Akhiza Cathedral

Name of structure: Akhiza Cathedral
Extended name of structure:
Type of structure: church
Country or main area: Turkey
Region within country or main area: Atvin
City or area within region: 2 km to the north of village of Ferhatlti Koy in The Klarjeti
Date of structure: Fifth-sixth century
Century of structure 1: 5 AD
Century of structure 2: 6 AD
Specific place of mosaic: The chancel
Brief descriptive contents of mosaic: Virgin Orans
Date of mosaic: 5th-6th century
Century of mosaic 1: 5 AD
Century of mosaic 2: 6 AD
Silver tessera at site: Unknown
Gold tessera at site: Yes
Colour tessera at site: Yes
Were other materials found at site (i.e., glass cakes)?
Has analysis been done? No
Samples taken from where?
Excavation and restoration campaigns:
Bibliography of mainly technical resources:

Skhirtladze, Zaza, ‘The apse decoration of the Akhiza cathedral: documents and materials in the museums of Georgia’, Anatolian Studies, 59 (2009), 139-146

URLs:
Comments:

Up to three dozen tesserae kept in the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia. Most are dark green and gold.  Also singles in greenish yellow, coral, dark brown, light brown, white, transparent.  A few are natural stones but most made of coloured glass.
Mosaic destroyed at the beginning of the twentieth century by Usta-Gevork, a resident of Ardanuch, and a silversmith, who was a treasure hunter.

Previous Next