod ar aris. uzarmazari zedapiri Sevsebulia
minanqruli gamosaxulebebiT, Zvirfasi TvlebiTa
da plastikurad naWedi saocrad mravalsaxovani
ornamnetiT. Seqmnilia dekoratiuli xelovnebis
brwyinvale ansambli. dekorativizmis tendenciebis
winwamoweva, ornamnetis gazrdili roli
kidev ufro TvalsaCinoa Wedurfigurebian
kompoziciebSi. anCis macxovris xelTuqmneli
xatis CarCoze, romelic beqa opizaris, erTi
amavdrouli oTxTavis warweris Tanaxmad, “RmrTisa
mier kurTxeulisa Rirsi oqroismqandakeblis”
naxelavia, ornamnetirebuli monakveTebi
Tavisi xmovanebiT TiTqos etoleba wmindanTa
gamosaxulebebs. anda XIII saukunis meore naxevris
onis mTavarangelozTa xati – disproporciuli,
brtyeli figurebiT da mcenareuli ornamentiT
daxvavebuli, gansakuTrebuli gulmodginebiT da
ostaturad gamokveTili farTo moCarCoebiT.
XII-XIII ss-is qarTuli oqromWedloba jer
kidev winare saukuneebidan gamoyolili inerciiT
feTqavs. am muxtiT aris datvirTuli beqa opizaris
meore namuSevaric – wyarosTavis oTxTavis ydis
moWediloba, misive uaxloesi analogi, berTis
oTxTavis ydac, beSqen opizaris moWedili, maTgan
gansxvavebuli Tematikurad, zogadi kompoziciuri
struqturiT, figuraTa skulpturuli damuSavebiT
_ tbeTis oTxTavis ydac.
momdevno ori saukune Wedurobis
saSemsruleblo doniTac, mxatvrul-SemoqmedebiTi
TvalsazrisiTac aSkarad daqveiTebulia. simwirea
Zeglebis ricxovanebiTac. yvelaze mniSvnelovani
nawarmoebi aq zemoT ukve naxsenebi anCis xatis
karedis SidamoWedilobaa (XIV s.). saxarebiseuli
Svidi scena, sxvadasxva masStabis, gansxvavebuli
asaxulobis figurebiT (gamoyenebulia sxvadasxva
adrindeli nimuSebi) mxolod ormanetuli dekoriT
aris Wedurobis erT fenad gamTlianebuli.
XVI saukune Zveli qarTuli oqromWedlobis
kidev erTi gamorCeuli xanaa. didad momravlda
Zeglebi, gamoikveTa sxvadasxva mxatvruli
mimarTulebebi, gaCnda sruliad axali, aqamde
ucnobi mxatvruli Temebi, motivebi, teqnikuri
siaxleebic; dagrovda umdidresi ornamentuli
masala da am mravalferovani monacemebis
moSveliebiT vlindeba (iseve rogorc X-XI
saukuneebis saqarTveloSi) sxvadasxva saxelosnoebi
Cveni qveynis sxvadasxva regionidan. sanimuSo
magaliTad SeiZleba gavixsenoT: kaxuri Wedurobis
oqros xatebis jgufi (am kuTxis imJamindeli
dedaqalaqis, gremis oqromWedlebisa), erTiani,
mtkiced Sekruli wre Zeglebisa, romelTa msgavsi
dekoratiuli gadawyveta da ornamnetis “Zerwvis”
swored aseTi teqnika (sparseTidan mosesxebuli)
saqarTveloSi arc adre gvxvdeba da arc SemdgomSi
gameorebula. da am xatebis gverdiT _ amave
26
XVI saukunis gelaTuri jvar-xatebis sakmaod
mozrdili jgufi, sruliad gansxvavebuli zogadi
STabeWdilebiTac, figurebis aRnagobiT Tu maTi
qandakebrivi saxviTobiT, ornamnetuli motivebis
SerCeva-damuSavebiTac.
bevri Zeglia Semonaxuli XVII –XVIII
saukuneebidanac, magram am Zeglebs Soris iseTi
urTierTsxvaobaa, rom Wirs maTi raime niSniT cal-
calke jgufebad danawileba. Tavs iCens am dros
ucxouri gavlenebic – sparsuli kulturidan,
ruseTidan, evropidan, (calkeuli elementebi,
sxvadasxva ikonografiuli Tu ornamentuli
motivebi). magram es gavlenebi mxolod zedapiruli
iyo. saqarTvelosTvis politikurad, ekonomikurad
am umZimes saukuneebSic, maSin, rodesac ostat-
xelovanTa SemoqmedebiTi SesaZleblobebi,
profesiuli done ase CamoqveiTebulia, qarTulma
oqromWedlobam SeinarCuna Tavisi sakuTari saxe,
SeinarCuna erovnuli TavisTavadoba. qarTul
oqromWedlobas arc XIX saukuneSi gauwyvetia
mWidro kavSiri Zvel tradiciebTan. bevri
ram gadmoiRes qarTvelma ostatebma winare
saukuneebis qarTuli Wedurobidan. aris, amave
dros, namuSevrebi, romelTa siaxlove rusul
xelovnebasTan sruliad aSkaraa. xolo XIX
saukunis miwuruls da XX saukunis dasawyisSi
Seqmnili xatebis umetesoba rusuli fabrikuli
nawarmoebis gameorebaa mxolod.
Sua saukuneebis qarTvel oqromWedlebs
qristianul ikonografiaSic miuZRviT wvlili.
garda sayovelTaod gavrcelebuli sqemebisa,
qarTul jvar-xatebze gvaqvs zogi ikonografiuli
saxe, romelic garedan Semotanili kanonikuri
nimuSebis ubralo gameoreba an gadamuSaveba
ki ar aris mxolod, aramed sruliad axali,
qarTvel ostatTa originaluri Semoqmedebaa.
erTi aseTi mkafio magaliTia XI saukunis mestiis
sakurTxevliswina jvari. “qarTvelebi ukve X-XI
saukuneebidn icnobdnen wm. giorgis cxovrebis
gaumjobesebul diokletianeseul redaqcias.
swored es redaqcia daedo safuZvlad CvenTvis
cnobil yvelaze adrindel Zegls wm. giorgis
cxovrebis cikliT – XI s. 20-30-ian wlebis
e.w. mestiis jvars” wers viqtor lazarevi,
cnobili rusi xelovnebis istorikosi. mestiis
jvarma gansazRvra arsebiTad wm. giorgis
cxovrebis scenaTa SerCevac, maTi kompoziciuri
agebulebac momdevno xanis qarTul xelovnebaSi
–oqromWedlobis Zeglebzec, monumentur
mxatvrobaSic. imave lazarevis aRiarebiT, “wminda
qarTuli ikonografiuli versiaa” gamosaxuleba,
sadac mxedari wm. giorgi SubiT gmiravs
diokletiane mefes. es versia saqarTveloSi
bevrad moWarbebulia im kompoziciasTan SedarebiT,
roca borotebis simbolod gveli an gveleSapia
gamosaxuli. saqarTveloSia am “qarTuli versiis”
uadresi magaliTebi (VII-VIIIss. qvaze kveTili
reliefebi), gansakuTrebiT bevria SemorCenili
X-XII saukuneebidan – kedlis mxatvrobaSic,
qvaze naqandakevic, Wedurobis Zeglebzec, maSin
roca sxva qveynebis xelovnebaSi is erTeuli
nimuSebis saxiT gvxvdeba. aRsaniSnavia isic, rom
XVI saukunis sadgeris sakurTxevliswina jvris
am “saswaulis” scenaSi diokletiane cxenze zis.
sxva aseTi magaliTi ar aris cnobili CvenSi da
arc saqarTvelos gareT Cans TiTqos. qarTulma
oqromWedlobam wm. giorgis “saswaulis” Tematurad
sruliad axali nimuSic dagvitova, scena, romelic
qarTuli sinamdvilidan aris gadmoRebuli. igi
dakavSirebulia im saeklesio dResaswaulTan,
romelic giorgobadRes (23 noembers) imarTeboda
iloris wm. giorgis eklesiis garSemo. gvaqvs am
ceremonialis uSualo mxilvelTa, XVII saukunis
evropel mogzaurTa Tu misionerTa, Canawerebi.
rogorc irkveva, didZali xalxis win, ikvleboda
xari, romelic wm. giorgis warmogzavnili iyo da
mis nawilebs (rogorc saswaulmoqmed relikviebs)
xalxs urigebdnen. es adgilobrivi cxovrebiseuli
realoba daedo safuZvlad wm. giorgis sruliad
axal, originalur Temas, romlis nimuSad ori
vercxlis xatia SemorCenili, orive iloridan.
erTi XVI saukunis meore naxevris karedi
xatia, romlis centralur karze gamosaxulia
xmalmomarjvebuli wm. giorgi da mis ferxTiT
momcro xari. meore xati, 1640 wliT daTariRebuli,
Zalze dazianebulia, magram aq siuJeti warweriTac
aris ganmartebuli: “wmindis giorgis odiSis
iloris xaris moyvanis saxe giorgobis dRes”-
sruli Tanxvedraa evropelTa CanawerebTan.
qarTuli Wedurobis, ase uxvad Semonaxuli,
asomTavruli da mxedruli warwerebi mravali
kuTxiT iqcevs yuradRebas. umdidresi masalaa
27
rogorc paleografiuli monacemebiT, ise
Sinaarsobrivad – rogorc istoriuli wyaro.
ixsenebian jvar-xatebis damkveTni, Semwirvelni,
mefe-dedoflebi, kaTolikos-patriarqebi, saero
Tu saklesio cnobili personebi, zogjer sul
ucnobnic, oqromWedel ostatTa saxelebi, erTgan
moxsenebulia “mweralic”, e.i. Tavad warweris
Semsrulebeli. aris zogan adrindel xatebze,
sagangebid SerCeuli saxarebiseuli striqonebi
– qristologiuri scenebis ufro siRrmiseuli
Secnobis mizniT. anCis tri ptiqonis warwerebSi
ki, magaliTad, Zeglis mTeli istoria, da, rac
mTavaria, misi ZiriTadi siwmidis, “xelTuqmneli
macxovris xatis” Tavgadasavalia moTxrobili
edesadan moyolebuli da XVII saukuneSi
“tfilisSi” mis CamobrZanebamde. gana cotas
niSnavs marto is, rom anCis karedze Tamar mefis
saxelia moxsenebuli, macxovris xatis CarCoze,
romelic anCelma episkoposma ioane rkinaelma beqa
opizars moaWedina “brZanebiTa da nivTisa boZebiTa
(!) RmrTiv gvirgvinosanTa didisa dedofalT
dedoflisa TamarisaiTa....”
mTeli Sua saukuneebis manZilze saqarTvelos
kulturas zogadad, da, kerZod, qristianuli
xelovnebis yvela sxvadasxva dargis Zvelsa Tu axal
nimuSebs, arasdros mohklebia qveynis mesveurTa
_ saxelmwifo da saeklesio xelisufalTa,
didmoxeleTa, ufro dabali rangis msaxurTa
mfarveli xeli. es mudmivi zrunva-patronoba
kargad gamosCans im (xSirad vrcelsa da Zalze
saintereso cnobebis momcvel) asomTavrul da
mxedrul warwerebSic, romelic aseTi simravliT
aris Semonaxuli Tavad Zeglebzec, arqiteqtura
iqneba es, mxatvroba Tu qandakeba.
dRevandel saqarTveloSic igive viTareba
gvaqvs. XX s-is meore naxevridan moyolebuli,
roca Cveni qveyana, rogorc iqna, ganTavisuflda
“sabWoeTis” wnexisgan, saqarTvelos eklesiasac
normaluri cxovrebis gza gaexsna. ganaxlda
da amoqmedda araerTi Zveli eklesia-monasteri,
aSenda momcro eklesiebi, aRimarTa didi taZrebic,
moixata maTi interierebi, momravlda da sul ufro
matulobs ferweruli da Weduri xatebi, jvrebi,
oqro-vercxlisave sxvadasxva saeklesio nivTebi,
samkaul-nakeTobani. yvelaferi es did mxardaWeras
da xelSewyobas poulobs saxelmwifo uwyebebis
mxridan, CarTulia am saqmeSi kerZo struqturebic.
didia, ra Tqma unda, saqarTvelos sapatriarqos
roli da mTeli es saqmianoba uwmindesisa da
unetaresis, saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqis
locva-kurTxeviT aris sulCadgmuli.
axali drois qarTuli oqromWedlobis
qristianuli siwmindeebi mTel saqarTveloSia
mofenili _ eklesiebSi dasvenebuli, salonebSi,
galereebSi gamotanili, sxvadasxva dawesebulebeb-
Si, saswavleblebSi, ojaxebSi. am nimuSebidan zogi
minanqari
minanqris unatifesi da urTulesi saxeoba –
tixruli minanqari qristianuli xelovnebis wiaRSi
warmoiSva da ganviTarda, misi msoflmxedvelobiTa
da esTetikiTaa STagonebuli. swored am teqnikiTaa
Sesrulebuli Sua saukuneebidan saqarTveloSi
SemorCenili minanqris TiTqmis yvela nimuSi.
tixruli minanqris teqnika gabatonebuli iyo
bizantiaSic _ minanqris am saqveynod aRiarebul
keraSi. rogorc cnobili bizantologi alisa
banki aRniSnavs, “spiritualuri stilisaTvis
damaxasiaTebeli niSnebis SemoRweva aq masalis
TaviseburebebiTa da teqnikiT aixsneba. sufTa
kaSkaSa tonebis batonoba, oqros tixrebisa
da fonis brwyinvaleba, STabeWdileba uxorco
saxeebisa, rac gamowveulia nawilobriv moculobis
gadmocemis, figuraTa da saxis modelirebis
SeuZleblobiT”, xels uwyobs qristianuli
suliskveTebis gamovlenas.
qarTul tixrul minanqrebs bevri ram akavSirebs
bizantiasTan. upirveles yovlisa, esaa maTi
teqnikuri Sesrulebis princi pi. yvela qarTuli
tixruli minanqari, iseve rogorc bizantiuris
didi umravlesoba umaRlesi sinjis oqrosa da
vercxlis Senadnobis, e.w. eleqtronis fuZezea
damzadebuli, Tumca iq Zalian mcire raodenobis
vercxlisfuZiani minanqrebic gvxvdeba. Tanxvedraa
ikonografiul repertuarSic _ erTi da igive
scenebi, wmindanebi, umTavresad stereoti puli.
bevri saerToa droismieri niSnebiTac,
gansakuTrebiT adrindel minanqarSi, Semdgom
periodebSi damuSavebis garkveuli specifikuri
28
Zveli, adrindeli jvar-xatebis zusti kopirebaa
(zomebSia xandaxan sxvaoba), zogic _ imave
umdidresi saganZuriT STagonebuli moWediloba,
ramdenadme saxeSecvlili kompoziciuri wyobiT
Tu dekoratiul-ornamnetuli morTulobiT.
dRevandeli qarTveli, ukve gamowrTobili Tu
damwyebi oqromWedeli ostatebis am mowadinebas
da mcdelobas ar SeiZleba ufro warmatebuli da
amaRlebuli gagrZeleba ar moyves.
xerxebis mxriv (mag., e.w. shevron stili – samosze
feradi zolebis monacvleoba), xolo XI saukunis
qarTul minanqrebs zogadi stiliTac TiTqmis ver
gaarCev bizantiurisgan. Tumca XI saukuneSic aris
nawarmoebebi, romlebic SeiZleba adgilobriv
stils mivakuTvnoT. aseTia, magaliTad, sami
medalioni dedoflebis gamosaxulebebiT xaxulis
kared xatze, romlebic zogierTi niSnis mixedviT
qarTuli nimuSebia. sagulisxmoa, rom dedoflebis
gvirgvinebi TavSals zemoTaa dadgmuli, rac ar
aris damaxasiaTebeli bizantiuri kostiumisaTvis.
marTalia, medalionebs warwerebi ar gaaCnia, magram
SeiZleba vivaraudoT, rom es gamosaxulebebi mariam
dedofals, qarTveli mefis bagrat IV-is silamaziT
ganTqmul asuls ukavSirdebodes. samagierod, am
SesaniSnavi mandilosnis utyuari, warweriT damo-
wmebuli, “portreti” gvaqvs imave xaxulis xatis
firfitaze, sadac igi warmoadgenilia Tavis pirvel
meuRlesTan, bizantiis imperatorTan, mixeil
VII parapanaqTan erTad. es xati bizantiuria da
saCuqris saxiTaa gamogzavnili imperatoris mier.
yovelive es metyvelebs imaze, rom Sua saukuneebis
qarTuli minanqari qarTuli Wedurobisa da, miT
ufro, arqiteqturisgan gansxvavebiT, mWidrodaa
dakavSirebuli bizantiur samyarosTan. magram
ufro metad sainteresoa is, Tu ra gamoarCevs
qarTul tixrul minanqars bizantiurisgan, raSia
misi Tavisebureba.
qarTuli saminanqro xelovnebis ganviTarebis
gza araTanabarzomierad warimarTa, SemoqmedebiTi
“afeTqebebiT” X da XII-XIII saukuneebSi.
niSandoblivia isic, rom Sua saukuneebis
tixruli minanqris Zeglebis raodenoba didia,
xolo maTi qronologiuri diapazoni sakmaod
farTo _ VIII-IX saukuneebidan dawyebeuli XV
saukunis CaTvliT. aranakleb mniSvnelovania isic,
rom qarTuli minanqrebi mxatvrulad umravlesad
Zalze gamomsaxvelia. aRarafers vambobT xaxulis
kared xatze, romelic dekoratiuli xelovnebis
nadvili Sedevria da romlis mxatvrul efeqts
didwilad gansazRvravs uamravi sxvadasxva drois
qarTuli da bizantiuri minanqari. es samefo
dakveTaa _ XII saukunis meore ocwleulSi wm.
daviT aRmaSeneblisa da misi vaJis, demetre I-
is nebiTaa Seqmnili. aseTi masStabis mcire
formaTa xelovnebis qmnilebas, saocrad mdidars
da STambeWdavs, tixruli minanqrebis namdvil
“muzeums” mxolod bizantia gvTavazobs _ esaa
saqveynod cnobili pala d’oro, romelic veneciis
san-markos taZarSia aRmarTuli.
qarTuli tixruli minanqris adreuli Zeglebi
swored xaxulis karedzea warmoadgenili: “jvarc-
mis” kvadrifoliumi (VIII s.) da ori medalioni
wm. mariamisa da wm. Tevdores naxevarfigurebiT
(IXs.). amave periods miekuTvneba martvilis
karedis centraluri nawilis gamosaxuleba,
“vedreba” (IX s-is bolo). es mcirericxovani
jgufi savsebiT Tavsdeba ganviTarebis im zogad
xazSi, rasac qarTuli xelovneba da, kerZod,
qarTuli plastika gvTavazobs. isini Seqmnilia
saqarTveloSi, sadac xatmebrZoleobam fexi ver
moikida. zogi am nimuSebidan ikonografiuli
TvalsazrisiTac aris saintereso. martvilis
“vedreba” zogadad am scenis erT-erTi yvelaze
adreuli magaliTia, xolo “jvarcma” mTeli taniT
warmodgenili mfrinvali, madidebeli angelozebiTa
da zecidan Camowvdili marjveniT, aseTi versiis
erTaderTi nimuSia mTels aRmosavleT-qristianul
samyaroSi.
X saukunis qarTul saminanqro xelovnebaSi,
iseve rogorc bizantiaSi, mniSvnelovani cvlileba
moxda: mTliani minanqari, sadac fonic da
gamosaxulebac minanqrisaa, Caanacvla “CaZirulma
minanqarma”, e.i. minanqrulma gamosaxulebam oqros
foniT. figurisa da ornamentis gamijvnis, figuris
konturiT gamoyofis da misTvis garkveuli
“moculobis” miniWebis zogadi tendencia, isev da
29
isev, Tanxvda qarTuli plastikis ganviTarebis
erT-erT safexurs da, amdenad, organuli aRmoCnda
qarTuli saminanqro xelovnebisTvis. SeiZleba
amitomacaa, rom uadresi amgvar nimuSebSi swored
qarTuli Zegli, Semoqmedis kvadrifoliumia (mis
qarTul warweraSi moxsenebulia mefe giorgi
I, romelic 957 wels gardaicvala), amgvari
bizantiuri minanqrebi odnav gviania. sainteresoa,
rom jvarcmul qristes eklesiisa da sinagogis
alegoriuli figurebi axlavs _ am sqemis sxva
magaliTebic ufro gviania da, Tanac, dasavluri
warmomavlobis. adrebizantiuri periodisTvis
iSviaTia agreTve jvris qveS adamis Tavis qalis
gamosaxva (aq igi cocxalia, e.i. aRmdgari, rac
xazs usvams am kvadrifoliumis scenis mTavar
ideas – xsnas).
X saukunis qarTuli stiliT aRbeWdili
minanqrebidan dasamaxsovrebelia relikvariumis
saxuravze gamosaxuli qriste-pantokratoris,
“monumenturi”, SemoqmedebiTi ZaliTa da energiiT
aRsavse saxe, Tu xaxulis karedis TviT xati,
vedrebis ti pis RmrTismSobeli, romlisganac
dRes mxolod saxe da xelebia SemorCenili. es
fragmentebi Tavisi zomebiTac i pyrobs yuradrebas
_ isini yvelaze didi minanqrebia msoflioSi - da
Tavisi araCveulebrivi molilisfro-moiasamanis-
fro vardisferi SeferilobiTac. RmrTismSoblis
saxe, iqneb, ar iyos daxvewili, magram udavod
mkafiod metyvelia, Tanac es ti pi sakmaodaa
gavrcelebuli am periodis qarTul Wedur xatebSi.
X saukuneSi bizantiuri orientaciis jgufic
gvaqvs. am nawarmoebTa Soris mniSvnelovania e.w.
kvirikes jvari (orad gayofili, is xaxulis
karedis frTebzea moTavsebuli). misi qarTul-
berZnuli warwerebi kaxeTis mmarTvels, mefesa da
magistross kvirike II-s ixseniebs.
qarTuli saminanqro xelovnebis SemoqmedebiTi
aRmavlobis kidev erTi safexuri XII saukunesa
da XII-XIII saukuneTa mijnas ukavSirdeba. am
periodis ZeglebSi naTlad gamoixata epoqisTvis
damaxasiaTebeli mometebuli dekorativizmi
da cxovelxatuloba. agreTve am droisaTvis
gaZlierebuli interesi adamianisadmi. XII
saukunisaa gelaTis, xobis, walenjixis xatebis
“individualizirebul” wmindanTa mTeli galerea.
gamosaxulebebs Tan axlavs qarTuli asomTavruli
warwerebi. isini gaerTianebulia mxatvruli
gadawyvetis zogadi princi pebiT, Tumc yovel
calkeul SemTxvevaSi maT sxvadasxva emociuri
datvirTva da sxvadasxva gamomsaxvelobis Zala
aqvT. maT Soris yvelaze STambeWdavi gelaTis
xatis gamosaxulebebia, gansakuTrebiT ki wm.
lukas saxe, romelsac SeiZleba “portretic” ki
vuwodoT.
imave mxatvruli mimarTulebisaa is minanqruli
medalionebi, romlebic jumaTis monastris aw
daRupuli ori xatidan erT-erTs, wm. miqael
mTavarangelozisas amkobda. jumaTis meore, wm.
gabriel mTavarangelozis xatis medalionebi
bizantiuri orientaciisaa da gansakuTrebuli
daxvewilobiT gamoirCeva. yvela es medalioni,
iseve rogorc amave wris sxva minanqrebi,
Sesrulebulia qarTul saxelosnoebSi da maT
bizantiur saminanqro xelovnebaSi pirdapiri
analogiebi ar gaaCnia. bizantiuri gavleniTaa
aRniSnuli minanqrul medalionTa erTi jgufi,
romelic xaxulis karedis frTebzea. es aris
qarTuli xelovnebis nimuSebi, romelTa Soris
gansakuTrebuli gamomsaxvelobiT gamoirCeva wm.
petres, wm. maTesa da wm. ioane RvTismetyvelis
gansulierebuli, keTilSobilebiT aRsavse
saxeebi.
dekoratiuli xelovnebis namdvili margalitebia
sami firfita aTormeti dResaswaulis ciklidan
_ “mirqma”, “lazares aRdgineba” da “suliwmidis
mofena” (XII-XIII saukuneebis mijna). qarTuli
xelovnebis am SesaniSnav nimuSebSi, pirvel
yovlisa, gxiblavs saxeTa lirizmi da uSualoba,
Sesrulebis garkveuli Tavisufleba da kaSkaSa
ferebis JReradoba. yuradRebas iqcevs scenebis
arqiteqturuli foni, sadac warmodgenilia
qarTuli eklesiebis ti piuri konusuri gumbaTi da
qarTuli xuroTmoZRvrebisTvis damaxasiaTebeli
sarkmlebi. xolo “mirqmis” scenis unikaluri
ikonografiuli detali _ anTebuli sanTeli
kompoziciis centrSi, mxolod saqarTveloSi,
kidev or qarTul Zeglze iZebneba.
korcxelis xatis XIII saukunis CarCo minanqru-
li xelovnebisTvis uCveulo, RmrTismSoblis
cxovrebis scenebiTaa Semkuli. aseve iSviaTia
“RmrTismSoblis miZinebis” ikonografiuli sqema,
garTulebuli RrublebSi mociqulTa gamoCeniT.
30
korcxelis xatis CarCosTan stilistur
siaxloves iCens ierusalimis uflis saflavis
eklesiis macxovris xatis moCarCoeba, romelic,
uTuod, qarTuli naxelavi unda iyos.
ori gviandeli minanqruli firfita wm. giorgis
gamosaxulebiT _ “veSapis mlaxvravi wm. giorgi”
da “wm. giorgi anTavisflebs mefis asuls”, XV
saukunisaa da agrZelebs wina drois mxatvrul
princi pebsa da Cvevebs.
Sua saukuneebis qarTuli saminanqro xelovnebis
sakmaod grZel, uwyvet gzaze naTlad gamoikveTa
is Taviseburebebi, romelTa erToblioba sakuTar
istoriaze metyvelebs. esaa rbili da narnari,
Tumc zogjer arazusti, mouxeSavi xazis xasiaTi,
tixrebis Tavisfali, xandaxan daudevari naxati,
ferTa Tanafardoba, maTi aweuli JReradoba,
kanis moRvinisfero elferis farTo gamoyeneba
(rac adgilobrivi manganumis xSir moxmarebas
ukavSirdeba) da, saerTod, gamosaxulebaTa zogadi
ganwyoba. amdenad, qarTuli minanqari, exmianeba ra
Sua saukuneebis qarTuli xelovnebis sxva dargebs,
misi ganuyofeli, organuli nawilia.
XV saukuneSi minanqris warmoeba saqarTveloSi
Sewyda. am xelovnebisa da, pirvel yovlisa, misi
rTuli teqnikis aRdgena-ganviTareba mxolod
gasul saukuneSi gaxda SesaZlebeli. calkeuli
nabijebi saamisod jer kidev XX saukunis 40-
ian wlebSi gadaidga. aqedan moyolebuli iwyeba
mravalwliani, rTuli muSaoba xelovnebis am
dargis asaRorZineblad da gansaaxleblad.
Tanamedrove qarTuli minanqris ganviTarebis
xelSemwyob faqtorTagan gamosayofia Cveni
eklesiis, saqarTvelos sapatriarqosa da
piradad uwmindesisa da unetaresis, saqarTvelos
kaTolikos-patriarqis ilia II-is Zalisxmeva.
eklesiis calkeuli, individualuri SekveTebis
paralelurad, 1992 wels swored sapatriarqosTan
Camoyalibda specialuri saxelosno “luka”,
romelic niWier, enTuziazmiT savse axalgazrdebs
aerTianebda (igi “giorgis” saxelwodebiT dResac
ganagrZobs arsebobas). kidev erTi mniSvnelovani
keraa wm. ninos fokas dedaTa monasteri.
samonastro garemoSi saminanqro saxelosnos
arseboba uxilavi ZafebiT ukavSirdeba im Soreul
warsuls, rodesac tixruli minanqrebi swored
aseT, sulierebiT amaRlebul atmosferoSi
iqmneboda. fokaSi damzadebuli nakeTobanic,
ZiriTadad, religiuri daniSnulebisaa – xatebi,
jvrebi, sxvadasxva liturgiuli nivTebi.
Tanamedrove minanqarSi, marTalia, farTod
Semovida saero siuJetebi da gamosaxulebebi, Zalze
imata samkaulTa raodenobam, magram religiuri Tema
kvlavac mniSvnelovania. religiuri daniSnulebis
minanqrebis Seqmnisas Znelia gverdi auaro Sua
saukuneebis nimuSebis uSualo zegavlenas, miT
ufro, rom maTi umravlesoba maRali ostatobiTaa
aRniSnuli. amitomacaa, rom xSir SemTxvevaSi an
Zveli minanqrebis aslebs vxedavT an maT variaciebs,
romelnic sakmaod Sordeba orginals da sruliad
axal, gansxvavebuli detalebiT gamdidrebul
gamosaxulebas viRebT.
iseve rogorc Sua saukuneebSi, dResac
saminanqro xelovnebaSi gabatonebulia tixruli
minanqari. magram masTan erTad, sxvadasxva
teqnikuri xerxebicaa gamoyenebuli. Tu Zvelad
minanqris fuZiseuli masala oqro an eleqtroni
iyo, axla mas emateba vercxli, brinjao, spilenZi,
TiTberi. gafarTovda religiuri Temebis wre _
gaCnda axali siuJetebi ara mxolod axali, aramed
Zveli aRTqmidanac. TandaTanobiT ixveweba da
mravalferovani xdeba minanqrul gamosaxulebaTa
xelnawerTa dasuraTeba
qarTuli mwignobroba, jer kidev uflis
gankacebamde Seqmnili da ganvrcobili farnavaz
mefis mier, RvTisgangebulebiT ganivTda
unikalur damwerlobaSi, romlis ganviTarebis
sami saxe _ mTavruli, nusxuri da mxedruli
_ metyvelebs mis TviTmyofadobasa da sakvirvel
sicocxlisunarianobaze. bunebrivia, saqarTveloSi
qristianobis Semosvlas imTaviTve Tan axlda
sityvieri xelovneba da, Sesabamisad, mwignobroba.
dRes JamTa siaves gadarCenili es udidesi
saganZuri siZveliTa da mniSvnelovanebiT tols
ar udebs sxva qveyanaTa memkvidreobas.
saqarTvelos xelnawerTa erovnul centrsa
Tu sxvagan daculia bevri imgvari unikaluri
Zegli, romelTa mniSvneloba ganuzomelia
zogadqristianuli kulturis istoriaSi.
31
saxviTi saSualebebi. sruliad axali mxatvruli
xerxebis gamoyeneba, zogjer formebis Segnebuli
utrireba, eqspresiis gaZliereba, ferTa Taviseburi
gama da maTi Tanafardoba, am nawarmoebebs
Tanamedrove iers sZens. bunebrivia, Tanamedrove
qarTul minanqrebze sxvadasxva qveynis saminanqro
xelovnebaSi mimdinare procesebi, teqnikuri
Tu mxatvruli xerxebi aisaxa, magram isini
qarTveli ostatebis gemovnebasa da unar-Cvevebsaa
misadagebuli. amas, pirvel rigSi, gansazRvravs
is mdidari, ZirZveli tradiciebi, romelTa
xiluli Tu uxilavi zemoqmedeba aSkarad igrZnoba
Tanamedrove qarTuli minanqris TiTqmis yvela
nimuSSi. da swored es aniWebs mas Tavisebur
xiblsa da mimzidvelobas, esaa misi gamorCeulobac,
rac aSkarad gamoCnda 2004 wels saqarTveloSi
mowyobil minanqris I saerTaSoriso bienaleze,
sadac monawileobas iRebdnen rogorc qarTveli,
aseve ucxoeli ostatebi aSS-dan, espaneTidan,
israelidan, iaponiidan. dRes qarTuli minanqari
did aRmavlobas ganicdis. misi zrda-ganviTarebis
sawindari ki is SemoqmedebiTi muxtia, romelic man
Sua saukuneebis qarTuli saminanqro xelovnebisgan
memkvidreobiT miiRo.
Cvenamde moRweulTa Soris uZvelesi fragmenti
V saukunisaa. V-VII saukuneebis palimsfsestebi
sruliad mourTavi da sadaa. maT mxatvrul
Rirebulebas teqsti warmoadgens _ mtkice
pergamentze naweri asomTavruli sisadaviTa da
monumenturobiT adreuli xanis qarTul eklesiaTa
xuroTmoZRvrebis sulieri analogiaa.
dausuraTebel xelnawerTagan gamoirCeva X
saukunis miqael modrekilis himnografiuli
krebuli (S-425), unikaluri Tavisi SedgenilobiT.
misi brwyinvale nusxuri kaligrafia uwyvetobiTa
da sifaqiziT TavisTavad didi sulierebis nimuSia.
teqstSi singuriT Zunwad Setanili nevmuri niSnebi
umaRles samgaloblo xelovnebaze metyvelebs,
amasTanave, pergamentis idumal sivrces saRvTo
cecxlis siwmindiT avsebs.
 gansakuTrebiT fasdaudebeli ki mainc
miniaturebiT Semkuli manuskri ptebia. Zvel
qarTvel ostatebs suli, guli da goneba ar
dauSurebiaT, raTa jerovnad SeemkoT RvTis
ganmadidebeli teqstebi. mwirad SemorCenili maTi
saxelebi qristianuli sinanulis WeSmarit suls
avlens da ara naxelaviT ampartavnebas, radgan
swamdaT, rom srulyofa uflisganaa, mxolod
naklia adamianis susti da arasrulfasovani
bunebis kvali.
swored amgvari znesruli ostatebis mier
Seqmnili qarTuli miniaturuli mxatvroba,
bunebrivia, odnavadac ar CamorCeba qristianuli
xelovnebis sxva dargebs _ xuroTmoZRvrebas,
Wedurobas, minanqarsa Tu freskas.
Cvenamde SemorCenili dasuraTebuli
xelnawerebi ZiriTadad saeklesio Sinaarsisaa.
upirveles yovlisa, es wminda saxarebebia, agreTve
krebulebi liturgiuli weliwadis sxvadasxva
msaxurebisaTvis (marxvisa Tu zatikis), fsalmunebi,
qadagebani, ganmartebani da a.S.
uZvelesi miniaturebi adiSis oTxTavisaa
(897w.). mTavruliT gadaweril teqstSi CarTuli
maxarebelTa miniaturebi naTel ferTa sikamkamiTa
da simsubuqiTaa aRsavse, maTSi cxadliv
SemorCenilia sunTqva adreqristianuli xanis
saminiaturo xelovnebisa.
940 wlis jruWis I oTxTavi (H-1660) Satberdis
monasterSia gadawerili. singuriT, oqroTi da muqi
lurjiT Sesrulebul mis miniaturebSi faqizad
Serwymulia Rrma suliereba, kaligrafiuli
xazobrioba, da, amasTanave, ukanmotovebuli
xatmebrZoleobis drois saxviTi uSualoba da
siwrfele.
XI saukunis qarTuli wignis mxatvroba ukve
gviCvenebs bizantiis esTetikur idealebTan Ria
dialogs. banas episkoposis zaqaria valaSkertelis
dakveTiT konstantinopolis samwerlobo centrSi
gadaiwera da Seimko oTxi xelnaweri. maT Soris
gamorCeulia 1030 wlis svinaqsari (A-648).
mkafio CarCoTi SemosazRvruli misi miniaturebi
simdgradiTaa CarTuli nusxuriT nawer teqstSi.
daxvewili ikonografia, klasikuri naxati,
lurjis, oqros, TeTrisa da wiTlis harmoniuli
Tanafardoba gviCvenebs zogadad am periodis
qristianuli saxviTi xelovnebis, kerZod,
miniaturis umaRles dones.
32
amave rigisaa 1054 wlis alaverdis oTxTavi
(A-484), Sav mTaze, kali posis RmrTismSoblis
monasterSi gadawerili. pergamentis msubuq
sivrceSi or svetad ganawilebuli nusxuri teqsti
ZiriTadad brwyinvale TavsarTebiTaa Semkuli,
romelTa jvrebisa da mcenareuli ornamentis
variaciebi maradiulobis sunTqviT avsebs oTxTavs.
gansakuTrebiT ki aRsaniSnavia xelTuqmneli xatis
istoriis amsaxveli unikaluri cikli, romelic
kidev erTxel mowmobs qarTveli eris ganuxrel
xatTayvanismcemlobas.
XII saukunis gelaTis oTxTavi (Q-908)
SeiZleba saxarebis ilustrirebis erT-erT
yvelaze brwyinvale nimuSad CaiTvalos. misi
mxatvroba (244 miniatura), rogorc ganmarteba,
teqstis dinebaSi calke scenebadaa CarTuli.
udaxvewilesi oqros foni dauRamebeli naTlis
uqrobelobiT gulisxmobs saRvTo sivrces. mis
wiaRSi CarTuli ganzogadebuli, or-samfiguriani
scenebi monumenturobiT mozaikur xelovnebas
gvagonebs, amasTanave, ganmsWvalulia sakvirveli
sulieri siRrmiTa da intimurobiT, maradiulobisa
da ganumeoreblobis im erTobiT, romelic
RmerTkacebrivma SeerTebam moutana samyaros.
XII saukuniTve TariRdeba jruWis II
oTxTavi (H-1667). es yvelaze uxvad Semkobili
xelnaweri (359 miniatura) qarTuli qristianuli
ikonografiis namdvili saganZuria. xelwera
gvauwyebs, rom mis Semkobaze ramdenime ostati
muSaobda. Tavisuflad CarTuli miniaturebi
xSirad teqstis wyobaSi iWreba da pergamentis
furcels, rogorc usasrulo sivrces, ise iyenebs.
wiTlisa da oqrosferis dominireba TeTrisa da
cisfris gverdiT, aSkarad metyvelebs qarTuli
saxviTi enis simdgradeze. mravalfiguriani scenebi
aRsavsea yofiTi niuansebiT, rac maT ganumeorebel
mimzidvelobas aniWebs.
XII saukunis zatikis (A-734) natifi
feradovneba, musikaluri xazobriobiT
gadmocemuli plastika, sulieri wvdomis siRrme
da simaxvile, amasTanave didi sisadave umaRles
saminiaturo xelovnebas avlens. amave periodis
wm. grigol RvTismetyvelis TxzulebebSi (A-109)
ukve gansxvavebuladaa aJRerebuli qristianuli
mxatrobis SesaZleblobebi. mkacri sisadaviT
SerCeuli saxviTi ena plastikuri da metyvelia.
Semoufarglavad etratis furcelze gaSlili
gamosaxulebebi mTel xelnawers moicavs.
mniSvnelovanebis Sesabamisad figuraTa masStabis
zrda aZlierebs miniaturaTa monumenturobas.
xelnaweri aSkarad freskuli mxatvrobiT aris
STagonebuli.
1300 wels daniel episkoposis dakveTiT
gadawerili moqvis oTxTavi (Q-902) aseve
Tavisi drois mniSvnelovani Zeglia. es patara
manuskri pti uamravi miniaturiTaa Semkuli. erTian
furclovan oqroze Sesrulebuli mxatvroba
aRsavsea univTo naTliT. Ria vardisferi,
mooqrosfero, mofiruzisfero tonebi mTlianobaSi
sadafiviT cimcimebs. igi asaxavs Tavisi drois
saRvTismetyvelo kamaTs Taboris naTlis bunebis
Sesaxeb da warmoaCens farTo sulier kavSirs
paleologTa periodis bizantiasTan.
fsalmunis (H-1665) miniaturebSi fonis
sazeimo wiTeli feri rogorc wminda daviTis
sameufo mosasxami, refreniviT gasdevs mTel
moxatulobas. igi gviCvenebs rogorc qarTuli
saxviTi xelovnebis tradiciaTa simdgrades, aseve
mis uZveles kavSirs wminda sinis mTis sulier
centrebTan. aqcentirebul saxeebSi igrZnoba, Tu
ra sifaqiziT aRiqvamda mxatvari fsalmunTa suls,
kerZod, adamianis pirispir dgomas uflis winaSe.
usasrulod SeiZleba saubari V-XVIII
saukuneebis qarTuli wignis mxatvrobaze. Tavis-
Tavad amouwuravia gviani Sua saukuneebis mxatvro-
bis mniSvnelobac. umZimesi istoriuli realobisas
xom swored wigni iyo Cveni eris sulierebis erT-
erTi gadamrCeneli. mravali krebuli SemogvrCa am
periodidan. maTi Sedgenilobis mravalferovneba
naqargoba
qarTuli naqargoba xelovnebis im dargTagania,
romelic saSualebas gvaZlevs aRvadginoT ama
Tu im epoqis qarTuli sazogadoebis gemovneba,
interesebi, kulturisa da xelovnebis xasiaTi.
saeklesio naqargobis ikonografia CvenSi
mTel samarTlmadideblosTan, pirvel yovlisa,
bizantiurTan saziaroa. magram dekoratiuli
xelovnebis sxva dargebis msgavsad, igic
33
gviCvenebs Cveni saeklesio wignierebis uwyvet
kulturas da mimarTulebaTa mravalferovnebas.
TandaTan Zlierdeba erovnuli eklesiis
niSansvetebis gamoyofa. kerZod, matulobs qarTvel
wmindanTa calkeuli Tu jgufuri gamosaxulebebi
an scenebi maTi cxovrebidan. gviani miniaturebis
mxatvruli brwyinvaleba ramdenadme Camouvardeba
X-XIII saukuneebis ostatobas. miuxedavad amisa,
igi yovelTvis, TviT yvelaze ubralo nimuSebSic
ki, matarebelia saRvTo madlisa.
1801 wlidan ucxo tomis ZalmomreobiT
gadaiWra ori fesvi qveynis TviTmyofadobisa _
samefo da sapatriarqo saydari. umZimes XIX
saukunes mohyva uRmerTo XX saukune. bunebrivia,
dakninda da arsebiTad gaqra kidec qarTuli
saeklesio wignis mxatvroba.
RvTis gangebulebiT 1978 wlidan daiwyo
qarTveli eris qristianuli sulierebis
aRorZineba. misi uwmindesobisa da unetaresobis
sruliad saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqis
ilia II-s udidesi RvawliT aRsdga saeklesio
xuroTmoZRvreba, monumenturi mxatvroba, xeze
da qvaze kveTa, minanqari. Tumca xelnaweri
wignis aRdgena ramdenadme Seayovna rogorc misma
teqnologiurma sirTulem, aseve nabeWdi Sriftis
Seucvlelma praqtikulobamac.
magram saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqisave
locva-kurTxeviT etratze tradiciuli
xelovnebiT gadaiwera da miniaturebiT Seimko
wminda oTxTavi. es umagaliTo wigni amJamad
dabrZanebulia wminda samebis lavraSi rogorc
qarTuli saeklesio mwignobrobisa da mxatvrobis
Seufasebeli sulieri Rvawlis monumenti.
adgilobriv, TviTmyofad tradiciebze dafuZnebiT
sakuTari, erovnuli gziT wavida da ganviTarebis
maRal safexursac miaRwia. ara marto
ikonografiuli sqemebi, aramed ferweridana Tu
Wedurobidan, Tundac sparsuli qsovilebidan
mosexebuli ornamentebi qargvis teqnikisaTvis
damaxasiaTebeli Taviseburebebis, abreSumis,
oqromkerdis, vercxlmkerdisa da zezis ZafebiT
miRebuli ganumeorebeli feradovnebis meSveobiT
SemoqmedebiTad gardaiqmneboda qarTveli
mqargvelebis mier da gansxvavebul iers sZenda
maT naxelavs.
Cven cota ram viciT imis Sesaxeb, Tu sad
da vis mier sruldeboda saqarTveloSi naqargi
nivTebi. miuxedavad amisa, qtitoruli warwerebis
mixedviT (mag., XVI saukunis damdegis gardamoxsna
qarTlis mefe konstantines asulma asTandasim
moqarga, XVI-XVII saukuneebis mijnis gardamoxsna
kaxTabatonis xosros asulma eleneyofilma
ekaterinem Tavisi da farsman ciciSvilis
qalis, anastasia monazvnis naxatiT, 1664 wlis
gardamoxsna vinme saxlTuxucesis qaixosros
asulma TinaTinma moxata da amoqarga, 1763
wels qarTlis dedofalma anaxanum gelaTisTvis
Sesawirad Seqmna dafarnebi da a.S.) irkveva, rom
sxva qveynebis msgavsad, CvenSic mqargvelebi
umetesad qalebi yofilan, maT Soris sazogadoebis
umaRlesi wridan gamosulnic. Cans agreTve, rom
gamosaxuleba jer ixateboda da Semdeg iqargeboda
imave Tu sxva piris mier. irkveva aseve, rom mefeTa
Tu didebulTa karze, aseve eklesia-monastrebSi
(mcxeTis sveticxoveli, wilkani, garejis savaneebi,
kacxi, martvili da sxv.) sagangebo samqargvelo
saxelosnoebi arsebula – gvaqvs pirdapiri cnoba,
rom aseTi saxelosno qarTl-kaxeTis mefis giorgi
XII-is karze XVIII-XIX saukuneebis mijnaze
yofila; jer kidev XIX saukuneSi, dasavleT
saqarTvelos eklesiebTan oTaxebi hqoniaT, sadac
saeklesio naqargobas asrulebdnen.
samwuxarod, adre Sua saukuneebis naqargobani
Cvenamde ar Semonaxula. SedarebiT adreul xanaSi
mxatvruli qsovilebis damzadebas adasturebs
svaneTSi xat-jvrebis zurgze gadaWimuli,
maRalmxatvruli abreSumi (ifxi, X-XI ss., CaJaSi,
XII-XIII ss., aq faskunjebis gamosaxulebebTan
erTad asomTavruli asoebicaa datanili).
sakuTriv naqarg nivTTagan uadresi XII saukuniT
daTariRebuli kacxis sabuxarebia. maT mosdevs
naTela da Sergil dadianebis Sewiruli kacxisve
enqeri, 1312 wlis anCis olari vinme Tamar
xerxeuliZisa da 1358 wlis anCisve omofori.
gacilebiT meti naqargobis nimuSia moRweuli
momdevno, XV-XVIII saukuneebidan. esenia samRvdelo
34
Sesamoslis nawilebi _ sakosebi, omoforebi,
olarebi, samRvdelmTavro Tavsaburavebi _
mitrebi, kretsabmelebi Tu barZim-feSxumze
gadasafeni dafarnebi da pereqelebi. ukanasknelTa
nairsaxeobaa gardamoxsnebi (berZnuli epitafios,
rusuli–плащаница) _ jerjerobiT qarTul
naqargTagan yvelaze amomwuravad Seswavlili da
gamocemuli. dRevandlamde 30-mde gardamoxsnaa
SemorCenili, romelTagan uadresi _ mefe giorgi
VIII-is dakveTili, XV saukunisaa, ugvianesi
ki XIX saukunis pirveli naxevrisa. zogierTi
maTgani (giorgi VIII-sac, imereTis mefe bagrat
III-sa, ubisisa – orTav XVI s-is da sxv.) udaod
gamorCeuli mxatvruli Rirsebisaa.
fuqnciiTa da zogadi xasiaTiT qarTuli
gardamoxsnebi samarTlmadideblos sxva qveynebis
amgvari nivTebis monaTesavea. magram TviT
ikonografiuli TvalsazrisiTac, maT Tavisi
damaxasiaTebeli niSnebic aqvs: qarTuli nimuSebi
wminda simbolur gamosaxulebebs konkretul-
istoriul Txrobas amjobinebs, yvelgan
aucileblad miwieri arsnic gamoixateba. XV
saukunidanve qarTul gardamoxsnebze “qristes
datirebis” istoriul ambavs vxedavT. zogierT
maTganze sxva, uflis aRdgomis gadmomcemi
scenebic Cndeba _ menelsacxeble dedani uflis
saflavTan da wm. petre saflavTanve, zeda
kideze ki zogan amaRlebaa. sagulisxmoa XVII
saukunis gardamoxsnaze muxlmodrekil damkveTTa
gamosaxvac.
saukuneTa ganmavlobaSi gardamoxsnebze garkveul
saxecvlilebebsac SeiZleba mivadevnoT Tvali. es,
saxeldobr, kolorits Seexeba _ XV-XVI saukuneTa
nawarmoebebSi feradovneba TavSekavebulia,
garkveuli wonasworobaa damyarebuli oqrosa da
abreSumis Zafis ferebs Soris; XVII saukunidan
win oqrosa da vercxlis moelvare zedapiri,
misi “simdidre” modis (amis gamo fuZec mkvrivi,
xisti xdeba). amasTanave, adreul magaliTebs
uxvad ornamentuli, WeSmaritad naostatari
arSiebi Semouyveba, XVII-XVIII saukuneebSi ki
isini jer pirvandel mniSvnelobas kargavs, mere
ki saerTodac qreba. sxva moqargul nivTebze
SeiniSneba zogo sxva cvlilebac. ase, XVII
saukunis bolos e.w. TuTas pereqelis ostatma
Secvala figurisa da ornamentis urTierToba,
axleburi princi pi gamoikveTa, kerZod, ornamenti
ara marto mosarTavi da simboluri niSania, aramed
figurasTan tolfasi Sinaarsobrivi datvirTvac
aqvs. XVIII saukunis ociani wlebidan dafarnebze,
sabuxarebze, enqerebze, olarebze figuruli
gamosaxulebani mTlianad simboluri xasiaTis
mqone mcenareulma ornamentma Secvala – amis
saukeTeso nimuSi qarTlis mefe vaxtang VI-is
asulis, Tamaris amoqarguli 1718 wlis dafarnaa.
XIX saukunis 20-iani wlebidan naklebad vxvdebiT
eklesiebisTvis mdidrul Sesawiravebs. naklebia
cnobebi saeklesio qargulobaze (Tumca, mag.,
aleqsandre WavWavaZis ojaxis qalebma bodbeSi wm.
ninos saflavisaTvis gadasafarebeli moqarges).
35
amasTan, Tu jer kidev XVII saukuneSi SeimCneva
slavuri, niSandobliv, rusuli xelovnebis
motivTa Semosvla (Tundac imav gardamoxsnebSi),
1830-iani wlebiT mokidebuli qarTul naqargobas,
ZiriTadad, ruseTSi, qarxnuli wesiT damzadebuli
nawarmi enacvleba.
saeklesio xelovnebis sxva ganStoebebis
msgavsad, qarTuli naqargobis aRorZinebac 1980-ni
wlebidan iwyeba. axlad agebuli Tu amoqmedebuli
taZrebisTvis RvTismsaxurebisTvis aucilebel
Sesamoslebs, dafarnebs da a.S. axla saqarTvelos
marTlmadidebli eklesiis sapatriarqosTan
arsebul Tbilisis (xelmZRvaneli eTer urotaZe),
zugdidis, breTis Tu sxva eklesiebTan arsebuli
saqargav saxelosnoebSi qmnian.
This book is a modest gift to a person whose personal contribution is invaluable to the recent history of Georgia.
For each of us, His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II is an example of exceptional
personal qualities, competence, kindness, Christian love and devotion to the homeland. He has not only earned great
appreciation and respect of Georgian congregation, but also gained a reputation of a man of faith and virtue in entire
Orthodox Christendom.

Our Patriarch is deservedly called the spiritual father of the nation. This is a sincere recognition of the people who have
been following their leader in his efforts to enhance the spirituality of the nation and to protect the country from troubles
over thirty years. His prayers have many times helped the nation to avoid peril and his advice has showed a right way to
hundreds of thousands of Georgians.

The activity of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II is of epoch-making importance.
Historic is his contribution to the Georgian nation. His role has been decisive in consolidating the Georgian statehood
and public spirit. Thank God that at this most decisive and challenging moment in the history of our country we have such
a spiritual leader.

It is with great love and respect that I would like to convey my best wishes to the Patriarch of Georgia on his 75th birth and
35th enthronement anniversaries and wish him good health, long life and vigour. May his blessing and preaching be heard
for long in Georgia.

Mikhail Saakashvili
President of Georgia

36
Introduction
The Georgian Church ‘has been at the forefront of Georgian
art. The Georgian ecclesiastical architecture continues to
amaze us and the treasure it keeps is the great wealth of
Georgian national culture. The Church not only sustained
gifted architects, but also took great interest in painting.
Some of the splendid paintings and frescos survive to the
present day’ – these are the words written by the Georgian
poet Shalva Amirejibi in 1913.
Written almost a century ago, it is difficult to further
extend the note. There has not been any sphere of spiritual
or material life which the Church of Christ would not
influence. And art is one of the most visible manifestations
of its positive role. The great teachers of the Church have
not rejected anything created by humans blessed with
divine talent but rather paved a new way for old wisdom
and art. Philosophy, science, poetry, architecture, painting,
music and sculpturing served to glory the Lord and explain
His teachings. This was the case everywhere and Georgia
was no exception.
Established by the holy apostles St Andrew the First Called
and St Simon the Canaanite in the 1st century and further
solidified by St Nino in the 4th century, the Georgian
Church from beginning had a congregation, native to
the Georgian land of great history. The following words
of the David the Prophet are particularly relevant in this
case as in many other cases: ‘so that your youth is renewed
like an eagle’s’ (psalm 102,5). As promised by the Saviour,
moral, mental and artistic creativity of Georgians made
free by the truth became even more vigourous. The works
of poets and musicians and certainly of artists and masters,
namely churches, paintings and sculptures, have together
with annals, vitae and hagiography reflected the Christian
spirit.
Closer look at architecture, ornamentation, paintings,
icons, crosses and embroideries demonstrates how religion
had consolidated by the time when King Vakhtang Gorgsali
laid grounds for the independence of the Georgian
Church, how the Orthodox faith had reigned supreme in
the 6th century despite the Persian invasion and in the 8th
century, under the strong attack of Islam, how the Church
came to be the leader of the country, beginning from the 9th
37
century reached full independence and in the 10th century,
well before the political unification of the country, how
it consolidated the nation. It also inspired the victorious
knights of King David and Queen Tamar and struggled to
safeguard the righteousness, faith and even existence of the
nation in times of great trouble that lasted from the 13th
century through the 18th.
In the 19th century the abrogation of the Georgian
statehood was followed by canonically unjustifiable
unification of the Georgian Church with Russian. The
ecclesiastical architecture and painted icons of the time
reflect, but without the former vigour, the spirit of the
Georgian clergy, less powerful but yet numerous. With the
passage of time, the gap formed by the absence of creative
productivity was to a certain extent filled with the efforts
aimed at safeguarding the country’s Christian heritage.
Together with scholars, learned monks and bishops
started tracing and publishing medieval Georgian works,
recording and performing Georgian hymns, collecting,
recording and publishing antiquities. It was within the
Church that the first national museum was founded
under the leadership of Dimistri Bakradze, who himself
was raised in a family of a priest and was a brother of an
ascetic. Among the best Georgian archaeographers of
particular note are Father Polievktos Karbelashvili, and the
Catholicos-Patriarchs of Georgia Kirion (Sadzaglishvili),
Ambrosi (Khelaia) and Kalistrate (Tsintsadze). They did
all this at the time when their primary goal was to protect
the rights of the Georgian Church. Their efforts were
crowned by the regaining of autocephaly in 1917 and later
by the due recognition of the Georgian Church. The latter
was made possible much later, thanks to the Catholicos-
Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude
Ilia II.
Yet, apart from this genuinely historic contribution there
is another important reason for dedicating this book
to His Holiness. And not only because he is one of the
chosen whose advice is followed even by non-Christians.
Thirty years ago Georgian ecclesiastical art was reckoned
only as the belonging of the past. His Holiness was the
person who firmly believed that it should and can revive.
It was well before the regaining of the independence of
Georgia in 1991, and even before the ‘perestroika’, in the
early 1980s that he called on Georgian artists to recover
all areas of Georgian Christian creativity. In addition to
artists, His Holiness also invited Georgian art historians
as, unlike others, he knew that it was thanks to them that
in the period of atheism and unti-religious ideology lasting
70 years, the legacy of master craftsmen was physically
Architecture
The earliest ecclesiastical buildings, surviving both in
eastern and western Georgia, are dated to the period
not later than the adoption of Christianity. When this
happened in the 4th century AD, there had already been
a number of established types of ecclesiastical structures,
e.g. a parish church, a martyrion and a baptistery, to serve
the needs of a variety of liturgical services. From apostolic
times, Christian liturgy has presupposed the gathering of
worshippers in a special space. Throughout the centuries,
the place of gathering was to be subdivided into two so that
to separately accommodate the clergy and the worshippers
and also be oriented towards the East. These standards,
as well as necessarily apsidal shape of the sanctuary were
accepted by Georgian architects who later even appeared
to precede masters of many countries in adopting the
early Christian tradition of designing rooms on each side
of the sanctuary which, from the 8th -9th century onwards,
together with the enhancement of liturgy, accommodated
a prothesis and diaconicon. The Georgians shared their
understanding of the Church symbolism with the rest
of Christendom and considered the east and the upper
sections of a church to signify heaven, while the west and
the lower sections, the earth. And the church in its entirety
was considered as an icon of the cosmos created by God.
Despite these commonalities, Georgian churches are
easily distinguishable and distinctive, which is due to the
adaptation by local masters of universal rules and concepts
according to their own taste and building skills and old
traditions. As it was the case in other countries, the advance
of Christianity in Georgia was met by the people who had
their own past and experience, and who needed to use their
own verbal and artistic vocabulary to render what had been
heralded to them. The Georgians at the time had already
had a long and rich building tradition. Millennia before
38
preserved, and their importance acknowledged and
presented. It is impossible not to express gratitude to His
Holiness for making us privileged to partake in the great
deed of restoring Christian fine arts, moreover for the fact
that it is the grace of His Holiness, Catholicos-Patriarch
Ilia II that gives to this present and future.
the Incarnation of God they had mastered carpeting,
which is attested by a complex system of beams at Trialeti
burial mounds. Since early times they have worked stone
first for consrtucting dry-masonry cyclopean fortresses
and tombs and then for building srtuctures of neatly-hewn
stones linked to each other by metal plates. At the turn
of the new millennium they began using mortar, which
was followed by the introduction of vault roofing. In the
antiquity, the Georgians started manufacturing bricks and
tiles. It was approximately at that time that the town of
Uplistsikhe was hewn in rock. Its chambers are designed
following stone and timber houses, sometimes also referred
to as palaces. These structures also mark the end of a two-
thousand-year-old tradition of building rock-cut villages
and burial places. However, the tradition was later, in the
6th century, revived by Georgian monks.
Medieval masons made use of their knowledge of traditional
building practice. Most of the Georgian churches are
built of stone and lime mortar. Between the 6th and the
15th centuries dressed blocks or slabs were used to face at
least the exteriors of relatively important buildings, except
those in Kakheti. However, timber churches were also built
from early times in eastern, southern and most notably in
western regions. For clear reasons, those few churches of
this kind that survive to our day date not earlier than from
the 19th century. Brick churches were also built sporadically
at least in the 9th century, but most of them between the
14th and 19th centuries. Roof tiles, the production of which,
like those of bricks, is related to pottery, was one of the
most widespread building materials (wooden shingle
was prevalent in western Georgia with occasional uses of
copper; beginning from the 13th century tile-like stone
slabs came in use). From the artistic point of view, 8th-
9th century tiles and 15th century decorative tiles, bearing
the representations of the saints and the scenese from the
Bible (Danniel in the Lion’s Den) are of note. Lapis lazuli,
purple, emerald, grass green and other colours of glazed
tiles, which were introduced in the second half of the 10th
century, must have embellished all churches of 10th -12th
centuries as well as those built in the late Middle Ages. In
the 13th century, glazed slabs were also used for decoration
of brick churches, while in the 12th-13th-18th centuries a
multi-coloured mosaic floor was laid of multiple colour
bricks in the sanctuary of the 9th-10th century Church at
Ozaani, near Sighnaghi, eastern Georgia.
Apart from this vast building knowledge, the Georgians
also had strongly pronounced aesthetic aspirations.
Dwellings from the 5th millennium BC onwards show
that the Georgians preferred enclosed, round or almost
square, often elevated chambers concentrated around a
real or perceived vertical axis. This trend appears extremely
important considering that the majority of the centres of
the Christendom, including the neighbouring Asia Minor,
made use of longitudal designs. And it is not a mere
coincidence that the great basilicas built between the 4th and
5th centuries in Rome, Jerusalem, Greece and elsewhere, are
conceived by some scholars as covered streets or roadways.
It thus appears convincing that the building of churches in
Georgia commenced in the first half of the 4th century, after
the official adoption of Christianity in Kartli. According
to Georgian chronicles, most of the initial churches were
built by Greek masons (i.e. from the countries where Greek
was a spoken language).
The trace of Greek masons is not, at least now, visible in
eastern and southern Georgia, while several ‘imported’4th-
5th century buildings have been discovered in western
Georgia, which at the time was directly subordinated to
Rome and later to Byzantium. The examples of these are
a Roman, but later a Byzatine settlement in Bitchvinta
(Apkhazeti), then called Pitiunt and also buildings at
Nokalakevi, capital of Lazica. Whatever was the number
of such buildings, they failed to define the essence or to
influence the future of Georgian ecclesiastical architecture
and architecture in general. It is also important to note that
the use of purely and even redeveloped antique elements
was extremely rare in Georgia, and that they never created
the same artistic impression as they did in Rome, Syria-
39
Palestine and north Africa. More noticeable are elements
characteristic of Persian art and these too, began to be
markedly reshaped at least starting from the second half of
the 5th century.
Dating from the 4th and the first half of the 5th centuries,
the earliest buildings, the number of which is extremely
small, are highly original. Those which resisted time
are modest or even tiny and atypical at the same time,
which allows us to assume that their builders were not
fully familiar with the construction norms of the time.
Examples include the old church at Nekresi (Kakheti)
with its walls open through arches towards the exterior
rather than to the sanctuary. More ‘casual’ is a domed
‘square’, composed of arches, standing in the yard of the
Cheremi episcopal church, over the grave of an unknown
ecclesiastical figure. These structures, however unatractive
they may seem to many of today’s visitors, reveal the
purposeful selection of forms (e.g. arch shapes) and most
importantly, the predilection for ‘non-elongated’ design,
which distinguishes Georgian churches from elongated
basilicas of the rest of the Christendom and later of the
Western countries. Such practice has its origins in ancient
building tradtion and space perception. By the end of the
5th century, the Georgians had already constructed large
churches, such as Bolnisi Sioni, Svetitskhoveli at Mtskheta,
which was built by King Vakhtang Gorgasali (the large
portions of the original structure are inserted in the present-
day cathedral erected in the 11th century) and Katsareti
Trinity. These churches demonstrate the way Georgian
architects adopted Hellenic and Roman basilica designs by
‘compressing’ them to meet their own and commissioners’
desires. They increased the height and reduced the length
of their buildings. The creative search for compactness and
the unity of the enclosed space is attested by a so-called
‘three-church basilica’ invented in the first half of the 6th
century, the middle nave of which, seemingly enclosed by
walls, appears to be a separate space. The emergence of this
variety of a domeless church, the designs similar to which
can be seen elsewhere but have never turned into a set type
apart from Georgia, must be a response to a certain liturgical
need. Yet, such ‘wrapping’ of function reveals creativity
and an aesthetic approach. A ‘three-church basilica’, the
examples of which emerged almost simultaneously in
eastern Georgia (both in the Kartli and Kakheti regions
- Kvemo Bolnisi, Vanati, St Nicholas’s at Kardanakhi, St
Theodore’s churches at Ruispiri, etc) and in the north-west
regions of the country, in what is now Abkhazia (old Gagra
Church), enjoyed further development in the 6th century,
by the end of which they received a perfect compositional
shape (Zegani and Nekresi Kvelatsminda, Vachnadziani
Amidasturi churches, etc).
In the same period, most likely beginning from the 6th
century, domed churches became more prevalent as was
the case in the rest of the oriental Christendom. The
earliest of them have perfectly symetrical central designs
and are four-apsed (i.e. tetraconch) or ‘croix-libre’ in plan
(e.g. Dzveli Gavazi, Erelaant Sakdari, Idleti Natlismtsemeli
churches and Ninotsminda Cathedral, the latter being
more complex).
No more satisfied with simple buildings, approximately
from the middle of the 6th century, architects showed
predilicetion for multipartite patterns and made
distinction between primary and secondary sections of
perfectly balanced inner space and of exterior volumes as
well. The Holy Cross Church at Mtskheta (586-604), one
of the masterpieces of Georgian and world architecture, is
the first building that crowned this effort. The design of
the church features not only harmonious cohesion and
exquisite synergy of the building with the surrounding
landscape, but also a perfect artistic solution for achieving
harmony of the interior and the façades, which was
unknown to the architecture of many regions of the
Christendom in the previous centuries and later. The Holy
Cross Church at Mtskheta was, in the first half of the 7th
century and maybe slightly later, used as a model for other
four churches (Dzveli Shuamta in Kakheti, Atenis Sioni in
Kartli, the Church of the Virgin in Martvili (Samegrelo)
and Chamkhusi in Tao, now in Turkey), which have been
termed by scholars as Mtskheta Holy Cross type buildings.
These churches, which are the landmarks of Georgian
architecture, demonstrate that even talented artists failed
to add much to the model composition; a principally novel
design could be established only by devising a new variety
of a domed church. This is what the brilliant architect of
Tsromi Church (first half of the 7th century) attempted.
He not only designed an exquisite building, but also
was among the first (three contemprorarous Armenian
churches offered a different artistic solution) to build a
church that would be rectangular from the outside, its
40
dome would be supported by four pillars and the cross
formed by the arms would extend from the dome. This
so-called ‘inscribed-cross’ type was the most widespread
in the entire Orthodox Christendom beginning from the
9th-10th century onwards. The builder of south Georgian
church at Bana (Tao, now in Turkey) tried another way
by applying experience of the builders of the Holy Cross
Church at Mtskheta and of Tsromi Church, as well as
taking into account a similar compositional treatment
typical of late Roman-early Byzantine architecture when
constructing a tetraconch with a grand ambulatory. This
and some other churches (e.g. minor church of Samtsevrisi
in Kartli) show that the architects of the time did not any
more like the calmness and composure of their ancestors as
their buildings show a tint of movement and tension, the
features that defined the future of Georgian architecture.
These new creative searches coincided with unfavourable
conditions. From the middle of the 7th century the Arab
troops invaded eastern and southern regions of Georgia
bringing most of the country within the borders of the
Caliphate. The Arab influence, however, diminished in the
late 8th century with local political units starting to gain
power, and the ‘Abkhaz Kingdom’, striving to break free
from Byzantium, became prominent in western Georgia.
The internal rivalry and struggle with external forces could
not have contributed to the flourishing of architecture, but
yet, surprisingly enough, revival of Georgian ecclesiastical
architecture appeared possible in the period from the 8th
through the 10th centuries. Extensive building activity
covered the entire country, its hillsides and vallyes, cities,
towns and monasteries. The period was most prolific in terms
of the number of buildings. A wide variety of ecclesiastical
buildings, including domed (tetraconch, triconch, multi-
apsidal, ‘croix-libre’ and ‘inscribed-cross’) and domeless
(such as single-nave, basilicas, ‘three-church basilicas’ and
two-nave) churches were erected. Yet, domed architecture
was the most widespread, especially from the 6th century
onwards. The prominence of such architecture is evident
not only judging by the quantity (single-nave churches,
more appropriate and affordable for smaller congregations
were to be found in large numbers both at that time and
later), but by their essence too. It is domed buildings that
offered new ideas and motifs and allowed shifts in creative
approaches. The architects active at the time used different
solutions by either making the established forms more
complex or conversely, by simplifying them, obtaining as a
result unpredicted and even difficult-to-explain designs. For
instance, the merge of three-nave or ‘three-church’ basilicas
with the dome space was widely practiced (e.g. Gurjaani
and Vachnadziani churches of the Virgin (Kakheti),
Sinkoti in Klarjeti); on the other hand, in some churches
of the Ksani River and Rekhula Gorge (Shida Kartli)
the dome became hidden by outer volumes (e.g. Tsirkoli,
Armazi, Inauri); also, some of basilica naves appear to be
divided into three sections by spreading light (Zedazeni),
while others seem to be merging into a single space (Mama
Daviti Church at Akura). Also noteworthy is that some of
the regions developed styles peculiar to them only (Kartli
and Kakheti) between the 5th to the end of the 7th centuries.
Now in larger regions and even in small geographical units
(e.g. the Ksani Gorge and Javakheti Plateau) one can see
coherent groups of churches characterised by local features,
which reveal the hand of local masters with common skills
and knowledge. Particularly remarkable are three ‘waves’
that can be outlined in the history of architecture of the
time, those of Kakheti, Tao-Klarjeti-Shavsheti (now in
Turkey) and northern shores of the Black Sea (the so-
called ‘Abkhazeti school’).
All of these major and minor centres share the same artistic
aspirations and searches, but expressed in different modes.
Their zealous efforts, married with intense ex-change,
introduced an important change in Georgia in the middle
of the 10th century – the artistic impression of dynamism in
the 8th and 9th centuries, the period referred to as the ‘period
of trasmission’ is created by the contrast of proportions
and lighting and certain tension; also, parts and elements
of the structures, as in the 6th and 7th centuries, appear to
be independent. Later, masters wanted to present them as
merging with each other. Another token of the changes
is the growth in number and relevance of ornaments and
sculptural embellishments. A relief or an ornamented
frame, which earlier served to create an emphasis only,
on doors and winsows for instance, turned into either
independent elements or, became at least as relevant as
an opening or any other component of a building itself.
The most advanced was the architecture of south-western
Georgia (now in Turkey), the churches of the monasteries
of which (Oshki, Khakhuli and Tbeti domed churches,
Otkhta Eklesia and Parkhali Basilica), commissioned
by the powerful members of the Bagrationi royal family
41
best demonstrate the artistic accomplishments. However
remarkable buildings were also erected in other regions
of the country, such as Kumurdo Church in Javakheti,
Bochorma and Kvetera fortress churches in Kakheti, and
Mokvi Cathedral in Apkhazeti. Yet, it was elements and
ornaments worked out by south-Georgian artisans, which
were at the turn of the 11th century employed widely by
architects in Imereti, Apkhazeti, Kartli and even Kakheti,
where architectural decoration had not almost been used
at all previously. This is how the unified ‘architectural
language’ was created in not yet politically but
ecclesiastically consolidated Georgia. And as the country
became culturally homogenous even implicity already in
the Antiquity and then, fairly explicitly in the 5th century,
now it seemed uniform even to the superficial observor.
Creative efforts were continued in the early 11th century.
The three greatest cathedrals of Georgia, the Cathedral
of the Dormition in Kutaisi (1003, commonly called
Bagrat’s Cathedral), Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta
(1010-1029) and St George’s Church in Alaverdi (up to
1030) are from this periode. Their observation shows that
although 10th century architects did create ‘homogenous’
architecture, they were not reluctant to elaborate each and
every component and use multiple elements. In the 11th
century plans have turned more simple, with the space,
volumes and decorations merging with each other; even
separate elements were interpreted in connection with
others. Certain patterns were developed over time, thanks
to which masters had a greater number of eleborate ready-
made designs and means at their disposal. Consequently,
there was almost nothing to look for. The culmination
of this trend was the Samtavisi Cathedral of 1030 and
Samtavro Cathedral at Mtskheta dating from 1030-1060.
Since then Georgian architects had fully established church
design which served as a model during centuries that came
after.
The period of the climax of the Georgian statehood,
which lasted two centuries, saw different, sometimes
brilliant variations of mostly the Samtavro and Samtavisi
patterns. Inscribed-cross in plan, these laconic buildings
with double pillars were richly adorned with grand crosses
(beginning from the 1030s, together with a single-nave
church, this was the only type that remained in use). The
examples of such buildings include Ikorta (1172), Betania,
Kvatakhevi (late 12th and beginning of the 13th century)
and Pitareti (early 13th century) churches, where the
exterior decoration is matched by interior wall paintings.
This is architecture of decorative imagination. There are
only few churches the architects of which have relied
purely on architectural expressiveness, among which note
should be made of the well-known Gelati Cathedral of
the Virgin of the 12th century, Tighva Church of 1152 as
well as Timotesubani and Kintsvisi brick churces both of
which were built at the turn of the 13th century. However,
it appears evident that some architects, even some of the
great virtuosos of Queen Tamar’s epoch, found no pleasure
in repeating the established patterns. It was due to this that
the architecture sometimes lost its expressiveness with
the outer walls becoming ‘empty’. This became even more
evident beginning from the middle of the 13th century,
following the invasions of the Kwarazms and during the
reign of the Mongols. When observing these churches it
becomes clear that following the period of King Davit
Aghmashenebeli (David the Builder) and Queen Tamar,
masters took less and less interest in adorning buildings
and started to look for plain simplicity and placidity. At the
same time, they failed to reject the refinement of the 11th
-12th century churces, which resulted in ecclectic desings
characterised by certain inconsistency, even if they were
created by skilled masters (e.g. Ertatsminda Church and
Tbilisi Metekhi Church in Kartli, Sapara and Zarzma in
Samtskhe, Mghvimevi in Imereti and Bedia in Apkhazia).
It is also to be noted that with the passage of time, the level
of craftsmanship deteriorated. The devastating inroads
led by Tamerlane further affected Georgian architecture.
The invasions caused such level of destrcution across the
country that it took a century to restore what had been
ruined, leaving no time for new building activity. Looking
at the buildings created in the 15th century one may be
astonished by the lack of refinement of structures and
sculptures, e.g. the parts of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral at
Mtskheta restored in the 15th century.
The 16th century saw the revival of ecclesiastical architec-
ture. The level of craftsmanship again reached its heights
and remained so through the end of the 18th century.
Yet, certain difficulties remained. The building activity
proceeded with intermissions and from one region into
another together with the establishment of peace. Thus, in
the 16th century Kakheti and Imereti came to the forefront,
42
in the 17th Kartli and in the 18th Racha-Lechkhumi and
Kartl-Kakheti. Most importantly, like in the previous
centuries, artistic unity was difficult to achieve as
individual aspirations conflicting with the established
models and the resulting incosistency are evident. Despite
this, we can still see the efforts of stonemasons of the
time to gracefully present the House of the Lord and to
appreciate their accomplishments. It would suffice to
mention a sharp silhouette of 16th century brick domed
Kakhetian churches and façades patterned with crosses
and arches (Akhali Shuamta Church of the Virgin, Gremi
Church of the Archangels and others), the emergence of a
complex system of façade reliefs in Kartli and Lechkhumi
in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, first after the 11th
century (Ananuri Church of the Dormition, Churches of
Sts Peter and Paul in Sagarejo, the drum of Sioni Cathedral
in Tbilisi of 1701, ‘Mtskheta’ in Lechkhumi, etc) and the
solidity and careful adornment of Barakoni Church of the
Virgin built in 1753.
The potential of the architects of ‘later centuries’ may seem
more vivid where they had to build without set patterns.
Examples include bell-towers dating from the 16th through
the 18th centuries (Ninotsminda, Anchiskhati Church in
Tbilisi, Bolnisi, Urbnisi and Ruisi cathedrals, etc) – each
of them is distinctly individual, perfectly matching the
churches built over a thousand years ago, and is planned
and adorned in a variety of ways. The liberty with which
Georgian architects adopted and transformed elements
borrowed from Persian and later, in the 18th century,
from western European art attests to the their intuition
and wittedness. The political events of the 19th century
opened doors for everything that was western and if not
intrinsic readiness, this influence might have destroyed the
Georgian’s spiritual identity.
However, the 19th century brought about many difficulties
to the Georgian society in general, and architects in
particular. The year 1801 started with the unification of
Kartl-Kakheti into the Russian Empire, and ended with
the abolishment of Georgian statehood, first time in the
history of the country. In the 1810s the autocephally of
the Georgian Orthodox Church was abrogated. Under
new circumastances, public building activity went into
the hands of foreign power; the same applies mostly to
the construction of churches. On the other hand, a large
number of churches were erected, mostly on the initiative
and with the donations of Georgian congregation and
bishops (St Bishop Gabriel of Imereti was particularly
prolific in this regard). In the first half of the 19th century,
the attempts undertaken in the previous centuries as well
as their adaptation to new-western culture became visible,
the clear example of which is the Holy Trinity Church
in Tbilisi finished in 1863. The situation became more
complex beginning from 1860. The village churches of
the time are mostly uniform and follow the same pattern
with a few exceptions, such as some of the churches built
by the masons from the Berekashvili family in Imereti,
western Georgia. In cities and towns where Russian troops
were deployed, ecclesiastical and secular authorities built
the so-called ‘Russian’ and ‘Russian-Byzantine’ churches,
many of which are not the best samples of this style
which was widepsread across the Empire. The most well-
known among them was most likely the Alexander Nevsky
Cathedral in Tbilisi, also referred to as Soboro, erected
to commemorate the ‘conquest of the Caucasus’, which
explains the political reason underlying such architecture,
as well as the Church of the Virgin in Didube, also in Tbilisi.
Some of the churches built at the time were designed in
line with old Georgian churches, for instance Mamadaviti
Church on the top of Tbilisi (1859-1871). In late 19th and
early 20th centuries national-liberation movement and the
efforts to regain the independence of the Georgian Church
were complemented by the attempt to revive Georgian
architecture (or ‘Georgian style’ as they said). This trend
found expression in ecclesiastical architecture, the most
vivid example of which is notably Kvashveti Church
of St George (1910, designed by L. Bielfeld) which, as
Stone Reliefs
The historical process of shaping new art in the medieval
period evolved along different lines in each field of art. This
included sculpture, the development of which was closely
intertwined with architecture. Stone reliefs, together with
murals, aimed to visualize images of Christ, the Virgin
and saints, as well as to illustrate the main concepts of
Christianity and major events of the Holy Scripture. The
attainment of this objective required a a well-established
artistic system, elaborated iconography and highly
developed theological thinking as the images enlivened in
43
required by its donors, chief priests Markoz Tkemaladze
and Kalistrate Tsintsadze who later became Catholicos-
Patriarch of Georgia and General I. Amilakhvari), built it
in immitaiton of Samtavisi Church. Similar would be most
probably the design of the Church of St Queen Tamar in
the district of Saburtalo, Tbilisi, the construction of which
was conceived shortly before World War I.
During World War I and the years of independence (1918-
1921), church building was almost fully suspended, while
after 1921 under the Soviet rule even a thought would
be unimaginable. It was not until the 1980s, which were
marked by the weakening of the Soviet Union, that intense
activity to recover Georgian ecclesiastical architectural
activity began thanks to the efforts of the Catholicos-
Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude
Ilia II. The competition announced in 1990 to select the
best design for the Holy Trinity Cathedral, which was
conducted in two stages, was of particular importance. It
has revealed the desire of numerous architects to contribute
to the building of the cathedral as well as the difficulties
associated with the combination of the ‘traditional’ and
the ‘new’, essential for building a church. Yet, despite this
complexity and severe hardship, the Holy Trinity Cathedral
has been accomplished and now overlooks the city from
Mout Ellijah as a symbol of the spiritual unity of Georgia,
as His Holiness and Beatitude noted. Foundations of
many churches have been blessed and many more are being
built or planned both in Tbilisi and across the country. It
is without doubt that many more will be constructed to
contribute to the spiritual revival and enhancement of
Georgia.
stone had a special artistic and ideological importance.
Medieval sculpture is a peculiar icon of the universe
revealing the theological, philosophical and social
developments of the epoch. The processes that took place
in medieval Christian sculpture are retraceable in other
forms of Christian art and are marked by characteristic
features of their time. Each historical period is marked by
its own distinctive spirituality, which, like other spheres, is
clearly revealed in church relief decoration.
Medieval sculpture is architectural in its essence as it
is bounded by buildings and rules are imposed by the
façades and other structural parts such as lunettes, capitals,
drums, door-and-window frames and chancel barriers. The
wall surface serves as an essential artistic component of a
sculpture.
The earliest examples of medieval Georgian stone
carvings date back to the 5th century. The oldest Georgian
architectural reliefs are preserved in Bolnisi Sioni built in
the second half of the 5th century, a period when the main
principles of church relief decoration were being formed.
Reliefs adorned mostly interiors as architects at that time
did not see the need to embellish the exterior walls of
churches. The Bolnisi reliefs display an advanced artistic
and symbolic thinking of that time.
In Georgia, as in other Christian countries, by the second
half of the 6th century the formation of iconographic
relief programmes was completed. This is attested by the
splendid Church of the Holy Cross in Mtskheta ( Jvari),
which exposes a striking example of harmony and balance
between architectural forms and plastic decoration. Its
sophisticated plastic decoration, which perfectly fits to
architectural forms and displays a logical artistic and
theological concept, is rightfully acknowledged as a
masterpiece of world art. It is important to note that Jvari
served as a model for a large number of churches built later
in Georgia and Armenia.
In the 6th and 7th centuries Georgian masters created
highly original stone crosses which had both religious and
commemorative functions. Erected on a stepped base, these
high four-sided pillars topped with a cross were covered
with carved ‘icons’ visualizing the Holy Scripture. Stone
crosses, symbols of Christianization of the country, were
commissioned by high-ranked feudal lords and served as
an assertion of their social status and devotion (Khandisi,
Davati, Dmanisi and Satskhenisi stone pillars among
others).
In expressive carved stone images of this period, one could
find a revival of local tradition. These flat, static, hieratic
representations of early Christian stone pillars demonstrate
a sculptural rendering different from Hellenistic-Roman
artistic forms. This was the most remarkable period in the
44
history of sculpture (5th - 7th century), when the new art of
carving with particular expressiveness, was being created.
This was a new form of medieval thinking and a new way
of mastering space and volume.
Early Georgian reliefs can be retraced through the
technical and artistic methods of woodcarving, as well
as through ancient symbolic representations. They also
display elements and motifs typical of ivory relief and
metalwork. Portable objects, namely reliquaries, crosses
and icons, liturgical fans, censers, and other liturgical
implements and eulogia or “blessings” brought from the
Holy Land and Byzantium, served as models and a lively
source of inspiration for local sculptors.
The 8th and the 9th centuries are considered to be a
‘transitional’ period in Georgian art. From this time of
artistic pursuit and innovative solutions we have only
a small number of surviving reliefs. Preserved works of
this period are distinguished by conventional plastic
rendering. Flattened, disproportional figures of this epoch
tend to schematization and expressiveness (i.e. the reliefs
at Telovani and Tsirkoli churches of the 8th - 9th century,
Usaneti stone pillar of the 9th century and a relief of Ashot
Kuropolates from Opiza of the 9th century).
From the 10th century, the revival of façade reliefs began.
Sculptural representations became liberated from a stone
block and acquired three-dimensionality, though there
was still much to be done towards the attainment of free
sculptural rendering (Ashot Kukh’s relief from Tbeti of the
920s and a relief slab from Sukhumi of the 10th century).
Successful examples of the incorporation of sculptures
into architecture include the relief decoration of Kumurdo
Church (964), and the reliefs of Vale and Korogho churches
(10th century).
In the second half of the 10th century, the main principles
of façade sculpture were formulated, which is evident from
the churches and monasteries in Tao-Klarjeti. Oshki and
Khakhuli church reliefs are stunning examples of their
time. The sculptural composition of the Deisis on the
south façade of Oshki Church with the figures of donors
is a unique composition of exceptional artistic power. This
monumental relief displays the sculptural achievements
of the epoch, the high mastery and artistic freedom of
Georgian artists.
In the 11th century, the “classical” form of Georgian church
façade decoration was shaped. By this time, Georgian
architects and sculptors had elaborated a clear system of
architectural decoration with a well-articulated layout of
carved decorative elements, both figurative and ornamental.
The compositional structure of Georgian church reliefs
from this period is based on architectural concept and well
thought-out principles. Reliefs closely attached to wall
surfaces correspond to architectural forms, stressing their
solidity and strength. Façade sculptures accentuating the
main construction elements of church buildings together
with stone walls create one whole harmonized unity.
Nikortsminda Cathedral (1014) is an outstanding example
of an indivisible decorative system, in which each part of
the structure is embellished with a programme specially
devised for it. At Nikortsminda we see an elaborated relief
ensemble, each component of which serves to convey the
idea of the Glory of Christ.
The magnificent Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (1010-1029)
presents a splendid ensemble of architectural relief. The
façades are remarkable for a refined and conceptually
unified system of figural and ornamental reliefs. Samtavisi
Church (1030) is a classic example of sculptural rendering
of the eastern façade.
11th century Georgian reliefs are distinguished by their
sophisticated plasticity and high artistic quality. It was at
that time that sculptural form achieved its highest level
of development. This refers not only to monumental
Wall Paintings
Painting is an important field of Christian art. Mosaics
and frescoes, glimmering from the walls of churches, as
well as icons rested on chancel barriers, and miniatures
adorning holy scriptures make up the great spiritual unity
represented by the Christian Church and liturgy.
The origins of Christian art in Georgia take roots in the
4th century when Christianity was promulgated as a
state religion. Although theological literature, as well as
iconography of images and to a certain degree, artistic forms
were influenced by the works imported from Byzantium
45
sculpturing, but to small architectural forms, such as
chancel barrier reliefs (chancel barriers at Sapara and Shio-
Mghvime of the 11th century). The same process is evolved
in Georgian repoussé works of the time.
From the 12th century onwards, figural relief was replaced
by purely ornamental relief as was tradition at the time.
Figural reliefs thus became part of ornamental adornment.
Pitareti (1213-1222) and St Saba’s at Sapara (late 13th
century) are examples of such an approach.
The adversities of the successive centuries hindered the
development of architecture and relief art correspondingly.
It was not until the 17th century that façade relief began
to revive slowly. The process was marked by a tendency
towards a return to the past, including old Christian
symbols and ornamental patterns surviving in people’s
memories. Sculpture of this period has an eclectic
character. However, we still have some splendid ensembles
from that time, such as the late-17th-century Church of the
Dormition at Ananuri.
The medieval art of Georgian stone carving continues to
exist on the façades and in the interiors of new churches.
The works of contemporary Georgian sculptors, which
display familiarity with old artistic and technical traditions,
have become more refined. The revival and enhancement of
this branch of Georgian Christian art is a creative process
continued by new generations of sculptors.
and the Holy Land, Georgian Christian art evolved in
parallel with the arts of these centres forming a distinctive
and authentic style of its own based on its ancient local
traditions.
Thus, for instance, in addition to the traditional Christian
themes, Georgian artists succeeded in developing an
iconography of national saints, including St Nino the
Illuminator of Georgia, St Davit Garejeli and St Shio
Mghvimeli. This attests to the creativity of Georgian
theologians and artists in elaborating Christian icono-
graphy. The painting programmes of Georgian churches
reveal the influence of the Georgian theological thinking.
For instance, we can see far more instances of depicting
the Glory of the Cross in the domes and the Deisis in the
conches of the sanctuaries of Georgian churches than in
Byzantine painting.
The peculiarities of Georgian Christian art also defined
its artistic forms, including compositional arrangement,
character of lines and colour gamut. Being an inherent
part of Orthodox art, it still varies from Byzantine art
proper, as well as from Serbian-Macedonian, Cypriot and
Cappadocian painting traditions.
A number of stylistic tendencies, which can be clearly
singled out in the history of Georgian Christian art, do not
coincide in time with the Byzantine trends. In addition to
this, several distinctive painting schools emerged within
the Georgian painting milieu, including Svanetian, Tao-
Klarjetian, Davit Garejian, etc. Most of the surviving
paintings in all of these centres are executed in secco or
mixed technique.
It is natural that only a small part of the paintings
survive to the present day, and there are a few fragments
of monumental paintings from the early Christian age,
e.g. floor mosaics at Bichvinta basilica (Abkhazeti) with
sharply pronounced Christian symbolism (4th-5th century)
and stunning mosaics adorning the conch of the sanctuary
of Tsromi Church in Kartli (early 7th century).
The number of the wall paintings created in the 9th and
10th centuries is also modest, and those which survive are
in fragments. At that stage of development, Georgian
painting was characterised by conventional forms, i.e.
pronounced flatness, conventionality and distortion of
forms and proportions, priority of a non-plastic, angular
line, sharply contrasting colour gamut, and a full disregard
for pictorial modelling.
Apart from being characterised by epochal features, the
paintings in the chancel barrier of Armazi Church, the
frescoes in Jvarpatiosani Church at Telovani and the
murals in Upper Svaneti (Nesguni, Atsi and Chvabiani
among others), all which date from this period, vividly
display local traditions.
46
Of the murals from this period particular note must
be made of the paintings at Davit Gareja rock-hewn
monasteries. The earliest of these are tentatively dated to
the 8th century. One of the most extraordinary painting,
which covers the conch of the sanctuary of a church in
Tetri Udabno Monastery, depicts a cross flanked by palm
trees imbued with oval, seven-layer glory.
More extensive and complex programmes can be found
at four churches of the Sabereebi monastery, also in Davit
Gareja, which are notable for their unique iconography
and individual artistic rendering. The paintings in one
of the churches reminds of cloisonné enamel thanks to
extreme linearity and lavish use of turquoise paint of
strange texture. Here we see the earliest images of the
Virgin Eleusa in Georgian art.
Painting programmes of Davit Gareja are dominated by
the representations of the Glory and Vision of Christ
in the conch, while the 9th-10th century conch of a small
domed church of the Dodos Rka complex offers an original
representation of the Holy Trinity. As compared to the
coarse, linear expressiveness of the Sabereebi paintings,
the murals at Dodos Rka are executed in a more refined
manner.
Until the middle of the 10th century, the interior would not
be entirely covered with paintings. Only those parts, which
had a particular theological importance, such as a dome, a
sanctuary, and rarely a wall opposite the entrance, would
be adorned with frescoes. Beginning from the latter half
of the 10th century, murals took up the entire inner space,
as a result of which the painting programme became more
complex and extensive. If earlier the images of the main
Christian dogmas were presented (e.g. the Glory of Christ,
the Ascension, the Glory of the Virgin, the Ascension of
the Cross, individual figures of the apostles and saints),
from the 10th century a wide range of scenes began to be
depicted on the walls, chiefly from the New Testament
and more rarely from the Old Testament. Scenes from
the lives of saints, especially of St George, who was very
popular in Georgia, were also presented. Each picture was
accompanied with explanatory inscriptions in asomtavruli
(majuscule) script, though Greek inscriptions of the period
are also in evidence.
The period between the 11th through the 13th centuries
was the heyday of Georgian culture. A multitude of
diverse samples of murals, painted icons and illuminated
manuscripts point to the talent and vast knowledge of
Georgian masters. At the same time, they attest to the deep
spirituality, faith and advanced theological thinking in
Georgia, a country where Christian religion and national
self-identity have been closely intertwined.
The paintings adorning the main church and the refectory
of the Davit Gareja monasteries, distinguished by serene
monumentality of their large figures, regularity and
balance of compositions, calm rhythmical sequence of
bright colours and above all, the large number of images of
and scenes from the life of St Davit Garejeli, date from the
early 11th century.
The second half of the 10th century and the 11th century saw
the emergence of Tao-Klarjeti (now in Turkey) painting
school. The great cathedrals and monastic churches there
were embellished with magnificent, truly ‘royal’ murals:
Otkhta Eklesia (10th century), Khakhuli (early 11th century),
Ishkhani (11th-12th century) and Oshki (10th-11th century)
ensemble feature magnificent paintings characterised by
monumentality and grandeur of general layout, skillful
artistic treatment, exclusive iconographic programmes
(e.g. the Vision of Zachariah at Ishkhani), refined linearity,
rich colour gamut and spirituality of faces. The Ascension
of the Cross depicted against the lapis lazuli background in
the dome is a masterpiece of Orthodox art.
Among numerous Georgian murals of the 11th-12th
centuries, those covering the walls of Atenis Sioni
(Kartli), dating from the latter half of the 11th century,
are of particular mention. Apart from presenting a highly
original iconographic programme (personifications of
Paradise rivers in the squinches, the extended life cycle
of the Virgin, the Last Judgement, and a large row of the
portraits of the royal Bagrationi family), they exhibit
artistic perfection and expressiveness. The entire painting
recalls a superb polyphonic hymn.
Monumental and tectonic treatment is also evident in
the painting ensemble to be found in the Church of
the Archangels at Zemo Krikhi, which included highly
expressive portraits of Racha eristavis (rulers). The pain-
47
tings display another trend in Georgian painting,
characterised by linear and two-dimensional rendering, as
well as more conventional approach and more restrained
colouring of earth paints used. Regrettably, these paintings
were mostly destroyed as a result of an earthquake in
1991.
In the beginning of the 12th century, the conch of the
sanctuary in the main church of Gelati Monastery,
established by King Davit Aghmashenebeli (David the
Builder), was adorned with mosaics depicting the Glory of
Virgin, which can be freely levelled with the best examples
of mosaic painting of their time. They must have been
executed by a Georgian master educated in Byzantium.
Of note are also the images of Seven Ecumenical Councils
shown in the narthex, which are one of the earliest samples
of wall paintings showing this theme.
Upper Svaneti also preserves some important paintings
from this period marked by the revival of Georgian art.
Executed by an artist of the royal court, Tevdore, the murals
at Iprari (1069), Nakipari (1130) and Lagurka (late 11th
and early 12th century) are distinguished by a high artistic
quality and extraordinary expressiveness, and also notable
for the fact that have preserved the name of the master,
which is quite rare in medieval art. The paintings made
by Tevdore are characterised by strong monumentality,
expressiveness of images, and dynamic and sculptural,
almost incised drawing, as well as a restrained colouring
mostly using earth paints.
Svaneti preserves the name of another artist, Michael
Maghlakeli, who in 1140 is said to have painted
Matskhvarishi Church in the Latali community. These
murals appear to be more ‘provincial’. They are based on
a somewhat coarse drawing and reveal simpler and less
plastic modelling. In addition to the traditional row of
the Great Feasts, they depict, on the north wall, a unique
representation of the crowning of King Demetre I.
Brilliant paintings adorning the six-apsed church of
Bochorma castle, containing the portrait of Davit
Aghmashenebeli, as well as those at Ikvi church, featuring
an extensive cycle of the life of St George, belong to the
middle of the 12th century. Pavnisi and Kalaubani church
paintings of the second half of the 12th century also include
the life cycle of St George.
Among the murals of the late 12th and early 13th centuries,
the most notable are painting ensembles associated with
Queen Tamar, such as those found in the rock-cut churches
at Vardzia, Natlismtsemeli and Bertubani in Gareja, as
well as in the built churches of Kintsvisi, Betania and
Timotesubani, which, with the exception of Timotesubani,
contain the dynastic portraits of King Giorgi III, Queen
Tamar and her son, Lasha Giorgi. They are emphasised
through a specific compositional rendering, as well as
location and dimensions.
The paintings from Queen Tamar’s epoch have many
commonalities, including a refined drawing, sinuous
curves, a subtle modelling of forms, and lightness and
extraordinary brilliance of cold and luminous colours. At
the same time, each mural is a unique work characterised
by highly individual iconographic programme and artistic
treatment, and colourity in particular. Hence, for instance,
the paintings in St Nicholas Church at Kintsvisi feature
the combination of the lapis lazuli, coral green and white
colours, enriched with cinnabar and gold hues differing a
lot form the colouring of other paintings. Distinguished by
a highly refined rendering and deep spirituality, a fragment
of the Kintsvisi paintings which shows the Archangel
seated on the Tomb, is conceived as a symbol of medieval
Georgian art.
The wall paintings of the second half of the 13th century
continue the artistic tradition of the turn of the 13th
century on one hand (e.g. murals in the Church of the
Annunciation at Udabno Monastery, where King Demetre
II was depicted after his martyrdom) and adopted traits of
contemporary Byzantine art on the other (e.g. the murals
in the Church of St George and a chapel of the main church
of Gelati).
In the 14th century Georgian painting became largely
influenced by the so-called ‘Palaeologan style’, which
emerged and spread in Byzantium. The new wave
overshadowed local artistic traditions which made Geor-
gian art distinctive at the previous stages of its develop-
ment. Despite the strong influence, national artistic iden-
tity was not entirely lost, which is attested by 14th and 15th
century important painting ensembles at Ubisa, Sapara,
Zarzma, Likhne, Nabakhtevi and Sori among others.
48
In the late Middle Ages, spanning the period from the 16th
through the 18th centuries, which saw the disintegration of
Georgia into several kingdoms and principalities, churches
continued to be adorned with paintings, but the latter
lack the artistic qualities of the murals made from the 10th
through the 13th century. However, these paintings reflect
the spiritual life in Georgia at the time.
Apart from creating new works, the period saw the
restoration of old churches and of frescoes adorning
them respectively, and even covering the walls with new
paintings. For instance, the Gelati Cathedral was many
times renewed and covered with paintings, a church of the
Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem, which among other
remnants of old murals preserve the well-known portrait
of the prominent 12th century Georgian poet Shota
Rustaveli, was repainted several times in the 14th , 16th and
17th centuries.
Georgians showed active presence on Mount Athos in
Iviron Monastery and other religious centres, which served
as bridge to the rest of the Christendom for Georgia,
a country encircled by Muslim powers. The influence
of the artistic traditions of Mount Athos is evident in
the paintings made in the 16th and 17th centuries in the
Kingdom of Kakheti (Alvani, Akhali Shuamta, Nekresi
and Gremi painting ensembles among others).
In the late Middle Ages compositions of iconographic
programmes became more complex as they acquired
new scenes and more notably, new symbolic images. The
depiction of the Heavenly Liturgy in the dome and the
sanctuary of the main church at Gelati (16th-17th centuries)
is noteworthy in this regard. Also to be noted is the
increased interest in national history, which is exemplified
by the scenes from the conversion of Kartli included in the
paintings covering the ‘Holy Pillar’ of the Svetitskhoveli
Cathedral. These murals date from the 17th century.
Part of the paintings were made in the so-called ‘post-
Byzantine’ style, which was a certain continuation of the
Palaeologan style and is ‘classicistic’ in nature. Despite
high level of professionalism that these murals reveal, they
lack expressiveness and are creativeness.
Different from these paintings is a group of murals executed
in the so-called ‘folk’ style by less skilled provincial masters.
What makes them attractive is their naivety as well as the
use of bright and joyful colours, lavish ornamentation and
expressive deformations. Most of the works in folk style
created in eastern and more notably in western Georgia
are from the 16th century, e.g. the paintings at Chala,
Koreti, Bugeuli, Kalauri, Erelaant Sakdari, Ilemi and other
churches. The samples of this style survive in centres as
important as Gelati Monastery.
As in the advanced Middle Ages, in the late feudal period
portraits of donors, including kings, major feudal lords and
ecclesiastical figures who contributed towards construction
and the painting of churches, making icons and producing
and illuminating manuscripts, were widely represented.
The number of secular persons depicted in the late feudal
paintings markedly grew in number.
By the 19th century, medieval Georgian painting almost
ceased to exist, though the force of the tradition was still felt
up to the middle of the century. Beginning from the 18th
century book illumination and icon-painting fell under
strong European and Russian influence. Over time, this
influence too redeveloped under the impact of medieval
artistic tradition to assume an original flavour. Among the
most notable examples of this trend are the paintings in
Bodbe Church which, made in 1823, include an extensive
cycle of the life of St Nino. Murals of similar nature can be
found in a small Church of St Nino at Samravro, Mukhrani
Church and others.
In 1850, the renowned Russian artist Grigori Gagarin
painted the interior walls of Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi.
Despite his endeavor to study old works of Georgian art
and an attempt to follow local traditions, his paintings still
remained within the ‘academic’ limits. Apart from that,
they served as a model for Georgian and non-Georgian
masters who worked in Georgia for the years to come (e.g.
Davit Gegelidze, painter of the murals in the churches of St
George and the Dormition, and an icon-painter). Differing
from this trend of paintings are the murals in the Church
of St Nicholas in Tbilisi, executed by Niko Zazashvili,
which are inspired by Georgian folk art.
49
The late 19th century was marked by an growing tendency
of representing Georgian saints, which followed the
illustration of the of Sakartvelos Samotkhe (Georgian
Paradise) by Mikhail-Gobron Sabinin, which included
almost all martyrs and saints canonized by the Georgian
Church. The walls of some churches are entirely taken up
by Georgian saints, among which note must be made of
Mamadaviti Church in Tbilisi.
The beginning of the 20th century brought about the revival
of arts in general and of ecclesiastical art in particular.
Various efforts in this regard included the creation of two
multi-partite icon for the Ghvtaeba Church in Gelati by
Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi and the painting of the chancel
barrier of a chapel in Chiatura by Dimitri Shevardnadze,
though the murals made by the latter artist do not survive.
These efforts were terminated with the establishment of the
atheist Soviet state, owing to which nothing could be done
within the next seventy years. The only exception was the
adorning of the walls of the Kvashveti Church of St George
in Tbilisi by Lado Gudiashvili on the initiative of the
Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Kalistrate (Tsintsadze).
The artist, however, was not allowed to finish the work.
After almost a two-century break, in the last quarter of the
20th century, began the revival or the ‘rebirth’ of Georgian
ecclesiastical art, which was made possible thanks to
the efforts of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-
Patriarch of Georgia and Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi,
Ilia II, who is an artist and an icon-painter himself. It was
with his blessing that the building and painting of new
churches and the creation of various liturgical objects
were initiated. A multitude of new churches have been
adorned with paintings. It is of particular mention that
His Holiness started this activity back in the Soviet period,
when the Georgian Church had very limited possibilities
and resources.
Frescoes and icons are now mostly created in imitation of
old samples, which is understandable, as tradition needs
to be restored in order to be further enhanced. Gradually
our epoch too will produce its own artistic vocabulary
for rendering Christian themes and will imitate not just
external forms subject to change, but spirituality and faith,
which made the old works so distinguished.
Icon Painting
Georgian icon painting, an integral part of medieval
Christian culture, counts back many centuries. The art of
icon painting, like other branches of Christian art, found
fertile soil in Georgia. According to church tradition the
veneration of holy images in Georgia goes back to apostolic
times and is closely linked to St. Andrew.
Icon painting is an embodiment of many aspects of
Christian spirituality and is based on the incarnation of
the Logos, the second member of the Trinity. The canonic
art of icon painting, deriving from the Holy Scripture, can
be traced back into the decrees of ecclesiastical councils
and works by the church fathers. The tradition of creating
of holy images goes back to the earthly life of the Savior
and is linked to the miraculously created image of Christ
- Holy Face, or the Mandylion.
The ancient tradition of translating of the mandylion and
keramion to Georgia and developed cult of the miracle-
working icon of Anchiskhati testifies to the long-standing
history of icon veneration in the country. As it is known,
the Icon of the Holy Face of Edessa, or the Mandylion,
miraculously created by Christ, is a cornerstone of
veneration of holy images. In this regard, it is important
that the earliest surviving icon in Georgia is a 6th - 7th
century icon from Ancha, or Anchiskhati. This centuries-
old relic, which is an embodiment of the Christian dogma
of Incarnation belongs to the Syrian artistic circle and is
associated with Syrian fathers, who came to Georgia in the
6th century.
In the Orthodox Christian world icons are essential part of
a spiritual, public and private life. The theological essence,
as well as the artistic and aesthetic language of icon
painting went though a long process of transformation
throughout the centuries. Painted icons in their forms,
themes, iconography and style illustrate theological and
symbolic systems of Orthodox teaching. Icons are widely
incorporated in the liturgy as they are conceived as a
visualization of the Holy Scripture.
The perfection of standards of artistic rendering aiming to
reflect as fully as possible the essence of Christian faith on
a limited surface of an icon continued for centuries. Icons
50
appear to best convey the Orthodox aesthetics and its
symbolic thinking. In each period each country made its
own impact in the establishment of deeply spiritual art of
icon painting, thus enriching and enhancing it. Medieval
Georgia, together with other Orthodox countries, left
its own trace in the history of icon painting. The icons
surviving to the present day make only a small part of the
holy images created in or imported from other countries
into Georgia throughout the centuries.
The forms, themes and artistic systems of painted icons
display typical features of spiritual developments of their
times. The study of some most venerated icons or groups
of icons casts light upon not only their history, but also on
different periods of cultural and social life of the country.
It is suffice to mention Anchiskhati, Khakhuli, icon of
the Virgin of the Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos, or
Portaitisa, which were intertwined with the life of the
country. These holy images shared the fate of Georgia and
reflect history and main events of various historical epochs.
Of special note are the Georgian icons from the Monastery
of St Catherine on Mount Sinai, which attest not only
activity of Georgians at the monastery, but also inform
us on less known facts from the history of the monastery.
Apart from that, these unique icons add to our knowledge
of icon painting related matters, such as the identity of the
icon painter and the role of a donor in creating the icon.
Georgia preserves about two hundred painted icons,
most of which are kept in the Museum of History and
Ethnography of Svaneti, Georgian State Museum and in
local churches. Some of the significant ones are housed in
Lower Svaneti and in the Georgian National Museum Sh,
Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts. The most important
collection of Georgian painted icons preserved abroad is in
St Cathedrine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai. The preserved
painted icons and related written sources indicate how
the veneration of holy images was incorporated into the
spiritual life of the country, and how it was linked with
the prevailing artistic, religious, historical and political
tendencies.
The aforementioned 6th - 7th century Anchiskhati icon is the
only early Christian painted icon that came down to our
days. This miracle-working icon, together with the recently
discovered 10th century manuscript relating the Icon of the
Holy Face to the Syrian Fathers, namely with the disciples of
St Ioane Zedazneli ( John of Zedazeni), Ezderioz of Nabuk
and Teodosios of Urhai, allows us to assume that icons in
Georgia, possibly imported from Syria, existed as early
as in the 6th century. Other hagiographic works provide
further evidence on the veneration of icons in the early
medieval period. The Life of Grigol Khandzteli (Gregory
of Khandzta) (759-861) in addition to giving an account of
the pilgrimage to the holy sites in Constantinople says that
together with numerous eulogies Grigol brought icons to
Georgia. Thus it could be assumed that during this period
the veneration of icons was already established tradition.
During the 9th and 10th centuries it could be retraced
increasing popularity of icon veneration. It was within this
period that the earliest parts of the renowned Tsilkani Icon
of the Virgin and Child and the Icon of the Enthroned
Virgin and Child with St Barbara in were created. The
importance of the veneration of the icon in the 10th century
is also attested by the Nomocanon compiled by Epvtime
Atoneli (Euthimius the Athonite). This canonical work
brings together Orthodox teachings on the veneration of
icons, which, in turn, are based on the works of Church
Fathers and the decrees of the so called Fifth-Sixth and
Seventh Ecumenical Councils.
Beginning from the 11th century onwards, icon painting, as
well as other forms of Georgian art, fell under Byzantine
influence. Yet, the pro-Byzantine orientation of the church
art did not involve exact repetition of its visual formulae
and stylistic features. Carrying deep spiritual and dogmatic
meaning and characteised by high artistic qualities, the
Georgian painted icons of this period are ranked among
the best pieces of Orthodox art. They manifest the political
power of the country and its increased international
prestige (e.g. the icons of the Virgin from Ushguli, the
Council of the Archangels, from Pkhotreri, the icon of the
Forty Martyrs of Sabastia, the icon of the Deposition and
the Entombment, the icons of the Raising of Lazarus and
the Ascension).
51
In the 11th and 12th centuries icon painting in Georgia
followed the trends of the time, which found representation
in the strongly concentrated spiritual vigour emanating
from the theological origins of the artistic images, the forms
of veneration of the holy faces and the artistic, technical
and stylistic means of rendering. The icons created at
that time are imbued with spirituality. Each means of
artistic rendering serves the common goal, which is a full
demonstration of Christian doctrines and their explication
through artistic devices.
The largest number of icons survived from the 13th century.
The intensification of production of the painted icons in
Georgia during this period echoed the growing role of
the devotional images in the religious life encountered
the Orthodox world Church, and at the same time the
increased number of icons from this time can be explained
by local reasons. Weakened by Mongol invasions, the
Georgian state failed to secure conditions favorable
for creating monumental murals and religious painting
therefore had to become limited to intensive icon painting,
which required less resources.
Among preserved Georgian icons could be singled out
the following types of icons: icons decorating altar screens
– epistyle and intercolumnial icons, processional icons,
portable altars – triptychs, icon–reliquaries, ex-voto icons
and small icons for private devotion. Various forms of
Georgian icons reveal general norms of the Orthodox art
and essential stages of its evolution, at the same time they
represent local traditions deeply rooted into the spirituality
of the Nation.
Reflecting the leading artistic and spiritual trends of their
time are the 14th century icons from Ubisa, the three icons
of Deisis from the Church of the Archangels at Pkhotreri,
the triptych with the inserted central image of the Virgin
Hodegetria kept in Mestia Museum, the triptych showing
the Deposition from Ushguli, the icon of St John the
Baptist surviving in the Church of St George at Lakhusti
and the triptych of the Virgin among others.
Icon painting of the 17th and 18th centuries represents a
heterogeneous picture. Although the painted devotional
images from this time carry signs of various painting
schools and influences, the common trend unifying these
works is still visible – all the icons from this time lack the
artistic perfection and spirituality which distinguished the
works created in the earlier period. In the 19th century the
national artistic tradition was fully replaced by Russian
icon-painting standards.
Thanks to the efforts of His Holiness and Beatitude,
Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, icon painting has
Repoussé Art
Medieval Georgian goldsmith work essentially comprises
liturgical icons, crosses, rhypidions and altar chalices. In
addition to having a functional use, these gold and silver
items are of high artistic merit. Many of these objects,
the number of which exceeds two thousand and five
hundred, can freely compete with the world masterpieces
of repoussé art. Yet, what is even more important is that
these works allow us to reconstruct the thousand year old
history of repoussé art in Georgia taking its roots in the 8th
- 9th century. Sharply pronounced individuality is another
feature that makes them valuable.
The 10th and 11th centuries, which were the most distinctive
and creative period in the history of medieval Georgian
goldsmith art, saw the introduction of new artistic and
iconographic solutions. It was the time when Georgia,
politically and economically empowered, was enjoying a
strong economic flourishing. The greatest achievements
and accomplishments of Georgian goldsmith art are
related to this epoch.
The principal artistic task which 10th-11th century
goldsmiths had to tackle was sculptural rendering of
representations. This task was achieved in relief sculpturing.
The first in this process was a processional cross from
Ishkhani dating from 973, the face side of which has the
only figure of Christ Crucified – a well-defined unified
volume without anatomical details of the body. This was
the first step towards sculptural rendering (the so-called
‘sculptural Archaic’). Before the Ishkhani cross, only a few
objects of the 8th and 9th centuries survive, among which
the icon of the Transfiguration from Zarzma, dating from
886, is of particular note. The figures, slightly embossed
52
in recent decades gained an important role in the revival of
the religious life in the country. Georgian icon painters are
continuing the centuries-old tradition. The contemporary
art of icon painting reveals interesting attempts of
redeveloping national and common Orthodox artistic
and cultural legacy. Today, as well as throughout many
centuries, Christian culture is associated by Georgians
with the national self-identity.
figures are not volumetric, but rather rendered through a
graphical drawing.
The Ishkhani cross is followed by repoussé works created
at the end of the 10th and beginning of the 11th centuries.
This fairly large group has objects which reveal progress
in terms of sculptural modelling. It also contains many
highly valuable goldsmith works, such as five plaques of
Sagholasheni featuring the Great Feasts, which once must
have been part of a larger chased object. Of note are also
icons of saints from Zarzma and Shemokmedi, a gold
chalice from Bedia, processional crosses from Brili, etc.
Later on, Georgian relief sculpture evolved even more
progressively. The rich and diverse material from the first
half of the 11th century, a group of objects ranging in time,
vividly demonstrate the gradual refinement of this branch
of sculpture in Georgia, and the way Georgian goldsmiths
managed to masterfully present intricate, multi-figured
scenes as well as separate figures presented as icons. Examp-
les include the icons of the Virgin from Tsageri, Labechini
and Zarzma, and the icons of the Saviour from Ieli and
Lanchvani, a tondo from Gelati bearing the image of St
Mamas, the icon of St Symeon the Stylite from Laghami,
numerous icons featuring St George (in different versions)
from various regions of Georgia, a pre-altar cross adorned
with the cycle of life of St George from Mestia. All these
works, as well as many others from the same period, are
brilliant samples of relief sculpture: accurate proportions
of figures, natural postures and gestures, distinctly
modeled, flexible forms, well fitting garments, and neatly
modelled facial features are particularly noteworthy. Four
plaques with the representations of Holy Bishops from
Shemokmedi, dating from 1040, and the figure of the
Saviour on the processional cross from Martvili were the
threshold, which was to be followed by rounder forms
so unacceptable to the Orthodox community due to its
material nature.
In addition to the strive towards sculptural rendering,
a 10th-11th century goldsmith artist also tackled another
important objective, which was the decoration and
ornamentation of the work and adding extra embellish-
ment to it. The goldsmith artwork of this time is notable
in this respect too. Apart from being remarkable for their
extraordinary versatility, as well as creative imagination and
force of inventiveness of their masters, and a high artistic
and technical quality, ornamental motifs in some cases
offer the only evidence for dating the objects of goldsmith
art and for identifying goldsmiths’ workshops.
Sculpturing having gone through the path of perfection
towards plasticity, Georgian goldsmith artists diverted
their interest to decoration and ornamentation.
Beginning from the 12th century and through the end
of the feudal period, multitude of repoussé works were
created in Georgia. Some of them are sculpturally more
or less elaborate, but the major effect is still produced by
decorative and ornamental adornment. The well-known
Khakhuli triptych does not bear a sculptural figure at
all. The vast surface is rather filled with enamel images,
precious stones and elaborate ornament. The advance of
the trend of decorative rendering and the increased role of
ornament appears even more apparent on compositions of
chased figures. The ornamented sections on the frame of
the icon of the Holy Face from Anchi, which is the work
of Beka Opizari, who is described in the inscription on
the Gospels dating from the same period as ‘God-blessed
worthy goldsmith’ are almost of the same importance as
the images of saints. Another example is the Icon of the
Archangels from Oni, loaded with disproportional, flat
figural and floral ornaments and embellished with a broad
frame rendered with particular care and masterfulness.
The Georgian goldsmith art of the 12th and 13th centuries
was still inspired with the creative vigour from the past
times. The same vigour is evident in the second work by
Beka Opizari, the chasing of the cover of the Tskarostavi
Gospels and its immediate analogue, the cover of the Berta
Gospels, chased by Beshken Opizari and the cover of the
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Tbeti Gospels, the latter differing thematically and in
terms of general composition and sculptural rendering of
figures.
The two following centuries saw a decline in the quality
of rendering, as well as in artistic creativity with the
number of chased works also becoming smaller. The most
important objects of the time include the aforementioned
inner chasing of the Anchi icon (14th century). Rendered
in various scales and representing different figures
(earlier samples are also used) the seven scenes from the
Gospels make one whole only thanks to their ornamental
decoration.
The 16th century was another distinctive period in the
history of Georgian goldsmith art. The number of chased
works increased and new artistic themes, motifs and
technical novelties came in use. Rich ornamental work
from this period allows us to assume the presence of
workshops throughout the country as was the case in the
10th and 11th centuries. An example of this is a coherent
group of Kakhetian gold repoussé icons from the workshop
of Gremi, the capital of the Kakheti region at the time, the
ornamental rendering and ‘sculpturing’ technique of which
(borrowed from Persia) has neither before nor after been
seen in Georgia. Along with these icons we have a larger
group of 16th century crosses and icons from Gelati, which
produce an absolutely different impression. Depicting
figures of different statures, they also feature various
techniques of sculptural modelling as well as motifs the
means of rendering of which are also dissimilar.
The 17th and 18th centuries were equally prolific for repoussé
artwork, but due to the varied nature of the items from
this period it is difficult to unite them into groups. Foreign
influence, mainly through the Persian, Russian and Euro-
pean cultures, also appears obvious in separate architectural
elements, as well as iconographic and ornamental motifs.
However, these influences were superficial. Despite
political and economic hardship and substantial decline
of the creative capacity and professionalism of masters,
Georgian goldsmith art managed to retain its originality
and national identity. Strong touch with past traditions
lasted even through the 19th century when Georgian artists
employed many elements of Georgian repoussé art of the
previous centuries. Yet, there are works from the same
period which establish an immediate affinity with Russian
art. Also, the majority of icons from the end of the 19th and
beginning of the 20th centuries are close copies of works of
Russian mass production.
Medieval Georgian goldsmiths have also contributed
to Christian iconography. In addition to widely applied
schemes, Georgian crosses and icons bear iconographical
images, which demonstrate original creativity of Georgian
artists instead of being fair or adapted copies of borrowed
canonical samples. This proposition is supported by an
11th century pre-altar cross from Mestia. According to the
prominent art historian Viktor Lazarev, ‘The Georgians
were familiar with the improved redaction of the Life of St
George by Diocletian from the 10th-11th century. It was this
version that was used in the earliest sample with the cycle of
St George known to us – the so-called Mestia cross from the
1020-30s. The cross greatly influenced the selection of scenes
from the life of St George as well as their compositional
structure in the Georgian art of the later period, including
in goldsmith art and wall paintings”. Lazarev also had to
admit that the image which features St George slaying King
Diocletian is a ‘purely Georgian iconographic version’. The
number of this version in Georgia exceeds compositions
in which a snake or a dragon is represented as symbol of
the evil. It is in Georgia that the earliest samples of this
‘Georgian version’ survive (7th-8th century stone reliefs).
Most of these, including wall paintings, sculptures and
chased works date from the 10th through the 12th centuries,
while very few similar works have preserved elsewhere. It
is also notable that in this scene of the ‘miracle’ adorning
the 16th century pre-altar cross from Sadgeri, Diocletian
is shown mounted on a horse, which makes it unique in
Georgia, and most probably, even outside its borders.
We have another innovative version of the ‘miracle’ of St
George, which was taken from Georgian reality. It takes
roots in an tradition of celebrating an ecclesiastical festival
on St George’s Day on 23 November in the vicinity of St
George’s Church in Ilori. According to the notes made by
17th century European travellers and missionaries, who were
witnesses of this ceremony, an ox, considered as sent from St
George, would be slaughtered in front of a crowd of people
and its parts would be distributed among people as miracle-
working relics. This local tradition contributed towards the
emergence of a new, original theme which is presented on
two surviving silver icons, both from Ilori. One is a triptych
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from the 16th century with St George holding a sword and
a small ox to his feet shown on the central panel. Another
icon, dating from 1640, survives with great damage, but
the plot is explained with inscriptions: ‘the representation
of bringing St George’s ox of Ilori, Odishi, on St George’s
day’. The event fully coincides with the notes left by the
Europeans.
Highly notable are the inscriptions in asomtavruli
(majuscule) and mkhedruli (modern lay) scripts,
surviving also in large numbers, on Georgian repoussé
works offering rich paleographic and historical evidence.
These inscriptions mention the names of commissioners
and donors of the crosses and icons, kings and queens,
catholicos-patriarchs, prominent and sometimes unknown
secular and ecclesiastical persons, and goldsmith artists.
One of the works even refers to the ‘writer’, i.e. the person
who made inscriptions. Some of the early icons contain
specially selected lines from the Gospels to enhance the
understanding of eschatological scenes. The inscriptions
on Anchi triptych, as an example, tell the entire history of
the object and most importantly, the adventure of the Icon
of the Holy Face from Edessa to its transfer to ‘Tpilisi’ in
the 17th century. That Queen Tamar is mentioned on the
frame of the Anchi triptych, which Bishop Ioane Rkinaeili
of Anchi commissioned to Beka Opizari ‘on his order and
by donating an objects (!) of heavenly crowned Queen of
Queens Tamar’.
Throughout the Middle Ages Georgian culture in general
and Christian art in particular never lacked the care and
attention of various leaders of the country, including
its public and ecclesiastical authorities, and high and
lower ranking statesmen. This is evident from numerous
asomtavruli and mkhedruli inscriptions adorning
buildings, paintings and sculptures, many of which are
fairly long and informative.
The trend remains unchanged to the present day. The
liberation of the country from the Soviet yoke enabled
the Georgian church to lead a normal life beginning from
the latter half of the 20th century. Numerous churches and
monasteries have been restored and become functional,
churches have been built and their interior walls covered
with paintings, painted and repoussé icons, crosses and
other gold and silver ecclesiastical objects and goldsmithery
produced. This revival found a firm support from the state
authorities and private entities. Great is the contribution of
the Patriarchate of Georgia. The entire process is inspired
with the blessing of the Patriarch of Georgia, His Holiness
and Beatitude Ilia II.
Samples of Christian Georgian repoussé art of new time
can be found all over Georgia kept in churches, salons,
galleries, various offices, schools and families. Some of
Enamel Art
Being the most refined and elaborate varieties of enamel,
cloisonné enamel emerged and evolved within Christian
art and was inspired by its world outlook and aesthetics.
It is in this technique that almost all pieces of enamels
surviving in Georgia from the Middle Ages are executed.
Cloisonné enamel was also widespread in Byzantium, this
widely acknowledged centre of enamel art. As the eminent
Byzantologist Alisa Bank would put it ‘the intrusion of
features peculiar to spiritual style can be explained by
specific material and technique. The dominance of bright
clear tonality and the brilliance of gold partitions and
background, the impression of fleshless images achieved
partially by the inability to express volume and figure and
facial modelling’ serve to reveal Christian spirit.
Georgian cloisonné enamels are closely connected with
Byzantium. The most obvious is the affinity in terms of
technical execution. All Georgian cloisonné enamels, as
well as the majority of Byzantine ones, are made of pure
gold and silver alloy, the so-called electron, though a very
few examples of silver-based enamels of Byzantine origin
also survive. Georgian and Byzantine works also share an
iconographic repertoire, which is attested by the dominance
of the same scenes and saints. They are also characterised
by same features typical of the time, especially in the early
period. Some similarities are also obvious in terms of the
use of specific means of modelling at a later stage (e.g.
chevron style – the alteration of colourful stripes on the
attire). However, the 11th century Georgian enamels are
almost impossible to distinguish from the Byzantine ones.
Though some works from this time can be attributed to the
local style, including three medallions bearing the images of
55
these works are fair copies of old crosses and icons with
a certain size variation, while others, although being
inspired by traditional works, are characterised by different
compositional, decorative and ornamental rendering. This
desire and attempt of present-day, both experienced and
beginning Georgian masters cannot but lead to a more
successful and sublime continuation.
the queens appearing on the Khakhuli triptych. According
to some features, these may be attributed to a Georgian
master. It is of note that the crowns of the queens are set on
top of a headscarf, which is not characteristic of Byzantine
costume. Although medallions bear no inscription, it
is possible to identify these images with Empress Mary,
daughter of Georgian King Bagrat IV, renowned for her
exquisite beauty But that the plaque of the Khakhuli icon
features a ‘portrait’ of this brilliant lady is confirmed by
an inscription. She is presented together with her first
spouse, Byzantine Emperor Michael VII Parapinakes. This
Byzantine icon was a gift from the Emperor. It thus appears
obvious that medieval Georgian enamel, unlike Georgian
repoussé art and moreover, the Georgian architecture,
is closely linked to Byzantine world. In this respect it is
highly interesting to identify differences between Georgian
and Byzantine cloisonné enamelwork and determine what
makes Georgian enamel art unique.
The path of development of Georgian enamel art was not
straightforward and was full with creative ‘impulses’ in the
10th and 12th - 13th centuries. A large number of medieval
cloisonné enamels, ranging from as early as 8th - 9th century
through the 15th, survive to the present day. It is remarkable
that Georgian enamels are highly expressive, the best
example of which is the Khakhuli icon, a masterpiece of
decorative art, the artistic effect of which is enhanced
by a multitude of Georgian and Byzantine enamels. The
icon was a royal commission, which came from the St
King Davit Aghmashenebeli (David the Builder) and his
son, Demetre I, in the period between 1120-1140. Only
Byzantium could afford similar abundance of immensely
valuable and impressive small works of art, a real ‘museum’
of cloisonné enamel – this is internationally renowned Pala
d’Oro in San Marco in Venice.
The early Georgian cloisonné enamels appear on the
Khakhuli triptych: the quadrifolium with the Crucifixion
(8th century) and two medallions featuring half-figures
of St Mary and St Theodore (9th century). The Deisis,
emphasizing the central part of the Martvili triptych,
dates from the same period (late 9th century). This small
group of works reflect the path of development taken by
Georgian art in general and plastic art in particular. They
were created in Georgia where Iconoclasm failed to find a
fertile ground. Some of the pieces are also interesting from
the iconographic point of view. The Martvili Deisis is one
of the earliest samples of the scene, while the Crucifixion
featuring the full-figure soaring and glorifying angels and
the right hand of the Lord extended from the heaven
is the only sample of this version in the entire oriental
Christendom.
The 10th century saw a significant shift in Georgian enamel
art like it happened in Byzantium. More specifically, ‘full
enamel’, on which both a background and an image are of
enamel, was replaced by ‘sunken enamel’, on which an enamel
image appears on a gold background. The general trend
to differentiate figures and ornamentation and to outline
figures thus making them more volumetric coincided with
one of the stages of the development of Georgian plastic
art and appeared to be organic to Georgian enamelwork.
It is therefore that the earliest sample of this sort, namely
the Shemokmedi quadrifolium, is of Georgian origin (its
accompanying Georgian inscription mentions King Giorgi
I of Abkhazeti, who died in 957). Similar Byzantine works
date from a slightly later date. The Crucified Christ is
accompanied with allegorical representations of a church
and a synagogue - other examples of this scheme are of a later
period and also, of western origin. The depiction of Adam’s
skull below the cross (here he is shown alive, i.e. risen from
dead, which emphasises the main idea of the quadrifolium
scene – salvation) is rare in the early Byzantine period.
Of the 10 century enamels characterised by features of
th
Georgian style, the most impressive are Christ Pantokrator’s
monumental image, revealing creative force and energy,
shown on the cover of the reliquary, and the central icon
of the Kkakhuli triptych, in which only the face and the
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hands of the Virgin survive. The size of these fragments is
highly remarkable as these are the biggest enamels around
the world. Also notable is their and are also remarkable
for their purple tonality. The image of the Virgin may be
lacking refinement, but it is expressive. This type is seen on
many repoussé Georgian icons from this period.
A group of works of Byzantine orientation also survive
from the 10th century. Of particular note is the so-called
Kvirike’s cross divided into two parts and placed on the
wings of the triptych. The Georgian-Greek inscriptions
on the cross mention the ruler of Kakheti, the king and
magistros, Kvirike II.
The 12th and the turn of the 13th centuries were marked by
another flourishing of Georgian enamel art. The pieces
of this period vividly demonstrate increased decorative
treatment and expressiveness, as well as a growing interest
in a human being, all of which were typical of the period.
The gallery of ‘individualized’ saints shown on the
icons from Gelati, Khobi and Tsalenjikha are of the 12th
century. What unites them is the general principle of
artistic treatment, though each of them conveys different
emotions and reveals different force of expressiveness. The
most impressive among them are the representations on
the Gelati icon, most notably the image of St Luke, which
can even be described as a ‘portrait’.
The medallions which once adorned the icon of the
Archangel Michael, one of the two now lost icons from
Jumati Monastery, belong to the same artistic trend. The
medallions of the second icon of St Gabriel from Jumati
are of Byzantine orientation and are particularly refined.
All these medallions, as well as other enamels of the same
circle, are executed in Georgian workshops and find no
immediate parallels in Byzantine enamel art. A group of
enamel medallions placed on the wings of the Khakhuli
triptych reveal Byzantine influence. These are Georgian
works of art, of which the most expressive are the noble
images of St Peter, St Matthew and St John.
The three plaques from the Great Feasts, the Presentation
at the Temple, the Raising of Lazarus and the Pentecost
(late 12th and beginning of the 13th century) are real gems
of decorative art. What particularly attracts in these
brilliant works of Georgian art is the lyricism and sincerity,
liberty of execution and radiance of bright colours. The
architectural background showing a cone-shaped dome
typical of Georgian churches and windows characteristic of
Georgian architecture is also noteworthy. The scene of the
Presentation at the Temple has a lit candle in the centre of
the composition, another important iconographic detail,
which can be seen only on two more Georgian pieces kept
in Georgia.
The 13th century frame of the Kortskheli icon is decorated
with the scenes from the life of the Virgin, which is unusual
for enamel art. Also rare is the iconographic scheme of the
Dormition made complex by depicting the apostles seen
through the clouds. The frame of the Kortskheli icon
shows an affinity with the frame of the icon of the Saviour
of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem, which must be
a work of a Georgian hand.
The two later enamelled plaques featuring St George – St
George Slaying the Dragon and St George Liberating the
King’s Daughter – date from the 15th century and follow
the artistic principles and practices of the earlier times.
Medieval Georgian enamel art, which went through a long
and an uninterrupted path of development, is characterised
by features the unity of which reveals an individual history.
The features include a soft, wavy, though at times inaccurate
and rough line, free and even coarse drawing of partitions,
balance of colours and their increased expressiveness, as well
as the use of wine-colour (which was due to the frequent
application of local manganese) and general attitude of
the representations. Thus, Georgian enamel, echoing other
branches of medieval Georgian art, is an organic part of
the latter.
The 15th century was marked by the suspension of enamel
production in Georgia. And it was not until the 20th century
that the revival of this art and this complex technique
appeared possible. Individual efforts towards this goal were
taken in the 1940s. Since then a huge amount of work has
been done to develop this form of art.
Among factors that contributed to the advancement of
modern Georgian enamel, particular note must be made of
the efforts taken by the Georgian Church, the Patriarchate
of Georgia and personally, by the Catholicos-Patriarch of
Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II. In addition
to commissioning individual works by the Church, in
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1992 a special workshop titled ‘Luke’ was set up at the
Patriarchate, which united talented and enthusiastic young
students (the workshop continues functioning under a new
name ‘Giorgi’). Another important centre is the Convent
of St Nino at Poka. The presence of an enamel workshop
in the convent means its connection with remote past
when cloisonné enamels were created in a highly spiritual
atmosphere. The works produced in Poka are mainly of
religious function and include icons, crosses and other
liturgical objects.
Although secular themes and images are widely presented
in contemporary enamel art and the number of jewellery
items increases gradually, religious topics remain relevant.
When creating enamels of religious function it is difficult
to avoid the influence of medieval works, moreover that
their majority reveals high level of craftsmanship. Thus
most of the contemporary enamels are either copies of
old ones or their variations, which are so different from
the model that offer a totally new representation enriched
with different details.
As in the Middle Ages, at present enamel art is dominated
by cloisonné enamel. However, other technical means are
also used. If in old times base material was limited to gold
and electron, nowadays silver, bronze, copper and brass are
also applied. A circle of religious themes widened to include
themes not only from the New Testament, but from the
Old Testament as well. The means of expression of enamel
representations are becoming more refined and diverse. The
use of new artistic means, at times purposeful exaggeration
of forms, increased expressiveness, a specific palette and
a balance of colours lends air of contemporarity to these
works. It is natural that Georgian enamels were influenced
by processes, technical and artistic means that took place in
the enamel art throughout countries, but they were always
adapted by Georgian artists to local taste and skills. This was
primarily due to ancient tradition, the visible or invisible
influence of which is evident in each Georgian work.
And this is what makes them so charming, attractive, and
distinctive, which was once again demonstrated at the first
biennial attended by artists from Georgia, as well as from
the US, Spain, Israel and Japan. Today Georgian enamel
is enjoying revival. The precondition of its advancement
is the creative momentum passed from medieval Georgian
enamel art.
Illumination of Manuscripts
Created well before the incarnation of the Lord and
extended by King Parnavaz, Georgian writing found
material manifestation in a unique script, three stages
of the development of which – mtavruli, nuskhuri and
mkhedruli, demonstrate its distinctiveness and amazing
vitality. It is natural that the entry of Christianity in
Georgia was accompanied by the advancement of verbal
creativity and writing. Having survived hardship through
the centuries, this invaluable treasure keeps up with the
legacy of other countries thanks to its old age and high
merit.
The National Centre of Manuscripts and other depositories
keep many unique pieces of writing the importance of
which is invaluable in the history of Christian culture.
Among manuscripts surviving to our day the earliest
fragment is of the 5th century. The palimpsests from
the 5th and through the 7th centuries are plain and lack
any adornment. Their artistic merit is the text itself, the
simplicity and monumentality of asomtavruli letters
(majuscule script) have much in common with the spiritual
character of Georgian ecclesiastical architecture.
Among non-illuminated manuscripts the most noteworthy
is a 10th century collection of hymns by Michael Modrekili
(S-425), which is unique due to its content. The brilliant
nuskhuri (ecclesiastical script) calligraphy, with its
continuity and accurateness, reflects great piety. They point
to the high level of ecclesiastical chanting; a scarce number
of neums (notation signs) in cinnabar inserted in the text
add the grace of divine flame to the mysterious surface of
the parchment.
And yet, the most remarkable are the manuscripts adorned
with miniatures. Old Georgian artists, whose names hardly
survive, spared no effort to duly embellish texts glorifying
God. Acknowledging the weakness and imperfection of
the human nature and believing that the perfection is the
gift of God, their works are full of Christian repentance
and lack any conceit.
These Georgian miniatures created by craftsmen of such
integrity should be considered on the same level as the
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other forms of Christian art, such as architecture, chasing,
enamel and fresco painting.
Illuminated manuscripts surviving to our day are mostly
ecclesiastical in nature. These are mainly the Gospels,
as well as liturgical collections for various services held
throughout a year ( Triodion, Pentekostarion), psalms and
homiliars among others.
The earliest surviving miniatures adorn the Adishi Gospels
dating from 897. The miniatures of the evangelists
inserted into the text copied in mtavruli (capital) letters,
transparent and light in colour they preserve the spirit of
early Christian miniature art.
The First Jruchi Gospels (H-1660) dating from 940 was
copied at Shatberdi Monastery. Executed in cinnabar,
gold and dark blue, its miniatures combine a deep piety,
calligraphic linearity and artistic spontaneity and sincerity,
characteristic for pre-iconoclasm art..
Georgian illuminated books from the 11th century
distinctly show an open dialogue with the aesthetic
ideals of Byzantium. Bishop Zakaria Valashkerteli of
Bana commissioned the copying and illumination of four
manuscripts in a scriptorium in Constantinople, the most
notable of which is a synaxarion created in 1030 (A-648).
Bordered with a sharply outlined frame, the manuscript has
miniatures inserted into a text written in nuskhuri letters.
Refined iconography, a classical drawing and harmonious
matching of blue, gold, white and red bespeak a high level
of Christian art of the period in general and of miniature
in particular.
The Alaverdi Gospels (A-484) of 1054, copied at Caliposus
Lavra, one of the monasteries of the Virgin on Black
Mountain, belongs to the same group of works. Subdivided
into two columns on a light surface of the parchment, the
text in nuskhuri letters is embellished with magnificent
cross and floral title ornaments imbuing the Gospels with
the sense of eternity. Particularly remarkable is a unique
cycle telling the history of the Icon of the Holy Face, which
is yet another testimony of steady iconodulism among
Georgians.
The Gelati Gospels (Q-908) can be reckoned as one of the
best examples of gospel illumination. The two hundred
and forty four miniature paintings are inserted as separate
scenes within the text narrative in the form of explanations.
The highly refined gold background imbued with
unquenchable light symbolizes divine space. Two-three
figured generalised scenes included into it are reminiscent
of mosaic art due to their monumental character. They
reveal spiritual depth and intimacy, and the unity of
eternity and individuality which the unification of divine
and human natures brought to the mankind.
Also dating from the 12th century is the Second Gospels
of Jruchi (H-1667), which is the most richly illuminated
manuscript (359 miniatures) and is a real treasure of
Georgian Christian iconography. The manuscript tells
us that it was illuminated by several artists. Many of the
miniatures intrude the continuity of the text using the
parchment sheet as unlimited space. The domination of
red and gold next to white and light blue points to the
immutability of Georgian artistic vocabulary. Multi-
figured scenes are full of details from every-day life, which
makes them even more attractive.
The refined colour gamut, sculptural rendering achieved
through musical linearity, the depth of spiritual insight
and sharpness, as well as the plain simplicity of the 12th
century Tryodion point to the high level of miniature art.
The works by St Gregory the Theologian (A-109), which
are of the same period, differently present the possibilities
of Christian painting. Strictly selected reserved artistic
vocabulary is expressive. The figures extending on the
entire folio lacking a frame fill up the entire manuscript.
The size of figures increases according to their importance,
which makes the miniatures even more monumental. The
manuscript is without doubt inspired by fresco paintings.
An astronomical treatise of 1188 (A-65) presents signs
of zodiac. This secular manuscript shows that Georgia of
the time was engaged in an open dialogue with not only
the spiritual centres of Byzantium, but with the cultural
centres of the Islamic Orient as well. However, it is also
obvious that even in the presence of such liberal relations,
the country retained its national language of expression,
59
presenting information with amazing accuracy through a
flow of a refined line.
The Mokvi Gospels (Q-902), the copying of which was
commissioned by Bishop Daniel in 1300, is another
important work of its time. This small manuscript is richly
illuminated with miniatures. The paintings shown against
an unbroken gold background are filled with divine light.
Light pink, slightly golden and slightly turquoise tones
produce an effect of flickering mother-of-pearl. They are
expressive of the theological dispute about the nature of
light relevant at the time and present spiritual ties with
Palaeologan Byzantium.
The miniatures of the psalm (H-1665) have a background
painted in festive red, which, like a royal cape of St David,
underlines the entire painting. It shows the steadiness of
the traditions of Georgian fine arts and its ancient ties with
the spiritual centres of Mount Sinai. The accentuated faces
show the deep insight taken by artist into the psalms and
more concretely, convey the sense of one-to-one presence
of a human being to God.
It is possible to speak endlessly about Georgian book
illumination from the 5th to the end of the 18th centuries. The
importance of late medieval painting is also inexhaustible.
In times of great trouble it was a book that served to
safeguard the spirituality of the Georgian people. Many
collections survive from this period. The versatility of their
composition shows uninterrupted cultural history and
diversity of trends, and enables us to identify the landmarks
of the Georgian Church. The latter was manifested in the
gradual increase of the number of separate and group
images of Georgian saints or scenes from their lives. Later
miniatures lack the artistic perfection of the works created
between the 10th and 13th centuries. Despite this, even the
most simple works are inspired by divine grace.
The year 1801 saw a forceful eradication of the two
principal pillars of the national self-identity – its royal and
ecclesiastical thrones. The troublesome 19th century was
followed by the ungodly 20th century. It is natural that this
led to the diminishing and later, vanishing of the practice
of illuminating ecclesiastical books.
The revival of Christian spirituality among the Georgian
nation started in 1978. It was thanks to the zealous efforts
of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All
Georgia Ilia II that church architecture, wall paintings, wood
and stone carving and enamel art were restored though the
resumption of manuscript production was slightly impeded
by technological difficulties as well as the preference given
Embroidery
Georgian embroidery is one of those forms of the country’s
artistic legacy that best enable us to gain knowledge about
the taste, interests and nature of culture and art of a
Georgian society at each stage of its development.
Ecclesiastical embroidery in Georgia shared its
iconography with the entire Orthodox Christendom in
general, and Byzantine in particular. Nevertheless, like
other forms of decorative art, it took its own national
path following original local traditions and achieved a
high level of development. Ornaments borrowed not
only from iconographic schemes, but from painting and
chasing as well, and even from Persian tapestry, would be
creatively redesigned by Georgian embroiderers by using
various techniques of embroidery and employing silk, and
what are called okromkedi (gold twine), vertskhlimkedi
(silver twine) and zezi (thread spun with gold and silver)
producing a scintillating effect.
Very little is known on where and by whom these
embroideries were created. What is clear from donors’
inscriptions though is that like elsewhere, in Georgia too
most of the embroiderers were women, including those
from prominent families. The most notable inscriptions
survive on a 16th century epitaphios embroidered by the
daughter of King Constantine of Kartli, Astandas; an
epitaphion from the turn of the 17th century embroidered
Ekaterine, formerly called Elene, who was a daughter of the
Kakhetian ruler Khosro after a drawing made by herself
and the daughter of Parsman Tsitsishvili, nun Nastasia; an
epitaphion from 1664, the drawing and the embroidery of
which was made by Tinatin, the daughter of a Minister of
Court Kaikhosro; communion chalice cloths created in
1763 by Queen Anakhanum of Kartli for Gelati. It is also
60
to printing in today’s world. However, with the blessing
of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia the Gospels were
copied on a parchment by using traditional techniques and
illuminated with miniatures. This unique book is now kept
in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity Cathedral as a monument
to Georgian ecclesiastical writing and painting.
evident that images were drawn before being embroidered
by the same or a different person. The presence of special
embroidering workshops at royal and nobles’ courts as
well as at monasteries (Svetitskoveli at Mtskheta, Tsilkani,
Gareja Monastery, Katskhi, Martvili and others) appears
obvious. There is evidence that a specialised workshop
functioned at the court of King Giorgi XII of Kartli and
Kakheti in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In the 19th
century, churches in western Georgian still had special
chambers were ecclesiastical embroideries were made.
Regrettably, early medieval embroideries have not survived
to our day. The production of textiles in a relatively earlier
period is confirmed by highly artistic silk stretched onto the
rear sides of icons and crosses from Ipkhi (10th-11th century)
and Chazhashi (12th-13th century) on which together with
griffins, letters in the asomtavruli (majuscule) script are also
represented. Among items furnished with embroideries
the earliest are 12th century liturgical cuffs from Katskhi.
They are chronologically followed by an epigonation also
from Katskhi, donated by Natela and Shergil Dadiani, an
orarion (priestly stole) of 1312 from Anchi contributed by
a certain Tamar Kherkheulidze and an omophorion made
in 1358, also from Anchi.
We have relatively more embroideries from the period
between the 15th through the 18th centuries. These are
priestly garments, such as sakkoses, omophorions, oraria
and mitres, as well as Royal Door curtains, communion
chalice covers and shrouds. Epitaphions (Greek epitaphios,
Russian плащаница), which are a variety of shrouds,
are so far best studied and most extensively published.
Approximately three hundred epitaphions survive to the
present day, the earliest of being commissioned by King
Giorgi VIII in the 15th century and the latest dating from
the first half of the 19th century. Some of them, such as
those commissioned by King Giorgi VIII and King Bagrat
III of Imereti (the latter produced at Ubisi), both dating
from the 16th century, are of exceptional artistic merit.
With their function and general character Georgian
epitaphions are akin to similar objects of the rest of the
Orthodox Christendom. However, they reveal original
treatment even in terms of iconography: Georgian samples
present historical narratives rather than symbolic images
among which one will always find earthly beings. The
Georgian epitaphions from the 15th century onwards were
also adorned with the Lamentation. Some other works
feature scenes depicting the ascension of Christ, including
the Holy Women at the Sepulchre as well as St Peter,
and the Ascension in the upper part. The representation
of donors shown bent on their knees on a 17th century
epitaphion is also noteworthy.
Meanwhile, it is possible to trace changes in the art of
adorning epitaphions throughout the centuries and this
is best evident in the transformation of colour gamut.
The 15th and 16th century works are more reserved, there
being balance between gold and silk thread colours, while
beginning from the 17th century glimmering gold and silver
surfaces are in evidence, due to which the base becomes
more solid and hard. Also, earlier works are furnished
with brilliantly crafted and lavishly ornamented frames,
but later in the 17th and 18th centuries they gradually
61
lose importance and then disappear at all. Some other
embroidered items also point to other changes, for instance,
at the end of the 17th century the craftsmen of the so-called
Tutas Cover changed the interplay between a figure and
an ornament thus establishing a new principle according
to which an ornament not just served as an adornment
and a symbol, but was considered on the same level with
a figure. Beginning from the 1720s, figural images on
communion chalice cloths, cuffs, epigonations and oraria
were replaced by floral ornamentation bearing a symbolic
meaning. The best example of this is a communion chalice
cloth embroidered by the daughter of King Vakhtang VI
of Kartli, Tamar, in 1718. Beginning from the 1820s the
number of rich donations to the Church reduced. There
are also fewer notes on ecclesiastical embroideries from
that time onwards. However, the women of Alexander
Chavchavadze adorned a tomb cover of St Nino at Bodbe.
Also, if as early as the 17th century the intrusion of Slavonic
art motifs is visible (e.g. on epitaphions), beginning from
the 1830s, Georgian embroidery was replaced mainly by
works of mass production from Russia.
The revival of Georgian embroidery, like other branches
of ecclesiastical art, started in the 1980s. Newly built and
restored churches are furnished with garments, communion
chalice cloths and other items necessary for liturgical
services from embroidery workshops of the Patriarchate
of the Georgian Orthodox Church, functioning in Tbilisi
under the supervision of Eter Urotadze, in Breti and other
churches throughout Georgia.
62
63
64
 nekresis monasteri. IV-XVI ss.
Nekresi Monastery. 4th -16th cc.
nekresis monasteri. mcire bazilika. IV s.
Nekresi Monastery. Small basilica. 4th c.
Zveli SuamTis monasteri. V-VII ss.
Dzveli Shuamta Monastery. 5th -7th cc.

65
 bolnisi. sionis sakaTedro taZari.
saerTo xedi. 478-493 ww.
Bolnisi. Sioni Cathedral. 478-493.
svetisTavis reliefi.
Bas-relief on capital.
qvemo bolnisis eklesia. V-VI ss.
Kvemo Bolnisi. Church. 5th -6th cc.
zegani. yevlawmindas taZari. VI-VII ss.
Zegani. The Church of the Virgin, 6th -7th cc.

66
67
Tbilisi. anCisxatis taZari. VI s. samreklo. 1675 w.
Tbilisi. The Anchiskhati Church. 6th c. Bell-tower. 1675.
urbnisi. wm. stefanes sakaTedro taZari. VI s.
Urbnisi. The Cathedral St. Stephen. 6th c.
Zveli gagris eklesia. VI s.
Old Gagra. Church. 6th c.

68
69
70
 samTavro. wm. ninos eklesia. V s.
Samtavro. The Church of St. Nino. 5th c.
biWvinTa. bazilikis iatakis mozaika. V s.
Bichvinta. Basilica. Floor mosaic. 5th c.

71
72
 Zveli gavazi. RmrTismSoblis taZari. VI s.
Dzveli Gavazi. The Church of the Virgin. 6th c.
ninowminda. sakaTedro taZari. VI s; XV s; XVIII s.
Ninotsminda. Cathedral. 6th c.; 15th c.; 18th c.

73
74
 SiomRvimis monasteri. VI s; XI s; XIXs.
Shiomghvime Monastery. 6th c. 11th c. 19th c.

75
mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. saerTo xedi. 586-604 ww.
Mtskheta. The Church of the Holly Cross. General view. 586-604
mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. interieri. 586-604 ww.
Mtskheta. The Church of the Holly Cross. Interior. 586-604

76
77
78
mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. samxreTi fasadi. 586-604 ww.
Mtsheta. The Church of the Holly Cross. The south façade.
586-604.
mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. jvris amaRleba. timpanis
reliefi. 586-604 ww.
Mtsheta. The Church of the Holly Cross. The Ascention of the
Cross. Bas-relief on the tympanum. 586-604.
stefanoz erisTavi qristes winaSe. aRmosavleTi
fasadis reliefi. 586-604 ww.
Stephanoz Eristavi before Christ. Relief from the East façade.
586-604.

79
80
atenis sioni. saerTo xedi. VII s.
Ateni. Sioni Church. General view. 7th c.
irmebi wyarosTan. timpanis reliefi. VII s.
The stags at the spring. Bas-relief on the tympanum. 7th c.
ganedlebuli jvari. pilastris moxatuloba. VIII s.
Crux-florida. Wall painting on a pilaster. 8th c.

81
martvili. RmrTismSoblis sakaTedro taZari. aRmosavleTi fasadis reliefuri
frizi. VII s.
Martvili. The Cathedral of the Virgin. Bas-relief from the east façade. 7th c.
taZris interieri. VII s. moxatuloba XIV s.; XVII s.
Interior. 7th c. Wall paintings 14th c.; 17th c.

82
83
 wromi. amaRlebis taZari. VII s..
Tsromi. The Church of Ascension. 7th c.
afsidis mozaikis fragmenti. VII s.
Mosaic fragment from the apse. 7th c.
samwevrisi. wm. giorgis eklesia. VII s.
Samtsevrisi. The Church of St. George. 7th c.

84
85
86
qaCaRanis jvari. VI-VII ss.
Kachaghani Cross. 6th -7th cc.
xandisis qvasveti. VI s.
Khandisi high-cross. 6th c.
amaRleba. brdaZoris qvasvetis reliefi. VI s.
The Ascension. Bas-relief from the Brdzadzori high-cross. 6th c.
webeldis kankelis fragmenti. VII_VIII ss.
Bas-relied from the Tsebelda chansel-barrier. 7th -8th cc.

87
88
 banas sakaTedro taZris svetisTavi. VII s.
Bana Cathedral. The capital. 7th c.
banas sakaTedro taZari. saerTo xedi. VII s.
Bana Cathedral. General view. 7th c.

89
gurjaani. yvelawmindas taZari. saerTo xedi. VIII s.
Gurdjaani. The Church of the Virgin. General view. 8th c.
gurjaani. yvelawmindas taZari. interieri VIII s.
Gurdjaani. The Church of the Virgin. Interior. 8th c.

90
91
 wirqolis eklesia. VIII s.
Tsirkoli Church. 8th c.
interieri.
Interior.
gare xedi.
General view.
qsnis armazis wm. giorgis eklesia. interieri.
kankeli. IX s.
Armazi. The Church of St. George. Interior. Chancel barrier.
9th c.

92
93
94
daviT-gareji. sabereebis monastris kedlis mxatvroba. IX-X ss.
Davit-Gareji. Sabereebi Monastery. Wall paintings. 9th – 10th c.
daviT-gareji. dodosrqis monasteri. uflis dideba. IX s.
Davit-Gareji. Dodosrka Monastery. Majestas Domini. 9th c.

95
96
adiSis oTxTavi. wm. ioane da wm. luka maxareblebi.
896 w.
Adishi Gospels. St. John and St. Luke the Evangelists. 896
martvilis tri ptiqoni. vedreba. IX s.
Martvili Triptych. Deisis. 9th c.
kvadrifoliumi. jvarcma. VIII s. (xaxulis karedi)
Quadrifolium. The Crucifixion. 8th c. (Khakhuli Triptych)

97
98
jruWis pirveli oTxTavi. Mmaxarebeli markozi. brmis gankurneba. 964 w.
The First Jruchi Gospels. The Evangelist Mark. The Healing of the Blind. 964.

99
100
 wilknis RmrTismSoblis xati. IX s.; XIII s.
Icon of the Virgin Hodeghetria from Tsilkani. 9th c. 13th c.
zarzmis feriscvalebis xati. 886 w.
Icon of Transfiguration from Zarzma. 886

101
bodbis wm. ninos monasteri. wm. giorgis eklesia. IX s.
St. Nino Monastery at Bodbe. The Church of St. George. 9th c.
yazbegi. sionis eklesia. X s.
Kazbegi. The Sioni Church. 10th c.
vaCnaZiani. yvelawmindas taZari. VIII-IX ss.
Vachnadziani. The Church of the Virgin. 8th -9th cc.

102
103
104
aSot kurapalati. opizis wm. ioane naTlismcemlis
taZris reliefi. IX s.
King Ashot the Great. Bas-relief from the Opiza Church. 9th c.
dolisyanis eklesia. saerTo xedi. X s.
Doliskana Church. General view. 10th c.
aRmosavleT sarkmlis reliefi. X s.
Bas-relief of the east window. 10th c.

105
106
xaxuli. RmrTismSoblis taZari. sakurTxevlis moxatuloba. X-XI ss-is mijna.
Khakhuli. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting of the sanctuary apse. Early 11th c.
xedi dasavleTidan. X s.
View from the west. 10th c.
dasavleTi fasadis reliefi. X s.
Relief from the west façade. 10th c.

107
108
 oTxTa eklesia. saerTo xedi. X s.
Otkhta Eklesia. General view. 10th c.
wm. sioni. sarkmlis moxatuloba. X s.
St. Sioni. Wall Painting of the east window. 10th c.

109
parxali. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis taZari. samxreTi fasadi. X s.
Parkhali. The Church of St. John the Baptist. South façade. 10thc.
dasavleTi fasadi. X s.
West façade. 10th c.

110
111
112
oSki. wm. ioane
naTlismcemlis taZari.
saerTo xedi. 963-73ww.
Oshki. Church of St. John
the Baptist. General view.
963-73.
samxreTi fasadis
reliefebi. X s.
Reliefs from the south
façade. 10th c.

113
114
oSki. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis taZari. interieri. 963-73 ww.
Oshki. Church of St. John the Baptist. Interior. 963-73.
samxreTi afsidis moxatuloba. kompozicia banas sakaTedro taZaris gamosaxulebiT. 1036 w.
Wall painting in the south apse. The scene with the image of the Cathedral of Bana. 1036.

115
116
 iSxnis sakaTedro taZari. saerTo xedi. VII s.; IX s.;
1032 w.
Iskhani Cathedral. General view. 7th c. 9th c. 1032.
Sesasvlelis timpani. 1014-1027 ww.
Tympanum of the entrance. 1014-1027.

117
118
 iSxnis sakaTedro taZari. interieri. VII s.
Ishkhani Cathedral. Interior. 7th c.
jvris amaRleba. gumbaTis moxatuloba. XI s.
The Ascentation of the Cross. Wall painting in the dome. 11th c.

119
120
 iSxnis sawinamZRvro jvari. 973 w.
Iskhani processional Cross. 973.
bediis barZimi. 999 w.
Bedia chalice. 999.

121
Semoqmedis kvadrifoliumi. jvarcma. X s.
Shemokmedi quadrifolium. The Crucifixion. 10th c.
`kvirikes jvari~. X s. (xaxulis karedi).
“Kvirike’s Cross”. 10th c. (Khakhuli triptych).

122
123
124
saRolaSenis lorfini. mariamisa da elisabedis Sexvedra. X-XI ss. mijna.
Sagolasheni plaque. The Visitation. 10th -11th cc.
Cviledi RmrTismSoblisa da wm. barbares xati. XI s.
Icon of the Virgin and Child and St. Barbara. 10th -11th cc.

125
kumurdos macxovris sakaTedro taZari. saerTo xedi. 964 w.
Kumurdo Cathedral. General view. 964.
aRmosavleTi sarkmeli.
East window.
interieri.
Interior.

126
127
128
lixne. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis taZari.
X-XI ss-is mijna.
Likhne. Church of the Dormition. 10th -11th cc.
moqvis sakaTedro taZari. X s.
Mokvi Cathedral. 10th c.
biWvinta. RmrTismSoblis sakaTedro taZari. X s.
Bitchvinta (Pitsunda). The Cathedral of the Virgin. 10th c.
interieri. X s.
Interior. 10th c.

129
130
 kveteris cixis eklesia. X s.
Kvetera Fortress Church. 10th c.
qoroRos RmrTismSoblis eklesiis reliefi.
qtitorebi eklesiis gegmiT. X s.
Qorogho. Bas-relief from the Church. 10th c.
Donors with the church ground plane.

131
 quTaisi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis sakaTedro
taZari, e.w. “bagratis taZari”. 1003 w.
Kutaisi. The Cathedral of Dormition
(“Bagrati Cathedral”). 1003.
saerTo xedi.
General view.
svetisTavi.
Capital.
taZaris karibWe. XI s.
Portico. 11th c.

132
133
 alaverdi. wm. giorgis sakaTedro taZari. XI s.
Alaverdi. The Cathedral of St. George. 11th c.
alaverdis oTxTavi. ganedlebuli jvari. 1054 w.
Alaverdi Gospels. Crux florida 1054.
alaverdis oTxTavi. wm. ioane maxarebeli. 1054 w.
Alaverdi Gospels St. John the Evangelist. 1054.

134
135
mcxeTa. 12 mociqulTa sveticxovlis sakaTedro taZari. 1010-1029 ww.
Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of twelve Apostles. 1010-1029.

136
137
 mcxeTa. sveticxovlis sakaTedro taZari. interieri.
XI-XVII ss.
Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Interior. 11th-17th cc.
aRmosavleTi fasadi. XI s.
East Façade. 11th c.
dasavleTi fasadi. XI s.
West Façade. 11th c.

138
139
140
SiomRvimis kankelis reliefi. wm. Sio mRvimeli da evagre. XI s.
Shiomghvime. Relief of the chancel barrier. St. Shio and Evagre. 11th c.
safara. miZinebis eklesiis kankelis reliefi. xareba. XI s.
Saphara. The Church of the Dormition. Relief of the chancel barrier. The Annunciation. 11th c.

141
142
daviT-gareji. udabnos monastris satrapezo. uflis seroba. XI s.
Davit-Gareji. Refectory of the Udabno Monastery. The Last Supper. 11th c.
daviT-gareji. udabnos monastris mTavari taZari. wm. daviT garejelis saswauli. XI s.
Davit-Gareji. Main Church of the Udabno Monastery. St. Davit’s miracle. 11th c.
manglisi. RmrTismSoblis sakaTedro taZris gumbaTis moxatuloba. mzis personifikacia. XI s.
Manglisi. The Cathedral of the Virgin. Personofication of the sun. Wall painting in the dome. 11th c.

143
144
zarzmis RmrTismSoblis xati. XI s.
Icon of the Virgin Eleusa from Zarzma. 11th c.
labeWinis wm. giorgis xati. XI s.
Icon of St. George from Labetchina. 11th c.
wm. mamas xati gelaTidan. XI s.
Tondo of St. Mamas from Gelati. 11th c.

145
146
 mestiis sakurTxevliswina jvari. XI s.
Pre-altar cross from Mestia. 11th c.
martvilis sawinamZRvro jvari. XI s.
Procession cross from Martvili. 11th c.

147
 samTavro. amaRlebis sakaTedro taZari. saerTo xedi.
XI s.
Samtavro. The Cathedral of Ascension. General view. 11th c.
samxreTi fasadis sarkmlebi.
Windows from South façade.
taZris interieri. XI s.; XIX s.
Imterior. 11th c.; 19th c.

148
149
 nikorwminda. wm. nikolozis sakaTedro taZari. samxreTi
fasadis reliefi. meored mosvla. 1010-1014 ww.
Nickortsminda. The Cathedral of St. Nickolas. Relief from the
South façade. The Second coming. 1010-1014.
dasavleTi fasadi.
West façade.
samTavisi. amaRlebis sakaTedro taZari. 1030 w.
Samtavisi. The Cathedral of Ascension. 1030.

150
151
152
atenis sionis moxatuloba. gankiTvis dRe. fragmenti.
XI s.
Ateni. Sioni Church. The wall paintings. Last Judgment. Detail.
11th c.
Soba. XI s.
The Nativity. 11th c.
mTavarangelozi. fragmenti. XI s.
Archangel. Detail. 11th c.

153
zemo-krixi. mTavarangelozTa eklesiis moxatuloba. raWis erisTavebi vaCianebi. XI s.
Zemo-Krikhi. The Church of Archangels. Wall painting. Eristavi of Racha. 11th c.
wm. irine. XI s.
St. Iren. 11th c.

154
155
156
ifrali. mTavarangelozTa eklesiis moxatuloba. Cviledi RmrTismSobeli da wm. ana. XI s.
Iprali. The Church of Archangels. The Virgin and Child and St. Ana. 11th c.
sakurTxevlis afsidis moxatuloba. XI s.
Sanctuary wall painting. 11th c.
nakifari. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. wm. Tevdore. 1130 w.
Nakipari. The Church of St. George Church. St. George. Wall painting. St. Theodoros. 11th c.

157
158
gelaTis monasteri. saerTo xedi. XII_XIII ss.
Gelati Monastery. General view. 12th – 13th cc.
gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris sakurTxevlis mozaika. RmrTismSoblis dideba. XII s.
Gelati Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Glory of the Virgin. Mosaic. 12th c.

159
160
gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris sakurTxevlis mozaika. mTavarangelozi. fragmenti. XII s.
Gelati Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. The Archangel. Detail. 12th c.
gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris narTeqsis moxatuloba. msoflio saeklesio kreba. fragmenti. XII s.
Gelati Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Wall painting in the narthex. Eucumenical Councils. Detail. 12th c.

161
162
 xaxulis karedi. XII s.
Khakhuli Triptych. 12th c.

163
 minanqris medalionebi: wm. giorgi. XII s. walenjixis
macxovris xati.
wm. demetre, wm. Tevdore. XII s. jumaTis
mTavarangelozis xati.
Enamel medalions: St. George. 12th c. The Tsalendjikha icon of
Savoiur.
St. Demetrious, St. Theodoros. 12th c. Jumati icon of the
Archangel.

164
minanqris medalionebi: wm. petre, wm. luka. XII s.
gelaTis macxovris xati.
dedofalTa kurTxeva. XI s. xaxulis karedi.
Enamel medalions: St. Luke, St. Peter. 12th c. The Gelati icon of
the Saviour.
The Benediction of the Queens. 11th c. Khakhuli Triptych.

165
166
labskaldis oTxTavi. kanoni. XIII s.
Labskaldi Gospels. Canon-table. 13th c.
gelaTis oTxTavi. iudas ambori. petres uaryofa. XII s.
Gelati Gospels. Betrayal of Judas. Denial of St. Peter. 12th c.

167
168
 TiRva. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. 1152 w.
Tighva. The Church of the Virgin. 1152.
niqozi. RvTaebis taZari. V s. XIV s.
Nikozi. Ghvtaeba Church . 5th c. 14th c.

169
miqael mTavarangelozis xati. XI-XII ss.
Icon of the Archangel Michael. 11th -12th cc.
gabriel mTavarangelozis xati. XI-XII ss.
Icon of the Archangel Gabriel. 11th -12th cc.

170
171
172
ormoci sebastieli mowamis xati. XI-XII ss.
Icon of the Forty Martyrs from Sebaste. 11th -12th cc.
setis karedi xati. XIII s.
Seti Triptych. 13th c.
lazares aRdginebis xati. XII s.
Icon of the Ressuruction of Lazarus. 12th c.

173
174
 jvarcmis xati. XI-XI ss.
Icon of Crucifixtion. 11th -12th cc.
jvridan gardamoxsnisa da datirebis xati. XII s.
Icon with Descence from the Cross and Lamentation. 12th c.

175
macxvariSi. macxovris eklesiis moxatuloba. 1140 w.
demetre I-is mefed kurTxeva.
Matskhvarishi. The Church of the Saviour. The Wall paintings. 1140.
Coronation of the king Demetre I.
mociquli wm. petre.
Apostle St. Peter.
boWorma. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. fragmenti.
XII s.
Botchorma. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. Angel. Detail.
12th c.

176
177
178
ikorTia. mTavarangelozTa taZari. 1172 w.
Ikorta. The Church of the Archangels. 1172.
fitareTi. RmrTismSoblis taZari. XIII s.
aRmosavleTi fasadis reliefi.
Pitareti. The Church of the Virgin. 13th c.
Decoration of the eastern façade.
saerTo xedi.
General view.

179
 beTania. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZari. saerTo xedi.
XII s.
Betania. Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. General view.
12th c.
sarkmeli.
Window.
taZris moxatuloba. daviT winaswarmetyveli kidobnis
winaSe. XII s.
Prophet David dancing before the Arc of Covenant. 12th c.

180
181
varZia. kldeSi nakveTi kompleqsi.
Vardzia. Rock-hewn architecutral site.
varZiis RmrTismSoblis taZris moxatuloba. giorgi III da Tamar mefe RmrTismSoblis winaSe. 1186 w.
Vardzia. The Church of the Virgin. King Giorgi III and Queen Tamar interceding with the Vitgin. 1186

182
183
184
varZiis RmrTismSoblis taZris moxatuloba. wm. nino. 1186 w.
Vardzia. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting. St. Nino. 1186
varZiis RmrTismSoblis taZris egvteris moxatuloba. jvris amaRleba. XII-XIII ss.
Vardzia. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting of the annex. The Ascension of the Cross. 12th -13th cc.

185
186
yincvisis wm. nikolozis taZris moxatuloba. XIII s.
Kincvisi. St. Nickolas Church. Wall Painting. 13th c.
ziareba. wm. andrea pirvelwodebuli. fragmenti. XIII s.
Communion of the Apostles. St. Andrew. Detail. 13th c.
jojoxeTis warmotyvevna. fragmenti. XIII s.
The Anastasis. Detail. 13th c.

187
 daviT-gareji. berTubnis RmrTismSoblis taZris
interieri. XIII s.
Davit-Gareji. The Bertubani Church of the Virgin. Interior. 13th c.
jvris amaRleba. mariamis cxovrebis scenebi. XIII s.
The Ascension of the Cross. Scenes from the Life of the Virgin. 13th c.

188
189
190
 timoTesubnis RmrTismSoblis taZris moxatuloba.
gankiTxvis dRe. XIII s.
Timotesubani. The Church of the Virgin. The Last Judgement. 13th c.
taZris gumbaTis moxatuloba. jvris dideba. XIII s.
The Glory of the Cross. Wall painting in the dome. 13th c.

191
wyarosTavis saxarebis yda. XII s.
Tskarostavi Gospels. Chased cover with the Crusifixtion. 12th c.
anCisxatis karedi. VIs.; XII s., XIV s.; XVII s.
Anchiskhati Triptych. 6th c. 12th c. 14th c. 17th c.

192
193
194
macxovris xati. XII-XIII ss.
Icon of the Saviour. 12th -13th c.
Cviledi RmrTismSobelis xati. XIII s.
Icon of the Virgin Hodeghetria. 13th c.
wm. giorgis xati nakifaridan. XIII s.
Icon of St. George from Nakipari. 13th c.

195
196
 suliswmindis mofena. minanqris xati. XII s.
The Pentecost. Enamel icon. 12th c.
mirqma. minanqris xati. XII s.
The Presentation into Temple. Enamel icon. 12th c.

197
jruWis II oTxTavi. gankiTxvis dRe. vedreba. XII s.
The Second Jruchi Gospels. The Last Judgment. Deisis. 12th c.
zatiki. Tomas darwmuneba. XII s.
Triodion. Incredulity of Thomas. 12th c.

198
199
200
wm. grigol nazianzelis homiliebi. wm. grigol noselis episkoposad
kurTxeva. XIII s.
Homilies of Gregory Nazianzus. St. Gregory of Nyssa of concerated bishop. 13th c.
wm. grigol nazianzelis homiliebi. wm. mama (zafxuli). XIII s.
Homilies of Gregory Nazianzus. St. Mamas (Summer). 13th c.

201
202
kacxis enqeri. jojoxeTis warmotyvevna. XIII s.
Epigonation from Katskhi. The Anastasis. 13th c.
anCis olari. XIV s.
Stole from Ancha. 14th c.
Tbilisi. metexis RmrTismSoblis taZari. 1278-1289 ww.
Tbilisi. The Metekhi Church of the Virgin. 1278-1289.

203
204
safaris monasteri. saerTo xedi. X-XIII s.
Saphara Monastery. General view. 10th - 13th c.
safaris monasteri. wm. sabas taZris moxatuloba.
jayelebis saqtitoro portreti. XIV s.
Sapahara Monastery. The Church of St. Sabah. Donor portraits
of the Jakeli family. 13th c.
safara. miZinebis eklesia. karnizi. X s.
Saphara Monastery. The Church of the Dormition. Cornice.
10th c.

205
zarzma. fericvalebis taZari. XIV s.
Zarzma. The Church of Transfiguration. 14th c.
mRvimevis monasteri. XIII s.
Mgvimevi Monastery. 13th c.

206
207
208
gelaTis monastri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris
samxreT-aRmosavleTi egvteris moxatuloba. daviT
narini berobaSi. XIII s.
Gelati Monastery. South-east annex of the Church of the
Nativity of the Virgin. King David Narin as a monk. 13th c.
aWi. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. miZineba.
XIII s.
Achi. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. The
Dormition. 13th c.
daviT-gareji. udabnos monastris `xarebis~
eklesiis moxatuloba. XIII s.
Davit-Gareji. Udabno Monastery. The Church of
Annunciation. Wall painting. 13th c.

209
210
sxalTa. RmrTismSoblis eklesiis moxatuloba. XIV s.
Skhalta. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting. 14th c.
sxalTa. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. XIII s.
Skhalta. The Church of the Virgin. 13th c.
lixne. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis taZris moxatuloba. abraamis stumarTmoyvareoba.
fragmentebi. XIV s.
Likhne. The Church of the Dormition. Wall painting. The Hospitality of Abraham. Details. 14th c.

211
212
walenjixa. macxovris feriscvalebis taZris sakurTxevlis moxatuloba. angelozi.
fragmenti. XIV s.
Tsalendjikha. Church of the Saviour. Wall painting of the sanctuary. Angel. Detail. 14th c.
saswauli kanas. XIV s.
The Miracle at Cannes. 14th c.

213
214
 ubisi. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. XIV s.
Ubisi. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. 14th c.

215
ubisis karedi xati. XIV s.
Ubisi Triptych. 14th c.
ubisis karedi xati. XIV s.
Ubisi Triptych. 14th c.

216
217
 korcxelis xati. RmrTismSoblis miZineba. XIII s.
Korckheli icon. The Dormition. Detail. 13th c.
wm. giorgi. XV s.
Icon of St. George. 15th c.
moqvis oTxTavi. 1300 w.
Mokvi Gospels. 1300.

218
219
220
nabaxtevi. RmrTismSoblis eklesiis moxatuloba. samoTxe. XV s.
Nabakhtevi. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting. Paradise. 15th c.
mefe giorgi VIII-is gardamoxsna. 1446-1466 ww.
Epitaphios of king Giorgi VIII. 1446-1466.

221
222
 mariam dedoflis gardamoxsna. 1623-33 ww.
Epitaphios of Queen Mariam. 1623-33.
dafarna. 1763 w.
Liturgical shroud. 1763.

223
224
axali SuamTis monasteri. saerTo xedi. XVI s.
Akhali Shuamta Monastery. General view. 16th c.
RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris moxatuloba. sasumelisTvis locva. XVI s.
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Wall painting. Agony in the Garden. 16th c.
gremi. mTavarangelozTa eklesia. XVI s.
Gremi. The Church of Archangels. 16th c.

225
 alvani. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis eklesiis moxatuloba.
amaRleba. XVI s.
Alvani. The Church of St. John the Baptist. The Ascension. 16th c.
nekresi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesiis moxatuloba.
levan kaxTa mefe meuRliTa da vaJiT. XVI s.
Nekresi. The Church of the Dormition. King Levan of Kakheti
with his spouse and son. 16th c.
RmrTismSoblis miZineba. XVI s.
The Dormition of the Virgin. 16th c.

226
227
 ananuris cixis kompkleqsi. XVII s.
Ananuri Castle. 17th c.
RmrTismSoblis taZari. sicocxlis xe. fragmenti.
XVII s.
The Church of the Virgin. The Tree of Life. Detail. 17th c.
barakoni. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. 1753 w.
Barakoni. The Church of the Virgin. 1753.

228
229
230
ninowmindis monasteri. samreklo. XVI s.
Ninotsminda Monastery. Bell-tower. 16th c.
mWvadijvari. mTavarangelozTa eklesia. 1668 w.
Mtshadijvari. The Church of Archangels. 1668.
manavi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesia. 1794 w.
Manavi. The Church of the Dormition. 1794.

231
232
 daviT-gareji. lavra. VI-XVII ss.
Davit-Gareji Laura. 6th -17th cc.

233
 gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis
taZari. imereTis mefeTa saqtitoro portreti
XVI s.
Gelati Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of the
Virgin. Portraits of the Kings of Imereti. 16th c.
Crdilo-aRmosavleTi egvteri. ierusalimSi
Sesvla. XVII s.
The North-east annex. Entry into Jerusalem. 17th c.
taZris interieri. moxatuloba. XVI s.
Interier of the church. Wall painting. 16th c.

234
235
236
bugeuli. RmrTismSoblis eklesiis moxatuloba.
xareba. fragmenti. XVI s.
Bugeuli. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting.
The Annunciation. Detail. 16th c.
laSxiSvilebis saqtitoro portreti. XVI s.
Donor portraits of the Lashkhishvili family. 16th c.
qoreTis eklesiis moxatuloba. wm. evstaTes xilva.
XVI s.
Koreti Church. The Vision of St. Eustathious. 16th c.

237
gergeti. wm. samebis taZari. XIV s.
Gergeti. The Trinity Church. 14th c.
gergeti. wm. samebis taZris kankelis moxatuloba. wm. nino. gviani Sua saukuneebi.
Gergeti. The Trinity Church. Painting of the chancel barrier. St. Nino. Late medieval period.
mcxeTa. 12 mociqulis sveticxovlis taZari. svetis moxatuloba. mirian mefe da konstantinopolis
samRvdeloeba. 1678 w.
Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Wall painting of the Holy Pillar. King Mirian and the Constantinopolitan clergy. 1678.

238
239
 ierusalimi. wm. jvris monasteri. SoTa rusTaveli.
XVI s.
Jerusalem. The Holly Cross Monastery. Shota Rustaveli. 16th c.
ierusalimi. “oqros oTxTavi”. brmis gankurneba. XVI s.
Jerusalem. The Golden Gospels. The Healing of the Blind. 16th c.
ierusalimi. macxovris xati. XIII s. 1770 w.
Jerusalem. Icon of Crist. 13th c. 1770.
ierusalimi. dafarna. XVII s.
Jerusalem. Liturgical schroud. 17th c.

240
241
242
 awyuris RmrTismSoblis xati. XVI s.
Icon of the Atskhuri Virgin. 16th c.
wm.Nninos xati SiomRvimidan. XVII s.
Icon of St. Nino from SioMgvime. 17th c.

243
sadgeris sakurTxevliswina jvari. XVI s.
Pre-altar cross from Sadgeri. 16th c.
martvilis aTormeti dResaswaulis xati. 1644 w. 1784; RmrTismSobeli odogitriis figura X s.
Icon of the Holy Feasts. 1664. 1784. Central figure of Hodeghitria – 10th c.

244
245
246
yanCaeTis Jam-gulani. evas Seqmna. 1774 w.
Kanchaeti Gulani. Creation of Eve. 1774.
kondaki. XVI s.
Kontakion. 16th c.

247
248
Tbilisi. sionis sakaTedro taZari. V; XVII ss.
Tbilisi. Sioni Cathedral. 5th c. 17th c
bodbe. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. noes
kidobani. wm. nino sveticxovelis winaSe. 1823 w.
Bodbe. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. Noah’s Ark.
St. Nino and the Life-Giving Pillar. 1823.

249
Tbilisi. qaSueTis wm. giorgis eklesia. 1904-1910 ww.
Tbilisi. Kashueti Church of St. George. 1904-1910.
Tbilisi. qaSueTis wm. giorgis eklesia. interieri. moxatuloba. 1946-48 ww.
Tbilisi. Kashueti Church of St. George. Interior. Wall painting 1946-48.

250
251
 Tbilisi. samebis eklesia. XIX s.
Tbilisi. The Church of the Holy Trinity. 19th c.
saqarTvelos didebis xati. XIX s.
Icon of the Glory of Georgia. 19th c.
Tbilidi. mama daviTis eklesia XIX s.
Tbilisi. The Church of St. Davits. 19th c.

252
253
 asureTis wm. giorgis eklesia. 2001 w.
Asureti. Church of St. George. 2001.
baSi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesia. 2002 w.
Bashi. The Church of the Dormition. 2002.
Tbilisi. wm. abos niSi. 2005 w.
Tbilisi. Chapel of St. Abo. 2005.

254
255
256
Cakiduli Txemebi. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis monasteri. 2002-2005 ww.
Chakiduli Thkhemebi. Monastery of St. John the Baptist. 2002-2005.
svetisTavis reliefi. 2005 w.
The capital with bas-reliefs. 2003.
lukas saxareba. miniatura ydaze. 2005 w.
The Gospel of St. Luke. The miniature on the cover. 2005.
xareba. xeze kveTili xati. 2003 w.
Annunciation. Wood-curved icon. 2003

257
258
Tbilisi. feriscvalebis taZris sakurTxevlis
mxatvroba. vedreba. 2003 w.
Tbilisi. The Church of Transfiguration. Wall painting in the
sanctuary. Deisis. 2003.
Tbilisi. wm. daviT winaswarmetyvelis eklesia.
jvarcma. 1998 w.
Tbilisi. The Church of St. Prohet David. Wall painting.
The Crucifixion. 1998.
Tbilisi. wm. daviT aRmaSeneblis eklesia. qristes
dideba. 1998 w.
Tbilisi. The Church of St. David the Builder. Majestas Domini.
1998.
yvareli. wm. samebis taZari. fericvaleba. 2007 w.
Kvareli. The Church of the Holy Trinity. The Transfiguration.
2007.

259
260
RmrTismSobeli _ ojaxis mfarvelis xati. 2006 w.
Icon of the Virgin – The Family Guardian. 2003.
jojoxeTis warmotyvevnis xati. 1999 w.
Icon of Anastasis. 1999.
wm. evstates xati cxorebiT. 2004 w.
Icon of St. Eustatios. 2004.
RmrTismSoblis xati _ Sen xar venaxi. 1997 w.
Icon of the Virgin – You are the Vineyard. 1997.

261
262
Tbilisi. sionis sakaTedro taZris kretsabmeli.
2001-2003 ww.
Tbilisi. Curtain of Sioni Cathedral. 2001-2003.
Tbilisi. samebis sakaTedro taZris dafarna.
2007 w.
Tbilisi. The Trinity Cathedral. Embroidery of liturgical
shroud. 2007.
jvarcma. omoforis naqargobis fragmenti.
The Crucifixion. Detail of an omophorion embroidery.

263
264
RmrTismSoblis minanqris xati.
Enamel icon of the Virgin.
jvarcmis minanqris xati.
Enamel icon of The Crusifiction.
SuamTis RmrTismSoblis xati. 2005 w.
Icon of the Virgin from Shuamta. 2005.
naZaladevis RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris
saxarebis Weduri yda. 2003 w.
Chased cover of the Gospel from the Nadzaladevi
Church of the Nativite of the Virgin. 2003.

265
266
sruliad saqarTvelos kaTolikos-patriarqis ilia II-s dawerili xatebi.
Tbilisi. wm. samebis sakaTedro taZari. wm. samebis xati.
Icons painted by His Holiness and Beatitude Catholikos-Patriarch of All Georgiens Ilia II.
Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Icon of the Holy Trinity.
Tbilisi. wm. samebis sakaTedro taZari. iveriis RmrTismSoblis xati. 2002 w.
Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Icon of the Virgin Portaitissa. 2002.

267
Tbilisi. wm. samebis sakaTedro taZari. angelozTa kreba. 2004 w.
Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Council of Archangels. 2004.
Tbilisi. wm. samebis sakaTedro taZari. 2004 w.
Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. 2004.

268
269
fotosuraTebi Sesrulebulia:
g. CubinaSvilis sax. qarTuli xelovnebis istoriisa
da ZeglTa dacvis kvlevis erovnul centrTan
arsebuli s. qobulaZis sax. xelovnebis ZeglTa
fiqsaciis fotolaboratoriis mier (fotografebi
oTar qobaliani, oTar cqvitiniZe, giorgi gersamia, saba
demetraSvili, Salva leJava).
wignSi agreTve gamoyenebulia fotosuraTebi:
nino bagrationis 64(2), 169, 210; giorgi bagrationis
64(1), 66, 67, 84, 91, 92, 102, 103(1), 108, 109, 131, 132(2),
134, 148(2), 231; vaxtang gabeliasi 69(2), 128, 129(1);
nikoloz dadianis 256; mariam didebuliZe 107, 118, 126,
129(2); giorgi demetraSvilis 248, 250-253, 255, 269;
Tamaz dvalis 88, 89, 105, 106, 110-117, 119; marina vaCnaZis
224(2), 226, 227; mirian kilaZis 70, 93, 127, 132(1),
138(1), 149, 177, 181, 182, 185-187(1), 205(2), 207, 268; nana
kupraSvili 187(2) 205(1); besarion macaberiZis 140,
141, 220; droor maianis 77; gogoTur misriaSvilis
81; luarsab togoniZis 6; daviT cxadaZis 240-241; ana
ZiapSi pa 211; nino WiWinaZis 125, 170-175, 194-195; mama
elia xalifehis 94, 238(2).
ydaze: mcxeTa. sveticxovlis sakaTedro taZari.
satitulo gverdze: asomTavruli mozaikuri warwera
qarTvelTa monastridan bir-el-kutSi. wminda miwa. V s.
ierusalimi. franciskanelTa muzeumi.
Semoklebani:
sxm - saqarTvelos erovnuli muzeumi. S. amiranaSvilis
saqarTvelos xelovnebis muzeumi.
siem - saqarTvelos erovnuli muzeumi. svaneTis
istoriul - eTnografiuli muzeumi
qiem - n. berZeniSvilis quTaisis istoriul-
eTnografiuli muzeumi;
xec - xelnawerTa erovnuli centri
270
Photography by:
S. Kobuladze Laboratory for Photo Recoding of Monuments of
Art of G. Chubinashvili National Research Centre for History
of Georgian Art and Monument Protection (Otar Kobaliani,
Otar Tskvitinidze, Giorgi Gersamia, Saba Demetrashvili, Shalva
Lejava).
Photographic Acknowledgements:
Nino Bagrationi 64(2), 169, 210; Giorgi Bagrationi 64(1), 66,
67, 84, 91, 92, 102, 103(1), 108, 109, 131, 132(2), 134, 148(2),
231; Nino Chichinadze 125, 170-175, 194-195; Nikoloz
Dadiani 256; Mariam Didebulidze 107, 118, 126, 129(2);
Giorgi Demetrashvili 248, 250-253, 255, 269; Tamaz Dvali 88,
89, 105, 106, 110-117, 119; Ana Dziapshipa 221; Vakhtang
Gabelia 69(2), 128, 129(1); Besarion Matsaberidze 140, 141,
220; Mirian Kiladze 70, 93, 127, 132(1), 138(1), 149, 177, 181,
182, 185-187(1), 205(2), 207, 268; Nana Kuprashvili 187(2)
205(1); Father Elia Khalifehi 94, 238(2); Droor Maayan 77;
Gogotur Misriashvili 81; Davit Tskhadaze 240-241; Luarsab
Togonidze 6; Marina Vachnadze 224(2), 226, 227.
On cover: Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
On the title-page: Georgian mosaic inscription from the
Georgian Monastery at Bir-el- Qut. Holy Land. 5th c. Jerusalem.
The Franciscan Museum.
Abbrivations
GMFA - The Georgian National Museum. The Amiranashvili
Muzeum of Fine Arts.
MHES - The Georgian National Museum. The Museum of
History and Ethnography of Svaneti.
KMHE - The Kutaisi N. Berdzenishvili museum of history and
Ethnography.
NCM - The National Center for Manuscripts.
ilustraciebis sia
ilustracia gverdze:
63. saqarTvelos xuroTmoZRvruli Zeglebis ruka.
Semdgeneli vaxtang cincaZe; mxatvari vaJa orbelaZe
64. nekresis monasteri. IV-XVI ss.
nekresis monasteri. mcire bazilika. IV s.
65. Zveli SuamTis monasteri. V-VII ss.
66. bolnisi. sionis sakaTedro taZari. 478-493 ww.
taZaris svetisTavis reliefi. 478-493 ww.
67. qvemo bolnisis eklesia. V-VI ss.
zegani. yevlawmindas taZari. VI-VII ss.
68. Tbilisi. anCisxatis taZari. VI s. samreklo. 1675 w.
69. urbnisi. wm. stefanes sakaTedro taZari. VI s.
Zveli gagris eklesia. VI s.
70. samTavro. wm. ninos eklesia. V s.
71. biWvintis bazilikis iatakis mozaika. V s.
72. Zveli gavazi. RmrTismSoblis taZari. VI s.
73. ninowminda. sakaTedro taZari. VI s; XV s; XVIII s.
74. SiomRvimis monasteri. VI s; XI s; XIX s.
76. mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. saerTo xedi. 586-604 ww.
77. mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. interieri. 586-604 ww.
78. mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. samxreTi fasadi.
586-604 ww.
79. mcxeTa. wm. jvris taZari. jvris amaRleba. timpanis
reliefi. 586-604 ww.
stefanoz erisTavi qristes winaSe. aRmosavleT
fasadis reliefi. 586-604 ww.
80. atenis sioni. saerTo xedi. VII s.
81. atenis sioni. irmebi wyarosTan.
timpanis reliefi. VII s.
ganedlebuli jvari. pilastris moxatuloba. VIII s.
82. martvili. RmrTismSoblis skaTedro taZari. Crux-florida. Wall painting on a pilaster. 8th c.
aRmosavleTi fasadis reliefuri frizi. VII s.
83. martvili. RmrTismSoblis sakaTedro taZris east façade. 7th c.
interieri. VII s. moxatuloba XIV s.; XVII s.
84. wromi. amaRlebis taZari. VII s.
wromi. afsidis mozaikis fragmenti. VII s. sxm.
85. samwevrisi. wm. giorgis eklesia. VII s.
86. qaCaRanis jvari. VI-VII ss. sxm.
87. xandisis qvasveti. VI s. sxm.
amaRleba. brdaZoris qvasvetis reliefi. VI s. sxm.
webeldis kankelis filis fragmenti. VII-VIII ss. sxm.
88. banas sakaTedro taZris svetisTavi. VII s.
89. banas sakaTedro taZari. saerTo xedi. VII s.
90. gurjaani. yvelawmindas taZari. saerTo xedi. VIII s.
91. gurjaani. yvelawmindas taZari. interieri VIII s.
92. wirqolis eklesia. VIII s. interieri. gare xedi.
271
List of Illustrations
Illustration on the page:
63. The Map of the architectural monuments of Georgia.
Made by Vakhtang Tsintsadze and Vaja Orbeladze.
64. Nekresi Monastery. 4th -16th cc.
Nekresi Monastery. Small basilica. 4th c.
65. Dzveli Shuamta Monastery. 5th -7th cc.
66. Bolnisi. Sioni Catherdral. 478-493
Bolnisi. Sioni Cathedral. Bas-relief on capital.
67. Kvemo Bolnisi. Church. 5th -6th cc.
Zegani. Church of the Virgin, 6th -7th cc.
68. Tbilisi. The Church of Anchiskhati. 6th c. Bell-tower. 1675.
69. Urbnisi. The Cathedral of St. Stephen. 6th c.
Old Gagra. Church. 6th c.
70. Samtavro. The Church of St. Nino. 5th c.
71. Bichvinta. Basilica. Floor mosaic. 5th c.
72. Dzveli Gavazi. The Church of the Virgin. 6th c.
73. Ninotsminda. Cathedral. 6th c.; 15th c.; 18th c.
74. Shiomghvime monastery. 6th c. 11th c. 19th c.
76. Mtskheta. The Church of the Holly Cross. General view.
586-604.
77. Mtskheta. The Curch of the Holly Cross. Interior. 586-604.
78. Mtskheta. The Curch of the Holly Cross. The south façade.
586-604.
79. Mtsheta. The Church of the Holly Cross. The Ascention of
the Cross. Bas-relief on the tympanum. 586-604.
Stephanoz Eristavi before Christ. Bas-relief from the east
façade. 586-604.
80. Ateni. Sioni Church. General view. 7th c.
81. Ateni. Sioni Church.The stags at the spring.
Bas-relief on the tympanum. 7th c.
82. Martvili. The Cathedral of the Virgin. Bas-relief from the
83. Martvili. Cathedral. Interior. 7th c. Wall paintings 14th c;
17th c.
84. Tsromi. The Church of Ascension . 7th c.
Tsromi. Mosaic fragment from the apse. 7th c. GMFA
85. Samtsevrisi. The Church of St. George. 7th c.
86. Kachaghani Cross. 6th -7th cc. GMFA
87. Khandisi high-cross. 6th c. GMFA
The Ascension. Bas-relief from the Brdzadzori high-cross.
6th c. GMFA.
Bas-relied from the Tsebelda chansel barrier. 7th -8th cc.
GMFA
88. Bana Cathedral. The capital. 7th c.
89. Bana Cathedral. General view. 7th c.
93. qsnis armazis wm. giorgis eklesia. interieri. 90. Gurdjaani. The Church of the Virgin. General view. 8th c.
kankeli. IX s. 91. Gurdjaani. The Church of the Virgin. Interior. 8th c.
94. daviT-gareji. sabereebis monastris kedlis 92. Tsirkoli church. 8th c.
mxatvroba. IX-X ss. Interior. General view.
95. daviT-gareji. dodosrqis monasteri. uflis dideba. 93. Armazi. The Church of St. George. Interior. Chancel barrier.
IX s. 9th c.
96. adiSis oTxTavi. wm. ioane da wm. luka maxareblebi. 94. Davit-Gareji. Sabereebi Monastery. Wall paintings. 9th
896 w. siem. – 10thc.
97. martvilis tri ptiqoni. vedreba. IX s. sxm. 95. Davit-Gareji. Dodosrka Monastery. Majestas Domini. 9th c.
kvadrifoliumi. jvarcma. VIII s. (xaxulis karedi). 96. Adishi Gospels. St. John and St. Luke the Evangelists. 896.
sxm. MHES.
98. jruWis pirveli oTxTavi. wm. markoz maxarebeli. 97. Martvili Triptych. Deisis. 9th c. GMFA.
964 w. H-1660. mxatvari kamaraT mwerali Tevdore. Quadrifolium.The Crucifixion. 8th c. (Khakhuli Triptych).
xec. GMFA.
99. jruWis pirveli oTxTavi. brmis gankurneba. 964 w. 98. The First Jruchi Gospels. The Evangelist Mark. 964. H-1660.
H-1660. mxatvari kamaraT mwerali Tevdore. xec. Painted by Tevdore. NCM.
100. wilknis RmrTismSoblis xati. IX s.; XIII s. sxm. 99. The First Jruchi Gospels. The Healing of the Blind. 964.
101. zarzmis feriscvalebis xati. 886 w. sxm. H-1660. Painted by Tevdore. NCM.
102. bodbis wm. ninos monasteri. wm. giorgis eklesia. 100. Icon of the Virgin Hodeghetria from Tsilkani. 9th c. 13th c.
IX s. GMFA
103. yazbegi. sionis eklesia. X s. 101. Icon of the Transfiguration from Zarzma. 886. GMFA
vaCnaZiani. yvelawmindas taZari. VIII-IX ss. 102. St. Nino Monastery at Bodbe. The Church of St. George.
104. aSot kurapalati.Oopizis wm. ioane 9thc.
naTlismcemlis taZris reliefi. IX s. sxm. 103. Kazbegi. The Sioni Church. 10th c.
105. dolisyanis eklesia. saerTo xedi. X s. Vachnadziani. The Church of the Virgin. 8th -9th cc.
dolisyanis eklesia. aRmosavleT sarkmlis 104. King Ashot the Great. Bas relief from the Opiza Church.
reliefi. X s. 9th c. GMFA.
106. xaxuli. RmrTismSoblis taZaris sakurTxevlis 105. Doliskana Church. General view. 10th c.
moxatuloba. XI-XII ss-Ta mijna. Doliskana Church. Bas-relief of the east window. 10th c.
xaxuli. RmrTismSoblis taZari. xedi 106. Khakhuli. The Church of the Virgin. 10th c. Wall painting of
dasavleTidan. X s. the sanctuary apse. Early 11th c.
107. xaxuli. RmrTismSoblis taZari. dasavleT fasadis Khakhuli. The Church of the Virgin. View from the
reliefi. X s. west. 10th c.
108. oTxTa eklesia. X s. saerTo xedi. 107. Khakhuli. Church of the Virgin. Relief from the west façade.
109. oTxTa eklesia. wm. sioni. sarkmlis moxatuloba. X s. 10th c.
110. parxali. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis taZari. 108. Otkhta Eklesia. General view. 10th c.
samxreTi fasadi. X s. 109. Otkhta Eklesia. St. Sioni. Wall Painting of the east window.
111. parxali. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis taZari. 10th c.
dasavleTi fasadi. X s. 110. Parkhali. The Church of St. John the Baptist. South façade.
112. oSki. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis taZari. 963-73 ww. 10th c.
113. oSki. samxreTi fasadis reliefebi. X s. 111. Parkhali. Church of St. John the Baptist. West façade. 10th c.
mTavarangelozebi. X s. 112. Oshki. The Church of St. John the Baptist. 963-73.
vedreba. bagrat erisTavT-erisTavi da daviT 113. Oshki. Reliefs from the south façade. Archangels. 10th c.
kurapalati. X s. Deisis with Bagrat Eristavt-eristavi and Davit Kurapalati.
114. oSki. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis taZari. interieri. 10th c.
963-73 ww. 114. Oshki. The Church of St. John the Baptist. Interior. 963-73.
115. oSki. samxreTi afsidis moxatuloba. Kkompozicia 115. Oshki. Wall painting in the south apse. The scene with the
banas sakaTedro taZris gamosaxulebiT. 1036 w. image of the Cathedral of Bana. 1036.

272
116. iSxnis sakaTedro taZari. VII s.; IX s.; 1032 w.
saerTo xedi. xuroTmoZRvari ioane morCaisZe.
117. iSxnis sakaTedro taZari. warwera Sesasvlelis
timpanze. 1014-1027 ww.
118. iSxnis sakaTedro taZari. interieri. VII s.
119. iSxnis sakaTedro taZari. jvris amaRleba. gumbaTis
moxatuloba. XI s.
120. iSxnis sawinamZRvro jvari. 973 w. sxm.
121. bediis barZimi. 999 w. sxm.
122. Semoqmedis kvadrifoliumi. jvarcma. X s. sxm.
123. `kvirikes jvari~. X s. (xaxulis karedi). sxm.
124. saRolaSenis lorfini. Mmariamisa da elisabedis
Sexvedra. X-XI ss. mijna. sxm.
125. Cviledi RmrTismSoblisa da wm. barbares xati. XI s.
siem.
126. kumurdos macxovris sakaTedro taZari. saerTo
xedi. 964 w. xuroTmoZRvari sakocari.
aRmosavleTi sarkmeli.
127. kumurdos macxovris sakaTedro taZari. interieri.
964 w.
128. lixne. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis taZari. X-XI ss-is
mijna.
moqvis sakaTedro taZari. X s.
129. biWvinta. RmrTismSoblis sakaTedro taZari. X s.
130. kveteris cixis eklesia. X s.
131. qoroRos RmrTismSoblis eklesiis reliefi.
qtitorebi eklesiis gegmiT. X s.
132. quTaisi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis sakaTedro taZari.
e.w. “bagratis taZari”. saerTo xedi. 1003 w.
svetisTavi. XI s.
133. “bagratis taZari”. karibWe. XI s.
134. alaverdi. wm. giorgis sakaTedro taZari. XI s.
alaverdis oTxTavi. ganedlebuli jvari. 1054 w. A-484.
xec.
135. alaverdis oTxTavi. wm. ioane maxarebeli. 1054 w.
A-484. xec.
136. mcxeTa. sveticxovlis taZari. 1010-1029 ww.
138. mcxeTa. sveticxovlis sakaTedro taZari. interieri.
XI-XVII ss.
aRmosavleTi fasadi. 1010-1029 ww.
139. mcxeTa. sveticxovlis sakaTedro taZari. dasavleTi
fasadi. 1010-1029 ww.
140. SiomRvimis kankelis reliefi. wm. Sio mRvimeli da
evagre. XI s. sxm.
141. safara. miZinebis taZris kankelis reliefi. xareba.
XI s. sxm.
142. daviT-gareji. udabnos monastris satrapezo. Uuflis
seroba. XI s.
273
116. Iskhani Cathedral. General view. 7th c. 9th c. 1032. Architect
Ioane Morchaisdze.
117. Ishkhani Cathedral. Inscription on the tympanum of the
entrance. 1014-1027.
118. Ishkhani Cathedral. Interior. 7th c.
119. Ishkhani Cathedral. The Ascentation of the Cross. Wall
painting in the dome. 11th c.
120. Iskhani Processional Cross. 973. GMFA.
121. Bedia chalice. 999. GMFA
122. Shemokmedi quadrifolium. The Crucifixion. 10th c. GMFA.
123. “Kvirike Cross”. 10th c. (Khakhuli triptych). GMFA.
124. Sagolasheni plaque. The Visitation. 10th -11th cc. GMFA.
125. Icon of the Virgin and the Child and St. Barbara. 10th -11th
cc. MHES.
126. Kumurdo Cathedral. General view. 964. Architect Sakotsari.
East window.
127. Kumurdo Cathedral. Interior. 964.
128. Likhne. The Church of the Dormition of the Virgin. 10th
-11th cc.
Mokvi Cathedral. 10th c.
129. Bitchvinta (Pitsunda). The Cathedral of the Virgin. 10th c.
130. Kvetera fortress Church. 10th c.
131. Korogho. The Church of the Virgin. Donors with the
ground plan of the church. 10th c.
132. Kutaisi. Cathedral of Dormition (“Bagrati cathedral”).
General view. 1003.
Capital.
133. “Bagrati cathedral”. Portico. 11th c.
134. Alaverdi. The Cathedral of St. George. 11th c.
Alaverdi Gospels. Crux florida. 1054. A-484. NMC.
135. Alaverdi Gospels. St John the Evangelist. 1054. A-484.
NMC.
136. Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles.
1010-1029. Architect Arsukidze.
138. Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Interior. 11th-17th cc.
Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. East façade. 1010-1029.
139. Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. West façade. 1010-
1029.
140. Shiomghvime. Bas-relief of the chancel barrier. St. Shio and
Evagre. 11th c. GMFA
141. Saphara. The Church of the Dormition. Bas-relief from the
chancel barrier. The Annunciation. 11th c. GMFA.
142. Davit-Gareji. Refectory of the Udabno Monastery. The Last
Supper. 11th c.
Davit-Gareji. Main Church of the Udabno Monastery.
St. Davit’s miracle. 11th c.
143. Manglisi. The Cathedral of The Virgin. Personofication of
the sun. Wall painting in the dome. 11th c.
 udabnos monastris mTavari taZari. wm. daviT
garejelis saswauli. XI s.
143. manglisi. RmrTismSoblis sakaTedro taZari.
gumbaTis moxatuloba. mzis personifikacia. XI s.
144. zarzmis (laklakiZis) RmrTismSoblis xati. XI s.
sxm.
145. labeWinis wm. giorgis xati. XI s. sxm.
wm. mamas xati gelaTidan. XI s. sxm.
146. mestiis sakurTxevliswina jvari. XI s. siem
147. martvilis sawinamZRvro jvari. XI s. oqromWedeli
ivane diakoni. sxm.
148. samTavro. amaRlebis sakaTedro taZari.
saerTo xedi. XI s.
samTavro. amaRlebis sakaTedro taZari. samxreTi
fasadis sarkmlebi. XI s.
149. samTavro. amaRlebis sakaTedro taZari. interieri.
XI s. XIX s.
150. nikorwminda. wm. nikolozis sakaTedro taZari.
samxreTi fasadis reliefi. meored mosvla.
1010-1014 ww.
nikorwminda. wm. nikolozis sakaTedro taZari.
dasavleTi fasadi. 1010-1014 ww.
151. samTavisi. amaRlebis sakaTedro taZari. 1030 w.
152. atenis sionis moxatuloba. gankiTvis dRe.
fragmenti. XI s.
153. atenis sioni. Soba. XI s.
atenis sioni. sakurTxevlis moxatuloba.
mTavarangelozi. fragmenti. XI s.
154. zemo-krixi. mTavarangelozTa eklesiis moxatuloba.
raWis erisTavebi vaCianebi mTavarangeloz miqaelis
winaSe. XI s.
155. zemo-krixi. mTavarangelozTa eklesiis moxatuloba.
wm. irine. XI s.
156. ifrari. mTavarangelozTa eklesiis moxatuloba.
Cviledi RmrTismSobeli da wm. ana. XI s. mefis
mxatvari Tevdore.
157. ifrari. mTavarangelozTa eklesiis sakurTxevlis
moxatuloba. XI s. mefis mxatvari Tevdore.
nakifaris wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. wm.
Tevdore. 1130 w. mefis mxatvari Tevdore.
158. gelaTis monasteri. saerTo xedi. XII_XIII ss.
159. gelaTi. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris
sakurTxevlis mozaika. RmrTismSoblis dideba. XII s.
160. gelaTi. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris sakurTxevlis
mozaika. mTavarangelozi. fragmenti. XII s.
161. gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris
narTeqsis moxatuloba. msoflio saeklesio kreba.
fragmenti. XII s.
274
144. Icon of the Virgin Eleusa from Zarzma. 11th c. GMFA.
145. Icon of St. George from Labetchina. 11th c. GMFA.
Gelati tondo of St. Mamas. 11th c. GMFA
146. Pre-altar cross from Mestia. 11th c. MHES
147. Processional cross from Martvili. 11th c. Made by Ivane
Deacon. GMFA
148. Samtavro. The Cathedral of Ascension. General view. 11th c.
Samtavro. The Cathedral of Ascension. Windows on the
south façade. 11th c.
149. Samtavro. The Cathedral of Ascension. Interior. 11th c. 19th c.
150. Nickortsminda. The Cathedral of St. Nickolas. Relief of the
south fasade. The Second Coming. 1010-1014.
Nickortsminda. The Cathedral of St. Nickolas. West façade.
1010-1014.
151. Samtavisi. The Cathedral of Ascension. 1030.
152. Ateni. Sioni Church. Last Judgment. Detail. 11th c.
153. Ateni. Sioni Church. The Nativity. 11th c.
Ateni. Sioni Church. Archangel. Detail. Wall painting in the
sanctuary. 11th c.
154. Zemo-Krikhi. The Church of Archangels. Eristavi of Racha
interceding with Archangel Michael. Wall painting. 11th c.
155. Zemo-Krikhi. The Church of Archangels. St. Irene. Wall
painting. 11th c.
156. Iprari. The Church of Archangels. The Virgin and Child and
St. Ana. 11th c. Royal painter Tevdore.
157. Iprari. The Church of Archangels. Wall painting in the
sanctuary. 11th c. Royal Painter Tevdore.
Nakipari. The Church of St. George . St. Theodoros. 11th c.
Royal Painter Tevdore.
158. Gelati Monastery. General view. 12th – 13th cc.
159. Gelati. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Glory of
the Virgin. Mosaic. 12th c.
160. Gelati. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Mosaic in
the apse. Archangel. Detail. 12th c.
161. Gelati. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
Wall painting in the narthex. The Eucumenical Councils.
Detail. 12th c.
162. Khakhuli Triptych. 12th c. GMFA.
164. Enamel medalions: St. George. 12th c. Tsalendjikha icon of
the Savoiur.
St. Demetrious; St. Theodoros. 12th c. Jumati icon of the
Archangel. GMFA
165. Enamel medalions: St. Peter; St. Luke. 12th c. Gelati icon of
the Saviour. The Benediction of the Queens. 11th c.
Khakhuli Triptych. GMFA.
166. Labskaldi Gospels. Canon-table. 13th c. MHES.
167. Gelati Gospels. Betrayal of Judas. Denial of St. Peter. 12th c.
NCM.
162. xaxulis karedi. XII s.
164. minanqris medalionebi: wm. giorgi. XII s. walenjixis
macxovris xati. wm. demetre; wm. Tevdore. XII s.
jumaTis mTavarangelozis xati. sxm.
165. minanqris medalionebi: wm. petre; wm. luka. XII s.;
gelaTis macxovris xati. dedofalTa kurTxeva.
XI s. xaxulis karedi. sxm.
166. labskaldis oTxTavi. kanoni. XIII s. siem
167. gelaTis oTxTavi. iudas ambori; petres uaryofa.
XII s. xec.
168. TiRva. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. 1152 w.
169. niqozi. RvTaebis taZari. V s. XIV s.
170. miqael mTavarangelozis xati. XI-XII ss.
wm. ivlitasa da kvirikes eklesia. zemo svaneTi. siem.
171. gabriel mTavarangelozis xati. XI-XII ss. siem.
172. ormoci sebastieli mowamis xati. XI-XII ss. siem.
173. setis karedi xati. XIII s. siem.
lazares aRdginebis xati. XII s. siem.
174. jvarcmis xati. XI-XI s. siem.
175. jvridan gardamoxsnisa da datirebis xati. XII s.
wm. ivlitasa da kvirikes eklesia. zemo svaneTi. siem.
176. macxvariSi. macxovris eklesiis moxatuloba.
demetre I-is mefed kurTxeva. 1140 w. mxatvari
miqael maRlakeli.
macxvariSi. macxovris eklesiis moxatuloba wm.
petre mociquli. fragmenti. 1140 w. mxatvari
miqael maRlakeli.
177. boWorma. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba.
angelozi. fragmenti. XII s.
178. ikorTia. mTavarangelozTa taZari. 1172 w.
179. fitareTi. RmrTismSoblis taZari. aRmosavleTi
fasadis reliefi. XIII s.
fitareTi. RmrTismSoblis taZari. saerTo xedi.
XIII s.
180. beTania. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZari. XII s.
saerTo xedi.
181. beTania. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris moxatuloba.
wm. daviT winaswarmetyveli kidobnis winaSe. XII s.
182. varZia. kldeSi nakveTi kompleqsi.
183. varZiis RmrTismSoblis taZris moxatuloba.
giorgi III da Tamar mefe RmrTismSoblis winaSe.
1186 w.
184. varZiis RmrTismSoblis taZris moxatuloba. wm. nino.
1186 w.
185. varZiis RmrTismSoblis taZris egvteris
moxatuloba. jvris amaRleba. XII-XIII ss.
186. yincvisi. wm. nikolozis taZris moxatuloba. XIII s.
187. yincvisi. wm. nikolozis taZris moxatuloba.
275
168. Tighva. The Church of the Virgin. 1152.
169. Nikozi. Ghvtaeba Church . 5th c. 14th c.
170. Icon of the Archangel Michael. 11th -12 th cc. The Church of
St. Juilitta and St. Quiriqus. Upper Svaneti. MHES.
171. Icon of the Archangel Gabriel. 11th -12th cc. MHES.
172. Icon of the Forty Martyrs from Sebaste. 11th -12th cc.
MHES.
173. Seti Triptych. 13th c. MHES.
Icon of the Ressuruction of Lazarus. 12th c. MHES
174. Icon of the Crucifixtion. 11th -12th cc. MHES
175. Icon with Depostion and Lamentation. 12th c. The Church
St. Juilitta and St. Quiriqus. Upper Svaneti. MHES.
176. Matskhvarishi. Church of the Saviour. Coronation of the
King Demetre I. 1140. Painter Michael Maglakeli.
Matskhvarishi. Church of the Saviour. Apostle St. Peter. Wall
painting. 1140. Painter Michael Maglakeli.
177. Botchorma. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. Angel.
Detail. 12th c.
178. Ikorta. The Church of Archangels. 1172.
179. Pitareti. The Church of the Virgin. 13th c. Decoration of the
east fasade.
Pitareti. The Church. of the Virgin. General view.
180. Betania. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. General
view. 12th c.
181. Betania. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
St. Prophet David dancing before the Arc of Covenant.
12th c.
182. Vardzia. Rock-hewn architecutral complex.
183. Vardzia. The Church of the Virgin. King Giorgi III and
Queen Tamar interceding with the Virgin. 1186
184. Vardzia. The Church of the Virgin. St. Nino. 1186
185. Vardzia. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting in the
annex. The Ascension of the Cross. 12th -13th cc.
186. Kincvisi. The Church of St. Nickolas. Wall Painting. 13th c.
187. Kincvisi. The Church of St. Nickolas. Wall Painting.
Communion of the Apostles. St. Andrew. Detail. 13th c.
Kincvisi. The Church of St. Nickolas. Wall Painting.
The Anastasis. Detail. 13th c.
188. Davit-Gareji. The Bertubani Church of the Virgin. Interior.
13th c.
189. Davit-Gareji. The Bertubani Church of the Virgin. Wall
paintings. The Ascension of the Cross; Scenes from the Life
of the Virgin. 13th c.
190. Timotesubani. The Church of the Virgin. The Last
Judgement. 13th c.
191. Timotesubani. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting in
the dome. The Glory of the Cross. 13th c.
192. Tskarostavi Gospels. Chased cover with the Crusifixtion.
 ziareba. wm. andrea pirvelwodebuli. fragmenti.
XIII s.
yincvisi. wm. nikolozis taZris moxatuloba.
jojoxeTis warmotyvevna. fragmenti. XIII s.
188. daviT-gareji. berTubnis RmrTismSoblis taZris
interieri. XIII s.
189. daviT-gareji. berTubnis RmrTismSoblis taZari.
jvris amaRleba. mariamis cxovrebis scenebi. XIII s.
190. timoTesubani. RmrTismSoblis taZris moxatuloba.
gankiTxvis dRe. XIII s.
191. timoTesubani. RmrTismSoblis taZris gumbaTis
moxatuloba. jvris dideba. XIII s.
192. wyarosTavis saxarebis yda. XII s. oqromWedeli
beqa opizari. xec.
193. anCisxatis karedi. VI s.; XII s., XIV s.; XVII s.
centraluri xatis CarCo – beSqen da beqa opozarebi.
sxm.
194. macxovris xati wvirmidan. XII-XIII ss. siem.
195. Cviledi RmrTismSobelis xati. XIII s. siem.
wm. giorgis xati nakifaridan. XIII s. siem.
196. suliswmindis mofena. minanqris xati, XII s. sxm.
197. mirqma. minanqris xati, XII s. sxm.
198. jruWis II oTxTavi. gankiTxvis dRe. vedreba. XII s. H
H-1167. xec.
199. zatiki. Tomas darwmuneba. XII s. A-734. xec.
200. wm. grigol nazianzelis homiliebi. wm. grigol
noselis episkoposad kurTxeva. XIII s. A-109. xec.
201. wm. grigol nazianzelis homiliebi. wm. mama
(zafxuli). XIII s. -109. xec.
202. kacxis enqeri. jojoxeTis warmotyvevna. XIII s. sxm.
anCis olari. XIV s. sxm.
203. Tbilisi. metexis RmrTismSoblis taZari.
1278-1289 ww.
204. safaris monasteri. saerTo xedi. X - XIII ss.
xuroTmoZRvari faresasZe.
205. safaris monasteri. wm. sabas taZris moxatuloba.
jayelebis saqtitoro portreti. XIV s.
safara. miZinebis eklesia. karnizi. X s.
206. zarzma. fericvalebis taZari. XIV s.
207. mRvimevis monasteri. XIII s.
208. gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris
samxreT-aRmosavleTi egvteris moxatuloba. daviT
narini berobaSi. XIII s.
209. aWi. wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. miZineba.
XIII s.
daviT-gareji. udabnos monastris `xarebis~
eklesiis moxatuloba. XIII s.
210. sxalTa. RmrTismSoblis eklesiis moxatuloba.
XIV ss.
276
12th c. Made by Beka Opizari. NCM.
193. Anchiskhati Triptych. 6th c. 12th c. 14th c. 17th c. The frame of
the central icon made by Beskhen and Beka Opizari.
GMFA.
194. Icon of the Saviour from Tsvirmi. 12th -13th c. MHES.
195. Icon of the Virgin Hodeghetria. 13th c. MHES.
Icon of St. George from Nakipari. 13th c. MHES.
196. The Pentecost. Enamel icon. 12th c. GMFA.
197. Presentation into Temple. Enamel icon. 12th c. GMFA.
198. The Second Jruchi Gospels. The Last Judgment. Deisis. 12th
c. H-11167. NCM.
199. Triodion. Incredulity of Thomas. 12th c. A-734. NCM.
200. Homilies of Gregory the Nazianzus. St. Gregory of Nyssa is
concerated bishop. 13th c. A-109. NCM.
201. Homilies of St.Gregory Nazianzus. St. Mamas (Summer).
13th c. A-109. NCM.
202. Epigonation from Katskhi. The Anastasis. 13th c. GMFA.
Orarion from Ancha. 14th c. GMFA.
203. Tbilisi. The Metekhi Church of the Virgin. 1278-1289.
204. Saphara Monastery. 10th - 13th cc. General view. Architect
Paraesasdze.
205. Sapahara Monastery. The Church of St. Sabah. Donor
portraits of Jakeli family. 13th c.
Saphara. The Church of Dormition. Cornice. 10th c.
206. Zarzma. The Church of Transfiguration. 14th c.
207. Mgvimevi Monastery. 13th c.
208. Gelati Monastery. South-east annex of the Church of the
Nativity of the Virgin. King David Narin as a monk. 13th c.
209. Achi. The Church of St. George. The Dormition. 13th c.
Davit-Gareji. Udabno Monastery. The Church of the
Annunciation. Wall-painting. 13th c.
210. Skhalta. The Church of the Virgin. Wall painting. 14th c.
Skhalta. The Church of the Virgin. 13th c.
211. Likhne. The Church of the Dormition. Wall painting. The
Hospitality of Abraham. Details. 14th c.
212. Tsalendjikha. Church of the Saviour. Wall painting in the
sanctuary. Angel. Detail. 14th c. Painter Kyr Manuel
Evgenikos.
213. Tsalendjikha. Church of the Saviour. The Miracle at Cana.
14th c.
214. Ubisi. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. 14th c.
Painter Gerasime.
216. Ubisi Triptych. 14th c. GMFA
217. Ubisi Triptych. 14th c. GMFA.
218. Korckheli icon. Frame. The Dormition. 13th c. GMFA.
Enamel icon of St. George. 15th c. GMFA.
219. Mokvi Gospels. 1300. Q-902. Painter Ephrem. NCM.
220. Nabakhtevi. The Church of the Virgin. Paradise. Detail.
15th c. GMFA.
 sxalTa. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. XIII s.
211. lixnes RmrTismSoblis miZinebis taZris moxatuloba.
abraamis stumarTmoyvareoba. fragmentebi. XIV s.
212. walenjixa. macxovris feriscvalebis taZris
sakurTxevlis moxatuloba. angelozi. fragmenti.
XIV s. mxatvari kir manuel evgenikosi.
213. walenjixa. macxovris feriscvalebis taZris
moxatuloba. saswauli kanas. XIV s.
214. ubisis wm. giorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. XIV s.
mxatvari gerasime.
216. ubisis karedi xati. XIV s. sxm.
217. ubisis karedi xati. XIV s. sxm.
218. korcxelis xati. CarCo. RmrTismSoblis miZineba.
XIII s. Sxm.
wm. giorgi. XV s. sxm
219. moqvis oTxTavi. 1300 w. mxatvari efremi. Q-902. xec.
220. nabaxtevi. RmrTismSoblis eklesiis moxatuloba.
samoTxe. fragmenti. XV s. sxm.
221. mefe giorgi VIII-is gardamoxsna. 1446-1466 ww. sxm.
222. mariam dedoflis gardamoxsna. 1623-33 ww. sxm.
223. dafarna. 1763 w. qiem.
224. axali SuamTis monasteri. XVI s.
RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZari. sasumelisTvis locva.
XVI s.
225. gremi. mTavarangelozTa eklesia. XVI s.
226. alvani. wm. ioane naTlismcemlis eklesiis
moxatuloba. amaRleba. XVI s.
nekresi.Llevan kaxTa mefe meuRliT da vaJiT. XVI s.
227. nekresi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesiis
moxatuloba. miZineba. XVI s.
228. ananuris cixis kompkleqsi. XVII s.
ananuri. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. sicocxlis xe.
fragmenti. XVII s.
229. barakoni. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. 1753 w.
arqiteqtori nasyida qarTveli.
230. ninowmindis monasteri. samreklo. XVI s.
231. mWvadijvari. mTavarangelozTa eklesia. 1668 w.
manavi. RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesia. 1794 w.
232. daviT-gareji. lavra. VI-XVII ss.
234. gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZari.
imereTis mefeTa saqtitoro portreti XVI s.
RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZari. Crdilo-aRmosavleTi
egvteris moxatuloba. ierusalimSi Sesvla. XVII s.
235. gelaTis monasteri. RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris
moxatuloba. XVI s.
236. bugeuli. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. xareba.
fragmenti. XVI s.
277
221. Epitaphios of king Giorgi VIII. 1446-1466. GMFA
222. Epitaphios of Queen Mariam. 1623-33. GMFA
223. Liturgical shroud. 1763. KMHE.
224. Akhali Shuamta Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of
the Virgin. 16th c.
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Agony in the
Garden. 16th c.
225. Gremi. The Church of Archangels. 16th c.
226. Alvani. The Church of St. John the Baptist. The Ascension.
16th c.
Nekresi. The Church of the Dormition. King Levan of
Kakheti with his spouse Tinatin and son. 16th c.
227. Nekresi. The Church of Dormition. The Dormition of the
Virgin. 16th c.
228. Ananuri Castle. 17th c.
Ananuri. The Church of the Virgin. The Tree of Life. Detail.
17th c.
229. Barakoni. The Church of the Virgin. 1753. Architect
Naskida from Kartli.
230. Ninotsminda Monastery. Bell-tower. 16th c.
231. Mtshadijvari. The Church of Archangels. 1668.
Manavi. The Church of the Dormition. 1794.
232. Davit-Gareji Laura. 6th -17th cc.
234. Gelati Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
Portraits of the kings of Imereti. 16th c.
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Wall painting in
the north-east annex. Entry into Jerusalem. 17th c.
235. Gelati Monastery. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
Wall painting. 16th c.
236. Bugeuli. The Church of the Virgin. The Annunciation.
Detail. 16th c.
237. Bugeuli. Church of the Virgin. Donor portraits of
Lashkhishvili family. 16th c.
Koreti Church. The Vision of St. Eustathios. 16th c.
238. Gergeti. The Trinity Church. 14th c.
Gergeti. The Trinity Church. Painting of the chancel barrier.
St. Nino. Late medieval period.
239. Mtskheta. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. wall painting of the
Holy Pillar. King Mirian and the Constantinopolitan clergy.
1678. Painter Guljavarashvili.
240. Jerusalem. The Holly Cross Monastery. Shota Rustaveli.
16th c.
Jerusalem. “The Golden Gospels”. The Healing of the Blind.
16th c. Treasury of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
241. Icon of Christ. 13th c. 1770. Jerusalem. Greek Patriarchate.
The liturgical shroud. 17th c. Jerusalem. The Monastery of St.
Helene and St. Constantine.
237. bugeuli. RmrTismSoblis eklesia. laSxiSvilebis
portreti. XVI s.
qoreTis eklesiis moxatuloba. wm. evstaTes xilva.
XVI s.
238. gergeti. wm. samebis taZari. XIV s.
gergeti. wm. samebis taZris kankelis moxatuloba.
wm. nino. gviani Sua saukuneebi.
239. mcxeTa. 12 mociqulis sveticxovlis taZari. svetis
moxatuloba. mirian mefe da konstantinopolis
samRvdeloeba. 1678 s. mxatvari guljavaraSvili.
240. ierusalimi. wm. jvris monasteri. SoTa rusTaveli.
XVI s.
ierusalimi. ~oqros oTxTavi~. brmis gankurneba.
XVI s. macxovris saflavis saganZuri.
241. macxovris xati. XIII s. 1770 w. ierusalimi.
berZnuli sapatriarqo.
dafarna. XVII s. ierusalimi. wm. elenes da wm.
konstantines monasteri.
242. awyuris RmrTismSoblis xati. XVI s. sxm.
243. wm. ninos xati SiomRvimidan. XVII s. sxm.
244. sadgeris sakurTxevliswina jvari. XVI s. ostati
mamne. sxm.
245. martvilis aTormeti dResaswaulis xati. 1644 w.
1784. RmrTismSobeli odogitrias figura _ X s.
sxm.
246. yanCaeTis Jam-gulani. evas Seqmna. 1774 w. H-1492. xec.
247. kondaki. XVI s. qiem.
248. Tbilisi. sionis sakaTedro taZari. V; XVII. ss.
249. bodbe. wm.Ggiorgis eklesiis moxatuloba. noes
kidobani. wm. nino sveticxovelis winaSe. 1823 w.
250. Tbilisi. qaSueTis wm. giorgis eklesia.
1904-1910 ww. arqiteqtori l. bilfeldi.
251. Tbilisi. qaSueTis wm. giorgis eklesia. interieri.
sakurTxevlis moxatuloba. mxatvari – lado
gudiaSvili. 1946-48 ww.
252. Tbilisi. wm. samebis eklesia. XIX s.
saqarTvelos didebis xati. mxatvari mixeil-gobron
sabinini. XIX s-is bolo.
253. Tbilisi. mama daviTis taZari. XIX s.
254. asureTi. wm. giorgis eklesia. 2001 w.
arqiteqtori irakli vaCeiSvili.
baSis RmrTismSoblis miZinebis eklesia. 2002 w.
arqiteqtori daviT svaniZe.
255. Tbilisi. wm. abos niSi. 2005 w. ariqteqtori revaz
janaSia.
256. Cakiduli Txemebi. wm. ioane NnaTlismcemlis
monasteri. 2002-2005 w. arqiteqtorebi
mitropoli daviTi amba alaverdeli, paata nucubiZe.
278
242. Icon of the Atskhuri Virgin. 16th c. GMFA.
243. Icon of St. Nino from SioMghvime. 17th c. GMFA.
244. Pre-altar cross from Sadgeri. 16th c. Made by Mamne. GMFA.
245. Icon of the Holy Feasts. 1664. 1784. Central figure of
Hodeghitria – 10th c. GMFA
246. Kanchaeti Gulani. Creation of Eve. 1774. H-1492. NCM.
247. Kontakion. 16th c. KMHE.
248. Tbilisi. Sioni Cathedral. 5th c. 17th c.
249. Bodbe. The Church of St. George. Wall painting. Noah’s
Ark; St. Nino before the Life-Giving Pillar. 1823.
250. Tbilisi. Kashueti Church of St. George. 1904-1910.
Designed by L. Bielfeld.
251. Tbilisi. Kashueti church of St. George. Interior. The wall
painting in the sanctuary by Lado Gudiashvili. 19446-48.
252. Tbilisi. The Church of the Holy Trinity. 19th c.
Icon of Glory of Georgia. Painted by Michael- Gobron
Sabinin. Late 19th c.
253. Tbilisi. The Church of St. Davit. 19th c.
254. Asureti. The Church of St. George. 2001. Designed by Irakli
Vacheishvili.
Bashi. The Church of the Dormition of the Virgin. 2002.
Designed by Davit Svanidze.
255. Tbilisi. Chapel of St. Abo. 2005. Designed by Revaz
Janashia.
256. Chakiduli Thkhemebi. Monastery of St. John the Baptist.
2002-2005. Designed by Davit, Bishop of Alaverdi and Paata
Nutsubidze.
The capital with bas- relief. Sculptor Paata Gigauri.
257. The Gospel of St. Luke. Miniature on the cover. 2003.
Painted by Nun Sidonia (Gachechiladze).
The Annunciation. Wood-curved icon. 2003. Made by
Vakhtang Khoshtaria.
258. Tbilisi. Wall painting of the Transfiguration Church.
Deisis. 2003. Painted by Priest Josef Vanidze.
Tbilisi. The Church of St. Prophet David. Wall painting.
Crucifixion. 1998. Painted by Lasha Kintsurashvili.
259. Tbilisi. The Church of St. David the Builder. Majestas
Domini. 1999. Painted by Amiran Goglidze.
Kvareli. The Church of the Holy Trinity. The
Transfiguration. 2007. Painted by Priest Alexsandre
Galdava.
260. Icon of the Virgin – the Family guardian. 2006. Painted by
Davit Khidasheli.
Icon of the Anastasis. 1999. Painted by Tamar Gagoshidze.
261. Icon of St. Eustathius. 2004. Painted by Eka Chkhikvishvili.
Icon of the Virgin - You are the Vineyard. 1997. Painted by
Irakli Tsintsadze.
262. Tbilisi. Curtain of Sioni Cathedral. 2002. Made by the
 svetisTavis reliefi. 2005 w. moqandake paata group of embroidery of the Tbilisi Theological Academy
gigauri under leadership of Eteri Urotadze.
257. lukas saxareba. miniatiura ydaze. 2005 w. mxatvari 263. Embroidery of liturgical shroud. The Holy Trinity
deda sidonia (gaCeCilaZe). Cathedral. 2007. Made by the Group for Embroidery of the
xareba. xeze kveTili xati. 2003 w. mxatvari vaxtang Tbilisi Theological Academy under leadership of Eteri
xoStaria. Urotadze.
258. Tbilisi. feriscvalebis taZris sakurTxevlis Crucifixion. Detail of the Omophorion embroidery. 2008.
mxatvroba. vedreba. 2003 w. mxatvari mama ioseb vaniZe. Made by Tamar Olkiashvili.
Tbilisi. wm. daviT winaswarmetyvelis eklesia. 264. Enameled icon of the Virgin. 2002. Made by Ermile
jvarcma. 1998 w. mxatvari laSa kinwuraSvili. Magradze.
259. Tbilisi. wm. daviT aRmaSeneblis eklesia. qristes Enameled icon of the Crucifixion. 2004. The cloisonné
dideba. 1999 w. mxatvari amiran gogliZe. enamel workshop “Pokani”.
yvareli. wm. samebis taZari. fericvaleba. 2007 w. 265. Icon of the Virgin from Shuamta. 2005. Made by Ermile
mxatvari dekanozi aleqsandre galdava. Magradze.
260. RmrTismSobeli _ ojaxis mfarvelis xati. 2006 w. Chased cover of the Gospel from the Nadzaladevi Church of
mxatvari daviT xidaSeli. the Nativity of the Virgin. 2003.
jojoxeTis warmotyvevnis xati. 1999 w. mxatvari 266. Icon of the Holy Trinity. Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy
Tamar gagoSiZe. Trinity. Painted by the Catholikos-Patriarch of All
261. wm. evstaTes xati cxorebiT. 2004 w. mxatvari eka Georgians Ilia II.
CxikviSvili. Icon of the Virgin Portaitissa. Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy
RmrTismSoblis xati _ Sen xar venaxi. mxatvari Trinity. Painted by the Catholikos-Patriarch of All
irakli cincaZe. Georgians Ilia II.
262. Tbilisi. sionis sakaTedro taZris kretsabmeli. 268. Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Council of
2001-2003 ww. Tbilisis sasuliero akademiis Archangels. 2002. Sculptor Jemal Tushurashvili.
qargvis jgufi eTer urotaZis xelmZRvanelobiT. 269. Tbilisi. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. 1995-2004. Designed
263. dafarna. wm. samebis sakaeTedro taZari. 2007 w. by Archil Mindiashvili.
Tbilisis sasuliero akademiis qargvis jgufi eTer
urotaZis xelmZRvanelobiT
jvarcma. patriarqis omoforis naqargobis
fragmenti. 2008 w. mqargveli Tamar olqiaSvili.
264. RmrTismSoblis minanqris xati. 2002 w. oqromWedeli
ermile maRraZe.
jvarcmis minanqris xati. 2004 w. fokas wm. ninos
monastris tixruli minanqris saxelosno “fokani”.
265. SuamTis RmrTismSoblis xati. 2005 w. oqromWedeli
ermile maRraZe.
naZaladevis RmrTismSoblis Sobis taZris saxarebis
Weduri yda. 2003 w.
266. wm. samebis xati. Tbilisi. wm. samebis sakaTedro
taZari. dawerilia sruliad saqarTvelos kaTolikos
patriarqis ilia II-is mier.
267. iveriis RmrTismSoblis xati. Tbilisi. wm. samebis
sakaTedro taZari. dawerilia sruliad saqarTvelos
kaTolikos patriarqis ilia II-is mier.
268. Tbilisi. wm. samebis sakaTedro taZari. angelozTa
kreba. 2002 w. moqandake jemal TuSuraSvili.
269. Tbilisi wm. samebis sakaTedro taZari. 1995-2004 ww.
arqiteqtori arCil mindiaSvili.

279
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qarTuli qristianuli xelovneba Georgian Christian Art
qarTuli

Georgian Christian Art

qristianuli xelovneba