Zeiani Tumulus
Zeiani tumulus, monument of the second half of the 3rd millennium BC, located 5 km southeast of the village of Manavi, in Zeiani area (Sagarejo Municipality).
Archaeological excavations were carried out in 1982 (Kakheti Archaeological Expedition, led by: K. Pitskhelauri, V. Varazashvili). A damaged tumulus was excavated. There was a cobblestone embankment under the mound, above the burial pit. There was 1 m high circle of paired logs built horizontally around the stone embankment at a distance of 1.5–2 m. A 4–5 m wide and 2 m high heap of cobblestone surrounded the circle of logs at a distance of 2 m. The tomb was looted. There were ashes of the cremated person on a wooden cart. Near the southern corner of the hall, two skeletons were found lying on their sides with bent limbs — one on their right side, the other on their left. Their palms were touching. Presumably, they were sacrificed. Clay ornamented vessels, two bronze beads and an arrowhead were discovered in the tomb.
The material is kept in the Sighnaghi Museum.
Literature: ფიცხელაური კ., ვარაზაშვილი ვ., ზეიანის №1 გორასამარხი, კრ.: კახეთის არქეოლოგიური ექსპედიციის შრომები, ტ. 8. გარეჯი, თბ., 1988.
M. Kintsurashvili
