Georgia and eSports

Hello dear reader. As you might have already guessed we will be talking about eSports in Georgia. But we can’t just jump in, because before we do that, we have to talk about each to understand them both individually. First of all, let’s start from eSports. What is it? Why is there e before sports? Well, be patient my dear reader, because I’m going to tell you everything i know about it. E stands for electronic, so eSports means electronic sports. You might be thinking, yea I get it, but so what? What does this mean? It might be nothing for you right now, but for some it is everything. According to Wikipedia, Electronic sport is a term from organized multiplayer video game competitions. The most common video game genres associated with electronic sports are real time strategy, fighting, first person shooter and multiplayer online battle arena. Yes, it is fun but it does not end there. Today, in 2015 eSports is one of the largest and faster growing industries in the world, it already makes more money than filmmaking. Yes, video games make more money than Michael Bay’s blockbusters. This whole power surge began early 2010’s when China decided to fight against stereotypes and they first announced it as a regular type of sports and now they are trying to make it Olympic sports. More and more people are watching hundreds of professional players daily. Boys of my age have more than 20,000 live viewers every day on twitch.tv. And when it time for big tournaments, eSports starting to compete with regular sports like soccer and basketball. Last championship tournament in League of Legends had more than 1.5 million viewers. In 2000’s it was considered as time wasting activity but today, professional players are considers as sportsman in various countries across the world. Did you get my hint at the end of last sentence? Unfortunately for me, I meant to say only various countries, because not all of them think as China, most of the Europe, Russian and US.

This brings us to Georgia. Georgia, small country located on south-east part of Europe. We try our best to part of the world we deserve but sometimes not all goes as we wish. constant power struggles with Russia influenced how country is developing. Before we talk more about modern Georgia, I would like to speak about its history. Small country, always at wars, really hard time surviving waves and waves of enemy forces across whole world. It became part of Soviet Union at some point but after union was weakening from bad economy, we used it to escape grasp of cold bear. But past always leaves scars, and this scars don’t go away easily. 

    Georgia now is country of stereotypes. If you consider yourself as a gamer, be ready to be called looser, or even get bullied for that. But things change. As time goes, our Generation is becoming older, we are becoming big brothers and even fathers, we defy mindless stereotypes, we are breaking its shackles slowly but surely. Today we achieved things we could not do one year before. We started to host Tournaments, quality is not the best but that is no reason to give up. Only in one year we achieved so much in this direction. First tournaments on GameJam Tbilisi, followed by creating community of games all around Georgia, eSports here is starting to bloom. Day by day we are getting bigger. Bigger than ever before.

Winemaking in ancient Georgia

   

    Georgia is involved in winemaking from immemorial time. Large number of outstanding scientists recognise Georgia as home of cultural grapes and wine. Academician I. Javakhishvili, in his work "The Economic History of Georgia", on the basis of fairly large domestic and foreign literature, says that if it is impossible exactly be called homeland of viticulture and winemaking, then at least we can assume that one of the main centers of this industry must considered Georgia.

      In Georgia, history of grape is associated with the history of its people, and therefore the beginning of viticulture in Georgia must be sought in the distant past.

Should be regarded as the undisputed fact, that people in the early times used the fruits of wild grapes. As it develops, over tens of centuries, based on the selection of grapes and various forms of appropriate care for it, people chose those species, that gave better quality fruit. In such a way, the abundance of native grape varieties, that over a long period originated from wild species, indicate on cultural development of viticulture in certain parts.

      Georgia, as a wine-producing country, is also notable for the fact, that in the warm, moderate climate in our days, as well as in the past, it is widespread many varieties of wild grapes, from which over tens centuries formed many varieties of Georgian indigenous grapes.

Safely could be said, that none of the wine regions of the world can not meet such a rich variety of native grape varieties as in Georgia.

      Against the background of natural diversity of Georgia, for tens of century, formed certain groups of varieties, or new varieties have occurred, as evidenced by a wide range of grape varieties existing in different areas.

Scientist, academician I. Javakhishvili says, that viticulture in ancient Georgia was highly developed, because high-quality grapes, such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli etc., Georgian grower could only create by long, conscious, full of diligence, planned work.

      About past of Georgian viticulture and winemaking, about advantages of products and about hearth of origin of cultivated grapes also indicates many historical materials, archaeological sites and cultural monuments.

Botanist Koch, who traveled in the 18th century and studied the flora of Caucasus, called the birthplace of cultural grapes Coast of Black Sea and Caspian Sea. In Colchic woods he saw a highly growing vines grapes, he was very surprised by development and fertility of it.

Swiss researcher, Shaw, in his work (19th century), considers "Mengrelia and Georgia»

as hotbed of viticulture.

About quality of wine, that is produced in the distant past and in the following centuries, clearly demonstrate a range of materials and material-cultural monuments.

      Outstanding figure of Georgian winemaking, Professor K. Modebadze, in textbook of winemaking (1948 year) writes, that the circumstance, that the Georgian people choose and grow high-quality wine, varieties such as Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Khikhvi et al., gives us full right to conclude, that in ancient Georgia, obviously, people regarded to the production of wines with great conscientiousness, care and trepidation. If our ancestors, according to Homeric legend still in 10th century BC., produced high-quality "sparkling and aromatic wine", it is clear that in subsequent centuries, they would acquire more knowledge, observation and experience to produce high quality wines from grapes vaunted above.

    

    National Museum of Georgia collected different things, founded during archaeological excavations: utensils for wine, tools used in winemaking, decorations, which clearly indicate the level of culture of viticulture and winemaking in Georgia in 3 - 4 millennium BC.

      Academician Kuftin established, that production of wine receptacles found in ancient Trialeties tombs dates to 3 millennium BC. Found in these tombs clay amphora with a round lid is dated 5 - 3 millennium BC. According to legends similar amphoras in those times were also used in Egypt. It is known, that Egyptians maintained contacts with Georgian tribes. According to prof. K. Modebadze Egyptians would have to learn culture of wine from Georgians.

Found in the tombs small falcate blades dating from 3500 - 3000 BC, which were used for cutting grapes, speak also about high culture of wine growing in the Georgian tribes.

      Point of artefacts (3-2 in. BC) - kvevri (crocks, buried in the ground) and cellars in Vani, Bagineti and other places, once again shows a high level of winemaking in ancient Georgia.

      It is known, that still at the dawn of European peoples history in the 10th century BC, according to Homer, in ancient Colchis, Circeya regaled Odysseus with aromatic and sparkling wine, which was served on the table, luxuriously decorated with golden baskets. It speaks to the high culture of winemaking in former Georgia.

      In 3rd century BC Apollonius of Rhodes, in his poem "Iazon and Medea», about Argonauts, describes Colchis plains along Rioni river and notes that in capital of Colchis - Aia (Kutaisi), in front of Aieti Kings palace, Argonauts saw green lush vineyards, twisted on high trees and in the shade of the trees wine gushed forth.

Fact, that in Georgia viticulture and winemaking existed since time immemorial, is confirmed by historians Strabo and Xenophon. Grapes growing in a forest is a testament to the fact, that nowhere in Georgia it did not deliver, and it grew up by itself in a favourable natural conditions of Colchis.

Winemaking in Eastern Georgia also has a long history. In 431 BC Xenophon saw huge kvevri here, which were filled with wine. Historian Strabo in 2nd century BC describes viticulture, winemaking of Kartli and Kakheti, that, according to him, in this period, flourished in Georgia. According Strabo, in this period, viticulture in Abkhazia was also highly developed.

A number of material cultural monuments, historical documents, folk songs, poems and traditions show, that viticulture, winemaking of Georgia was at high level in 3 - 12 centuries AD. From remains of cultural monuments are extremely important cellars with huge Kvevries, stone devices for grape husks and other implements of winemaking, whose remains and nowadays found in some regions of Georgia.

In poem of Shota Rustaveli, "Knight in the Panther's Skin" mentioned several episodes, which describes the culture of ableful, mentioned different wine vessels. Worth noting, that for Georgians, during the tableful was not taken to get drunk, but on the contrary, it was even ashamed.

About winemaking in epoch of Rustaveli, Prof. K. Modebadze says, that there is no doubt, that for the mash fermentation and storage of wine in 12 - 13th centuries was used the same Kvevries what still is used by us. Kvevri was buried in the ground, covered and casting up mounts from above by ground. A lot of such Kvevries were found in different territories of Georgia, buried in the ground and lay there from Rustavelies epoch. As for processing of grapes, can be clearly declared, that in 12 - 13 centuries, grapes were squeezed by legs, as well as do nowadays. This method is used from time immemorial. In such way precessed grapes Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and others.

Academician Javakhishvili, remembering work of the famous French traveler Jean Chardin (traveled to Georgia in 1672-1673 GG), writes, that according to Chardin, never drank so many people and such excellent wine, as in Georgia. From Georgia in 17th century carried a lot of wine to Armenia, Midia and even to capital of Persia - Isfahan for king of Persia.

Georgian people, over tens centuries, has accumulated a lot of experience and knowledge to care for grapes and winemaking. In far past, Georgians produces high quality wines. On this prof. K. Modebadze says that Georgian wine well tolerated way to Persia and Midia at then transport, carts and camels. This fact gives us right to say, that export wine, made and stored appropriately, was supposed to be of high quality, with a rather high alcohol content and, accordingly, extractive, otherwise after traveling from Kakheti and Kartli in Isfahan, light wine with low alcohol content and extract so would change its nature and its quality would fall, so that of course the same could not satisfy such capricious taste of the consumer, what were Shahs foreign visitors, ambassadors and their retinue.

    Can conclude saying, that over time, more and more evidence is accumulated, that point to the fact that Georgia is a country with an ancient wine culture and increasingly strengthen long-standing belief, that Georgia is a birthplace of viticulture and winemaking.

Period of the disintegration of primitive communal relations among the population of Georgia

The most important tribal formation of possible proto-Georgians in the post-Hittite period was that of the Diauehi (Diauhi, Daiaeni), formed about the twelfth century B.C. southwest of Transcaucasia, in the region to the north of present-day Erzerum. The Diauehi coalition was powerful enough to resist attacks by Assyria, although in 1112 B.C. their king was captured by Tiglath-pileser I. In the ninth and early eighth centuries B.C., Diauehi was the nucleus around which many tribes of southern Transcaucasia gathered, and it was therefore the target not only of Assyria but also of the rulers of the newly emerging state of Urartu. In 845 B.C., Shalmaneser III of Assyria defeated King Arame of Urartu, and King Asia of the Diauehi became his vassal. Sometime in the early eighth century, both Menua and Argishti I of Urartu campaigned against the Diauehi, defeating their king, Utupurshini, and forcing him to pay tribute. The southernmost regions of the Diauehi were annexed by Urartu, and by the middle of the century the blows from Urartu in the east and from the tribes of western Georgia destroyed the Diauehi. This left the tribal formation of Colchis bordering directly on Urartu, and conflict soon developed between these two political coalitions» The eminent Soviet prehistorian, Igor Diakonov, believes that Georgian­speaking tribes were already in eastern Pontus (Colchis) in the ninth century B.C. Homer mentions the Halizones in Pontus, and it is supposed that this tribe is the same as the later Chalybes, a proto-Georgian tribe.

The fragility of the various “empires” of the eighth century became evident about 720 B.C. when nomadic peoples from the northern shore of the Black Sea, the Cimmerians, swept down the coast, passing through Colchis and into Urartu. About the same time, the Scythians poured through the Daryal Pass into central Georgia and down the western coast of the Caspian into Urartu. The Cimmerians destroyed the southern Colchian state, known as Kulkha in Urartian inscriptions. Whole regions were emptied of people as the Cimmerians moved south to Syria, Palestine, and the borders of Egypt. Some Mushki and Tibal, pushed aside by the Cimmerians, moved northeast into the Pontic regions, where by the fifth century they had made contact with Greek colonists. For a short time a distinct “kingdom of the Mushki” to the west, a state closely connected with the Phrygians, reigned as the strongest state in Asia Minor. Ruled by Mitas, whom some scholars identify with the legendary Midas of the golden touch, the kingdom of the Mushki had its capital at Gordion, and its people spoke Phrygian, an Indo-European lan­guage. The brief ascendancy of the Phrygian-Mushki state came to an end at the hands of the Cimmerians, who were probably allied with Rusa II of Urartu (685-645 B.C.). Some об the Mushki assimilated with local peoples, but others moved northwest out of the area known as Speri, taking with them their Hittite religion and culture.

By the Late Bronze Age, a period that in Caucasia included the end of the second millennium and the first centuries of the first millennium B.C., differentiations in wealth within the tribes are evident in the burial sites. Soviet scholars, including Melikishvili, argue that this “was the period of the disintegration of primitive communal relations among the population of Georgia” and the transition to “class society.” Following the linear scheme set out by Friedrich Engels in The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, Melikishvili proposes that primitive communal society was replaced by “military democracy” and firm alliances of tribes, which in turn may be seen as the beginning of the formation of a Georgian nationality. Tempting as this theoretical model of Georgian social evolution may be, it must be remembered that there is little available evidence to illuminate the social structure of the tribal societies of this ancient period. It is known that the proto-Georgian tribes (then centered in the Chorokhi basin north of Erzerum) and the proto-Armenian tribes (probably located to the south in the region bordering the Murad-su) were not under a central, unified politi­cal authority once the Cimmerians had swept through the area.

The second half of the seventh century B.C. marked the rise of significant political formations that can be identified with proto-Georgian tribes. Some of these tribes, living in the upper reaches of the Chorokhi River, were united under the name Sasperi. Based in the former territory of the Diauehi, the Sasperi had much of southern Transcaucasia under their sway by the early sixth ccntury and participated in the destruction of the Urartian empire, only to disintegrate under the expansionist thrusts of the Medes in the cast. The Sasperi merged with the Urartians in their lands, and, Melikishvili con­jectures, borrowed Urartian words that found their way into the Georgian language. At approximately the same time, a new “kingdom” of Colchis was formed in western Georgia, extending from the mouth of the Chorokhi northward but not reaching as far as the Caucasus Mountains. The political center of the kingdom of Egrisi, as it was known to eastern Georgians, was on the Rioni River. Greek migrants from Miletus settled in coastal towns at Trebizond, Kerasunt, Phasis, Dioskuri, and Pitiunt and traded with the native population.

Xenophon's campaign on Georgia

Without many prisoners but with great numbers of oxen, asses, and sheep, Xenophon moved on through 150 miles of the country of the Chalybes.

These were the most valiant of all the peoples they passed through, and would come to hand-to-hand encounter. They had corselets of linen, reach­ing down to the groin, with a thick fringe of plaited cords instead of flaps.They had greaves also and helmets, and at the girdle a knife about as long as a Laconian dagger, with which they might be able to vanquish; then they would cut off their [enemies] heads and carry them along their march, and they would sing and dance whenever they were likely to be seen by the enemy. They carried also a spear about five cubits long, with a point at only one end. These people would stay within their towns, and when the Greeks had pushed by, they would follow them, always ready to fight. Their dwellings were in strongholds, and therein they had stored away all their provisions; hence the Greeks could get nothing in this country, but they subsisted on the cattle they had taken from the Taochians.

After ravaging the country of the Colchians, Xenophon moved on to the west and entered the land of the Mossynoeci, where the Greeks allied themselves with one tribal alliance against another. Xenophon’s report about the peculiar activities of the upper class deserves to be mentioned:

And when the Greeks, as they proceeded, were among the friendly Mossynoecians, they would exhibit to them fattened children of the wealthy inhabitants, whom they had nourished on boiled nuts and were soft and white to an extraordinary degree, and pretty nearly equal in length and breadth, with their backs adorned with many colors and their fore parts all tattooed with flower patterns. These Mossynoecian wanted also to have intercourse openly with the women who accompanied the Greeks, for that was their own fashion. And all of them were white, the men and the women alike. They were set down by the Greeks who served through the expedition, as the most uncivilized people whose country they traversed, the furthest removed from Greek customs. For they habitually did in public the things that other people would do only in private, and when they were alone they would behave just as if they were in the company of others, talking to themselves, laughing at themselves, and dancing in whatever spot they chanced to be, as though they were giving an exhibition to others.

From Xenophon’s Anabasis it is possible to piece together a picture of the western Georgian tribes at the end of the fifth century B.C. Free from ₍Persian authority (except for the Mossynoeci), they lived in hostile relations with the Greek merchant ports. The various tribal alliances fought with one another, and therefore their lands were covered with fortified-settlements. There were no major towns in the area and, in the words of Melikishvili, people “lived in conditions characteristic of the political fragmentation of a primitive communal society, in which separate tribal formations warred constantly with one another.”In the first half of the fourth century B.C., the Persians may have managed to reassert their suzerainty over the western Georgian tribes, for it is known that the Greek cities of Sinope and Amis came under their authority. But the Achacmcnid hold over the western satraps was tenuous, and during the reign of Artaxerxes II (405-359 B.C.) several provincial subordinates, including Orontes of Armenia and Datam of Cappadocia, revolted against Persian authority. With the campaigns of Alexander the Great and his decisive victory over the Persians at Arbela (Gaugamela) in 331 B.C., Persian power collapsed in Asia Minor. The Greek expansion not only drove back the Persians but introduced a new cultural and political hegemony over eastern Anatolia. The dominance of Persian and Mesopotamian political culture was both inhibited and complemented by the Greek in a new Hellenistic syn­thesis, though the influence of Iranian culture remained strong in Georgia and Armenia.

Through the two centuries of Achaemenid dominion over eastern Ana­tolia and Transcaucasia (546-331 B.C.), several proto-Georgian tribes had migrated north from Anatolia into the Pontic regions along the Black Sea coast, where Xenophon found them, and to the east into the Kura valley. The Tibal and Mushki had moved into eastern Georgia, where they merged with local tribes to form the Georgian people. To the Greeks they were known as Iberoi (Iberians), a name that Melikishvili believes came from the land from which they had migrated, Speri. D. M. Lang mentions the hypothesis that the root Tibar in Tibareni (Tibal) gave rise to the form Iber from which the Greeks derived their name for the eastern Georgians. From the Mushki (Meskhi, Moskhi) came the name of the chief city of ancient Iberia, Mtskheta. Even more important, the Mushki brought with them from the west the pantheon of Hittite gods, headed by Armazi, the moon god, and Zaden, the god of fruitfulness. 

Formation of Georgian Nation

A favorite story of modern Georgians relates how God came upon the Georgians only after he had parceled out all the countries of the world to other nationalities. The Georgians were in a typically festive mood and invited the Creator to join them in wine and song. The Lord so enjoyed himself that He decided to give these merry and carefree people the one spot on the earth that He had reserved for Himself—the valleys and hills that lie to the south of the great Caucasus Mountains.
Unfortunately, the actual ethnogenesis of the Georgian people is far more obscure than this anecdote allows, and to probe its mysteries scholars have used linguistic as well as historical and archaeological evidence. The Geor­gians call themselves kartveli and their country Sakartvelo, “the place of the Georgians.” But the latter term was not used until the eleventh century, when Georgia was first united. Unity wastbrief, however, and for most of history the lands in which Georgian speakers have lived have been divided into two principal parts, separated by the Surami mountain range. Western Georgia, lying in the basin of the Rioni (Phasis) River, was in ancient times known as Colchis and later as Lazica, Abasgia, or Imeretia. Among the Georgians western Georgia was first referred to as Egrisi, later as Abkhazeti, and most recently as Imereti. Eastern Georgia, larger in territory and running along the Kura (Cyrus) River, was called Iberia (Hiberia) by the classical world and Kanli by the Georgians, Less well known but historically a part of Georgia is an area lying to the southwest of Imereti, in the valleys of the Chorokhi and the upper Kura, a land referred to as Zemo Kartli (Upper Iberia) or Meskhia. The lands to the south of the Kura but east of Upper Iberia are sometimes referred to as Kvemo Kartli (Lower Iberia), while the lands to the north, on. The other side of the Kura, is called Shida Kartli (Inner Iberia). Upper Iberia consisted of the lands in the basin of the Chorokhi—Achara, Nigali or Ligani, Shavsheti, Cholarzene or Klarjeti, and Tao—and the lands in the basin of the Kura—Samtskhe or Meskhia, Javakheti, Artani, and Kola. Lower Iberia included the lands of Trialeti, Guchiani, Gardabani, Tashiri, and Abotsi. To the east of Kartli proper lie the regions of Kakheti and Kukheti, the easternmost territories historically inhabited by Georgians. As the eminent scholar of Caucasian history, Cyril Toumanoff, points out: “Most of these lands were, historically no less than geographically, Georgio- Armenian marches, and so a battlefield between two neighboring monar­chies. The struggle over them is still going on—on the battlefield of histo­riography.”
The languages of the Georgian peoples are not part of the Indo-Euro-pean, Altaic, or Finno-Ugric language families. Rather they belong to the southern Caucasian language group known as Kartvelian (kartveluri) and have descended from an original, proto-Georgian language that began to break into several distinct but related languages about four thousand years ago. The first to break away was the Svan language (svanuri) in about the nineteenth century B.C., and by the eighth century B.C. zanuri, the basis of Mingrelian (megruli) and Laz (chanurt), had become a distinct language. On the basis of language it has been established that the Georgians were made up of three principal, related tribes—the Karts, the Megrelo-Chans (Zvans), and the Svans—but in addition there were other Georgian-speaking tribes in Asia Minor, among them the Kashkai (Gashgai, Gashgash, Kashku, Kaska), the Mushki (Moskhi, Moschi, Meskhi), and the Tibal (Tabal, Tibar). The distinguished Soviet investigator of ancient Georgia, G. A. Melikishvili, writes that the peoples speaking these Ibero-Caucasian languages “in all probability have been settled in the territory of Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus from the most ancient times.” Ancient place names testify to their presence in the earliest records, and archaeological research does not indicate any great changes in the ethnic composition of the peoples of Caucasia.
The antiquity of the division into myriad language groups is testified to by Herodotus, Strabo, and Pliny. The mountainous terrain tended to sepa­rate and isolate related peoples from one another and encouraged the de­velopment of dozens of separate languages and dialects. Strabo; for example, writes that in the Greek port of Dioscurias in western Georgia seventy tribes gathered to buy and barter: “All speak different languages because of the fact that by reason of their obstinacy and ferocity, they live in scattered groups and without intercourse with one another.”
Evidence indicates that primitive peoples have been living in Georgia since the early Paleolithic period, more than fifty thousand years ago. In southern Oseti and along the Black Sea coast, in Abkhazeti, crude stone tools have been unearthed. Archaeologists have investigated late Paleolithic cave dwellings in Devis Khvreli, Sakazhia, Sagvarjile, and in Gvarjilas klde.

Vardzia

Want to tell about an interesting place in Georgia, named Vardzia. This is cave complex. The Middle East and throughout the Christian world, only in Georgia cave complex became a state cultural, religious and political center. Only in Vardzia realized creation of a vertical city complex, so Vardzia is a unique monument of urban planning in the world.

South-western part of Georgia - Kartli upper or Meskheti... this region is rich with natural resources and a large set of monuments of Georgian history. In VII-VIII centuries. Upper Kartli was devastated as a result of the Arab raids and the black plague. Impassable forest covered all around. In IX century started a cultural revival and the struggle for independence from the Arab domination. From the center of Georgia has moved  a big wave of monastic complexes. There was availability of plenty of building materials: wood, stone, contributed to this.

Vardzia founded by King Giorgi III, as an additional military camp. Around were located the fortifications. This area has become a symbol of political and religious unity. Here were mobilization reinforcement for battles as well for defensive character, and as for offensive campaigns. With the support of Queen Tamara Vardzia turns into a big educational and scientific center. Here worked well known scholar John Shavteli. Vardzian  Icon of Godmother is considered miraculous. Here was a rich royal library, from which unfortunately remained only a small part.

Unique monastic complex Vardzia built into a vertical cliff  500 meters in length and consists of  consecutive caves that hit the eye with its grandeur. Architecture of Vardzia based on pre-designed composite idea - multistory ensemble is located around in the depths of the rock temple. Builders complied with all the rules for location of the village: Adapting to climate, water supply, organization of defense during the war, and others while in other buildings used wooden structure typical of wide halls, builders Vardzia mainly used arches, which are uniformly partitioned hard rock and power for centuries to protect against destruction built in the cave floors. Vardzia upper cave is situated at 1462 meters above sea level. In the eastern part of Vardzia there are 13 floors, and in general - 19 floors.

Today there are 641 built rooms in Vardzia. The middle part of the complex is supplied with water through the tunnel. This tunnel, starting from the north wall and heading to the temple, is 64 meters in length. Exit tunnel in the eastern part is cuted in the form line and is 220 meters long. Plumbing - 3.5 km long held out of the top of the village Vardzia, his one-third held in tunnels carved into the rock in the form of ceramic pipes. In the intermediate sections control channel created ceramic vessels. During 24 hours on this channel reported on average 166 tons of water, which is enough for 50,000 people.

Described cave complex is located in 300 kilometers from Tbilisi and at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level. Working hours 10:00 - 17:00. Closed on Mondays.

I strongly recommend to every tourist visiting Georgia, to visit this place. You will get an unforgettable impression.

Georgian Resorts

Georgia is country of resorts. One of the main factors is the climate resort. Variety of climate due to its geographical position and the presence of the Black Sea, so the climatic conditions differ pronounced therapeutic characteristics and are used for the treatment of many pathologies. Climatic treatment is particularly effective on the coast and in the conditions of the lower mountain zone.

Also, there is a variety of hydro resources. Georgia produces more than 2000 mineral water from more than 1700 there is a natural source, and more than 300 are extracted from wells. Chemical and physical properties of these sources indicate their curative abilities.

Georgia officially registered 103 and 167 of the resort spa locations. Based on the fact that the country has a large number of settlements with the presence of mineral water and healing climate, the number of spa locations may exceed 1000.

Georgia also mined and used effectively mud - peloids. However, it should be noted that to date, the natural healing factors such as climate, mineral waters, are not used properly or are used incorrectly, which adversely affects the human body.

Below is shown resorts classification by type.

Depending on the resort factors distinguish three main types: spa, climatic and peloid therapeutic (mud). At the same resort can be several resort factors, so they can also be divided into sub-categories.

The title should be sub-therapeutic factors are all present at the specified resort, primarily indicated the main therapeutic physical factors. Consider resorts detail.

Spas and resort areas of Georgia - Amaglaba, Gormagala, Kvaliti, Kursebi, Mendzhi, Mukhuri, Nasakirali, Nokalakevi, Samtredia, Simoneti, Sulori, Shakriani, Tsaishi, Tskaltubo and Chokiani. These sites are characterized by the presence of natural mineral water, which is used in balneotherapy bathtubs, swimming in pools, drinking, inhalation, etc.

Climatic resorts and resort areas - characterized by the presence of therapeutic climate distinguished mountain, sea, forest, forest-steppe, steppe and desert climate resorts and resort areas. There are mainly forest and seaside resorts in Georgia.

Mountain resorts. In mountainous areas on the body affected by the following factors of treatment of low atmospheric pressure, a relatively low temperature clean and dry air, high concentrations of UV light and negative ions. Resorts range from 400 to 1500 meters above sea level. Details below the main list of mountain resorts: Arkhiloskalo, Lake Basaleti, Daba, Okrokhana, Ritsa, Saguramo, Chitakhevi, Tsavkisi, Tsodoreti, Gombori, Tetri Tskaro, Kiketi, Libani, Mzetamze, Patara Tsemi, Tba, Tsemi, Tsivi Koda, Tskhra Djvari. Highests are Bakuriani, Bakhmaro Beshumi Gomis Mta.

Seaside resorts differ by combined treatment and prevention factors, such as the sea air and sea water. The main distinguishing factors are: the high atmospheric pressure, small daily temperature amplitude, clean air with negative ions, the high concentration of marine and plant trace elements and mineral salts, and high humidity, the abundance of ozone and solar radiation. The seaside resorts include Georgia: Agudzera, Anaklia, Akhali Athoni, Akhali Kindgi, Batumi, Grigoleti, Gudauta, Gulripshi, Gumista, Miusera, Mtsvane Kontskhi, Okros Napiri, Sukhumi, Ureki, Kobuleti, Shekvetili, Tsikhisdziri. It should be noted that the seaside Ureki - Grigoleti contains sand magnet. Warmed by the sun magnetic sand baths are effective in treating nervous, joint, bone, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Spa and climatic resort implies that at this resort the main curative factor is mineral water, and less significant - climate. They were mainly located in the lower mountain belt up to 1000 meters above sea level. I will list them: Bugeuli, Goridzhvari, Zvare, Zinobiani, Tbilisian spa resort, Kvereti, Kokotauri, Lagodekhi, Ladzgveria, Nabeglavi, Skuri, Tkvarcheli, Khidikari, Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi, Vazhastsharo, Zekari, Lashichala, Nunisi, Sairme, Ujarma, Kanchaveti, Khovle, Aspindza, Bagiati, Vardzia, Vezuri, Kodibini, Laskadura, Lese, Muashi, Nagutni, Nakalakevi, Uraveli, Java, Torgva, Abano, Utsera.

Climatic - spas mean that the main factor is the climate, and secondary - mineral water. to these types of resorts are: Besleti, Gantiadi, Eshera, Kindgi, Leselidze, Maltakva, Makhindjauri, Supsa, Bolnisi, Lisi lake, Akhaldaba, Dviri, Sortuani, Surami, Kvishkheti, the lower part of the resort Tskhneti, Abastumani, Biisi, Dmanisi, Vani, Vardevani, Tetri Tsklebi, Kodjori, Mitarbi, Machartskali, Pasanauri, Flate, Dzuguri, Tsagveri, Avadkhara, Akhalchala, Kobi, Lebarde, Mestia, Sioni, Stephantsminda, Timotesubani, Shovi, Tsikhisjvari, Tsinubani.

To peloid resorts are places with the main curative factor treatment peloid (mud), mainly located on the Black Sea coast in the lower mountain zone.  Peloids are mainly used as bathrooms, tampons and application. This basic is Akhtala which produces volcanic mud, and resort destination mare, which uses silt sulfide mud. Distinguish the general and local mud baths and mud baths divorced.

I would like to separately describe the treatment magnetic sand, applied to the dry, sunny weather in the form of baths and half-baths in warm seasons, from the second half of June and the first half of September. For the procedure requires magnetic sand with temperatures ranging from 50 to 57 degrees Celsius. For carrying sand procedure early in the morning, at 6-7, one of the coastal areas to protect from the wind and to better warmers wall fence height of 1 meter. Further, in this region dig holes in the form of medallions 2x1 meter. around each medallion make 30 centimeters hill. About 12.00-13.00 hour, naked or half-naked patient is placed in hole in the direction of the lines of force the terrestrial magnetic field, head north to the south leg. Head under the pillow or enclose foam rubber folded towel. In order to protect from the sun is fixed umbrella at the head for shade. Patient sprinkled 4-5 cm layer of sand warmed, there is only free chest.

That’s all ))