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south, but it was possible to get into the town through a 3 m tunnel that functioned as a water supply. The tunnel was closed by a metal gate in case of invasion. Two of the three roads that approached the town were not protected, but the third, coming from the north, was cut in the rock, with up to 10 m high walls.
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The majority of the caves are devoid of any decorations, although some of the larger structures have coffered tunnel-vaulted ceilings, with the stone carved in imitation of logs. Some of the larger structures also have niches in the back or sides, which may have been used for ceremonial purposes. The
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built of stone and brick in the 9th-10th centuries. Archaeological excavations have discovered numerous artifacts from different periods, including gold, silver and bronze jewellery, and samples of ceramics and sculptures. Many of these artifacts are in the safekeeping of the
National Museum in
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The town was cut into a flat, straight, but slightly inclining mountain. Nearly a straight western wall went down to the river. Outside protection of the town was also facilitated by two motes, northern and eastern, with walls built into them. The river itself closed access to the town from the
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authors), it emerged as a major political and religious center of the country. The town's age and importance led medieval
Georgian written tradition to ascribe its foundation to the mythical Uplos, son of Mtskhetos, and grandson of
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The earliest traces of human presence in
Uplistsikhe date back to the end of the 2nd millennium BC. Its earliest remaining structures are from the beginning of the 1st millennium AD. With the
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A pillared hall with two adjacent rooms is one of the most important structures in the town. Its ceiling was supported by two pillars. A stone bench, probably, served as a ruler's seat.
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in the 14th century marked the ultimate eclipse of the town; it was virtually abandoned, and only occasionally used as a temporary shelter in times of foreign intrusions.
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Uplistsikhe is identified by archaeologists as one of the oldest urban settlements in
Georgia. Strategically located in the heartland of ancient kingdom of
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The
Uplistsikhe complex can tentatively be divided into three parts: south (lower), middle (central) and north (upper) covering an area of approximately 8
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of Kartli early in the 4th century, Uplistsikhe seems to have declined in its importance and lost its position to the new centers of
Christian culture –
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The 6th-century basilica was largely cut into the rock, except for its southern wall, built from the rocks. At the summit of the complex is a
Christian
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221:. The stability of the monument remains under substantial threat, prompting the Fund of Cultural Heritage of Georgia (a joint project of the
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facade of the large ceremonial hall of the southern part is decorated by a Roman-type arch with pediment.
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of
Tbilisi in the 8th-10th centuries. Another, three-church basilica was constructed at that time. The
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Zakaraya, P. (1983) Pamyatniki
Vostochnoi Gruzii. Iskusstvo, Moskva, 376 p. (In Russian)
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World Report on
Monuments and Sites in Danger 2001. Accessed on November 23, 2007.
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Several parts of the most vulnerable areas were completely destroyed by an
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The Uplistsikhe cave complex with a 9th/10th century three-nave basilica
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45:; literally, "the lord's fortress") is an ancient rock-hewn town in
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159:The cave cluster in Uplistsikhe's central part
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313:Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society
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310:The Architecture of. Uphlistsikhe, Georgia.
52:, some 10 kilometers east of the town of
16:Ancient rock-hewn town in eastern Georgia
408:Buildings and structures in Shida Kartli
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393:Former populated places in the Caucasus
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63:Built on a high rocky left bank of the
383:Prehistoric sites in Georgia (country)
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378:Former cities in Georgia (country)
183:View from Cave City at Uplistsikhe
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103:Plan of the Uplistsikhe territory
83:, as well as the co-existence of
308:Khimshiashvili, Kakha (1999).
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403:World Heritage Tentative List
331:Panoramic view of Uplistsikhe
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388:Caves of Georgia (country)
326:UNESCO World Heritage site
398:Geography of Shida Kartli
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259:Khimshiashvili (1999),
115:as it was known to the
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42:[upʰlistsʰiχe]
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354:41.96833°N 44.20417°E
227:Government of Georgia
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315:43, pp. 77–100.
236:program since 2007.
175:Caves at Uplistsikhe
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359:41.96833; 44.20417
266:2004-08-18 at the
219:earthquake in 1920
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167:Caves and tourists
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129:Christianization
73:Late Middle Ages
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28:Uplistsikhe
372:Categories
345:44°12′15″E
303:References
223:World Bank
342:41°58′6″N
117:Classical
89:Christian
37:უფლისციხე
264:Archived
207:basilica
193:hectares
133:Mtskheta
77:Anatolia
32:Georgian
289:Georgia
212:Tbilisi
137:Tbilisi
122:Kartlos
95:History
71:to the
50:Georgia
47:eastern
293:ICOMOS
231:UNESCO
113:Iberia
109:Kartli
34::
240:Notes
85:pagan
225:and
111:(or
87:and
81:Iran
79:and
54:Gori
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291:–
248:^
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