Novelties from the Vani City Site
Novelties from the Vani City Site

Summary/Abstract: Archaeological excavations carried out at the Vani site in 2002-2007 proved to be successful. Juxtaposition of the recent finds with the previous ones brought to light some novelties. Four cult constructions, dated to the second half of the 4th-3rd centuries BC were studied on the upper terrace of the site. Besides architectural and constructional similarities all the sanctuaries reveal some common features: all of them are connected with graves; inside or outside of some sanctuaries ritual burials of metal (bronze, iron) figurines were located. // In the majority of the graves a platform was arranged along the western wall of the grave-pit, on which retainers have been buried. The recent finds revealed one more shape borrowed by Colchian jewellers from the Greek world, namely, a pin-brooch. Two spacer-beads constitute innovations in the jewellery collection from Vani. One is swastika-shaped, while the other is rectangular. // Recent finds attest to the richness of Colchis in silver, too. Beads seem to be used in all possible cases. They were primarily used to decorate the shroud of the principal deceased; some of them composed necklaces and bracelets, while others were sawn on the headdress. Beads were used also to decorate a silver phiale.

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