Ghumurishi Sagergaio Church (Georgian: ღუმურიშის (საგერგაიოს) ეკლესია, Abkhaz: Ӷумуришьтәи (Сагергаотәи) ауахәама) is a ruined medieval church built in first half of the 11th century and rebuilt in the 19th century near the village of Ghumurishi in Abkhazia, an entity in the South Caucasus with a disputed political status.[2] It is located 3 km north-west of the village, on a small mountainous plateau locally known as Sagergaio on the right bank of the Okumi river, north of the town of Gali. The locale is part of the historical district of Samurzakano. Not to be confused with Ghumurishi Church of St. John the Baptist built in the 19th century in the same village. [3]
| Ghumurishi Sagergaio Church ღუმურიშის (საგერგაიოს) ეკლესია (in Georgian) Ӷумуришьтәи (Сагергаотәи) ауахәама (in Abkhaz) | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Georgian Orthodox |
| Province | Abkhazia[1] |
| Location | |
| Location |  Ghumurishi, Gali District, Abkhazia, Georgia |
  Shown within Abkhazia  Ghumurishi Sagergaio Church (Georgia) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 42°42′25″N 41°45′35″E / 42.70694°N 41.75972°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Completed | 11th century |
History
editThe site was brought to scholarly attention with the discovery of a medieval Georgian stone inscription in 1955 and archaeologically studied from 1986 to 1989. Archaeological digs unearthed two construction layers, the upper one completely covered with foliage, with roots going down to the ceiling. It is what remains of a possibly 15th-16th-century small hall church, measuring 4.5 m x 7.5 m. This church had a courtyard which housed several pit graves and was enclosed with a wall. The lower layer was buried in debris and occupied by remnants of a single-nave hall-church-type edifice with the dimensions of 12 x 14 m. The hall had a rectangular plan, with an eastern apse inscribed in it and had its interior divided into two with a stepped pilasters. Fragments of ornate wall masonry were also found in this layer.[4] The church was finally abandoned and fell into ruin in the 17th century. It does not appear either in historical records or popular memory.[4]
Not far from the ruins, a Georgian inscription, cut in stone in medieval asomtavruli script, was found in 1955 and brought to a museum in Sukhumi. Paleographically dated to the 11th century, it reads: "God, have mercy in both lives upon the builder of this church, the Queen of Queens, Sagdukht, daughter of Niania. Amen!" The identity of Sagdukht remains obscure.[4][5][6]
References
edit- ^ The political status of Abkhazia is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Georgia in 1992, Abkhazia is formally recognised as an independent state by 5 UN member states (two other states previously recognised it but then withdrew their recognition), while the remainder of the international community recognizes it as de jure Georgian territory. Georgia continues to claim the area as its own territory, designating it as Russian-occupied territory.
- ^ Church in Ghumurishi village (Sagergaio) Historical monuments of Abkhazia — Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
- ^ Church in Ghumurishi village Historical monuments of Abkhazia — Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
- ^ a b c Khvistani, Revaz (2009). მასალები საქართველოს ქრისტიანული არქეოლოგიისათვის [Materials for Christian Archaeology of Georgia] (PDF) (in Georgian). Tbilisi. pp. 4–12. ISBN 978-9941-0-1616-5.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Bgazhba, Khukhut S. (1967). Из истории письменности в Абхазии [From the history of writing in Abkhazia.] (in Russian). Tbilisi: Metsniereba. pp. 13–14.
- ^ Kapanadze, Salome, ed. (2007). Georgian Cultural Heritage. Book 1: Abkhazeti. Tbilisi: Ministry of Education and Culture of Abkhazia. p. 46.
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