Church of Bana

With the agreement of both universities  the program was created to determine the territory and the monuments that the students would visit. The Vilayets (regions) of Erzurum and Artvin and their monuments were chosen as the major places to visit. On July 24^th students started working within the plan and visited Oshki, Khakhuli and Bana monasteries. Students also visited the archaeological excavations of  ‘Altin Tepe’ (Golden Mountain) in Erzijan. On the basis of the archaeological expedition scientific discussion was held, in which, beside the professors, students participated and gained experience. Future joint Turkish-Georgian archaeological excavations were planned.

The group visited the oldest Georgian cultural monuments – Ishkhani and Otkhta and the archaeological and ethnographic museums of Erzurum, the fortress of Erzurum, and the Museum of Ataturk in Erzurum. On the way to the city of Artvin the group visited Khandzta, Doliskana and the fortress of Artanuji and in the evening settled in Artvin. During the following days  students wrote down their ethnographic material. This was the first time that the students worked individually in this field under the guidance of the professors. The material was collected in various villages of the gorge of Machakhela. Students gained interesting material about the legends of formation of villages, traditional folk holidays/celebrations, food, kin networks and wedding traditions.  Material on historical geography was gathered during the expedition. The highlight for  students was seeing historical /archaeological places previously only read about e.g. gorges; rivers; the Tortum Lake; the Fortress of Oltisi; Panaskerti; and the mouth of the River Euphrates.   

List of the Group members: 

1. Professor Manana Sanadze
2. Professor Tamaz Beradze
3. Professor Tinatin Ghudushauri
4. Professor Vakhtang Licheli
5. Ph D Candidate, Tamta Khalvashi 

The Students:

1. Teona Lagvilava
2. Giorgi Tsereteli
3. David Chigholashvili
4. Qetevan Qimeridze
5. Nino Tsikvadze
6. Manana Tsereteli
7. Natia Maisuradze
8. Nino Siprashvili
9. Ekaterine Jinashvili
10. Tinatin Sikharulidze