Prehistoric
Georgia and Rise of Societies and States
Georgians are believed to derive from
indigenous inhabitants of the Caucasus. Historical and archeological evidence
indicates that humans inhabited this region since primordial times. The oldest
traces of human habitation, dating back 1.77 million years, were found near
Dmanisi, in eastern Georgia, and provided tantalizing insights into the
development of homo erectus. In the later periods, humans settled in the south
Caucasia more frequently and ancient stations were found throughout the
country, notably at Yashtkhva, Rukhi, Katskhi and Lashebalta. During the
Mousterian period (100,000 to 35,000 years ago), the human population grew on
the Black Sea coast and in the Rioni-Kvirila basin, where archeologists found
traces of human habitation in the Jruchi, Sagvarjile and Chakhati caves. Late
Paleolithic period stations were unearthed at Devis Khvreli and Sakazhia, and
the discoveries from the Neolithic era were made at Anaseuli, Gurianta,
Khutsubani, Odishi, Kistriki, Zemo Alvani, etc.
Rise of Societies And States
Between ca. 11000 and 9000 BCE, hunters and gatherers established permanent
settlements in Southern Caucasia. In the Chalcolithic period (ca. 6400–3800
BCE), Shulaveri-Shomu culture flourished using obsidian for tools, raising
animals and growing crops, including grapes. The fourth and third millennia
BCE saw gradual development of agriculture and cattle breeding. From ca. 4000
to 2200 BCE, the Kura-Araxes (Early Transcaucasian) culture pervaded Southern
Caucasia and the Armenian Plateau, producing distinctive handmade pottery with
burnished black exteriors and red interiors, portable andirons of clay and new
kinds of bronze tools and weapons. It gradually broke up but survived in some
places until as late as ca. 1500 BCE. In the Bronze Age, several highly
developed cultures developed on the territory of Georgia that are represented
in the large barrows in Trialeti (ca.2200-1500) which produced four-wheeled
wooden carriages, precious goblets and silverware.
At the end of the third millennium, the Hittites established their state in
eastern Anatolia and had considerable influence on the neighboring
proto-Georgian tribes. Two major cultures existed on the territory of Georgia,
the Western Georgian, also known as Colchian (Kolkhuri) and the Eastern
Georgian or Iberian. There was also a number of proto-Georgian tribes in Asia
Minor which had close interaction with major powers of the ancient Near East,
especially with the Hittites and Assyria. Assyrian inscriptions from the 11th
century BCE describe proto-Georgian tribes of Kashkai, Mushki and Tubal that
lived in eastern Anatolia. Georgian tribes of the early Bronze Age were well
known for their sophisticated metallurgy. The Bible makes mention of Thubals/Tubalcain
as one of the pioneers in metalworking.
The increasing sophistication of these early Georgian cultures led to the
emergence of the tribal confederations of Diauchi (Diauehi, Daiaeni, Tao) and
Colchis (Kolkha) at the end of the second millennium BCE in southwestern and
western Georgia respectively. Diaochi was engaged in a war with the powerful
kingdoms of Assyria and Urartu and the inscriptions of the Urartu kings Menua
(ruled 810-786 BCE) and Argishti (786-764) reveal the wealth and power of this
early confederation. In his Odyssey, Homer mentions King Aietes and his mighty
kingdom of Colchis while Apollonius of Rhodes, in his Argonautica of the third
century BCE, left a detailed account of the legendary expedition of Argonauts
to seize the famed Golden Fleece.
In the mid-eighth century BCE, the Diaochi confederation was destroyed and
part of its territory was annexed by the neighboring Colchis, which now found
itself facing the hostile Urartu. The Urartian King Sardur II (764-735) led
several campaigns against Colchis around 750-741 BCE, significantly weakening
and exposing it to the attacks of northern tribes. By 720 BCE, the Cimmerian
incursions from the north destroyed Colchis and significantly affected local
society and culture. Some Georgian tribes were scattered into remote regions
of south Caucasia and others found themselves subjected by the Medes and
Persians. In the subsequent century, new tribal confederations were
established, the most important of them being Speri (Sasperi) in the upper
reaches of the Chorokhi River and the new kingdom of Colchis, known as Egrisi,
in Western Georgia. Egrisi enjoyed close relations with the newly established
Greek colonies - Phasis (in the vicinity of present-day Poti), Gyenos (Ochamchire),
Dioscurias (Sukhumi), Anakopia (Akhali Atoni) and Pitius (Bichvinta) - on the
Black Sea coast and the Greek sources provide fascinating insights into
ancient Western Georgian society. Excavations at Vani, Dablagomi and Sairkhe
in western Georgia revealed a sophisticated and urbanized society which struck
its own silver coins known as the Colchian white (kolkhuri tetri) that were
widely circulated in the Transcaucasia.
By the seventh century BCE, the Georgian principalities were affected by the
rise of powerful Median and later Persian kingdoms. Herodotus informs us that
the proto-Georgian tribes of Tibarenes, Mossinikoi, Macrones, Moschi, and
others made up the 18th and 19th satrapies of the Achaemenid Persia. While
most Persian subjects paid taxes, Colchians were exempt from them but
delivered a tribute of 200 girls and boys every five years. The Greek and
Persian presence in the Transcaucasia exposed Georgian societies to thriving
commerce, economic and commercial ties with other regions and considerably
affected the socio-economic development of the region. The period saw the
consolidation of Eastern Georgia (Iberia) and the migration of some Georgian
tribes, the most important of them being Moschi/Meskhi from the Asia Minor,
which settled in the central Kartli and founded the future Iberian capital of
Mtskheta (city of Meskhi). By the time the famous Greek general Xenophon
marched with his 10,000 soldiers through Asia Minor in 401-400 BCE, the
Colchians and other proto-Georgian tribes had freed themselves from the
Persians. Xenophon’s Anabasis described in detail the tribes of Chalybes,
Taochi, Phasians, Mossynoeci and others the Greeks encountered. These
proto-Georgians lived in communal societies and often warred with one another.
