Colchian culture

Colchian culture (Georgian: კოლხური კულტურა; 3000 BCE to 600 BCE) is Neolithic - an early Bronze Age and Iron Age culture of the western Caucasus, mostly in western Georgia. It was partially succeeded by the Koban culture in northern and central Caucasus.

It is named after the ancient geographic region of Colchis, which covered a large area along the Black Sea coast. It is mainly known for highly developed bronze production and artistic craftsmanship.^[1] There are many items of copper and bronze found in ancient graves. Graves found and studied have been located in the Abkhazia region,^[2] the Sukhumi mountain complexes,^[3] the Racha highlands where brick tiles and graffiti have been found, and the Colchian plains (კოლხეთის დაბლობი [ka]) where collective graves have been found.

Collective graves occurred during the last stages of the Colchian culture (c.8th century to 6th century BCE). In these graves bronze items were found that represented foreign trade occurred with the Colchian culture. At this time an increase in the production of weapons and agricultural tools is seen. Evidence of copper mining has been found in Racha, Abkhazia, Svaneti, and Adjara.^[1]^[3] Ruins of palaces are present in the Colchian Plains.^[4]

Colchian culture is characterized by Colchian axes, sickles, short spears, flat axes, bow-shaped and cylindrical axes, belts, bracelets, bearings, and statuettes. The items are often painted and sometimes even with the sculptural expression expressing the religious ideas of the Colchis.

References

^ ^a ^b Иессен, A (1935). К вопросу о древнейшей металлургии меди на Кавказе [To the question of the oldest copper metallurgy in the Caucasus] (in Russian).
^ Трапш, M (1962). Памятники колхидской культур в селе Куланурхва Абхазской АССР, Сух [Monuments of Colchian cultures in the village of Kulanurkhwa, Abkhaz ASSR, USSR] (in Russian).
^ ^a ^b კალანდაძე, ა (1953). სოხუმის მთის არქეოლოგიური ძეგლები [Archaeological Monuments of Sokhumi Mountain] (in Georgian).
^ ქორიძე, დ (1965). კოლხური კულტურის ისტორიისათვის [History of Colchian Culture] (in Georgian).

External links

Media related to Colchian culture at Wikimedia Commons

[Jessen-1] Иессен, A (1935). К вопросу о древнейшей металлургии меди на Кавказе [To the question of the oldest copper metallurgy in the Caucasus] (in Russian).

[Trapsh-2] Трапш, M (1962). Памятники колхидской культур в селе Куланурхва Абхазской АССР, Сух [Monuments of Colchian cultures in the village of Kulanurkhwa, Abkhaz ASSR, USSR] (in Russian).

[Kalandadze-3] კალანდაძე, ა (1953). სოხუმის მთის არქეოლოგიური ძეგლები [Archaeological Monuments of Sokhumi Mountain] (in Georgian).

[Koridze-4] ქორიძე, დ (1965). კოლხური კულტურის ისტორიისათვის [History of Colchian Culture] (in Georgian).

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[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Bronze Age
↑ Chalcolithic
Bronze Age	Abashevo culture Aegean civilization Andronovo culture Apennine culture Armorican Tumulus culture Atlantic Bronze Age BMAC Bronze Age Britain Bronze Age Europe Canegrate culture Catacomb culture Chinese Bronze Age Cycladic culture Deer stones culture Deverel–Rimbury culture Elp culture Ewart Park Phase Ezero culture Glazkov culture Argaric culture Hallstatt culture Helladic period Indus Valley Civilisation Late Jomon Karasuk culture Liaoning bronze dagger culture Lusatian culture Minoan civilization Mumun pottery period Mycenaean Greece Nordic Bronze Age Okunev culture Ordos culture Penard Period Samus culture South-Western Iberian Bronze Srubnaya culture Tagar culture Tarim Basin Terramare culture Trzciniec Tumulus culture Únětice culture Urnfield culture Wessex culture Wilburton-Wallington Phase
Bronze Age (North Caucasus and Transcaucasia)	Kurgan Koban Kura–Araxes Shulaveri-Shomu Colchian Trialeti Maykop culture Leyla-Tepe culture Jar-Burial Khojaly–Gadabay
↓ Iron Age

v t e Kartvelians
Ethnic subgroups	Svans Zans Mingrelians Laz people
Historical subgroups	Colchians Byzeres Drilae Machelones Macrones Marres Mossynoeci Phasians Sanni Tibareni Zydretae Iberians Gugars Saspeires Diauehi/Taochoi Misimians

See also

References

External links