PICHVNARI SETTLEMENT IN WESTERN GEORGIA – GENESIS AND HISTORY (THE 6TH- 2ND CC. B. C.)

Abstract

Like other Greek settlements in Western Georgia, Pichvnari was founded by the Milesians. Archaeological evidences prove Ionian presence in Pichvnari in the 6th c. B.C. Also, onomastic similarity between Miletus and Pichvnari (“the pine-trees”) proves it: there are pine-trees around Miletus and town nearby is called Çamiçi, i. e. “in the pine-trees”; according to Pliny, Carian name of Miletus was Pityusa, since the surrounding territory was rich in pinetrees. Milesians could have transferred their toponym to Colchis, in their settlement, especially if the basis for creating such a toponym had coincided. Nowadays the toponym exists in Georgian form, like Carian name of Miletus, Pityusa, is preserved in Turkish form, Çamiçi.Athenians came to Pichvnari in the middle of the 5th c. B.C. Existence of the Greek cemetery of the 5th-4th cc. B.C. here proves it. Pichvnari became the city of the sailors and traders in the 5th c. B. C. High percentage of the Greek import on Greek cemetery gives us the clue that the Greeks were Pichvnari residents, however they were travelling a lot, bringing Greek import quite often. They were citizens of Athens and Pichvnari was not a self-governing polis. It was a specific emporia with Athenian citizens.