კახეთის გაღმამხრის რამდენიმე ტოპონიმის ლოკალიზაციისთვის

Abstract

The historical and geographical term Gaghmamkhari appears in historical sources from the late Middle Ages. It is connected to the area on the left bank of the Alazani River, which has been an integral part of Hereti since ancient times. Today, the most eastern territory of the Gaghmamkhari lies in Azerbaijan, while in Georgia it forms the territory of modern Kvareli and Lagodekhi municipalities.

Research of the historical toponyms within the discussed area is rather uneasy. The main disadvantage is related to the difficulties bound with lack of suitable information in the written sources. This body of work focuses on revealing and interpreting accessed information strictly associated with the localization and identification of toponyms within the historical region of Gaghmamkhari.

Historical Lagodekhi settlement with its fortress was located in the territory of present-day Lagodekhi in the 18th century. The Kochalo Basilica near Lagodekhi, which according to the inscription is a part of a monastic complex dated to the 11th century, must be the monastery donated to Svetitskhoveli by the Catholicos Melchisedek I at the beginning of the 11th century. In the vicinity of the same settlement, we must consider the fortress of Lakuast, built by King Archil.

16th century Georgian documents mention the community of Baraunta with the monastery of the Archangels on the Gaghmamkhari. These properties have been donated to Svetitskhoveli basilica by Alexander II of Kakheti. It became possible to identify the community of Baraunta thanks to the inscription on the church near Tela. This epigraphic source bears information about King Alexander II of Kakheti who restored the Monastery of the Archangels. Moreover, according to this source, the Baraunta community should be a settlement in the vicinity of present-day Tela-Kartubani. Besides that, the architectural complex on the Tela ridge should be the Baraunta’s Archangels Monastery.

Sources of the 16th-17th centuries mention the settlement of Arbukhi in the Gaghmamkhari. Authors claim that there stood a „large and old monastery“ of St. Theodore. The monastery is the same as the present day church of St. Theodore located in the village of Leliani. Consequently, Arbukhi should be considered as a settlement in the vicinity of today’s villages of Leliani and Apeni. According to the 11th-18th century sources, Chiauri, east of Arbukhi, was the center of the Samouravo (part of the feudal domain). By this means, we conclude that there must have been a settlement in the vicinity of present-day Heretiskari-Sakobo. Based on the sources, the Neinistskali River can be identified as the Kabali River and the Bedikristkali River as the Areshistskali River.

Historical settlement Kartubani matches today’s village Kabali. Vakhushti Batonishvili must have meant the caravans of Matsimi and functioning in the Kartubani and Tratsakali fortresses located in the vicinity.

It is needless to say, that identification and localization of above mentioned historical monuments and toponyms are crucial. Not only because it fulfils our knowledge of the history of Gaghmamkhari, but also because they can become a key to identify the location of historical Hereti and other heritage monuments within the Gaghmamkhari region.