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ABOUT THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF “SEVEN” IN THE ANCIENT CULTURAL SPACE AND ANCIENT GEORGIAN WRITING
No full texthttps://geohistory.humanities.tsu.ge/ge/procedings/83-shromebi/179-shromebi-20.html
ივანე ჯავახიშვილის სახელობის თბილისის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტის ჰუმანიტარულ მეცნიერებათა ფაკულტეტის საქართველოს ისტორიის ინსტიტუტის შრომები შესულია ERIH PLUS-ში (The European Reference Index for the Humanities and the Social Sciences) / This journal was approved on 23.10.2024 according to ERIH PLUS criteria for inclusionIn the symbolic understanding of “seven”, the worldview of the pre-Christian and Christian eras can be read together with the historical reality of Georgia. “Seven” belongs to the series of sacred numbers, in which hidden knowledge is encoded and contains secret meta-information, which, in one sense, is connected to the symbolism of numbers, from the second point of view, to enigmatic art. The sacredness of “seven” appears in the Georgian thought in several directions: 1. on the traces of the manifestation of united consciousness with mythological, folklore, and ethnocultural data; 2. religious, in particular, Christian worldview, which is based on biblical-evangelical and apostolic teachings; 3. historical, which can be imagined by understanding the historical past of Georgia; 4. in fictional literature.
The symbolism of “seven” in the ancient cultural space originates from ancient mysteries, beliefs, myths, oriental culture, ancient philosophy, and literature. In archaic traditions, numerology had a sacred, “cosmic” meaning, as the number was perceived as the face of the universe. Ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Chaldeans, Hellenes, and Romans associated “seven” with nature, cosmos, everyday life, and other important events. Pythagoras and his followers based the process of theogony on the theory of numbers. The sacredness and positive connotation of seven are explained in the literature by biblical pronoetic facial expressions. God carried out the biblical creation process for six days and rested on the seventh day. The seventh day of the week belongs to God. So, the seventh day is different; it is a novelty because a qualitatively different action takes place on the seventh day. In this regard, attention is drawn to the episode of the flood, the symbolic understanding of six and seven in the Gospel of John and the Revelation, the building of the temples of Solomon and Svetitskhoveli on seven pillars, which makes seven pillars the basis of wisdom and truth, the miracles of Jesus Christ; the New Testament recognizes seven mysteries and seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; seven mercies of carnal works and seven mercies of spiritual works; and in the Holy Scriptures, the seven virtues that cleanse the seven deadly sins are considered to be one of the main defining qualities of morality.
The symbolism of “seven” is reflected in Georgian historical writings in time-spatial traces of biblical books and theological literature. For example, “The History and Eulogy of Monarchs” mentions the existence of seven kingdoms in Georgia. The educational system in Medieval Georgia, similar to Byzantium, was based on the symbolism of seven, the trivium-quadrivium principle.
“Seven” has a symbolic meaning in Georgian hagiography, for example, “Conversion of Kartli”, in which the sixth day and the sixth hour are the day and time of idolatry, just as in the Gospel, the sixth day and the sixth hour are the day and hour of the crucifixion. This symbolism of “conversion” ends the Armasian era in Georgia, and the seventh already begins the Christian era, so the sixth-seventh day marks the end of the old era and the beginning of the new. The symbolic essence of seven can be observed in Iakob Khutsesiʼs “The Martyrdom of St. Shushanik”; “The Martyrdom of St. Eustathe Mtskheteli”; “the Martyrdom of St. Abo Tbileli”; in Georgian “lives”; in hymnography, and in monuments of secular writing; of which Shota Rustveliʼs “The Knight in Panter Skin” occupies a special place. The article discusses the model of symbolic understanding of seven according to Georgian Christian literature
საგანმანათლებლო რესურსების ადაპტირება წერა-კითხვის სწავლების მიზნით
Full text link"ინკლუზიური განათლება საქართველოში - მიღწევები, გამოწვევები და პერსპექტივები -2024"
ივანე ჯავახიშვილის სახელობის თბილისის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტისა და ბათუმის შოთა რუსთაველის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტის ერთობლივი კონფერენციაწერა–კითხვის სწავლება დღემდე ერთ–ერთ ურთულეს პრობლემად რჩება ქართული ენისა და ლიტერატურის მასწავლებლისათვის. ცნობილია, რომ წიგნიერების უნარ-ჩვევების მფლობელი მოსწავლეები სწრაფად სწავლობენ არა მხოლოდ მშობლიურ ენასა და ლიტერატურას, არამედ სხვა საგნებსაც. გარდა ამისა, ისინი გამოირჩევიან ემპათიის გრძნობით, პოზიტიური სოციალური ურთიერთობით, თანამშრომლობის უნარებით. ამიტომ წიგნიერების განვითარებას სათანადო ყურადღება უნდა დაეთმოს დაწყებით კლასებში, როცა საფუძველი ეყრება ამ უნარების ჩამოყალიბებას. წერა–კითხვის სწავლება განსაკუთრებულ ყუადღებას საჭიროებს მაშინ, როცა საქმე გვაქვს სპეციალური საგანმანათლებლო საჭიროების მქონე მოსწავლეებთან და აუცილებელი ხდება სასწავლო პროცესის დაგეგმვა მათი საჭიროების გათვალისწინებით. ეს პროცესი კი უპირველესად მოითხოვს საგანმანათლებლო რესურსების ადაპტირებას, რაც ვფიქრობთ, სპეციალური საგანმანათლებლო საჭიროების მქონე მოსწავლეებში წიგნიერების დომის ამაღლებას მნშვნელოვნად შეუწყობს ხელს.
კვლევის ძირითადი მიზანი იყო იმის გაანალიზება, თუ რამდენად ეფექტურია ადაპტირებული საგანმანათლებლო რესურსების გამოყენება წერა-კითხვის უნარების გაუმჯობესებაში. შესწავლილი იყო, თუ რა გავლენას ახდენს ადაპტირებული რესურსები მოსწავლეთა წერა–კითხვის უნარების განვითარებასა და დახვეწაზე; შეფასებული იყო სხვადასხვა ტიპის ადაპტირებული მასალების გამოყენების ეფექტურობა; იდენტიფიცირებული იყო ის მნიშვნელოვანი ფაქტორები, რომლებიც განაპირობებენ შესაბამისი საგანმანათლებლო რესურსების წარმატებულ ადაპტაციას წერა-კითხვის უნარების განვითარებაში და მათი იმპლემენტაციის აუცილებლობას განათლების სისტემაში
The Semantic-Functional Relation between the Svan Particle -გარ -gar and the Georgian Particle -ღა -γa
Full text linkLike Georgian, the Svan particles are either suffixes or separate
elements found with the noun and verb. Due to their archaic nature,
changed semantics or expansion of meaning (in one language or the
other), the Svan particles only partially correlate with their phonetic
equivalent in Georgian. Among such particles is -გარ -gar. According
to special literature, both materially and functionally, this particle is
considered as equal to the Georgian particle -ღა -γa. Like Georgian,
this Svan particle follows the word it is related to. However, according
to the spelling rules, it is written separately. At a glance, the area of
function of this Svan particle is broader as compared to the Georgian
particle, because, when we translate the Svan forms with this particle,
taking into account the context, the Georgian analogues of this Svan particle include not only the particle -ღა -γa, but also the lexemes
მხოლოდ mxolod “solely” and მარტო mart’o “only”.
In my opinion, the situation with regard to the Svan particle is
archaic: in Georgian, at a certain stage of language development, the
archaic -ღა /-γa / was mostly replaced by the lexemes მხოლოდ
mxolod “solely” and მარტო marto “only”. However, the Svan language
does not have any lexemes correlated to მხოლოდ mkholod
“solely” and mart’o “only”. Instead, the particle -გარ -gar (-ღა -γa) is
used in all contexts.
When speaking in Georgian, the Svan speaker will rarely use the
forms with the particle -ღა -γa or the lexeme მხოლოდ mxolod
“solely” (even in Georgian, such forms belong to the literary language
rather than oral speech). Therefore, the Svan speaker of Georgian will
chiefly use the lexeme მარტო mart’o “only”. The place of the latter
lexeme in a sentence is defined on the basis of the Svan language, i.e.
in the Georgian speech of the Svan speaker, the lexeme მარტო mart’o
“only” follows the word which is followed by -გარ -gar in Svan. Thus,
we get the calque of the Svan and, correspondingly, a stylistically
wrong Georgian sentence. In some cases, this fact affects the content.
For instance: instead of the correct sentence გიორგი გუშინ უდა
მოსულიყო giorgi gušin unda mosulix’o, magram dγesγa moaγc’ia /
mxolod dγes moaγc’ia “Giorgi was to come yesterday, but he came
here only today”, the Svan speaker of Georgian says: დღეს მარტო
მოაღწია dγes mart’o moaγc’ia “He came today only”; Instead of
saying ესღა დამრჩა esγa damrča “only this remains”, the Svan speaker
of Georgian will say ეს მარტო დამრჩა es mart’o damrča “this only
remains”; instead of მარტო (/მხოლოდ) ეს წავიკითხე mart’o
(/mxolod) es c’avik’itxe “I only read this”, the Svan speaker says ეს
მარტო წავიკითხე es mart’o c’avik’itxe “this only I read”...
As it turned out, the reason for the calquing is the stable place
of the Svan particle in the construction rather than lexical noncorrespondence.
Thus, the above-mentioned non-correspondence between the
literary language and oral speech and the lexical units of the nonwritten language (with regard to both the function and the place in a
sentence) and the so-called “free spaces” (“gaps”) can lead to stylistic
discrepancy and calquing not only in languages of different structures
but also in the related languages
Collaboration between Early Inclusive Education System and Early Intervention Services
Full text linkInclusive Education in Georgia – Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives - 2024
Joint Conference of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State UniversityThis study analyzes the effectiveness and availability of state programs for early childhood development across nine municipalities in Georgia. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection. Surveys and structured interviews were conducted with early childhood development service providers, parents, and local stakeholders across the nine municipalities. Additionally, secondary data from government reports and relevant literature were analyzed to contextualize findings.
This comprehensive approach ensured a robust understanding of the accessibility and effectiveness of early childhood development programs in the region. It emphasizes the importance of early interventions in positively influencing children's development. The research identifies a high demand for early intervention services, reflecting growing awareness and improved early detection, yet also highlights challenges like long waiting lists and a shortage of qualified specialists. The study finds that, despite the increasing number of early development service providers, many children, especially in rural areas, still lack necessary interventions. This issue significantly hinders their developmental potential. In these areas, parents, particularly mothers, face difficulties balancing caregiving and economic activities. The research underscores the need for more equitable distribution and increased access to early intervention services. It identifies six municipalities—Tbilisi, Gardabani, Kazbegi, Chiatura, Lentekhi, and Khulo—as requiring expanded access to these services. However, it notes specific limitations in highland municipalities like Khulo, Lentekhi, and Kazbegi, such as population dispersion, harsh weather, transportation issues, and cultural factors, which create barriers to sustainable service delivery. To address these challenges, the study suggests modeling telepractice and alternative services. In the capital optimizing service availability involves strengthening existing providers rather than introducing new ones. The study identifies Gardabani and Chiatura as promising areas for service expansion, given the expressed need, proactive local stakeholders, and favorable demographic distribution.
The research also highlights the need for significant efforts in early detection. It points out that primary healthcare and preschool education sectors lack systematic practices for child assessment and appropriate referrals. Many healthcare representatives and preschool teachers are not adequately trained or permitted to communicate developmental concerns to parents. Consequently, many children’s developmental delays remain unaddressed
Human resource as an important factor of increasing hotel service quality and guest satisfaction
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Katsitadze, Nana., THE PECULIARITIES OF HOTEL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN NEW TOURISM
COUNTRIES: THE CASE OF GEORGIA. International Journal of Business and Management Studies, CD-ROM.
ISSN: 2158-1479::07(02):107–118 (2018)In the paper classical theories, concepts and models focused on the complex study of the service quality
development in the hotels are discussed. In relation to the conceptual foundations and empirical measures of "service
quality", the emphasis is placed on the functional (product or service delivery process) and social (staff attitude
towards customers, cultural elements) categories of service quality assessment, and their most important factors
influencing the quality of hotel service are confirmed. This was also confirmed by the results of a
quantitative survey of guest satisfaction in 5- and 4-star international and local branded hotels in Tbilisi. According to
which the share of the personnel and other related assessment components (cleanliness, comfort) in the creation of the
hotel rating was revealed, which at the same time will serve as an indicator for long-term competitiveness
ABOUT SECRET CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN EREKLE II AND GARSEVAN CHAVCHAVADZE
Full text linkhttps://geohistory.humanities.tsu.ge/ge/procedings/83-shromebi/179-shromebi-20.html
ივანე ჯავახიშვილის სახელობის თბილისის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტის ჰუმანიტარულ მეცნიერებათა ფაკულტეტის საქართველოს ისტორიის ინსტიტუტის შრომები შესულია ERIH PLUS-ში (The European Reference Index for the Humanities and the Social Sciences) / This journal was approved on 23.10.2024 according to ERIH PLUS criteria for inclusionIn 1960, Iase Tsintsadze published an interesting historical document about the secret correspondence between King Erekle II of Kartli-Kakheti and the Georgian ambassador in St. Petersburg, Garsevan Chavchavadze, together with other material preserved in Russian archives. The historical document is the report sent by Garsevan Chavchavadze to Erekle II, dated to June 1785. The ambassador informed the king that he wanted to provide information on some matters, but he was not sure that their correspondence would not be uncovered by Russian officials. He had a doubt that their correspondence would be discussed in detail by the representatives of the Russian government. Accordingly, Garsevan Chavchavadze asked the king to send “another alphabet” and “Marfufa” to maintain the secret correspondence.
Iase Tsintsadze quite reasonably considered “another alphabet” as a secret or encrypted alphabet. The author added that a similar alphabet was used in ancient Georgia and one of such alphabetic system was called “Anjanuri Alphabet”. As for “Marfufa”, Iase Tsintsadze does not explain its meaning. According to the context of Garsevan Chavchavadzeʼs report, “Marfufa” was a text composed with a “secret alphabet”. The validity of the mentioned opinion is confirmed by the rare historical documents in which we find the term “Marfufa”. Based on two historical documents dated to the 90s of the 18th century, “Marfufa” was indeed called a secret letter.
Hence, “Marfufa” should have been a text composed according to the “secret alphabet”. In order to understand the content of “Marfufa”, it was necessary to know the specific “secret alphabet” used in it. Accordingly, Garsevan Chavchavadze requested the secret text and the code to unlock this text from Erekle II.
As it is established from the archival material found by Iase Tsintsadze, the reports sent by Garsevan Chavchavadze to Georgia and the correspondence sent from Georgia to Russia were secretly read by the representatives of the imperial intelligence, translated into Russian and presented to Catherine IIʼs favorite Grigory Potemkin. They made a lot of efforts to obtain of the “secret alphabet” that was sent from Georgia. Russian officials hoped to obtain of the “secret alphabet” at the Russian-Georgian border or in Astrakhan. At the same time, they were afraid that Erekle II would show precaution and deliver the “secret alphabet” not with the help of official courier, but with the assistance of private person, which would make it difficult to master it. As Iase Tsintsadze pointed out, despite an intensive search in the Russian archives, he was not able to find any information about sending the “secret alphabet” from Georgia.
In the collection of Ioane Batonishvili preserved in the National Library of Russia (fund 941), along with dozens of historical documents, we found one letter of Erekle II, which deals with the issue of secret correspondence. In a short postcard sent by the king to Garsevan Chavchavadzi, it is mentioned that Tamaz Otanov would be sent to him in two days, who would carry various messages. This time he was sent with “marfufa” and a letter for Grigory Potemkin.
Therefore, Erekle II sent “Marfufa” or a sample of secret correspondence, bypassing the official channels, a few days before the departure of the special messenger. Obviously, the opening code of “Marfufa” was also sent with the same correspondence. Although the letter is not dated, the king must have written it sometime after June 1785.
The fact that we cannot find information about possession of the “secret alphabet” in the archives of Russia should be the result of the careful and conve-nient steps of the Georgian officials. It seems that despite the well-organized intelligence of the Russian Empire, Erekle II managed to establish a confidential correspondence with his ambassador.
The content of the secret correspondence between the king and his ambassador is unknown. However, in this regard, attention is drawn to the appeals made by Garsevan Chavchavadze at the beginning of 1786. Shortly after the request for the “secret alphabet”, namely on January 10, 1786, the Georgian ambassador appealed to Grigory Potemkin to give him permission to travel to his homeland. On February 16, he repeated the same request to Grigory Potemkin. Erekle II did not recommend Garsevani to return to his homeland in 1785 based on the letters sent through official channels, hence we should assume that the instruction was sent through secret correspondence.კვლევა განხორციელდა სსიპ შოთა რუსთაველის საქართველოს ეროვნული სამეცნიერო ფონდის მხარდაჭერით / This work was supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgi
Nerses Shnorhali „I Confess with Faith” and its Unknow Georgian Translations
No full textეძღვნება პროფესორ თინათინ მარგველაშვილის ხსოვნას (1924 – 2006) / Dedicated to Memory of Prof. Tinatin Margvelashvili (1924 – 2006)Nerses Shnorhali was a renowned Armenian figure, philosopher, poet, and translator of the 12th century, and a representative of the Pahlavi dynasty. His literary activity is diverse, encompassing homiletic, exegetical, polemical, and dogmatic writings. Nerses Shnorhal is distinguished as both a Catholicos and a public figure, a defender of his country's and people's interests. He became the Catholicos of Armenia in 1166, succeeding his brother, Gregory, in this position. Cilician Armenia faced a great challenge at the end of the 12th century. Nerses, as Catholicos of Armenia, was a key participant in the meeting with Theophanes, the representative of Emperor Manuel, held in Hromkla, in 1170. During this meeting, a debate took place on the beliefs of the Armenian Church. In that same year, Nerses Shnorhali wrote one of his most famous works, 'I Confess by Faith,' which stands as the finest example of the poetic transformation of the creed. The simplicity and refinement of its form made the work particularly famous and popular. In 1823, the Mkhitarists of Venice published a translation of this prayer in 24 languages, including Georgian.
The research of Georgian manuscripts preserved at the Georgian National Center of Manuscripts, at the Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of the Ancient Manuscripts - Matenadaran, and in private collections revealed that there are translations of Nerses Shnorhali's 'I Confess by Faith' that differ from the published text, completed during the 18th-19th centuries. The study of the texts revealed three translations of 'Confession by Faith,' two from Armenian and one from Russian.
One translation of 'Confession by Faith' is written by the Armenian writer and translator Gevorg Goreli, who was writing in Georgian and was resident of Georgia in18th c. (The manuscript No. 81 is preserved in the Foreign Manuscripts Collection at the Matenadaran). Additionally, manuscript No. 108, preserved in the same collection and believed to belong to him, contains another translation of Nerses Shnorhali's work done by Farnavaz Batonishvili, the son of King Erekle II, from Russian. This manuscript dates back to 1814. Another translation is preserved in a Catholic prayer transcribed in Istanbul in 1775 (The Georgian National Center of Manuscript, Q-535). A comparison of the texts of the Shnorhali prayer found in two manuscripts preserved in a private collection with the existing translations revealed that these texts are a revised literary version of Farnavaz Batonishvili's translation and the prayers in the Catholic prayer book
The Temple of Wisdom or Thinking Academy on Thinking
No full textAncient philosophical thought preceded the ideas of the Enlightenment
by a millennium. “Enlightenment’s program was the disenchantment
of the world; liberating human beings from fear and installing
them as masters” (Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno).
The education system is the firstborn of antiquity. Various subversive
actions for the birth of free thought were carried out in different
schools and academies. What happened in ancient schools or academies?
Universities are formed in the Middle Ages. What is a university? Is it
a temple of knowledge or wisdom? University means community. It was
the union of a teacher and a student (universitas magistrorum et scholarium).
In the Middle Ages, university schools were mostly established at
the cathedrals.
Traditionally, the “university” is a place for searching and establishing
the truth, as well as a place of joint research-study, and the truth,
as “man’s deconstructive necessity”. In the new era, the new mission of the new university was based on
the idea of unity of teaching and research. The university was simultaneously
an educational institution and a scientific-research corporation.
The philosopher Jaspers considered the university to be the place
where the knowledge of the age is most clearly manifested. Where seeking
of truth is carried out in the name of truth itself. The seeking of
truth is the prerogative of a person as an independent individual (the
idea of Jaspers University).
It should be said that in 1852, John Henry Cardinal Newman wrote
the first book “On the Idea and Function of the University”, where the holistic
understanding of the university is preserved. For him, the university
is a European phenomenon. He considers the “studio general” conceived
in Europe in the late Middle Ages to be its predecessor. We are talking
about “liberal arts”, understood as non-pragmatic disciplines. Literally
translated, it means “free art”. Even Aristotle gave us its definition, the
so-called Trivium and Quadrium.
After that, the discourse of the entire university idea moved to the
thinking space of philosophers, it is interesting why and what caused
this.
Traditionally, three stages of the development of the university idea
are allocated, which we consider wrong.
The Socratic education established in antiquity turned out to be a
carrier of much deeper thought and remains a solid methodology till today,
because it is not based on fixed doctrines and is always in search of
new ideas. In terms of the idea of such education, the student and the
teacher are on the same level. The main ground here is the “idea of
freedom”. That is why “university education is inherently Socratic” (Karl
Jaspers).
According to Kant, independent thinking means seeking the highest
measure of truth in yourself (in the mind) (Immanuel Kant)
Achievements and Challenges of the Practice of Assisting Students with Special Educational Needs
Full text linkInclusive Education in Georgia – Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives - 2024
Joint Conference of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State UniversityIn recent years inclusive education has gained prominence globally as a means to adapt educational systems to cater to the diverse needs of all students, ensuring equitable access and participation. Georgia implemented inclusive education policies starting in 2006, with significant strides made after the introduction of personal assistants for students with special educational needs in 2018. This study explores the implementation of this service in Georgian schools, focusing on the challenges encountered.
Qualitative research was used to investigate the experiences and perspectives of stakeholders involved in inclusive education. Three distinct focus groups were conducted, involving school administrators, special needs assistants (SNAs), and staff from the National Center for Teacher Professional Development. A total of 34 participants provided insights through these focused discussions.
The qualitative analysis revealed several challenges associated with the introduction of personal assistants in Georgian schools. Foremost among these challenges is the insufficient training and professional development opportunities available for assistants. Additionally, the ambiguity surrounding the roles and responsibilities of SNAs and communication barriers within school environments were identified as significant issues. Importantly, the study highlighted that high turnover rates among assistants are largely attributable to professional burnout. Addressing these challenges is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of inclusive education initiatives in Georgia. The findings emphasize the need for strategic planning, targeted support measures, and resource allocation to optimize the support system for students with special educational needs and improve their educational outcomes
Traces of the "Golden Fleece" in a Sumerian Text
Full text linkეძღვნება პროფესორ თინათინ მარგველაშვილის ხსოვნას (1924 – 2006) / Dedicated to Memory of Prof. Tinatin Margvelashvili (1924 – 2006)In the report, we will discuss lines 420-434 of the Sumerian epic "Enmerkari and the Lord of Arata", which still remains obscure for researchers. The text refers to the victory of the king of the Uruk I dynasty (XXVII-XXVI centuries BC) over the distant country Arata. The versions that have reached us are dated to the period of the Third Dynasty of Ur (XXI century BC) or the Old Babylonian periods (XX-XVIII century BC).
Based on the context of the existing text, we must be dealing with an unknown ritual of Alchemy. With this ritual the Uruk king Enmerkar fulfills the task given by lord of Arata - to make a scepter from a special material. As the text tells us, if Enmerkar makes a scepter of such material, then Arata will be handed over to city-state Uruk.
This part of the epic should serve to present the knowledge of alchemy in Uruk, which the text tells us in detail. The king must create a special material to make the scepter, which will be neither wood nor ordinary silver and gold.
In the report, we will discuss this episode in detail, the text up to lines 420-434. We present in detail the meaning of the composites and the approximate readings. The
episode begins with presenting hidden wisdom by Enki to Enmerkar ( 420-21). 423 we read: 423.lugal-e /munsub(sumur3?)\ […]šu ba-ra-an-ti The King took the one covered with hair [...]
The king begins to act, when we see that "the king picked up an unknown object covered with hair". Only the presented words can be recovered from the damaged line of the text, which is very important for the issue of interest to us. After twisting the munšub, he crushes the obtained material in a pestle like a plant. Here it becomes obvious that we are dealing with an ancient, well-known method of crushing metals.
The next lines of the text tell us about the knowledge of obtaining certain materials, admixtures and chemical processes.
Our attempt is based on the contests of the existing text and also of the four poemsof the Arata cycle to specify the word recorded in the alchemy ritual presented in the
text, which looks like a furry skin and is also related to the Sumerian knowledge of alchemy.
Could we be dealing with the Kolkhi method of extracting gold from the Enguri basin and then using various impurities and the knowledge of alchemy to obtain a certain precious material.
We will also focus on the artistic features recorded in the passage of our interest - comparisons and metaphors that point to a certain location in another contest, which also remains unexplained to this day.
The recording of "furry weapons" (leather?) in the Sumerian cuneiform text in the context of metal mining and processing, we think should be interesting for both Caucasian and ancient Near Eastern relations, which is a matter of future research