THE ISSUE OF CLARIFYING THE LOCALIZATION OF KVIRIKETSMINDA MENTIONED IN THE LIFE OF ST. GRIGOL OF KHANDZTA ACCORDING TO THE INSCRIPTION ON THE ANTEFIX OF CHITAKHEVI CHURCH (MTSVANE/GREEN MONASTERY)

Abstract

Several opinions have been circulating among Georgian scholars about location of the Kviriketsmida Monastery mentioned in the “Life of Grigol of Khandzta.” One set of scholars (P. Ingorokva, S. Jiqia) linked Kviriketsmida founded by Qristepore with the village of Kopadze, within the sector of the village of Sakuneti. Second set of scholars (S. Makalatia, N. Berdzenishvili, G. Zedginidze, D. Berdzenishvili and V. Abuladze) considered that the monastery was located near the village of Dviri. Art historian R. Mepisashvili based her consideration on the result of architectural analysis, and identified Kviriketsmida with Chitakhevi Monastery, whereas D. Khoshtaria identified it with Potoleti Church, taking into consideration results of historic geographical and architectural analysis. Consideration of Pavle Ingorokva about identification of Kviriketsmida with Sakuneti sector was trialed by Rusudan Mepisashvili and was refuted. Our studies of the graffiti from Potoleti have shown that Potoleti church, which dates to the 9th c. - first half of the 10th c., was consecrated to St. George. Therefore, D. Khoshtaria’s consideration proposed lately, suggesting identification of Kviriketsmida with Potoleti Church, has lost bases. Taking the above into consideration, two opinions concerning the location remained valid: according to one set of scholars (S. Makalatia, N. Berdzenishvili, G. Zedginidze, D. Berdzenishvili and V. 183 Abuladze), the monastery of Kviriketsmida founded by Qristepore was to be identified with the complex located opposite Kvabiskhevi, and according to Rusudan Mepisashvili, Kviriketsmida built by Qristepore was to be identified with Chitakhevi Church. In 2012, during land clearing in the monastery, an antefix was found with an asomtavruli inscription, which mentions St. George. The Georgian historiography is aware of two antefixes with images of St. George (from the village of Quntsa, Aspindza region, and the village of Zemo Meskheti, Tskaltubo region). The antefix from Potoleti is the sole example among the available ones with the mention of St. George. The fact of mentioning St. George on Chitakhevi antefix is a valid argument to claim that the church was consecrated to St. George. Based on the above-mentioned inscription we can convincingly argue that initially the church was dedicated to St. George. As it was already mentioned, based on architectural peculiarities it is considered that the church dates to the 9th-10th cc. Therefore we can claim that in the 9th-10th cc. the Potoleti church was dedicated to St. George. After all, only the consideration of the second set of scholars (S. Makalatia, N. Berdzenishvili, G. Zedginidze, D. Berdzenishvili and V. Abuladze), according to which Kviriketsmida must be identified with the complex opposite Qvabiskhevi, remains valid.