Tbilisi 1990

The Lund University Department of Linguistics undertook an expedition to Tbilisi in September 1990, capably managed by Karina Vamling, and at the invitation of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and the Chikobava Institute of Linguistics . This had originally been planned for the previous year, when the trip was stopped in Moscow by the Soviet government following the 9 April massacre in Tbilisi that had just happened. That first visit had been planned as a linguistics symposium together with the Academy of Sciences and the Chikobava Institute. Now, 18 months later, the party also included members of the Department of History and the Faculty of Theology.

Our generous hosts in Tbilisi, sadly both have died during the intervening years: Eleanora Kremer (Professor of Russian) and Aleksandre Mahometovi (Professor of Daghestanian Languages)

Scenes from Tbilisi

The flag of the Republic of Georgia, six months independent, flying from the university

Monument commemorating Arnold Chikobava, Caucasian linguist and founder member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences

A scene in Old Tbilisi

“Berikaoba”: revelling youngsters by Avtandil Monaselidze at the Museum of Children’s Art

A moment’s relaxation

Some of the group in a Tbilisi cafe

Excursion to Mtskheta

Jvari monastery from the 6th century

Bas-relief over the doorway
of Jvari monastery church

The Kura River and Mtskheta seen from the Jvari monastery

The Jvari monastery seen from Mtskheta

Svetitskhoveli cathedral at Mtskheta, 11th century, built on the foundations of two
earlier churches

Ornamentation on the side of Svetitskhoveli cathedral at Mtskheta

Excursion to Samtavisi, Gori and Didi Ateni

Samtavisi cathedral, 11-12th century	Murals in the cupola of Samtavisi cathedral
Massive bas-relief on the east wall	Ornamentation
Belfry and gate tower in the fortified wall surrounding the Samtavisi cathedral site	Discussing the archaeology of the Samtavisi site
Roadside fruit market near Gori	Rumoured petrol delivery, Gori
Echo of the Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin’s official railway coach	Echo of the Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin’s statue still standing in Gori outside the town hall.
The shrine erected in 1939 over the cottage where Stalin was born	The cottage where Stalin was born in 1878
Village and vineyard near Gori	The village of Didi Ateni in the foothills near Gori
The group entering the gate to the 7th century church of Ateni Sioni	The grapevine pergola leading up to the church
Earthenware urns or amphorae inside the church	Restoration in progress
Ancient Georgian inscription	Fresh fruit and vegetables outside the church
Climbing the rocky path to the Uplistsikhe cave settlement near Gori	Part of the Uplistsikhe cave settlement, in use from the 1st millenium BC to the middle ages