A ( ka, ხელრთვა, ) is a Georgian calligraphic

signature A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, Handwriting, handwritt ...

monogram A monogram is a motif (visual arts), motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbo ...

seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...

, originally used by the Georgian monarchs,

queens consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

patriarchs The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in ...

, royalty and nobility, universally used since the early eleventh century. The word literally means 'to decorate, adorn or beautify with hand' in Georgian, () meaning a hand and () meaning to decorate or adorn. signatures were written in one of the three

Georgian scripts The Georgian scripts are the three writing systems used to write the Georgian language: #Asomtavruli, Asomtavruli, #Nuskhuri, Nuskhuri and #Mkhedruli, Mkhedruli. Although the systems differ in appearance, their Letter (alphabet), letters share ...

, mostly in and scripts, though the

s especially the royal ones were written in script. Every Georgian monarch had their own individual and was known as () literally meaning 'Hand of the Lord'. The tradition of is still in use in Georgia.Sinauridze, A
Hand of the Lord
Karibche, 04.02.2010

Khelrtvas

Kings

Khelrtva of Bagrat IV (vect).svg, of King Bagrat IV File:George IV signature.svg, of King

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

File:Vakhtang VI signature.svg, of King Vakhtang VI File:Solomon II of Imereti signature.svg, of King Solomon II File:George XII of Georgia signature.svg, of King

George XII George XII ( ka, გიორგი XII, tr), sometimes known as George XIII (10 November 1746 – 28 December 1800), of the House of Bagrationi, was the second and last king (''mepe'') of the Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti in eastern Georgia from 1 ...

Queens regnant

File:Tamar signature.svg, of Queen Tamar File:Queen Rusudan khelrtva signature.svg, of Queen Rusudan

Queens consort

File:Ketevan the Martyr, khelrtva (vect).svg, of Queen consort Ketevan the Martyr File:Nestan Darejan of Imereti, khelrtva (vect).svg, of Queen consort Darejan of Kakheti File:Mariam Dadiani signature (vect).svg, of Queen consort Mariam Dadiani

Patriarchs

File:Zachary of Georgia, khelrtva (vect).svg, of Patriarch

Zachary Zachary is a male given name, a variant of Zechariah – the name of several biblical characters. People *Pope Zachary (679–752), pope of the Catholic Church from 741 to 752 * Zachary of Vienne (died 106), bishop of Vienne (France), martyr a ...

File:Joseph of Abkhazia, khelrtva (vect).svg, ''

Asomtavruli The Georgian scripts are the three writing systems used to write the Georgian language: Asomtavruli, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli. Although the systems differ in appearance, their letters share the same names and alphabetical order and are written ...

'' of Patriarch

Joseph Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

File:Anton II, khelrtva (vect).svg, of Patriarch Anton II File:Ilia II of Georgia's signature.svg, of Patriarch

Ilia II Ilia may refer to: Science and medicine *''Apatura ilia'' or lesser purple emperor, a butterfly *Ilium (bone) (plural: "ilia"), pelvic bone People * Ilia (name), numerous ** Ilia II, the current Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Places * Ili ...

Presidents, Prime Ministers, Speakers

File:Salome Zurabishvili-signature.svg, of President Salome Zurabishvili File:Irakli Kobakhidze signature.svg, of Prime Minister

Irakli Kobakhidze Irakli Kobakhidze ( ka, ირაკლი კობახიძე; born 25 September 1978) is a Georgian politician who haa been the 16th Prime Minister of Georgia, prime minister of Georgia since 2024 and has been the Georgian Dream#Leadershi ...

File:Papuashvili signature (vect).svg, of Speaker

Shalva Papuashvili Shalva Papuashvili ( ka, შალვა პაპუაშვილი; born 26 January 1976) is a Georgian politician who has served as a member of the Georgian parliament since 2020 and as Speaker of Parliament since 29 December 2021. Biogra ...

References

External links

Khelrtva: Vignettes and Monograms
Γεωργιανά Χειρόγραφα Ιεράς Μονής Ιβήρων Αγίου Όρους * ჯიმშერ რეხვიაშვილ�

(''Jimsher Rekhviashvili - The Beauty of History and Manuscript'')

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a media organization broadcasting news and analyses in 27 languages to 23 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Headquartered in Prague since 1995, RFE/RL ...

ოთხი რესტავრირებული ეტრატი
"განადგურებას გადარჩენილი საბუთები საცავში ბრუნდება" თამარ კიკნაველიძე, 24 საათი (''Four Restored Etrats Documents Surviving the Destruction Returned to the Repository, Tamar Kiknavelidze'') {{Personal names Georgian words and phrases Georgian calligraphy Signature Monograms