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  • The church is being studied in the village of Darchidzeebi - 22 ივლისი, 2021

    Archaeological excavations of the church in the village of Darchidzeebi have been resumed with the financial support of the Ajara Cultural Heritage Preservation Agency.

    The study of the church began last year with the archeological expedition of the St. George Mtatsmindeli Scientific Research Institute of Kartvelological Studies of the St. Tbel Abuseridze Teaching University of the Georgian Patriarchate.

    The monument is located in the eastern part of the village, on the river. On one of the ridges on the right side of Chirukhistskali, which the locals refer to as "Kilisaseri" and sometimes "Kvakhidiseri".

    As a result of small-scale works, only the interior space of the 10th century church up to floor level has been studied.A plinth, a row of surviving hall wall piles, and part of a semicircular apse wall lined with edge stones, except for one, were unearthed. The building is of the hall type.

    Archaeological works on the monument have not been completed.

    The floor and the outer space of the building should be studied: artificially leveled squares or terraces, where the remnants of the overturned wall are located; Dry piles are found separately.

    Large monoliths (formless), which have traces of carving with a sharp object, which suggests the processing of building stone on site. The cemetery near the church should also be studied.

    The work done on the project site will make a significant contribution to the study of ecclesiastical architecture, construction art, Christian worldview and a number of other issues in Upper Adjara. Also, after the completion of the research, it will be possible to carry out restoration and conservation works to protect the monument.

    At this stage, the field archeological excavations of the Darchidze Church and its surroundings continued in the interior of the church (floors and presumed tombs) and also began to clean the outer walls.