Tbilisi expo showcases rich examples of Georgia’s medieval culture

What was Georgia like in the Middle Ages?

Icons, items and manuscripts of Georgia dating back to the medieval times are part of a nine month exhibition of Georgia's Medieval Treasury, opening at Tbilisi's Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia this Saturday.

Pieces of writings, hand-crafted items of wood and stone as well as masterpieces of embroidery will be put on display to illustrate the legacy of Georgian art before and after the introduction of Christian cultural traditions in historical Georgian kingdoms.

Organised by the Georgian National Museum and Tbilisi-based Korneli Kekelidze National Centre of Manuscripts, the exhibition will reflect the continuity of cultural customs and creative talents that formed the basis of ‘Georgian statehood and national identity’, say organisers.

The exhibition will feature manuscripts and icons from Georgia's medieval era. Photo from the Georgian National Museum.

The exhibition will include several unique items such as the 10th Century AD Alaverdi Four Gospels - the only Georgian manuscript featuring the Mandylion, a holy relic with a "miraculous" illustration of the face of Jesus Christ.

Another special exhibit of the nine-month display will be the 12th Century Vani Four Gospels, a manuscript commissioned by Georgia's celebrated Queen Tamar and includes an "abundant use of ornaments, decorations and precious stones".

A 5th Century AD mosaic work from the Monastery of Bitchvinta in north-western Georgia's Abkhazia region.

Furthermore, items dating back to the 5th Century AD inscribed with the Georgian alphabet and mosaics will represent some of the richest exhibits of cultural legacy the country's museums can boast.

A collection of 12th to 18th Century embroidery will showcase the evolution of the artform, while equipment used to create such pieces will also be shown to the public.

Visitors will also be able to see astrological treatises featuring zodiac signs and a lunar calendar along with stories translated from Arabic.

The Medieval Treasury exhibition will run at the Museum of Georgia until March 2017.