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History of the Monastery

Unfortunately today we possess very scanty information on the monastery. We can judge of its history by the general appearance of the church. Below are conclusions/outcomes of the archaeological excavation works executed under the guidance of the archaeologist Nodar Bakhtadze.

Archaeological excavation works had been executed at the territory of the Ktsia Monastery of the Blessed Virgin’s Birth and around its principal church from 20.04.2008 till 21.05.2008. During the mentioned period remains of the historic constructions situated near the principal church and in particular from its eastern and western sides were thoroughly explored and studied from the archaeological viewpoint. Previously these constructions had been almost completely covered with soil and only few stones left on the surface testified of their existence. As it was found out during the excavations, one of the constructions from south-east side of the church was a square, prolonged –shape marani (place, where wine is stored in special jugs) and at the entrance -household constructions with water tank system adjacent to the north side of the monastery was situated.

Structural analysis of the materials found during the excavation works proves that the mentioned residential and household constructions dated back to the period, when the church of the Blessed Virgin’s Birth was constructed in the VIII-IX centuries and had been functioning up to the XIII-XIV centuries. Materials of the chronological range dated back to IX-XIV centuries found in the interiors of the constructions and the adjacent territories during the excavations testify the above- mentioned: these are clay- made, enamel and non-enamel fragments of household items as well as several items made of a special material. Besides the dating, the found materials give us very interesting information on the everyday and religious life in the monastery at that time. We suppose that the household outbuildings made part of the monastery. The store room with reservoir and marani found during the excavation works made part of the monks’ everyday life. Small size jugs for wine storage (kvevri), clay-made pottery and doliums were used for the storage of food products. Various kettles, clay-made frying pans, crocks and bowls served for cooking and food consumption. It’s worth mentioning that the materials found during excavations turned out to be of a rather high quality and valuable from the artistic point of view: multi -colored enamel and ornamented dishes and jugs testify of a high level of economic development of the monastery throughout the period of its existence. According to the information received during the excavations, the monastery reached the peak of its economic development in the XI-XII centuries and in the first half of the XIII century. More or less active life continued in the second half of the XIII century and in the first half of the XIV century. Materials found at the territory of the monastery follow the traditions of the economic and cultural well-being in Georgia at that time, although the artistic level of some products deteriorates.

Life in the monastery ceased all of a sudden in the XIV-XV centuries during Timur Leng’s invasions; he destroyed and ravaged Kvemo Kartli more than once. Destroyed residential and household constructions as well as fortification systems bear records of the devastation of the monastery. A great number of smashed crockery and egg-shaped Mongol type missile stones was found in the ruins. These types of stones were left in all towns, fortresses and monasteries ravaged by Timur Leng.

For a long period following these events there was neither religious nor secular life near the monastery ensemble. It took 1.5-2 centuries to more or less restore the Georgian population in the region: in particular, the country life was found in the neighboring territory of the former monastery site in the Ktsia gorge. The population did not assimilate the territory adjacent to the church; they restored the church, converted it into country chapel and arranged a cemetery around (the countryside itself was presumably situated at the terrace of the gorge, half kilometer east to the church). The new population did not pay attention to the almost completely covered with the humus soil remains of the constructions around the church and arranged a cemetery above these constructions, having thus destroyed the major part of the edifice walls; the mentioned fact serves as an additional testimony of the long time span when the monastery ceased its existence and the foundation of a new secular settlement on this site. 12 cemeteries, where men, women and children had been buried were found during excavation works; this confirms our reflections on the existence of the secular life here already in the late Middle Ages, XVII-XVIII centuries. Preliminary data research of the material proves that the villagers were of a robust shape, but not of a high stature- adult men and women reached around 160-165 cm. Judging by the condition of the teeth, people seldom lived to a great age, out of 9 deceased none was older than 40-45 years. Child mortality was high- presumably children died of infectious diseases. Arrangement of cemeteries at the territory was rather primitive – almost all deceased (except one) had been buried in the excavations, while the majority of the Georgian regions in the XVII-XVIII centuries still preserved generally accepted burial ceremonies in the cut out stone-boards so-called “stone sarcophagus”. The mentioned fact is indicative of the villagers’ rather miserable economic possibilities, which is quite explicable for this completely exhausted with depredations and inner wars region of Georgia.

On the other hand, excavations executed at a rather vast territory adjacent to the church if the Ktsia Monastery of the Blessed Virgin’s Birth showed that there was no cemetery around the church in the developed Middle Ages. Though several years ago archaeological research works conducted during the church restoration proved that there had been stone-lined, lime-plastered private sepultures located in the north and south narthexes of the basilica. Similar crypts are well-known from the archaeological research works executed in the principal churches and monasteries in this region of Georgia in the developed Middle Ages. This fact once again testifies to our reflections that in the IX-XIV centuries the church was the property of the monastery. At the time common people from the adjacent villages were buried neither in the monastery yard, nor in its interiors.

As far as the double –chamber construction situated in the south-west side of the monastery is concerned, the archaeological excavations showed that, based on the general architectural designing, the constructions are of a residential type, where the front small room served as a store –room, while a store room of a bigger size served as a residence for people. Discovered archaeological materials prove that the construction was raised and used in the X-XIV centuries. Its close location with the church suggests that it used to be monks’ cell.

It’s worth mentioning that archaeological excavation works at the territory of the Ktsia Monastery of the Blessed Virgin’s Birth have completely justified the main objective: to define the functions of the constructions situated at the territory of the monastery as well as expediency and practicability of their use with the primary purpose. Results of the works carry convictions that the intentions of the Father Superior of the monastery to return to the constructions their original appearance after thorough rehabilitation works are fully justified.