Ambassador Tefft Views Stunning New Archeological Finds in Vani
Western Georgia’s ancient town of Vani has once again attracted dedicated supporters of Georgia’s cultural heritage. On September 1, 2007, Ambassador Tefft, Mariella Tefft and PAO Cynthia Whittlesey visited theVani archeological site to see a recently unearthed sanctuary containing a number of unique sacramental objects.
In August 2007, the Georgian National Museum’s Otar Lordkipanidze Archeological Research Center discovered an exceptional treasure-trove of sacramental bronze objects, oil lamps, and statues dating from the Hellenistic period (2nd – 1st cc BC) at the archeological site of the ancient town of Vani. The objects are of exceptionally high artistic quality and are patterned with beautifully rendered mythological characters and animals. Experts believe this cache presents concrete evidence corroborating Vani’s existence as a templar city at the highest level of Colchian civilization and also prroves the Kingdom of Colchis’s strong ties with the rest of the world.
“The Gold of Colchis,” unique gold masterworks of the 6th - 3rd c. BC were discovered at two burial sites in Vani in 2003 and 2004 and are now on tour in Europe and the United States. They will be exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute’s Sackler Gallery from November 2007 and at the Gallery in New York from March 2007. The 83 objects of the collection include headdresses, templar pendants, necklaces, finger rings, diadems, shroud appliqués, bracelets and bronze statues. |
