CLEY IMPRINTS OF TSIKHIAGORA

Abstract

The Tsikhiagora Temple complex is located 40-45 km northwest of Tbilisi, on the right bank of the River Mtkvari near the village of Kavtisxevi (Eastern Georgia). Excavations carried out in the area reveald that Tsikhiagora is a burial mould-like hill with the following characteristics: 12m, space - 40m. X 100m. The large temple complex surrounded by a wall with towers and outposts was built on the hill. The thickness of the cultural layers attained 6 m, the lower layers belonging to the Bronze Age. The Layer of the Hellenistic period is preserved best of all, featuring a temple complex. The complex is dated to the IV-III centuries B.C. and was destroyed by fire in the middle of the III century B.C. Life resumed here on a much smaller scale. Two constructional horizons of the II – I centuries B.C. were revealed.

It consits of a temple, a granary, a wine cellar, a bakery, a refectory and dwelling buildings The variety of forms and subjects of the clay imprints of Tsikhiago-ra, and the style and manner of expression reflect the influence of the cultures of Achaemenid Iran and Middle East as well as that of Greece. In many cases peculiarity of pictures and the manner and style of their performance having no analogues among the known fine art pieces suggest the possibility of their local origin. Imprints found in the Tsikhiagora Temple complex suggest that there were four main seal types in use there: triangular, rectangular, round and oval. Besides there were less frequently used three and four-bar crosses, circles and rectangles with stretched out parts, which must have been a kind of hanger. Imprints mainly represent an animal, in particular lion, deer, goat, scorpion, griffin, horse, synchretic animal, bull-headed bird. Same times the imprints have man, equestrian, stars and crosses on them.