Recent Archaeological and new written evidence on the Ottoman period fort of Gonio

Abstract

The Ottomans took away Gonio, the Roman/Byzantine fort of Apsarus, close to Batumi in 1547. Since this time Janissary garrison was stationed at the fort until 1878, when Gonio and all of Ajara became part of Russian Empire. The kiln for firing ceramic ware, magnificent specimens of glazed pottery and faience, pipes, lighters, details of harness, iron weapons (a halberd-type weapon, shots, a fragment of a big gun), remains of a many-towered building, a mosque, the bath with water-supply and stone-paved streets are dated to the Ottoman period. A mosque is the earliest stone construction of this type in Ajara. It is still not known when and by whom this mosque was built. However, in recent times, various documents related to the mosque were found in the Ottoman Archives in Turkey. The documents mostly contain information about the appointment and salaries of the servants who worked in various years in the mosque located within the fort during the Ottoman period.