Archaeological Excavations at Irmis Rka: An Investigation of a Multi-Layered Settlement in Southwest Georgia

Results from the 2020 Season: Early Bronze Age to Medieval Occupations

By (author) Gia Chilingarashvili By (author) Levan Losaberidze By (author) Mindia Jalabadze By (author) Aleko Zavradashvili By (author) Mariam Eloshvili By (author) Nikoloz Tskvitinidze By (author) Giorgi Kirkitadze By (author) Nikoloz Vanishvili By (author) Eliso Kvavadze By (author) Maia Chichinadze By (author) Marine Chkadua By (author) Nana Rusishvili

Book cover: Archaeological Excavations at Irmis Rka: An Investigation of a Multi-Layered Settlement in Southwest Georgia

Extent: 172 pages

Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing

Subjects: European Prehistory, World Archaeology

Series: Georgian Archaeological Monographs

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(April 2026)

ISBN: 9781805832799

8.62 x 9.09 inches

Price: $49.00

In stock

This volume reports 2020 excavations at Irmis Rka in southwest Georgia, revealing Early Bronze Age Kura‑Araxes and Bedeni culture layers, later Late Bronze–Early Iron Age fortifications, and medieval activity. The site traces the full development of the Kura‑Araxes tradition and provides valuable new data for ongoing research.


This volume presents the results of the 2020 season excavations conducted by the Georgian National Museum at the multi-layered settlement of Irmis Rka, located in the Samtskhe-Javakheti province in southwest Georgia. Excavations on the site have confirmed the presence of pits and domestic architecture from the Early Bronze Age Kura-Araxes Culture, as well as deposits of the subsequent Bedeni Culture, along with abundant related materials. The site reveals signs of occupation during the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age, with evidence of fortification and various artefacts. Additionally, medieval activities have been documented. The site demonstrates the full evolution of the Kura-Araxes tradition, offering perspectives to illustrate its gradual changes and development. One of the site’s most significant aspects is the presence of the Bedeni culture, marking its first appearance in this area. While excavations at Irmis Rka are ongoing, the results presented here contribute new data to a wide range of discussions.

List of Figures

Acknowledgements

List of Contributors

 

Introduction: Historical and geographical settings of the region

The site description

 

Excavations at the Irmis Rka Settlement

Excavation of lower debris: Pits

Excavation of the hill slope

Radiocarbon dates

Pottery Assemblage

Artefact Collections

Lithic Assemblage from the Irmis Rka Settlement (Nikiloz Tskvitinidze)

Bone tools from the Irmis Rka Settlement (Mariam Eloshvili)

Zooarchaeological materials from the Irmis Rka settlement (Nikoloz Vanishvili)

Palynology of organic remains obtained from the archaeological deposits and ceramic vessels of the Irmis Rka Settlement (Eliso Kvavadze and Maia Chichinadze)

Preliminary report of the archaeobotanical study of the Irmis Rka settlement (Nana Rusishvili)

 

Conclusions

Bibliography

Gia Chilingarashvili is a PhD candidate at Tbilisi State University and a researcher at the O. Lortkipanidze Archaeological Institute of the Georgian National Museum. With 12 years experience in international archaeological expeditions and projects, his main field of study is late prehistoric cultures in the Caucasus region. He has directed excavations at the Irmis Rka settlement for four seasons. He has published several articles independently and with co-authors in Georgian and English.

Levan Losaberidze is an archaeologist and rock art researcher with a Master’s degree in archaeology. With over 10 years of experience in archaeological fieldwork and various investigations, his main interests lie in landscape archaeology, rock art, and Neolithic-Bronze Age archaeological cultures in the South Caucasus. He has been fully involved in the Irmis Rka project for four years both in the fieldwork and post-excavation studies. In general, he has published several international peer-reviewed papers about various topics of his interests.

  • By (author) Gia Chilingarashvili
  • By (author) Levan Losaberidze
  • By (author) Mindia Jalabadze
  • By (author) Aleko Zavradashvili
  • By (author) Mariam Eloshvili
  • By (author) Nikoloz Tskvitinidze
  • By (author) Giorgi Kirkitadze
  • By (author) Nikoloz Vanishvili
  • By (author) Eliso Kvavadze
  • By (author) Maia Chichinadze
  • By (author) Marine Chkadua
  • By (author) Nana Rusishvili