Colchian culture ( ka, კოლხური კულტურა; 2700 BCE to 700 BCE) is

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

, early

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

and

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

culture of the western

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

, mostly in western

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. Colchian culture was divided into two periods: Proto-Colchian (2700–1600 BC) and Ancient Colchian (1600–700 BC). It was partially succeeded by the Koban culture in Northern Caucasus and Colchian influence also spread in Shida Kartli, Meskheti, North-Eastern Anatolia.Antonio Sagona - The Archaeology of the Caucasus From Earliest Settlements to the Iron. Page - 450 According to the professor of archaeologist

Antonio Sagona Antonio (Tony) Giuseppe Sagona (1956 – 2017), was an archaeologist and classics professor who taught at the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Tony Sagona was born in Tripoli, Libya, on April 30, 1956. Accompanying his parents, ...

: It is named after the ancient geographic region of

Colchis In classical antiquity and Greco-Roman geography, Colchis (; ) was an exonym for the Georgian polity of Egrisi ( ka, ეგრისი) located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, centered in present-day western Georgia. Its population, the ...

, which covered a large area along the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...

coast. It is mainly known for highly developed bronze production and artistic craftsmanship. There are many items of copper and bronze found in ancient graves. Graves found and studied have been located in the

Abkhazia Abkhazia, officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a List of states with limited recognition, partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It cover ...

region, the

Sukhumi Sukhumi or Sokhumi is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the Capital city, capital and largest city of Abkhazia, a partially recognised state that most countries consider a part of Georgia (country), Georgia. The ...

mountain complexes, the Racha highlands where brick tiles and graffiti have been found, and the Colchian plains () where collective graves have been found. Collective graves occurred during the last stages of the Colchian culture (c.8th century to 6th century BCE). In these graves bronze items were found that represented foreign trade occurred with the Colchian culture. At this time an increase in the production of weapons and agricultural tools is seen. Evidence of copper mining has been found in Racha, Abkhazia,

Svaneti Svaneti (Svan language, Svan: შუ̂ან, ლემშუ̂ანიერა; ''shwan, lemshwaniera'', and Suania in ancient sources; ka, სვანეთი ) is a historic province in the northwestern part of Georgia (country), Georg ...

, and Adjara. Ruins of palaces are present in the Colchian Plains. Colchian culture is characterized by Colchian axes, sickles, short spears, flat axes, bow-shaped and cylindrical axes, belts, bracelets, bearings, and statuettes. The items are often painted and sometimes even with the sculptural expression expressing the religious ideas of the Colchis. Colchians are the ancestors of the modern day western

Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and Peoples of the Caucasus, Caucasian ethnic group native to present-day Georgia (country), Georgia and surrounding areas historically associated with the Ge ...

, most notably

Zans The Zans ( ka, ზანები, tr) or Chans ( ka, ჭანები, tr) are a subethnic group of the Kartvelian people, speaking the Zan languages. * Kartvelian peoples **Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართვ� ...

/Chans (ჭანები) - Megrelians and the

Laz people The Laz people, or Lazi ( ''Lazi''; ka, ლაზი, ''lazi''; or ჭანი, ''ch'ani''; ), are a Kartvelian languages, Kartvelian ethnic group native to the South Caucasus, who mainly live in Black Sea coastal regions of Black Sea Region, ...

, as well as Svans of the northern region of

in Georgia. Image:Normal Colchian Axes from Tli Cemetery-tli2C tomb 282.jpg , Colchic axis. Characteristic Ornaments Image:Colchis gold diadem l.JPG, Colchian gold diadem Image:Georgia - Colchis Gold (15018258752).jpg, Colchis gold Image:Colchis riders pendant 1.JPG, Colchis riders pendant Image:COLCHIS. Dioscurias. Late 2nd Century BC.jpg, Colchis coin Image:Vani Archaeological Site and Museum, Colchis, Georgia.jpg, Figurine of the goddess Nike

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Colchian Culture Archaeological cultures of the Caucasus Archaeological cultures of West Asia Archaeological cultures of Europe Bronze Age cultures of Asia Bronze Age cultures of Europe Iron Age cultures of Asia Archaeological cultures in Georgia (country) Archaeological cultures in Russia

See also

References

External links