Georgia

The legend of Jason and the Argonauts, who conquered the Golden Fleece with the help of the enchantress Medea, finds a particular resonance in the age-old practices of the Svanetian mountain people, who collected gold powders and nuggets from the rivers on sheepskins.

The cultivation of vines in Georgia goes back to the dawn of time. It is hard to imagine everyday life in this country without winegrowing and viticulture!

Archaeological excavations have revealed traces of viticulture in the Caucasus dating back more than 8,000 years. It is generally accepted that the origin of the word wine comes from the Georgian word “ghvino”.

Georgia boasts over 500 domestic grape varieties, more than any other wine-producing country. Grape-growing is alive and well, and practiced as a rite by almost every Georgian family.

Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine-making method was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Qvevri vinification is practiced throughout Georgia, particularly in village communities where unique grape varieties are grown. The Qvevri is an egg-shaped clay vessel used for making, aging and storing wine. The knowledge and experience of Qvevri making and winemaking is passed on by families, neighbors, friends and relatives, all of whom participate in community harvesting and winemaking activities. The winemaking process involves pressing the grapes, then pouring the juice, skins, stalks and seeds into the Qvevri, which is sealed and buried in the ground so that the wine can ferment for five to six months before being ready for consumption.

Tbilisi has been the capital of Georgia for 1500 years. Legend has it that the city was founded where, in the 5th century A.D., King Vakhtang Gorgasali found a pheasant his falcon had shot in a hot spring. The king ordered a city to be built around this spring. The name Tbilisi refers to the hot thermal water in Georgian language. The city’s architectural mix reflects the wide variety of nationalities that have made Tbilisi their home through the ages: the Old Town boasts Jewish, Azeri and Armenian quarters, all within walking distance of each other.

The historic churches of Mtskheta, the former capital of Georgia, are outstanding examples of medieval religious architecture in the Caucasus. They bear witness to the high artistic and cultural standards attained by the ancient kingdom.

Founded in 1106 in western Georgia, the Gelati Monastery is a masterpiece of the golden age of medieval Georgia, a period of political power and economic growth between the 11th and 13th centuries. It features facades of large, smoothly hewn blocks, balanced proportions and blind arches for exterior decoration. The Gelati Monastery, one of the largest medieval Orthodox monasteries, was also a center of science and education, and the Academy it housed was one of the most important cultural centers in ancient Georgia.

Preserved by its long isolation, the Upper Svaneti region of the Caucasus is an exceptional example of a mountain landscape with medieval villages and tower-houses. The village of Chazhashi still boasts over 200 of these very special houses, which served both as dwellings and defense posts against the invaders who afflicted the region.

Georgian is one of the oldest living languages in the world, and belongs to the Kartvelian group, part of the Caucasian language family. Georgian has its own alphabet and was first written in the 5th century. Here’s how to write the word “Saqartvelo”, which means Georgia, in Georgian characters:

Ⴑ Ⴀ Ⴕ Ⴀ Ⴐ Ⴇ Ⴅ Ⴄ Ⴊ Ⴍ (used since 1st century BC)

ⴑ ⴀ ⴕ ⴀ ⴐ ⴇ ⴅ ⴄ ⴊ ⴍ (used since 9th century AD)

ს ა ქ ა რ თ ვ ე ლ ო (used since 11th century AD)

The living culture of the three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet is inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Folk song occupies a special place in Georgian culture. Polyphonic singing in the Georgian language is an age-old tradition in a country whose language and culture have often been oppressed by invaders.

The Chakrulo song, which is sung at ceremonies and festivals and belongs to the first category, is distinguished by its use of metaphors and its yodeling, the krimanchuli and a “cockerel’s crow”, performed by a male falsetto singer. Some of these songs are linked to the cult of the vine, and many date back to the 8th century. Songs were traditionally present in all areas of daily life, from work in the fields (Naduri, which incorporates the sounds of physical exertion into the music) to healing songs and Christmas carols (Alilo). Byzantine liturgical hymns have also integrated the Georgian polyphonic tradition to the point of becoming a significant expression of it.

Georgian polyphonic singing is inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.