The Joint Georgian-Canadian Samtskhe Archaeological Expedition is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Archaeological Research Centre of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. Excavations have been conducted from 1993 to 1997 within the village of Atskouri, located on the upper course of the Mtkvari river - better known by its Russian name of Kura - which flows down from the Armenian plateau towards the Caspian Sea. The area lay close to the Black Sea, about 100 km away as the crow flies, from which it is separated by a segmented mountain range.

Atskouri has been inhabited continuously at least from the 6th century BC, and perhaps earlier, down to the present. During Antiquity it may have been the main regional settlement since its remains extend over at least 10 hectares. It was also an important centre during Mediaeval times as is shown by the presence there of a massive fort as well as a cathedral church which remain today the two most conspicuous early features of the village. Our interests are not centered on Mediaeval times, however, but on Antiquity; we are specifically searching for traces of the impact of the Greek presence along the coastal area of Colchis on the populations of the hinterland. Several sources, both local and from the Classical world, hint that elements of Hellenic culture had been adopted inland; for example, Strabo mentions a temple to Leucothea, and houses and towns showing the amenities of Greek city life. Late Mediaeval traditions, furthermore, suggest that the Christian sanctuary at Atskouri was preceded by a temple of Artemis and Apollo.

Our investigations have, unfortunately, not been able to confirm any of these claims. Houses are built entirely according to local customs and do not make use of any of the materials or plans characteristic of Greek houses, no architectural traces of a pagan sanctuary or of the offerings symptomatic of a cult were found on the site of the cathedral. Local rituals appear overall not to have been affected by Greek practices, with the exception of one burial in which was found a coin (not the one illustrated). Results are not entirely negative, however, since some Greek material, pottery essentially, has been found extending between the 6th and the 2nd century BC proving that as soon as the Greeks had settled on the coast, they established some form of contact with the hinterland. Their influence on local culture whose affinities link it rather with areas to the North and South is negligible.

For more information please contact Jacques Morin.

The Medieval Castle dominating the river	Topography of Atskouri with the Surami Ridge in the background	Jar with a tubular spouted handle characteristic of the local fine ware

Obverse: Female head.	Reverse: Bull's head.

This web page (for the Atskouri Project) is a winner of the Studyweb.com Academic Excellence Award!

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