Layers of stone and ash: new perspectives from the Samtskhe-Javakheti archaeological project
Since 2017, the Samtskhe-Javakheti Project has identified about 168 archaeological sites in the highlands of southern Georgia and conducted excavations at Meghreki Fortress and Baraleti Natsargora. These sites reveal complex occupational sequences, fortification strategies and decorative practices, highlighting the region’s role as an interactive cultural frontier between highlands and steppes.
Authors
- Vakhtang Licheli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3134-8694)
- Annarita Stefania Bonfanti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0873-823X)
- Priscilla Vitolo
- Andrea Cesaretti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1653-6371)
- Tornike Chilingarashvili
- Tamar Chogovadze (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4454-8740)
- Francesca Galanti
- Elena Fausti
- Roberto Dan
- Onofrio Gasparro
- Francesco Laurita
Institutions
- University of Siena (IT)
- Tbilisi State University (GE)
- Roma Tre University (IT)
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice (IT)
- Georgian National Museum (GE)
- Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures (PL)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Antiquity
- Published
- 2026-04-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2026.10331
- Primary Topic
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00