      |
UFLISTSIKHE |
DMANISI
 |
DMANISI
Lower Kartli
The south Georgian region of Lower Kartli is one of Georgia’s most overlooked treasures. Much of the region is just a short drive from Tbilisi, and is full of natural beauty and ancient monuments.
Most visitors, however, will want to head for the regions many ancient monuments, including Bolnisi Sioni, the oldest major church in Georgia. Built in 480, this hulking basilica made of distinctive blue-green tuff contains the oldest Georgian inscription so far discovered in the country (older ones have been found in Palestine), and it’s sheer size and austerity make it a remarkable monument from what are often described as the ‘dark ages’. Further to the south west, about a two hour drive from Tbilisi, is the fascinating Archaeological site of Dmanisi. As well as being notable as the oldest hominid site outside Africa, the medieval remains of Dmanisi city are also very impressive. The ruins of the royal palace, built on a cliff, still contain its original bathhouses, and ancient churches and escape tunnels complete the picture of a heavily defended medieval town. The complex is set on a natural rock spur, overlooking lush wooded valleys that cry out for picnicking. Visit during March or April and you won’t be able to sit down without finding stands of wild asparagus. Nature lovers, veteran hikers, canyoners and adventurers, meanwhile, should head to the natural labyrinth of the Birtvisi canyons. This massive complex of limestone crevasses and ravines are one of the most spectacular and most fun hiking destinations in Georgia. Just an hour from Tbilisi, the hidden valleys of Birtvisi contain secret castles, springs and waterfalls, all set in the most amazing limestone massif. There is enough to explore here to keep you busy for weeks, but it might be worth taking a guide, and the place really is a maze. Dmanisi Dmanisi (Georgian: დმანისი) is a townlet and archaeological site in the Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia approximately 93 km southwest of the nation’s capital Tbilisi in the river valley of Mashavera. It is the earliest known hominid site outside of Africa. History The town of Dmanisi is first mentioned in the 9th century as a possession of the Arab emirate of Tbilisi, though the area had been settled since the Early Bronze Age. An Orthodox Christian cathedral – “Dmansis Sioni” – was built there in the 6th century. Located on the confluence of trading routes and cultural influences, Dmanisi was of particular importance, growing into a major commercial center of medieval Georgia. The town was conquered by the Seljuk Turks in the 1080s, but was later liberated by the Georgian kings David the Builder and Demetrios I between 1123 and 1125. The Turco-Mongol armies under Timur laid waste to the town in the 14th century. Sacked again by the Turkomans in 1486, Dmanisi never recovered and declined to a scarcely inhabited village by the 18th century. Archaeological site Extensive archaeological studies began in the area in 1936 and continued in the 1960s. Beyond a rich collection of ancient and medieval artifacts and the ruins of various buildings and structures, unique remains of prehistoric animals and humans have been unearthed. Some of the animal bones were identified by the Georgian paleontologist A. Vekua with the teeth of the extinct rhino Dicerorhinus etruscus etruscus in 1983. This species dates back presumably to the early Pleistocene epoch. The discovery of primitive stone tools in 1984 led to increasing interest to the archaeological site. In 1991, a team of Georgian scholars was joined by the German archaeologists from Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, and later the U.S., French and Spanish researchers. Homo erectus georgicus Further information: Homo erectus georgicus Early human fossils, originally dubbed Homo georgicus and now as Homo erectus georgicus, were found at Dmanisi between 1991 and 2005. At 1.8 million years old, they are now believed to be a subspecies of Homo erectus and not a separate species of Homo. These fossils represent the earliest known human presence in the Caucasus. Subsequently, four fossil skeletons were found, showing a species primitive in its skull and upper body but with relatively advanced spines and lower limbs. They are now thought to represent a stage soon after the transition from Australopithecus to Homo erectus. Human habitation in the Caucasus goes back to the remotest antiquity. The hominid remains discovered in 1991 by David Lordkipanidze at Dmanisi, Kvemo Kartli (1.8 million years old) are the oldest found outside of Africa (Zatiashvili, 2008). Neanderthal remains have been found at Ortvale K’lde (1973) and elsewhere in the Caucasus (36,000-50,000 years old). |
No comments:
Post a Comment