Ancient Metallurgical Center in Georgia

Abstract

Georgia is situated in Caucasia, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Its terrain is created by the Greater and the Lesser Caucasus, rivers with great volume of water flowing between them and coastal plains. The territory of the whole Caucasus and, specifically, Georgia, is one of the main communication areas linking ancient Steppe empires with Near Eastern civilizations (pl. 1), which, alongside rich natural conditions, significantly determined formation of human society from ancient times and proved favourable to its development. Formation and evolution of the human society in any corner of the earth, from the earliest times to ancient civilizations, largely depends on the geographic environment and reasonable exploitation of natural resources by humans. With its mild climate, fertile lands, flora, fauna, alpine pastures and low-lying fields, diverse natural resources, extensive river network, etc. Georgia has always provided convenient conditions for human habitation and development of economic activities. Southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountain Range and the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus are especially rich in metallogenic provinces. The present article deals with when production of different metals started here and whether it became one of the main bases for development of the society.