BC Archaeology Travel

BC Archaeology Travel Guided tours of ancient world sites

Sun 13th Sept - in the late morning we visited the important archaeological site of Vani, which lies south of Kutaisi. I...
14/09/2026

Sun 13th Sept - in the late morning we visited the important archaeological site of Vani, which lies south of Kutaisi. It has been excavated for some decades - the most important finds are the rich burials, some of which seem to be for high status women, probably priestesses. Of great importance also is a cache of bronze sculptures which appear to have been hidden at a time of threat and never recovered. They include unusual temple lamps with elephant heads, a lamp showing Ganymede being abducted by Zeus, a Nike, and a statue of Apollo.

Sun 13th Sept - we visited the small monastery of Motsameta on the outskirts of Kutaisi. It lies in a forested area prot...
14/09/2026

Sun 13th Sept - we visited the small monastery of Motsameta on the outskirts of Kutaisi. It lies in a forested area protected by a deep gorge on three sides. The monastery is dedicated to two martyrs who were killed by Muslim invaders.

14/09/2026

Sun 13th Sept - church service at Kutaisi cathedral in western Georgia

Sun 13th Sept - we stayed overnight in Kutaisi, the capital of the ancient Colchis region of western Georgia. This was t...
14/09/2026

Sun 13th Sept - we stayed overnight in Kutaisi, the capital of the ancient Colchis region of western Georgia. This was traditonally where Jason and the Argonauts stole the Golden Fleece with the aid of Medea. We visited the Bagrati Cathedral which was erected by King Bagrat III around AD 1000. Inside we saw the church service. The church lay ruined for many centuries but was recently restored with modern materials which are not particularly sympathetic.

Sat 12th Sept - we stopped in Gori to see the Stalin Museum, a collection of artefacts, paintings and photographs (somet...
13/09/2026

Sat 12th Sept - we stopped in Gori to see the Stalin Museum, a collection of artefacts, paintings and photographs (sometimes doctored to give the impression that Lenin and Stalin were friends). Stalin was born in Gori and was Georgian and the collection was gathered after his death near his original house, now under restoration. The people here see him as a local boy who went far and resisted attempts to trash the museum after the fall of the USSR.

Sat 12th Sept - in the morning we left Gudauri in the High Caucasus and headed down the Georgian Military Highway to see...
13/09/2026

Sat 12th Sept - in the morning we left Gudauri in the High Caucasus and headed down the Georgian Military Highway to see the very photogenic Ananauri Fortress. It was built from the 16th Century to control the strategic trade routes over the mountains from Russia. At first it was just a watch tower and then a fortified residence of the local nobles. The church was built in the 1700s and has been much damaged by the Russians, but some of the original frescoes survive.

Fri 11th Sept - after lunch we headed north into the Caucasus Mountains. There is some spectacular scenery as one heads ...
12/09/2026

Fri 11th Sept - after lunch we headed north into the Caucasus Mountains. There is some spectacular scenery as one heads up to the pass which lies at more than 2000 m. We then continued to the Monastery of Gergeti which lies above the town of Stepantsminda. The church was built in the 14th Century and is at a height of 2170 m. Up above is the icy summit of Mt Kazbeg (Georgian Mkinvartsveri or 'Icy Top') which rises to a remarkable height of 5047 m. Not far away (15 km) was the Russian border - many Russian and other trucks were waiting for clearance before heading south.

Fri 11th Sept - mid morning we headed to Mtskheta. It was an important pagan site and later became the capital of early ...
12/09/2026

Fri 11th Sept - mid morning we headed to Mtskheta. It was an important pagan site and later became the capital of early medieval Georgia. The cathedral dates to the 11th Century and is believed to have been built over the Robe of Christ which was brought back from the Holy Land. The interior of the cathedral preserves many frescoes including an enormous Christ in the apse. There is also a miniature Church of the Holy Sepulchre inside.

Fri 11th Sept - we headed north of Tbilisi towards the Caucasus Mountains, stopping to see the Jvari Monastery overlooki...
12/09/2026

Fri 11th Sept - we headed north of Tbilisi towards the Caucasus Mountains, stopping to see the Jvari Monastery overlooking the ancient capital of Mtskheta. The site lies at the junction of the Kura and Aragvi rivers on a prominent hill. The church is unusual for its external sculpture and its plinth where traditionally St Nino placed the first cross

Thurs 10th Sept - on our return to Tbilisi in the afternoon we visited the National Archaeological Museum. It contains a...
11/09/2026

Thurs 10th Sept - on our return to Tbilisi in the afternoon we visited the National Archaeological Museum. It contains a wonderful collection of gold and silver treasures, many of them from the tombs of Vani in the western Georgian region of Colchis. We also saw the display of early hominins from Dmanisi and their stone tools dating back 1.8 million years.

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