Georgian Impressions
I arrived in Tbilisi in the middle of the night from Riga and was luckily met by a driver who took me directly to the hotel so that I didn’t have to hassle with public transportation at 3:30 am. The GT Hotel was in the center of the Old City, very conveniently located to walking around the major sites and to the Georgian National Museum, which was my first stop after getting some sleep. The National Museum artifacts are housed on two floors with the main floor primarily devoted to goldsmithing from the 3rd Millennium BCE to the 4th C CE. Many of the early artifacts are quite intricate with designs that are unique to the region and that testify to an advanced culture during the 3rd and 2nd Millennia. The exhibition nicely lays out the artifacts by historical period so that one can see the later Greek and Roman influences on the Kingdom of Kartli, otherwise known as Iberia (not to be confused with the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal) from the 3rd C BCE to the 3rd C CE. The second floor has artifacts from the Neolithic to the Modern period, with a large collection of votive articles from the Bronze Age. There are a few Buddhist sculptures in the collection that indicate the importance of Georgia as a crossroads of the Silk Road. The museum provided a good introduction to the history and culture of Georgia so that I was better able to understand the sites I would see. To get a feel for the capital, I decided to take one of the hop-on hop-off red tour busses. I used to think this was a waste of money and time, but have since found that they actually do provide some good information and a convenient way to get to outlying areas that are not necessarily easy to get to by city busses or on foot. In Tbilisi the bus took us across the Mtkvari River up to the castle for a spectacular view of the city. The explanation very briefly described the founding of Tibilisi and the reason for the equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorasali by the Metekhi Church on the side of the River as well as the main churches in the area. I later learned much more about each of the events and people touched on in the bus tour, but was grateful to have had the tour as it provided a physical orientation that I would otherwise not have had.
Tbilisi is a walkable city as long as one stays within the Old Town. As it now houses well over a million people, anything beyond the central section requires transportation. The Old Town, however, has the attractions and churches that are of most interest to foreigners. The city was founded by King Vakhtang in the 5th C and legend has it that he wanted to find a new capital as his, Mtskheta, lacked natural defensive systems. One day when out hunting with his hound and falcon his arrow struck down a pheasant. The dog went to retrieve the fowl, but then didn’t come back. The King went looking for his dog and finally found him by a cliff and a hot springs. He looked around and decided that the cliff and the river below would make a perfect place for his new capital. ‘Tbilisi ‘means “hot waters,” and the King’s statue was placed on the spot just a few years ago. The capital wasn’t officially moved from Mtskheta to Tibilisi until Vakhtang’s son, Dachi, came to power, but King Vakhtang is the one who now receives most of the attention, along with later King David the Builder and King (Queen) Tamar. Tbilisi is a very interesting mix of old and new, of legends and modern trade, of ancient buildings and ultra modern structures. Contrary to many other places, the city officials have done this blending well. The old buildings are being restored while new architecture is integrated into the flowing landscape of hills, cliffs and the River. It is a very pleasant city.
I had come to the Southern Caucasus to learn more about the churches and their artwork in Georgia and Armenia. Both countries share an apostolic tradition and vie for recognition as one of the earliest, if not the earliest, Christian country. In Tbilisi there are a number of beautiful medieval churches, many of which are on sites of earlier churches destroyed by the Arabs in the 7th C and the Mongols in the 13th. Tbilisi itself has been destroyed and rebuilt forty (yep, 40!) times, which proves that the Georgians are extremely resilient people. Throughout history they have been caught between warring factions to the north, south and east. Although David the Builder unified the Kingdoms of Iberia in the West and Albania in the East (again, not to be confused with the European Albania of today) the country still has a bit of a divided feel with differing artistic styles in the two regions. This is even more pronounced in the High Caucasus region of Svaneti, but this probably has more to do with geology than anything else as the mountainous regions were not part of the more lowland trade routes.
The ancient trade routes brought not only commerce, but also religions and new ideas. Among those who came were the Apostles Andrew and Thomas during the 1st C. They successfully converted some of the people, but it wasn’t until about 327 when King Miriam was converted to Christianity by St. Nino (who was a woman; Nino is a female name in Georgia) that the country officially adopted the new religion. St. Nino’s cross, two twigs bound together with a grape vine and the cross twig sloping downwards, is one of the main symbols in modern Georgia. With state approval and support, monasteries and churches sprang up across the Kingdom. Not all rulers, however, were as avidly faithful as others and Georgian history includes stories of a king in 544 who was heavily influenced and supported by Persia andwho insisted that his wife convert from Christianity to Zoroastrianism. Queen Shushanik refused despite undergoing torture leading to her becoming one of the many Georgian martyrs who are honored today. The trade routes also brought conquering armies, including the Arabs, Mongols and Seljuk Turks. The Arabs and Turks insisted that the people convert to Islam and as they refused, they also became martyrs. In almost every church I visited, there is at least one icon devoted to Georgian martyrs. One of the most common is one that was developed in 2005-6 by the Patriarch and the Georgian artist, Theodore, relating the story of how the Arabs tossed babies into the Mtkvari River from the main bridge to force the people to adopt Islam, when they didn’t over 100,000 men, women and children were slaughtered. Another story tells of how Persian invaders came to the cave and desert monasteries in South Eastern Georgia, and killed 2,000 monks. Two men had escaped and hid in the hills where they watched the devastation, when they saw halos surrounding the heads of the deceased, they came down to join their brethren in martyrdom. Martyrdom did not stop in ancient times, but continues into the modern period. A new Georgian saint, St. Gabriel, lived during the Soviet period in Tbilisi. He was tortured and killed because he burnt the Soviet flag. Miracles are said to happen at his grave, including curing cancer. He was canonized by the Catholicos last year.
This sense of martyrdom for Christendom is engrained in Georgian ethos and the current relationship with Azerbaijan and Turkey cannot be understood without being aware of the extent of the religious fervor, which is as much politically as faith based. Yet at the same time, Georgia prides itself on its diverse religious heritage and there are ruins of a Zoroastrian temple, an ancient and still functioning Mosque (& wonderful Hamam) as well as Synagogue all within a few blocks of one another in the Old Town. There are also Armenian, Georgian and Russian styled churches, which provide ample evidence of the various rules the city has witnessed.
In addition to statues and icons of martyrs and kings, one of the main squares has a statue of Tamadan, the Lord of the Feast. Lord Tamadan toasts for peace, God, ancestors, and the younger generation. In this country where wine was born and almost every – literally – household makes their own fruit of the vine, imitation Tamadans function as impresarios for festive events. Georgians have been making wine for over 8,000 years and have over 500 kinds of grapes. They have had the time and patience to create excellent wines; Lord Tamadan is kept very busy. He is even supported by Mother Georgia. Her statue towers over the Old Town right by Narikala Fortress. She has a bowl with wine in one hand to invite guests to a feast, but she also has a sword in the other to warn those who would harm her people that she will fight to protect what is hers. In other words, don’t mess with Momma Georgia! But for those who come in peace, the new undulating Peace Bridge across the Mtkvali welcomes visitors. The bridge is the longest in Europe and the river itself is also one of the longest at 1,500 km; it originates in Turkey and ends in the Caspian Sea. Freedom Square, near the museum, has a statue of the patron saint of the country, St. George, who is covered in real gold, which glistens in the sun. The shinning symbolism of his conquering his enemy contributes to the sense of Georgian pride found throughout the country. There are over 400 churches in Georgia dedicated to St. George.
Another major symbol for the country is in the figure of King Tamar. She is a fascinating personage; the great granddaughter of King David the Builder, she expanded the empire to its greatest extent, reaching from Anatolia to the Caspian Sea. She built innumerable monasteries, supported and developed Georgian art, and was lauded as the most beautiful and talented of women. She rode out to war and led the troops herself, which earned her the title “King of Kings.” She was a valiant supporter of the Georgian Church and kept Islamic forces at bay, while still allowing those who were Muslim to freely practice their religion.
I’m not quite sure, whether it was under King Tamar or earlier that the convention of floor to ceiling frescos developed. In contrast to the churches in Armenia, which stress high reliefs, Georgian churches are filled with frescos. One of the earliest Georgian churches was on a hill in Mtskheta above where the Mtkvali and Aragvi Rivers merge. According to tradition, it was constructed of wood in the 1st C by the Apostles Andrew and Thomas, but it was destroyed by fire. After the timbered church burnt down, a stone one was constructed on the site. The current Svetitskhoveli Cathedral was built in the 6th C and redone in the 11th. It houses frescoes from the 11th & 13th C, a niche dedicated to the Prophet Isaiah who was taken to heaven by four horses, and the cloth he dropped as he rose to the sky. Jews arrived in the region in the 6th C BCE and the cloth came with them. The Church not only houses the Old Testament Prophet’s cloth, but was built around one of Christ’s. When a Jewish trader from Mtskheta returned home from Jerusalem with the robe of Christ, his sister, Sidonia, grabbed it from him and wouldn’t give it up, she held it to her breast and died. Where she died a tree sprung up. The tree was cut into seven pieces that formed the basis for the first wooden Apostolic church. Six pieces went into their positions easily and form the supports for the church, the 7th refused to be put in place until an angel did so right on the spot where the cloth and the woman lay. This spot is now a tower inside the church covered with frescoes of the Life of the Lord. The name of the church means “Life-Giving Column” which relates to the post over where the cloth is buried. The icon that illustrates this story is called the ‘Glory of Georgia’. There is also a replica of the Church in Jerusalem inside the Mtshketa Church. On the site where the Cathedral now stands was the place where Christianity established as the state religion in 327. It was the center of former capital of most of Eastern Georgia from about the 3rd C BCE to the 5th CE when King Vakhtang’s son, Dachi, moved it to Tbilisi. Mtshketa was the Royal Cathedral, with a number of Georgian coronation ceremonies held here.
There seems to be a general framework for the placement of frescos in most Georgian churches. According to Saint Ekvtime Takaishvili in 1904 describing the Gelati Monastery Complex established by King David the Builder, they belong in the following order:
According to the sermons of Christian fathers, the church is the reflection of the world, which consists of invisible and visible creatures. The chancel is the precursor the symbol of invisible creatures, the middle part is that of visible creatures, and both of them together constitute the integral unit. The church is material where the heavenly God lives and exists. The church reminds us of crucifixion, interment and resurrection of the Christ. The church is prophesied by the prophets, decorated by earthly people, blessed by martyrs and its meals are based on their sacred remains. They distribute places in the church according to this: the chancel is for the Blessed Virgin with or without a baby, the blessings of the Christ’s disciples, there are also the angels, and the top of the church is god himself, which is usually expressed at the beginning of the chancel ark. This is of “old days”. (In the oval medallion the God of the ‘old days’ is represented holding rolled paper with very thin inscription in Greek in two lines. The inscription is difficult to identify, but it can be “Sit on my right” (Psalms 109,1) “The middle of the church is material – the church is of this world. Therefore Jesus Christ is expressed in the sky of the dome. Jesus Christ’s teaching spread in all four sides of the earth by the disciples, that is why the disciples are depicted in the arcs. The spreading of the teaching of Jesus Christ was assisted by the contributors and martyrs, therefore the saints are painted on the walls and columns of the church. Jesus Christ’s main commandment is expressed in the gospel, and therefore there must be the main scenes of gospel on the walls of the church. (Gelati Monastery Complex brochure)
King David wanted a magnificent site for his monastery, and he chose one that was on a hill overlooking a verdant valley. As this was to be a pilgrimage site, in the Cathedral of the Holy Blessed Virgin, he placed “miracle-making icons and relics. In the Gaenati Manstery (Gaenatos – Greek – the festival of the birth of the Blessed Virgin), he placed the Khakhuli miracle-making icon of the Blessed Virgin, to which he sacrificed the golden necklace decorated with precious stones taken from Durbei – the Arab King – after defeating him at Didgori.” (Gelati Monastery Complex brochure)
The annexes to the main cathedral in this complex were used as tombs for the kings. The south-eastern annex is called Tamar’s Chapel and according to legend there was an annual commemoration service for Tamar. The wall of the chapel was decorated in the 13th C. The fresco of Tamar was seen and reproduced by Dubios in 1833 “I reproduced the precious clothing of the queen decorated with gems and golden border, on the crown decorated with red pearls. She has a white veil.” The fresco was damaged in 1840-60 by a water leak. In the same chapel there are two images of King Tamar’s grandson David Narin (1247-1289): one is in secular and the other is in monk’s clothing indicating the close relationship between church and state.
The complex brochure states : “The Saint King Tamar sacrificed gold and precious stones to Khakhli Blessed Virgin icon after Shamkori Battle and the icon was kept in Gelati. King Tamar’s husband, David Soslan, was buried in Gelati in 1207. On Jan. 18, 1213 ‘The sun of Kartli, the Saint high-minded King Tamar’ passed away.” There are numerous legends about the grave of Tamar. The historian Mematiane says that the King of King’s Tamar is buried in Gelati Monastery. Unfortunately, there are no indications in the source indicating in which chapel she was buried and no way of knowing if this is true.
In general, across Georgian church frescos images of the nativity are on the upper right side with images of Christ on the upper left, the martyrs are below them. Other scenes generally include the Ascension, Emperor Diocletian’s various methods to torture St. George, the Wheel of St. George, and St. Nicholas on the side panels.
Typical Georgian medieval frescos used primarily yellows, some blue, and red tints, whereas the Greeks/Byzantines and Russians used more vibrant blues and golds. The different artistic influences can be seen in the use of the colors as well as in the design of the bell towers, where the Georgian structures are separate from the church and the Russian and Armenian are more integrated. As the churches were often destroyed and rebuilt, they illustrate a number of styles. An example of this is Sioni (Trinity) Church in Tbilisi. It was originally constructed in the 6th C, but what is now standing was built in the 16th C. There are various kinds of frescos that show an integration of Georgian – Byzantine – Russian styles. In the 19th and 20th C central Georgian figures became more manneristic with elongated faces and figures.
The different regions have their distinct styles and the faces in the Svaneti frescos have higher cheekbones, elongated with narrow noses, huge expressive almond eyes, and a narrower forehead than those in of the churches in the lower elevations. They almost foreshadow the mannerism of the 19th C central valley churches. They also use more and brighter colors with faces of actual people from the villages. Each village has its own church with local fresco painters. One of the most remarkable villages is Latal, which has three notable churches: Christ’s Church, a Chapel, and the Church of the Prophet Jonah. They were all built in the 10-11th C with frescos from the 13th. In Christ Church there is a depiction of the coronation of Demetre the First, son of David the Builder. The Chapel is small and on top of a knoll across and to the side of Christ Church. The one church in Georgia dedicated to Jonah is a few meters down the road. These frescos date from the 12th C. Svaneti churches have an L shaped aisle around the main entrance, to protect the main chapel from the elements. The open sanctuaries occurred up to the 12th C.
Georgia is home to a number of ski resorts and I was fortunate to visit Kazbegi, Mestia and Ushgali, all of which have incredibly rich churches as well. On the road to Kazbegi there is an enamel mural depicting Russian-Georgian Friendship on one of the high passes about 15km from the Russian border. The mural is in a semi-circle with Georgian legends on the left and Russian on the right. There is a poem by a Georgian poet about friendship and the ‘obligations’ /expectations of friends in the middle of the mural that takes on an ominous tone given what happened. The Georgian legend starts with an image of the sun, which is feminine, and moon, which is male, that relates back to the ancient Zoroastrian sun/fire worship. Then on the bottom in an oxcart playing a Salamuri (a traditional Georgian flute) is Zickara, the traditional singer. Above him are three men dancing in traditional dress from different high mountain regions. Including an Adjarian (one of the now disputed regions) with three other 20th C men. Then there is Dali – the pre-Christian virgin Goddess of Hunting, who mirrors the Diana of the Greek’s story and Gogchi was the half man, half goat ruler of the forest. They are followed by soldiers in traditional clothing and Amirani, the Georgian Prometheus. Like his Greek counterpart, he gave fire to people for which he was punished by the gods, tied to a mountain and had is liver eaten daily by harpies. Next to him is a fellow riding a swan and typical (Soviet looking) workers. George slaying the dragon had to be changed in the atheistic Soviet era so there are now three Georges slaying the beast. Next to them is the symbol of a Georgian church which indicates architectural style rather than the religion on the left side of the central image of mother and child with the mother holding a dove in her hand. On her right side is an architectural depiction of the Kremlin. The Russian side starts with images of the Russian Matrushkas in traditional dress, a large dark red Soviet warrior, then a large green soldier with rifle (indicating they won the war) and flowers (indicating they are bringing peace (!)). The final two young people –male and female – are facing the soldier who brought the peace. Near the Matricas is a bearded figure from Russian folk legend and under him are a balalaika player and a blacksmith with hammer and anvil. In the middle of this section is a man with a golden fish relating back to a Russian folktale. It is a beautiful example of propaganda at work in the middle of a high mountain pass not far from the Russian border. It is telling that the Christian imagery, which so identifies Georgia, was transposed to fairytale, but still remains quite clear.
The Soviets left their mark on all three of the Southern Caucasus countries, but to varying degrees. In Georgia, which was Stalin’s birthplace, it seems that they were just one more conqueror that needed to be endured, but not ever really accepted. The current territorial conflicts with Russia reflect this attitude. Georgians have their own language, their own script, their own unique legends and traditions. They are not Russian, nor were they Persian, or Turks when those groups were in charge.
Mestia is undergoing massive development. The government hopes to open a new ski area with gondola in the next couple of years. The asphalted road goes to the high mountain town, but does not go all the way to Ushgali. Ushgali is supposedly the highest year-round habited town in the Caucasus. It can only be reached by a four-hour jeep/4-wheel drive very bumpy ride – but it’s worth it for the views, which are spectacular. The towers, that define the town, are ringed by 4-5,000 meter high mountain glaciers that dwarf the monasteries, farms, cafes and guesthouses.
Svaneti, which is the region where Mestia and Ushgali are located, is nestled between two areas of conflict with Russia, Apkhazia and South Ossetia. They officially belong to Georgia, but are now controlled by Russia. The people there are expected to have Russian passports and Georgians aren’t allowed to go there. The two areas along with Adjara by Turkey were separate provinces after the breakup of the UdSSR. Many of the people in the NW region are not ethnically Russian, Georgian or Turkish, but stem instead from Northern Caucasus tribes that converted to Islam centuries ago. They invaded the Western Kingdom of Apkhazia which was united with Eastern Georgia under King David the Builder. According to my guide, the tribes do not have a word for sea, which is a clear indication that historically they did not belong to this land bordering the Black Sea. South Ossetia, on the other hand is primarily ethnically Russian. In 1993 the Georgian President announced that Georgia had lost Apkhazia to Russia as they could not fight Russian military. Today if a Georgian goes there s/he might be shot. Russia is not the only country that wants a chunk of Georgia; Azerbaijan has also been grabbing territory. Most of their far western districts are dotted with churches and former monasteries, a clear indication that it is Christian Georgian, not Islamic Azerbaijan. Georgians who became Muslim now live in Azerbaijan and Turkey, but still speak Georgian.
The border conflict with Azerbaijan was apparent during a hike above the David Gareji Monastery to a series of cave frescos in the Udabno Monastery, where a iron fence had been placed in Georgian territory by the Azeris, which effectively took over the high cave structures. The Georgians retorted by removing most of it, but today the area is guarded with watchful eyes. On my way out of one of the churches there was a guard dressed in field khakis holding a very big rifle looking down at the Azerbaijan valley.
Georgia is blessed with mountains, deserts and the Black Sea. Batumi is the fun-loving resort near the Turkish border. It has kind of a playgroundfeeling to it amid the high traffic of the harbor. Nearby, though, is a beautiful sprawling arboretum that sits above a cliff overlooking the Sea. Even if one doesn’t want to spend much time in the polluted waters of the beaches, it is worth going to the region just for the gardens and the fascinating mobile wire sculpture of two lovers who have to separate overlooking the harbor.
Georgia is a fascinating country with amazing churches, a rich history, beautiful scenery, excellent wine and food. It is not European, nor Asian, but a real mix of both, and like its capital city, Tbilisi, this mix flows smoothly and harmoniously together. It was a real pleasure to be there and to learn about this piece of the Silk Road puzzle that I am trying to unravel.
