Tsitsamuri

Tsitsamuri ( _ka. წიწამური) is a small village outside Mtskheta, Georgia. It is known as the place where the nation's famous writer and poet, Ilia Chavchavadze, was assassinated in 1907.

Near Tsitsamuri (identified as the "Seusamora" of Strabo) a ruined acropolis of ancient Iberia was unearthed by the archaeologist Andria Apakidze in 1953. It is to be identified with the "Zaden-tsikhe" (ზადენციხე), i.e., "the fortress of Zaden" of the medieval Gerogian chronicles. This fortress and a possible pagan temple was overlooked by Mount Zedazeni ("Upper Zaden") where later a Christian monastery was built. [ge icon Melikishvili, Giorgi "et al". (1970), საქართველოს ისტორიის ნარკვევები ("Studies in the History of Georgia"), [http://www.nplg.gov.ge/ic/DGL/work/SIN/sin%201+/10/1.htm Vol. 1.] Tbilisi: Sabch’ota Sakartvelo.] A necropolis of the 1st century BC/2nd century AD was brought to light early in the 1980s; a bronze batillum and an Italic oenochoe were among the finds. [Kacharava, D. Archaeology in Georgia 1980-1990 (Post-Prehistoric to Pre-Mediaeval). "Archaeological Reports", No. 37 (1990 - 1991), pp. 79-86.]

References