Trani Archaeological Sites
Trani Archaeological Sites include archaeological monuments of various periods and categories located within the territory of the village of Trani. They were investigated by the archaeological expedition of the Ivane Javakhishvili Institute of History (directed by R. Ramishvili).
Between 1963 and 1969, at a location known as Rkinis Kalo (the Iron Threshing Floor) situated between the villages of Trani and Magraneti, 37 stone-covered pit graves, arranged in two tiers and dating to the 8th–6th centuries BC, were excavated. The deceased were buried in a flexed position on their right or left side. Grave goods included clay vessels, curved iron chopping knives, spearheads, a bronze sword with a composite hilt, arrowheads, belts, bracelets, a deer figurine, and other artifacts.
In 1969, a 12th–13th century pottery workshop was excavated on the right bank of the Tranuli River, at the former settlement site of Odinaanti. Two pottery kilns were studied; nearby discoveries included clay tripod stands, spouted jugs (chinchilebi), pitchers (kheladebi), and ewers (surebi).
Near Trani, there are several medieval abandoned village sites: Kotaistdziri, Kokotakhoebi, Badatgori, and others. Among the architectural monuments, notable are the ruins of a small, medieval single-nave church (3.5 m × 2.7 m) known as the Icon of Pirimze, located on the right bank of the Tranula River. Only the northern and southern walls survive, around which roof tiles adorned with floral and geometric ornaments are scattered.
The monuments of various periods discovered and studied within the territory of Trani indicate that this area was intensively inhabited from antiquity, a settlement pattern facilitated by an ancient road passing nearby. The excavated material is housed at the repository of the Center for Archaeological Research.
Literature: კობაიძე ლ., ივრის ხეობის არქეოლოგიური ძეგლები, II. რკინის კალოს სამაროვანი, თბ., 1978; რამიშვილი რ., ჯორბენაძე ბ., ერწო-თიანეთის არქეოლოგიური ექსპედიციის სადაზვერვო მუშაობის შედეგები, «მაცნე». ისტორიის, არქეოლ. ეთნ. და ხელოვნ. ისტორიის სერია, 1978, №1; ჯორბენაძე ბ., ერწო-თიანეთი შუა საუკუნეებში, წგ.: ივრის ხეობის არქეოლოგიური ძეგლები, IV, თბ., 1982.
R. Ramishvili
B. Jorbenadze
