Full Description
Thanks to its location between two continents, Georgia has traditionally formed a bridge between East and West. A Story of Encounters reflects the exceptional art, culture, and history of the country from the Neolithic to the 18th century. Especially in the "golden age" of united Georgia, between the 11th and 13th centuries, the country experienced an unprecedented cultural and economic boom.
This book shows how the turbulent history and the many exchanges along the major trade and silk routes at this crossroads of Europe and Asia resulted in an unimaginably rich heritage, which has remained largely unexposed until now. Refined goldsmith's art from the Bronze Age, wine - the country's oldest cultural asset - and original visual arts: Georgia offers many unexpected treasures, which are shown in detail for the first time.
Contents
5 Prefaces
- Thea Tsulukiani, Baron Philippe Vlerick
10 Introduction: A Brief History of Georgia
- Bernard Coulie, Nino Simonishvili
Chapter 1: The Origins of Georgian Culture
28 The Neolithic Revolution: Georgia, the Cradle
of Viticulture
- Mindia Jalabadze
38 From Exchanges to Big Changes: South Caucasia
and Beyond in Late Prehistory
- Mikheil Abramishvili
52 Amirani, the Georgian Prometheus
- Jean-Pierre Mahé
Chapter 2: Georgia in Antiquity
56 Local Culture and Foreign Influences: Georgia
between Greece, Rome, and the Near East
- Guram Kvirkvelia
72 The Myth of the Golden Fleece
- Guram Kvirkvelia
74 Jason, from Colchis to Bruges: The Burgundian
Order of the Golden Fleece
- Bernard Coulie
Chapter 3: The Formation of Medieval Georgia
(4th-9th Centuries)
78 Between Rome and Persia:
The Christianisation of Georgia
- Jean-Pierre Mahé
82 An Introduction to Georgian Architecture
- Gia Marsagishvili
88 The Georgian Alphabet and the Georgian Scripts
- Bernard Coulie
91 The Georgian Language
- Bernard Coulie
92 Saint Nino, Enlightener of Georgia
- Jean-Pierre Mahé
94 The Thirteen Syrian Fathers
- Tamar Abuladze, Tamar Otkhmezuri
98 Artistic Exchanges between Sasanid Persia,
Byzantium, and the Islamic World
- Nina Iamanidzé
104 Georgian Manuscripts
- Tamar Otkhmezuri
108 Illuminating Georgian Manuscripts
- Nino Kavtaria
Chapter 4: The Unification of the Kingdom
and the Golden Age of Georgia (10th-13th Centuries)
116 From the Arab Invasion to the Golden Age
- Stephen H. Rapp Jr.
124 The Ideology of War in Medieval Georgia
- Mamuka Tsurtsumia
127 Georgia and the Crusades
- Mamuka Tsurtsumia
128 The Representation of Royal Identity
- Antony Eastmond
134 Women in Medieval Georgia: Power and Holiness
- Antony Eastmond
Chapter 5: The Disintegration of the Unified Georgian
Kingdom (13th-14th Centuries)
138 The Mongol Invasions in Georgia
- Andrew C.S. Peacock
144 A Syncretic Image of Christian Faith:
Georgian Art in the 13th-14th Centuries
- Nina Iamanidzé
148 Gurdji Khatun's Patronage of Sufi Mystic in Anatolia
- David Turashvili, Nino Simonishvili
Chapter 6: Georgia between Ottomans, Persians,
and Russians (15th-17th Centuries)
152 Georgian Kingdoms between Ottomans,
Persians, and Russians
- Jaba Samushia
160 Looking at Georgia with a European Eye:
Missionary Activities
- Nino Simonishvili
164 Georgian Elites in Muslim Countries
- Jaba Samushia
167 The Beginnings of Georgian Printing
- Tamar Abuladze
Chap. 7: From the Late Kingdoms to the Russian
Annexation (18th Century)
172 The Struggle for Survival: The End of Georgian
Political Independence
- Aldo Ferrari
177 The Embassy of Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani in Europe
- Valeri Asatiani
178 Georgian Elites at the Russian Court
- Valeri Asatiani
184 Bibliography
187 Photographic Acknowledgements
