An Archaeological Study Tour
Georgia & Armenia
September 19 – October 7, 2009
Led by Professor Antonio Sagona


The small republics of Georgia and Armenia have for thousands of years served as a crossroads of cultures. Archaeological evidence suggests that they are the sites of the oldest presence of humans outside of Africa, as well as the origin of wine making and metalworking. Nomads from Central Asia and traders from the ancient Near East, travelers and conquerors, all stopped here and left their mark. Out of these rich cultures came skilled craftsmen producing an art style that influenced all of Europe and filled the museums of these two countries with extraordinary works of art in gold, silver and other metals. The architecture of Georgia and Armenia is still another expression of their cultural identities and is most evident in their ecclesiastic buildings so uniquely designed and richly decorated with wall paintings, icons, reliefs and textiles quite different from one another. As we explore their mountain villages, bustling capitals and glorious landscapes, their history and their art and music, we will come to know the heart and soul of the Caucasus.

Saturday, Sunday, September 19 & 20: TBILISI: Our Austrian Air flight from New York via Vienna, departs Saturday evening, arriving into Tbilisi very late Sunday night. Our stay will be at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel, centrally located in the heart of the city.

Monday, September 21: TBILISI: After a late morning introductory lecture and lunch, touring begins at the Metechi Church, which occupies one of the most important historical sites in the city. We will then visit the Synagogue and the 6th-century Anchiskhati Basilica. We will stroll the maze of twisting streets lined with colorfully painted wooden houses and elaborately carved balconies and visit the Herekle Bath, the oldest remaining of the 68 sulfur baths that once occupied this area.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Tuesday, September 22: TBILISI: Touring today takes us to Mtskheta, an important religious and trading center and capital of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BCE through the 5th century CE. En route we will stop at the Armazis-Khevi acropolis, the center of power until Georgia converted to Christianity, replacing pagan temples with churches, the most important of which is the Cathedral of Sveti-tskhoveli. Upon our return to Tbilisi we will visit the icon collection in the Art Museum. This evening Dr. Mikheil Abramishvili will speak to us about ancient metallurgy.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Wednesday, September 23: TBILISI: After walking up to Narikala Fortress, we continue to the Janashia Museum of Georgia, where the country’s major archaeological finds are displayed, including a fabulous treasury of gold from ancient Akhalgori and Trialeti, and jewelry from the Iberian rulers of the first century CE. We will also have an introduction to the country’s ethnic diversity at the Grishashvili Museum of History and Ethnography, housed in a 19th-century caravanserai. Dinner this evening will be accompanied by a performance of Georgian music.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Thursday, September 24: TBILISI: This morning we will travel up the Military Highway, which runs north through the Greater Caucasus Mountains and forms a 400-mile spine that historically separated Europe and Asia. Crossing the Jvari Pass at 7,805 feet, we will examine the unique tower architecture at Ananuri, a fortress village, the expedition house and storerooms at Dusheti and visit the new excavations at Dzalisi.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Friday, September 25: KUTAISI: Our first stop today is Uplis-tsikhe, an unusual medieval cave town that developed over hundreds of years beginning in the first millennium BCE. At its height it was an important trade center, occupying 22 acres. The invasions of Tamerlane and the Mongols in the 13th century marked the beginning of its decline. The remainder of the day will be spent at the Gelati Monastery complex, visiting the Cathedral, Church of St. Nicholas, Bell Tower, Chapel and Academy, built in 1104. The day ends in Kutaisi at our comfortable family-run guesthouse, where we will be the only guests.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Saturday, September 26: BAKURIANI: We continue our touring at the huge Nokala-khevi Fortress, surrounded by thick walls made with beautifully dressed stones. We will visit the ruins of the palaces and churches within the walls, as well as the site museum, and continue to Vani, a major city between 700 and 100 BCE. We have seen the gold and silver from this rich site in the museum in Tbilisi. The remainder of the artifacts found here are displayed in the site museum. Still visible on the site are the remains of the city gate, defense walls and temples. A wonderful and scenic drive via the Borjomi Gorge brings us into the small ski village of Bakuriani (6,000 feet), where we will spend two nights at a lovely alpine lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sunday, September 27: BAKURIANI:At 10,200 feet above sea level, the 3,000 caves at Vardzia were carved out of the soft tuff and occupied during the reign of King Giorgi III (1156-84) as a stronghold against the Turks. They later became a monastic settlement. Today we will visit some of the 550 remaining structures, in which frescoes have survived. This evening we will be joined by Dr. Goderdzi Narimaneshvili, the archaeologist working on the Trialeti Plateau, our destination tomorrow.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Monday, September 28: TBILISI: Dr. Narimaneshvili will be our guide as we travel into the Lesser Caucasus to visit the settlements, fortresses and tombs on the Trialeti Plateau. Many of the weapons, jewelry and household implements displayed in the Museum of Georgia were excavated from these sites. Marriott Courtyard Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, September 29: TBILISI: Our last day in Georgia will be spent visiting the Sioni Church at Bolnisi, an excellent example of early church architecture, and the 9th-century fortress city of Dmanisi. Within its walls we will see the remains of workshops, caravanserai, residences and baths similar in design to those we visited in Tbilisi. The afternoon will be at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast & dinner

Wednesday, September 30: YEREVAN: We will transfer to the border, where our Armenian guide awaits. After completing the formalities, we will begin our touring at two of the finest representatives of Armenian architecture, Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries, both dating from the 10th-13th centuries. Our touring in Armenia will be in the environs of Yerevan, allowing us to use the renovated Marriott Hotel in Yerevan as our base for all but one night of our stay.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Thursday, October 1: YEREVAN: Touring begins with Garni, a Roman temple built on a site that has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Evidence of previous cultures surround the temple. We then continue to the 13th-century Geghard, with interesting small rock-cut chapels and hermitage. Lastly, we will visit the wonderful, recently renovated History Museum. This evening our dinner will be accompanied by a performance of traditional music and dance.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Friday, October 2: YEREVAN: Today’s touring begins at the world-famous collection of illuminated Armenian manuscripts at the Matenadaran and continues at Etchmiadzin, the seat of the Armenian patriarch and place of pilgrimage. The most important materials are displayed in small site museums throughout the city. We will see several of these museums as well as the remains of the 7th-century Cathedral of St. Gregory at Zvartnots, the cyclopean fortress at Metzamor and the Sardarabat Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Saturday, October 3: YEREVAN: We will spend the day out of Yerevan visiting two ancient cities, Shamiran, a fortified city perched between two gorges, and ancient Agarak, which spans the Early Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period. We will also visit the 7th-century Amberd Fortress, positioned on the slopes of Mt. Aragats with views over the plain.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Sunday, October 4: SISIAN: After exploring Yerevan’s Sunday Market, we drive south to Khor-Virap Monastery, on the site of ancient Artashat. Legend has it that St. Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 12 years here in a well. We will examine the ancient city before continuing through a beautiful canyon to Noravank Monastery. Lastly, we stop at a unique Tower Tomb in the village of Aghitu and overnight at the simple Basen Hotel in Sisian.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Monday, October 5: YEREVAN: Our first stop is known as the Zorats Stones, which hardly describes the incredible landscape of tumuli and seemingly endless lines of standing stone circles that we will explore. Our return route to Yerevan takes us along Lake Sevan, a turquoise jewel. After lunch on the lake, we continue through another unusual landscape of enormous outcrops of obsidian, reaching Yerevan in the late afternoon. Marriott Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

Tuesday, Wednesday, October 6 & 7: TBILISI: Today we complete our touring with visits to three famous sites, Urartian Erebuni, Karmir Blur (Red Hill), where excavations have uncovered an Urartian, settlement and 4th-millennium BCE Shengavit with its small museum. This evening we will exchange toasts at our farewell dinner. Our Austrian Airlines flight departs for New York Wednesday morning.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner