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Financing of Inclusive Education in General Educational Institutions and Modern Challenges
Full text linkInclusive Education in Georgia – Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives - 2024
Joint Conference of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State UniversityEducation is a fundamental and constitutional right of every individual. Education for any individual is an investment in human capital, ultimately providing society with productive skills. In turn, any state must ensure access to education and create appropriate conditions for individuals with all kinds of abilities, as providing high-quality education for the entire population is vital for any country aspiring to development.
Analyzing the educational space of developed countries confirms a direct connection between increased educational funding and quality improvement, which means that effective initiatives must be implemented, proper distribution of investments in education must be ensured, and effective educational strategies must be developed to foster the development of necessary skills in students.
In the years following Georgia's independence, children with special educational needs were less integrated into society, and until 2004, they were not provided with specially adapted conditions. Since this period, with ongoing reforms in the country's educational system, the development of inclusive education have been recognized as a state priority. Within the framework of the program to promote inclusive education, five sub-programs were implemented. Since 2006, with cooperation with Caritas Germany and financial support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, and later through the introduction of a payment scheme for special teachers by the state, along with a gradual increase in expenditures in the education sector as a percentage of GDP, inclusive education has become one of the priority directions of educational reform in our country. This has ultimately facilitated the integration of students with disabilities into educational systems. Today, more than 8,000 students with special needs benefit from this "benefit." In the 2023 state budget, inclusive education was funded with 42.6 million GEL, and within the program, a salary increase of 125 GEL was provided for special teachers. In 2021, for the first time in our country's educational history, an exam for special teachers was conducted.
Our paper examines the dynamics of the salary scheme for teachers of students with special needs in general educational institutions to promote inclusive education, its positive and negative aspects, and, through the use of analogy and comparison methods, the specifics of the work of special teachers in Georgia and abroad. In conclusion directions for improving the strategy for increasing the financing of inclusive education are presented
Decarbonization of energy and challenges of sustainable development of Georgia
Full text link1. Abesadze R. (2019). "Green" economy: essence and challenges. Internet conference materials.
2. Abesadze, R. (2019). “Green” and “circular” economy: essence and modern challenges. International Journal of New Economics and Social Sciences IJONESS, 10(2), 329-345.
3. Abuselidze, G., & Zoidze, G. (2024). Conceptual Issues of Sustainable Local Economic Development: International Experience. In Economic Science for Rural Development Conference Proceedings (No. 58).
4. Abuselidze, G., & Zoidze, G. (2023). Competitive Environment Problems and Challenges in the Pre-Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Society. Economic Themes, 61(3), 289-306.
5. Bedianashvili G. (2022). Climate change uncertainty and economic growth. Collection of conference materials. Tbilisi. 29-36.
6. Buftic, A. (2023). Directive 2023/1791 EED: a step closer to mandatory green public pro- curement criteria through sectorial legislation. European journal of public procurement markets, 5, 46-70.
7. Chomakhidze d. (2022). "The Russia-Ukraine war, with a chain reaction, also caused universal economic and energy wars."
8. Consultation of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee of the Parliament of Georgia. (2023). Green Book of Climate Change of Georgia for public consultations.
9. Deal, E. G. (2020). The European Green Deal. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and So- cial Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Brussels.
10. Eichhammer, W., Boede, U., Gagelmann, F., Jochem, E., Kling, N., Schleich, J., ... & Ziesing, H. J. (2001). Greenhouse gas reductions in Germany and the UK—coincidence or policy induced. Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe.
11. Environmental Performance Index. (2024). Georgia.
12. Finance, B. N. E. (2017). Record $30 bn year for offshore wind but overall investment down.
13. Green alternative. (2013). "Green policy and environmental protection".
14. Gvelesiani M., & Veshapidze S. (2016) Values: Limits and Contradictions. Globalization & Business. (1): 35-39. (in Georgian)
15. Gvelesiani M., & Veshapidze S. (2016) European values: what can we implement from them and how can we implement them in Georgia. Globalization & Business. (1): 40-46. (in Georgian)
16. Jene, K. European Green Deal Strategy and the Implications for Employment.
17. Knight, D. M. (2017). The green economy as a sustainable alternative? Anthropology Today, 33(5), 28-31.
18. Komor, P. (2004). Renewable energy policy. IUniverse. Inc., New York.
19. Lipp, J. (2007). Lessons for effective renewable electricity policy from Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom. Energy policy, 35(11), 5481-5495.
20. Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. (2024). Energy policy of the state of Georgia.
21. OECD. (2016). Energy and air pollution: world energy outlook special report 2016.
22. Otinashvili, R., Veshapidze, S., & Zoidze, G. (2023). Impact Of Economic Crime on The Sustainable Development of The State. Three Seas Economic Journal, 4(1), 10-17.
23. Papava, V. (2011). Energy cooperation opportunities in the Caucasus. Caucasus International, 1(1).
24. Papava, V. (2014). Georgia's Economy: The Search for a Development Model. Problems of Economic Transition, 57(3), 83-94.
25. Petroleum, B. (2011). BP Statistical Review of World Energy. London: BP.
26. Planet, C. (2018). A Clean Planet for all. A European strategic long-term vision for a pros- perous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy.
27. Reiche, D. (Ed.). (2012). Handbook of renewable energies in the European Union: Case studies of the EU-15 states. Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften.
28. Session, U. G. A. S. (2015). Agenda item 15 and 116. United Nations: New York, NY, USA.
29. Silander, D. (2019). The European Commission and Europe 2020: Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (pp. 2-35). Edward Elgar Pub- lishing.
30. Statistics, I. E. A. (2011). CO2 emissions from fuel combustion-highlights. IEA, Paris http://www. iea. org/co2highlights/co2highlights. pdf. Cited July.
31. Veshapidze, S., & Karchava, L. (2022). Contradictions of Globalization under the COVID19 Pandemic. Bull. Georg. Natl. Acad. Sci, 16(4).
32. Veshapidze, S., Otinashvili, R., Gvarutsidze, A., Abuselidze, G., & Zoidze, G. (2022). Modern technologies to overcome the challenges of globalization. Entrepreneurship, 10(2), 22-32.
33. Veshapidze, S., & Kitashvili, S. (2024). Georgia's European integration perspective.
Ekonomisti, vol. 2, 2024: 40-46. (in Georgian)
34. Veshapidze, S. (2024). European experience of green energy development and prospects for Georgia. Collection of conference proceedings of Tbilisi State University.
35. Veshapidze, S., & Zoidze, G. (2022). Value Choices of the Community in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
36. World Economic Forum (WEF). (2017). The global risks report.
37. Zoidze, G. (2023). Strategic directions of balanced economic growth of entrepreneurial entities. Journal of Innovations and Sustainability, 7(1), 1-22.
38. Zoidze, G., Abuselidze, G., & Veshapidze, S. (2023). Economic Vulnerability of Small Powers. Journal of Geography, Politics and Society, 13(3), 1-12.
39. Zoidze, G., & Veshapidze, S. (2022). Transformation of economic policy priorities under COVID-19. Three Seas Economic Journal, 3(2), 35-43.
40. 1Tv.ge. (2022). Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary have signed the project of an underwater cable transmitting electricity through the Black Sea.Relevance of the topic. Over time, climate change mitigation and decarbonization in the energy sector has become one of the top priorities of the modern world. Achieving climate neutrality involves not only reducing existing carbon emissions as much as possible, but also transforming all sectors of the economy in such a way that it becomes environmentally sustainable.
The aim of the paper is to analyze Georgia's opportunities and challenges in the process of energy decarbonization, especially in the conditions when the globalization of the economy is actively underway and climate change is the primary topic of international cooperation. In order to achieve climate neutrality, Georgia, like other countries, is obliged to apply relevant political, economic and technological innovations in order to reduce harmful effects on the environment and ensure sustainable energy development. For this purpose, the article analyzes the measures taken by the European Union. Mechanisms and tools for carrying out these measures are shown. The transition to a climate-neutral economy is associated with high costs, which may not be economically viable for some countries. Such countries are trying to bypass activities for the process of greening the economy, which is why it is necessary to use deterrent tools. In the article, the impact of the economic globalization process on both the eco- system and humanity is analyzed from an ethical and economic point of view.
The research subject of the paper is the study of the challenges of decarbonization of energy and Georgia's opportunities, the ways to achieve climate neutrality in the wake of the globalization of the economy.
Practical value. The paper discusses the legislative framework of climate change in Georgia and the need to create a unified legislative system to achieve climate neutrality based on it. The need to speed up the formation of the global energy market and the need for Georgia's integration with it are emphasized. The implementation of the "Georgian Energy Ex- change" is considered one of the steps taken on the path of integration.
Results and discussion. In the article, based on research, the target sectors for the structural changes necessary for the decarbonization of Georgian energy are highlighted. The issue of raising public awareness, introducing and developing innovative technologies, and the need for a strong legislative and financial-economic base is substantiated. The importance of the integration of Georgian energy with the energy of the European Union has been established and recommendations have been developed for the implementation of this goal.
Conclusion. Decarbonization of Georgian energy is one of the most important conditions for economic and ecological sustainability of the country. The paper confirms that in or- der to achieve the global climate goals, Georgia needs a complex strategy that includes both legal, technological and social initiatives. Only by synthesizing international cooperation and national approaches can the country successfully solve the challenges of decarbonization and ensure sustainable energy development
Thematic Toasting Tradition and Debate on the Roots of Georgian Supra
Full text linkსტატიის მიზანია განხილულ იქნეს მტკიცებულებანი, რომლებიც უარყოფს ანთროპოლოგიურ მიმოხილვებში უკვე ფართოდ გავრცელებულ ჰიპოთეზას, რომლის მიხედვით ქართული სუფრა მე-19 საუკუნემდე ხასიათდება როგორც არაცივილიზებული და უკულტურო მატერიალური მოხმარების პრაქტიკა - მთვრალი ორგია და ამდენად, ქართული სუფრა საფავიდური ირანის გავლენით არის ჩამოყალიბებული (Manning, 2014, Tuite, 2021). ამ პიპოთეზის ავტორები მხოლოდ რამდენიმე ისტორიული წყაროზე დაყრდნობით თვლიან, რომ საქართველოში არ არის თემატური სადღეგრძელოების აღწერილობა მე-19 საუკუნემდე, არ არსებობდა სუფრის გამოკვეთილი წესი, ამიტომ თანამედროვე მრავალსადღეგრძელოიანი ქართული სუფრა წარმოადგენს „გამოგონილ“ ტრადიციას. მათი აზრით, სუფრა ხდება კულტურული და სულიერების სივრცე მხოლოდ თემატური სადღეგრძელოების შემოღების შემდეგ რუსული (ევროპული) ლიტერატურის მიბაძვით (Ram, 2018); საბოლოოდ სუფრის ქართული ტრადიცია ცივილიზებულ სახეს იღებს და ვრცელდება საბჭოთა პერიოდში და ამდენად, ქართული სუფრა საბჭოთა ტრადიციას უფრო წარმოადგენს (Muelfried, 2018).
სტატიაში წარმოდგენილია ჯორჯიო ინტერიანოს, ჯოვანი და ლუკას, ქრისტეფორო კასტელის, ვოლკონსკისა და ხვატოვის მე-15-17 საუკუნის ჩანაწერებისა და თეიმურაზ მეორის პოემის მიმოხილვა, რომელიც ადასტურებს თემატური სადღეგრძელოების გამოკვეთილი წესის არსებობას საქართველოში და ტრადიციული სუფრის ცერემონიის უპირატესად რელიგიურ კონტექსტს. მე-16-17 საუკუნეების ისტორიული წყაროების ანთროპოლოგიური ანალიზი აჩვენებს ფსიქოკულტურულ და ტიპოლოგიურ სხვაობებს საქართველოსა და საფავიდურ ირანის სუფრის ტრადიციებს შორის. ალკოჰოლის მოხმარების წესის მიხედვით საქართველო შეიძლება განისაზღვროს როგორც „ღვინის“ , „სველი“კულტურა, სადაც სმა სასურველია, მაგრამ დათრობა აკრძალული. ასეთ კულტურებში ალკოჰოლის მიღების ღირებულებები და სანქციები კარგად არის ჩამოყალიბებული, ალკოჰოლიზმი დაბალია, როდესაც სპარსეთში ალკოჰოლიზმი ელიტაში ხშირი იყო. მოგზაურთა ჩანაწერებში სადღეგრძელოს რიტუალის აღწერილობანი ასევე ადასტურებს ტრადიციული სუფრის სულიერ, ქრისტიანულ ხასიათს საქართველოში.
The purpose of the article is to discuss the evidence that refutes the already widespread hypothesis in anthropological research, according to which the Georgian Feast - Supra until the 19th century was characterized as an uncivilized and uncultured practice of material consumption - a drunken orgy, and thus the Georgian Supra was formed under the influence of Safavid Iran (Manning, 2014, Tuite, 2022). The authors of this hypothesis believe, based on only a few historical sources, that there is no mention of thematic toasts until the 19th century, so there was no set rule of the Supra and the modern multi-toast Georgian Supra is an "invented" tradition. According to this authors, the Supra becomes cultural and spiritual domain only after the introduction of thematic toasts, borrowed from Russian (European) literature (Ram, 2018); finally, the Georgian Supra tradition takes a civilized form and spreads during Soviet period; thus, the Georgian Supra is more Soviet tradition than authentic Georgian one (Muelfried, 2018).
The article presents a review of the 15th-17th century travelogues by Giorgio Interiano, Giovanni da Luca, Christophoro Castelli, Volkonsky and Khvatov and a poem by Teimuraz II, which confirm the existence of a distinct rule of thematic toasting in Georgia and mainly religious context of the traditional Supra ceremony. Anthropological analysis of historical sources of the 16th-17th centuries reveals psychocultural and typological differences between the feasting traditions of Georgia and Safavid Iran. According to the rules of alcohol consumption, Georgia can be defined as a "wine" and "wet" culture, where drinking is desirable, but intoxication is prohibited. In such cultures, the values and sanctions of alcohol consumption are well established, alcoholism is low, whereas in Persia alcoholism was common among the elite. The descriptions of the toasting ritual in travelogues also confirm the predominantly spiritual, Christian character of the traditional Supra in Georgia
UDL Principles at ATSU Child Rights Syllabus
Full text linkInclusive Education in Georgia – Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives - 2024
Joint Conference of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State UniversityThe primary challenge in contemporary global education and learning is ensuring every student can achieve their full potential and excel in a highly technological and competitive environment. According to the OECD Educational Compass 2030, educational systems must develop students' skills and competencies to adapt continuously to changing environments. Emphasis is placed on areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, innovation, digital literacy, and adaptability. The adoption of the Child Rights Code, a key legal document addressing all major issues related to children's rights, marks a significant milestone in modern Georgian history. This responsibility extends beyond the state to individuals to ensure its full implementation and enforcement. Higher education institutions, particularly pedagogical faculties, play a crucial role in developing educators who uphold the highest standards in safeguarding children's rights.
A notable paradigm in education, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), focuses on creating inclusive and effective learning environments for all students. UDL principles provide educators with a flexible approach to curriculum design, instructional practices, and assessment methods by recognizing diverse learning needs. Incorporating UDL is particularly important at Akaki Tsereteli State University, where a focus on child rights adds a unique dimension to these principles as education evolves. The launch of USAID's Educating the Future program, which supports Georgia in improving teacher preparation and educational sciences programs at Georgian universities, has heightened the relevance of this topic. The ATSU Child Rights syllabus, developed in partnership with UNICEF Georgia, aligns its goals, objectives, materials, and assessments with UDL principles. Implementing UDL shows significant potential for creating inclusive and effective learning environments. Since child rights education is inherently interdisciplinary, developing curricula for diverse learners requires careful consideration
Priorities of Skills Agency Georgia
Full text linkInclusive Education in Georgia – Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives - 2024
Joint Conference of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State UniversitySkills Agency Georgia, together with Ministry of Education, Science and Youth, works actively to have an equal access on vocational education to every interested person, including persons with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, and promotes to create inclusive educational space in VET institutions developing various support services.
Implementing inclusive vocational education has been started since 2013 and after that several supporting mechanisms has been developed in the system. In order to increase to vocational education programs, a special quota for persons with SEN and disabilities was created within each program, including dual programs since 2023. Procedure of admission to programs (Practical testing) tailored to persons with SEN and disabilities has been developed. In addition to tuition being funded by the state, after enrollment, additional quarterly, voucher funding is allocated to each student with SEN and disabilities to support their education process. Vocational students with SEN and disabilities are provided with different services such as an inclusive professional education specialist, a sign language interpreter, an individual assistant, mobility and orientation trainer. If necessary, the institution also provides transportation for students. In accordance with individual needs, teaching may be conducted with an individual curriculum.
Nowadays is currently underway to implement the following supporting services/programs:
• Implementing specific career orientation service for persons with SEN and disabilities;
• Promoting continuous professional development inclusive education team of VET institutions;
• Developing individual assistant program of person with SEN and disabilities
About the Liturgical Legacy of Ephrem Mtsire
Full text linkEphrem Mtsire rendered a great service to the development of Georgian
philosophical and theological thought. Like Euthymius and George
the Athonites, Ephrem Mtsire displayed his skill in every branch of ecclesiastical
literary work. Ephrem Mtsire’s versatile activities are scientific
by nature in the modern meaning of the word. His numerous translations
have been investigated only partially. Particularly scarce is the information
about his activities in the sphere of liturgy.
The study of Georgian liturgical manuscripts has made it evident
that one of the redactions of important liturgical collections – “Triodion”-
was compiled by him.
This redaction has been compiled with the “Triodion” by George the
Antonite. At the same time, it contains numerous hymns, the majority of
which must have been translated by Ephrem Mtsire.
The innovations connected with the new redaction of “Triodion”
contain all kinds of hymns. Among them are hymns belonging to the outstanding
representatives of Byzantine hymnography. To the Georgian
translations of these hymns are added the titles in which the authors,
translators, as well as the nature of the translation, the liturgical rule
used while creating them and in some cases the names of the people
who ordered them are indicated. Such kind of exactness is typical for
Ephrem Mtsire.
According to 18th-century Georgian writer and historian Ioane Batonishvili,
Ephrem Mtsire composed “vespers” to be performed throughout
the entire Lenten period, which implies a collection of small-form hymns.
The primary innovation Ephrem Mtsire brought about in this collection is
the small-form hymns. This collection contains 542 small-size hymns some of which entered
from the “Triodion” under George Athonite’s redaction and others were
translated from Greek. Their Georgian translations are perfect from the
artistic point of view. To them are added liturgical servises of Holy Thursday,
Holy Friday and John the Baptist’s beheading, which made the important
elements of the liturgy.
The identification of “Triodion” under the redaction of Ephrem Mtsire
allows us to identify a number of Georgian manuscripts
A Document from the Polish Archives (CAW) about the Situation of the Catholic Church in the Caucasus in 1930
Full text linkThe Central Archive of Poland (CAW) keeps an interesting document
that provides information about the situation of the Catholic Church in
the Caucasus in 1930. This is the report of the Polish Consul, General Zigmund
Mostowski, from Tbilisi, which was sent to Warsaw on October 30,
1930.
“The Polish colony in the Caucasus before the world war had, thanks
to its efforts, numerous Polish churches served by Polish priests. After
the Sovietisation of the Transcaucasian countries, the fate of the Polish
churches, as everywhere in the Soviet Union, was extremely difficult. In
recent years, they have had to struggle not only for the right to exist, but
also to overcome the enormous material difficulties faced by the Soviet
authorities. Treating them as private enterprises, the authorities imposed
extremely high taxes on the churches, which are extremely difficult
to collect through contributions from impoverished parishioners. On the
other hand, they were forced to fight against the repressive measures taken
by the Soviet authorities against priests. As a result of this struggle,
in spite of the existence of a considerable, though fragmented, Polish colony,
there has not been a single Polish priest for a long time. It must be
said, however, that the Polish Catholics were helped in this respect by
Georgian priests, who took over the parishes of Polish churches and, in
many cases, learned the Polish language in order to better meet the spiritual
needs of their Polish parishioners. However, the Soviet authorities
did not stop their action against the clergy even for a moment. Many priests
among the clergy broke down under the influence of the authorities
to the extent that they tried to reconcile their duties towards the church
and the parishioners with the duties imposed on them by the Soviet authorities
and, above all, by the GPU. However, many of them, unable to
enter into this kind of compromise with the Soviet authorities, are subjected
to continuous detention, ending in exile or even execution.
Recently, the Consulate General became aware of the shooting of Fr.
Aslanishvili, the former parish priest of the Catholic Church in Batum, and
of the sacking of three priests, namely: Ludvik Batimanishvili, Konstantin
Sabarashvili and Stanislav Katchikashvili. The Consulate has not been able
to establish what the above-mentioned priests were accused of.
Według uzyskanych informacji, w krajach Zakaukazia pozostało 17
księży, w tym 5 księży ormiańskokatolickich. Kapłani ci wykonują swoje
obowiązki duszpasterskie w następujących miejscach, a mianowicie: in Tiflis - Fr. Emanuel Wardidze,
in Tiflys - Fr. Stefan Georgizo, Assyrian,
in Baku – Fr. Stefan Demurow aka Demurashvili,
in Batum – Fr. Rafael Niebieradze,
in Kutaisis – Fr. Damjan Lago,
in Akhaltsi - Fr. Pavel Tatenashvili,
in Akhaltsi - Fr. Seraphim Merabishvili,
and two parishes of the Akhaltsi district, namely:
in Uda – Fr. Gabriel Garanaszuli,
and Wale – priest Konstantin Shishaberidze.
Furthermore, there are Roman-Catholic priests in Akhalkalaki, Gori
and in two other places; however, the Consulate has not been able to
establish the names of these priests. In addition to the above-mentioned,
there are also 4 Armenian-Catholic priests, of whom one in
Yerevan and one in Leninakan. All the above-mentioned priests are local
citizens and also cater for the spiritual needs of the Polish population.
In recent times the existing Catholic churches in 7 places in the
Transcaucasian countries (among others in Sukhum and White Key) have
already been closed down for the lack of priests. A Catholic chapel in
Tiflis has also been closed.
About the Political-State and Rhetorical Value of St. Arsen Iqaltoeli’s epitaph
Full text linkIn St. Arsen Iqaltoeli’s epitaph dedicated to Davit Aghmashenebeli,
two versions of which are spread in the sources, several important issues
are raised. These are: political, ideological, religious-worldview, facial expressions.
The epitaph is completely symbolic and allegorical, it evaluates
the merit of the king to Georgia and the Georgian nation for preserving
and unifying the independence of Georgia. The report discusses the
epitaph options and their main purpose. His first poem has two different
variants in terms of content: 1. “I am the one who hosted twelve kings in
Nacharmagevi”, which is verified in the text of “King’s Court Deal”, and
which was published in 1920 by Eqvtime Takaishvili, and 2. “I am the one
who hosted all the seven kings in Nacharmagevi.”
The first option involves hosting the twelve kings in Nacharmagevi,
the residence of the kings of Georgia. It is of a religious-worldview character
and, presumably, it is guided by two allusions-symbols: 1. The New
Testament, which is based on the symbolic understanding of the sacrament,
especially since the epitaph talks about the breaking of bread,
which finds a direct analogy with the sacrament (Math. 26, 20- 48; Mark.
14, 17-29; Luk. 22, 14-38; Io. 13-17 chapters). The epitaph is mainly guided
by the political context and can be understood from a political-ideological
and state point of view, but a religious-worldview is undoubtedly implied
in it; 2. The wisdom of the Old Testament is also reflected in the
twelve kings, in which the episode of Jacob and his twelve sons can be
considered and which can be called a story-history.
In relation to the second option, two types of understanding have
been formed in the scientific literature from a symbolic-allegorical point
of view: 1. The one expressed by Mose Janashvili, which implies hosting
the foreign kings in the palace of the king of Georgia and their names are
listed; but it is not clear whether the context referred to these kings fighting
together or not; in general, this view raises many questions; 2.
Expressed by Akaki Khintibidze, according to this line should mean the
reconciliation of Georgian chiefs. When sharing the second option, the question arises, whether the content of the line means the sevenfold titles
of Georgian kings, which can mean the composition of seven kingdoms
of Georgia: the king of Abkhazians, Kartvelians, Ranians, Kakhetians
and Armenians, Sharvansha and Shahansha, of which the last two
were gained by Davit himself.
The second part of the epitaph, “Turks, Persians and Arabs have
washed me outside the borders” is of political content and the opinion
expressed in it indicates Davit Aghmashenebeli’s fight against foreign invaders,
which is expressed by the phrase: “Turks, Persians and Arabs”,
which finds a kind of parallel with the myth of Amiran and enters the text
with the symbolism of the enemy. This expression unites the entire Eastern
world as a hostile force, which, along with political support, also indicates
belonging to another religion. It should also be said that despite
the unanimity, Byzantization was also unacceptable for Georgia, but this
is not indicated in the epitaph.
The third line “I am the one who let fhe fish of eastern waters swim
in western waters” refers to the unification of the country; the symbol
and metaphor of fish and water is noteworthy. Water, as life-giving and
spiritually cleansing, evokes the association of epiphany, and fish, as a
symbol of the savior, indicates the path of spiritual development of mankind,
including Georgians. The unification of Eastern and Western Georgians
is the result of the nation’s spiritual development.
The last line of the epitaph – “Here lies the one who performed all
these mighty deeds” - is a reflection of the tradition related to the death
of a person and an expression of Christian faith.
Written in low shire measure St. Arsen Iqaltoeli’s epitaph summarizes
and appreciates Davit Aghmashenebeli’s achievements and merits
before the statehood of Georgia and the Georgian nation. It reflects his
struggle for strengthening the independence of the country and unifying
it with rare brevity, as well as poetic images, using the poetic form with
which he expressed the spirit of the Georgian nation
GEORGIAN MERCHANTS AND COMMERCIAL TIES OF THE GEORGIAN KINGDOMS IN XV-XVIII CENTURIES
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 inclusionWhen examining the trade routes and connectivity in the Caucasus of 16th-18th centuries, the existing historiography mostly pays attention to the commercial activities of Armenians, Indians, Russians and other ethnic groups, with Georgian merchants rarely, if ever, mentioned as a significant trading force. Yet, in 15th-18th centuries, there was a notable activism of Georgian traders. While they may not have reached the influence of the Armenian or Indian diasporas, Georgian merchants appear to have formed a relatively strong trade group spread across the Middle East and some parts of the Mediterranean with a particular geographic focus on the Safavid Iran. This article explores this relatively unknown development by placing Georgian merchants within a broader picture of shifting Eurasian trade patterns caused by trans-oceanic exploration and the rise of Eurasian empires in 15th-16th centuries. The expansion of the network of also highlighted the endurance of the overland trade patterns across Eurasia in 16th-18th centuries over ocean routes.
From the 16th century, eastern Georgia was closely involved in the international trade system. Even the invasions of Shah Abbas I and ensuing deliberate cut-off of Kartli and Kakheti from the silk trade did not cause complete decline of these two regions. Indeed, in the difficult 17th-18th centuries, eastern Georgia continued to be actively involved in international trade and Georgian merchants enjoyed close economic ties with Iran, Russia, and the Ottoman empire.
For example, during a visit to Moscow at the end of the 16th century, the English merchant Giles Fletcher encountered merchants from Turkey, Persia, Georgia, and Armenia. Georgian merchants also traveled to Constantinople, with one source mentioning a Georgian deacon’s son, a trader in the Ottoman capital, who brought back the remains of famous Georgian king Simon who fought the Ottomans, was brought into captivity and eventually died in the Yedikule fortress in Constantinople. Georgian merchants were also known to travel to Venice, often importing products to Iran.
Later, in the 17th century, Georgian merchants actively participated in trade in the Safavid capital of Isfahan, where they interacted with European merchants. In his accounts Olearius, alongside Indian, Armenian, and European merchants, also mentioned Georgians residing and practicing commerce in the Safavid capital. Moreover, the German traveler highlighted the activities of Georgian merchants, putting them on the same level with Armenians. He also made an intriguing observation that might partially explain the reduced prominence of Georgian merchants in the 17th century and beyond: Olearius noted that while Georgian merchants traveled to India and Europe, they were often mistaken for Armenians.
Engelbert Kaempfer, a German traveler, in his writings about Georgia, noted that Georgians were among most active traders in Isfahan. It appears that Georgian merchants reached as far as the Persian Gulf, particularly the renowned port of Bender-Abbas established by Shah Abbas. Thomas Herbert, an Englishman visiting Persia between 1627 and 1629, mentioned Georgian merchants in the port alongside other nationalities. Herbert also observed Georgians in Isfahan, where they were less involved in trade compared to Armenians but still were quite active. Elsewhere, the traveler mentioned Georgian merchants alongside western European, Armenian, Indian, and Turkish traders