MUSOPRIANI-GETA GHAMBERED CHURCH

Abstract

Musopriani-Geta chambered church is in KvemoKartli region, Bolnisi municipality. It is located in the commune of Akaurta - middle part of River Mashavera, left bank, 720 meters above sea level, Geta gorge, near the village Geta (formerly Musopriani).

The Church was restored in 2017 and the project was headed by Architect Ketevan Chikhadze. Chambered church was constructed using blocks, roughly processed pieces of stone and bricks. The walls are filled with lime. The church was constructed in XV-XVI century. 

Within the restoration works, the surroundings of the church was cleared from excess ground. Exploratory trenches on the socle level were made within the 4 meter radius. Burial sites were discovered around the church, as well as, inside the church. The burials were not disturbed and were simply cleaned.

During the ground works flat and grooved pieces of tile were discovered. During the middle ages this material was used on buildings of high importance. Roofs of these buildings were covered using the same kind of materials. The tiles of the antic period remained through middle ages and only experienced minor changes – they became a little smaller and its wider end got a slight curve to prevent water going through. Tiles of late middle ages is very similar but even smaller and thinner, the production quality is also a little lower. The letter kind of tile is used for the roof of Musopriani-Geta chambered church, which is appropriately dated XV-XVI centuries.

During the cleaning procedures of the churches exterior and interior the following materials were discovered:

1. Oval handle of engobaged, reddish kilned jug with attached bulge. Found in the interior.
2. Side piece, herring-bone decoration of an engobaged jug. Found in the interior
3. Bottom of an engobaged jug. Diameter 5cm. Found in the interior.
4. Fragment of the upper bed of reddish kilned Qvevri. Found outside the church, near the northern wall, inside a ditch.

Clay pottery materials found by us is consistent with the late middle ages period of  XV-XVI, which is the same time period in which the Church was constructed.

 Keywords:  Kvemo Kartli,  Musopriani-Geta, One nave church, late middle ages.