The Treasure of Artvin

The treasure of Artvin, a treasure of bronze objects, an archaeological monument of the Colchian culture of the 9^th–8^th centuries BC, was discovered in 1932 in an abandoned mine near Artvin (Turkey). The treasure consisted of 2 Colchian axes, a weapon with a vertical hole, 2 segmented weapons and a mattock. Similar weapons were found within the metallurgical center of the river Çoruh: one in Kara-Dere (now village Gantiadi, Khelvachauri Municipality), the other in Chaisubani (Kobuleti Municipality).

Artvin is the farthest southern boundary of the spread of Colchian culture. The treasure of Artvin belonged to a craftsman (smelter). The objects are preserved in the Ethnography Museum of Ankara.

Literature: ბიტელი კ., ართვინში აღმოჩენილი ბრინჯაოსაგან გაკეთებული არქეოლოგიური ნაშთები, «ენიმკის მოამბე», 1938, ტ.2, ნაკვ.2;  ქ ო რ ი ძ ე  დ., კოლხური კულტურის ისტორიისათვის, თბ., 1965.

D. Koridze