Dmanisi Ruined Town

Dmanisi ruined town is located in Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia, Dmanisi municipality, in south-east from Tbilisi, near the village Patara Dmanisi, on the cape at the confluence of the rivers Mashavera and Pinezauri (coordinates: 41.20932 44.203377).

History: by its historical past, Dmanisi is one of the most important regions if Kvemo Kartli. This territory was inhabited since Early Bronze Age. The most interesting place is the ruined town, where, as a result of archeological excavations, all periods of the history and pre-history of our country were revealed: the layers of Late Bronze- Early Iron, Antique and Middle Ages, with abundant archeological materials. The name “Dmanisi, according to Vakhushti Batonishvili, should the same as “Dbanisi” and, in his opinion, should originate from “daba” (settlement) or “dabebi” (settlements).

In written sources Dmanisi is know in the VI c. In VI-VII c.c. small town-type settlement and Dmanisi Episcopal cathedral was there (in this period Dmanisi’s Sioni of Virgin Mary was built). As a town, it is first mentioned in the IX c. By that time it was owned by Arabs: “(Buhga Turk) brought Ossetians through Dariali and settled them in Dmanisi” Kartli’s Chronicles inform us. The main structures – internal castle, the town wall and others, presently represented as ruins on the upper layer of the ruined town, should be built in the same period. Since 80-ies of the XI c. Dmanisi is in Sekjuls’ hands. In 1223 David Agmashenebeli liberated it. Afterwards it again was in the enemy’s hands. In 1125 Demetre I took it and since then it subordinated directly to the King. XII- XIII c.c. was the period of special progress and proliferation of Dmanisi. Trade and handicraft manufacturing was activated; caravan road, going to Asia transited through it. Mont operated in the town, wine-making was practiced, oil and fabrics were produced, as well as glazed ceramic ware.

By the end of the XIV c. the town was destroyed by Timur Leng, in 1486 – Iakub Khan’s troops. Since that period Dmanisi decays. Since the XVI c. feudal family famous in this area – Baratashvilis restored only the castle. By the end of the same century the town was occupied by Ottomans, and in the beginning of the XVII c. – by Persians. In the XVIII c. the town was finally destroyed, life ceased there and it turned into ruins.