Davati stele

The Davati stele (Georgian: დავათის სტელა) is an early Christian ivory artifact from the mountainous part of eastern Georgia. It is a cross-shaped stela, carrying a bas-relief, depicting the archangels Michael and Gabriel, with one of the earliest inscriptions of Asomtavruli, the first of the Georgian scripts. It has been dated from the 4th to the 5th century. The stela was discovered in 1985 in a small church of the Virgin in highland village of Davati.^[1][2]

The Georgian scholar R. Ramishvili has claimed that the combination of letters კტწ correspond to the number 5320 (5000 + 300 + 20, correspondingly კ [k] + ტ [t] + ჭ [č]) and has attempted to calculate from it the alleged date when the Georgian alphabet was created (284 BC).

References

1. Abramishvili, G & Aleksidze, Z. (1990), "A national motif in the iconographic programme depicted on the Davati Stela". Le Muséon, Vol. 103. # 3-4: 283-292
2. Davati Holy Virgin Church. Regional Administration of Mtskheta-Mtianeti. Accessed on November 14, 2009

Bibliography

• R. Ramishvili, Discovery in the village Davati. “Mnatobi” 1986, #8
• K. Tsereteli, Stellas from the village Davati “Dzeglis Megobari” 1984 #68
• G. Narsidze, Discovery in the village Davati. “Mnatobi” 1987, #4
• G. Narsidze, Discovery in the village Davati. “Mnatobi” 1987, #8
• K. Machabeli, Stellas in the Georgia. 1999
• G. Javakhishvili, early feudal epoch in Georgia. 1999