THE UISPP JOURNAL

Vakhtang Licheli – CULT AND CRAFT AT GRAKLIANI GORA (EASTERN GEORGIA) DURING THE EARLY IRON AGE

Grakliani Gora, situated in Eastern Georgia within the Igoeti and Samtavisi villages of the Kaspi Municipality, represents one of the most significant multi-layered archaeological sites in the South Caucasus. The site encompasses 11 distinct cultural horizons, ranging chronologically from the Palaeolithic period to the Early Christian era. It comprises a settlement and an extensive necropolis, the latter including 365 burials dated from the Early Bronze Age to the Early Christian period. Excavations have revealed diverse architectural complexes—residential, industrial, and cultic—primarily from the 2nd–1st millennia BC. Particularly notable are sanctuaries containing early inscriptions that attest to advanced intellectual and cultural development. The introduction of a standardized weight system (363g), termed the ‘Iberian mina’, further demonstrates Grakliani’s role as a major centre of technological and economic innovation in ancient Kartli (Iberia).

Reference as:

Licheli V. 2025. Cult and craft at Grakliani Gora (Eastern Georgia) during the Early Iron Age. UISPP Journal 7, 76–88. https://doi.org/10.62526/K48YVW

DOWNLOAD THE PDF