Asomtavruli

Asomtavruli is one of the oldest scripts of the Georgian alphabet. Early versions of Asomtavruli are known from epigraphic monuments and inscriptions. The earliest dated inscription discovered on the territory of Georgia is the Bolnisi Sioni inscription, dating back to 493/494 AD.

There are manuscripts written in Asomtavruli script until the 11th century. In the following centuries, it was only present in epigraphic inscriptions (characters of monumental writing in lapidary inscriptions are easily distinguished from afar). It is used to provide additional details to manuscripts written in Nuskhuri script. This gave the script its name, "Asomtavari." In postscripts of the manuscripts, it is also referred to as "Mrglovani" writing. Asomtavruli and Nuskhuri scripts are also called "Khutsuri" writing, as these were used by state figures.

Asomtavruli is a stylistically unified graphic system and it did not use letters from other languages (E. Machavariani). According to Ivane Javakhishvili, ancient Georgian script was developed by gradually transforming the Phoenician alphabet. The graphic system of Asomtavruli has simple geometric elements: circles and straight lines. Each letter is written in an invisible frame, which represents a square or a half-square (thus, all letters are within a two-line grid and have uniform height). The main part of Asomtavruli is vertically arranged (straight line, circle, and horizontal), and the other part has circular delineation. The only exception is „ჯ“ (letter J), which was created by the diagonal crossing of Christ's initials (Ⴈ and Ⴕ). The shape of these letter appeared after Georgia’s conversion to Christianity and became the monogram of Christ. The writing of Mtavruli letters is difficult.

Chronological and graphical study of epigraphic monuments, manuscripts, and scrolls revealed that Mtavruli letters underwent certain evolution. Nuskhuri script developed after the gradual transformation of Asomtavruli letters, and Mkhedruli script evolved from Nuskhuri.

Literature: გამყრელიძე თ., წერის ანბანური სისტემა და ძველი ქართული დამწერლობა, თბ., 1989; მწიგნობრობაჲ ქართული. ალბომი, შემდგ. ე.მაჭავარიანი, თბ., 1989; პატარიძე რ., ქართული ასომთავრული, თბ., 1980; ჯავახიშვილი ივ., ქართული დამწერლობათ-მცოდნეობა ანუ პალეოგრაფია, თბ., 1949.

E. Machavariani