Batumi Fort

Batumi Fort, Tamara, or Fort of Tamar, is a Middle-Century fortification on the outskirts of Batumi, on the left bank of Korolistskali River.

The Byzantine sources mention this fortification as Losorion or Lysiris. Justinian I built it during the Roman-Persian wars of 542-562 (see also Great War of Egrisi of 542-562).

In the Middle Ages, Batumi Fort was a common fortification and had local importance. During the Ottoman Rule, Turkish garrisons were stationed there. It was returned to Georgia after the 1877-1878 Russian-Ottoman War. Today, only the northeast tower and rectangular walls remain from the original structure. The walls are built with mixed materials - cut stone and bricks are laid in horizontal rows. Archeological research (1963-64) revealed that in the 1st millennium BC, there used to be a typical Colchian hillfort with walls made of large wood logs and surrounded by a moat. In the antique period, the main occupation of the local population was fishing and active farming. Along with the local archeological materials, there are craftworks from cultural centers of Anatolia and the Aegean Sea region. There are archeological materials (glazed ceramics) from the Middle Ages period.

Literature: ინაიშვილი ა., ბათუმის უძველესი ისტორიისათვის ახალი არქეოლოგიური გათხრების საფუძველზე. კრ.: კავკასიის ხალხთა ისტორიის საკითხები, თბ., 1966; სიხარულიძე ი., აჭარის მატერიალური კულტურის ძეგლები, ბათ., 1962; Леквинадзе В. А., О постройках Юстиниана в Западной Грузии, «Византийский временник», 1973, т. 34.

D. Khakhutaishvili