Aramaic (Arameographic) Inscriptions on Silver and Golden Objects of ancient Georgia (V c. BC–IIIc.AD)
Résumé
Old Aramaic was one of chief languages widely used in Iberian kingdom before adoption the Christianity (IV c.AD). On the territory of contemporary Georgia, mostly its Easter part-Kartli, a number of original Aramaic (Arameographic) inscriptions were found. They were made on different objects: steles (an epitaph and victory stele), bone plates, wine-pitchers and household items, stones of sanctuary buildings and sarcophagi, silver-plates, bowls, jewels. The most ancient Aramaic inscription found in Georgia, is the silver bowl from Kazbegi, being a specimen of archaeological art, brought into this region of the Iranian dominance. Other Aramaic (Arameographic) inscriptions on silver bowls as well as on golden items (such as plates, rings, bracelets) are found in Armazi,Bagineti, Bori, Zghuderi, Vani. Most of them are kept at different funds of the Georgian National Museum. All these inscriptions are rather short, consisting of one or two words, denoting a proper name, or a title, they also frequently have an attributive meaning. Their majority is executed in a variety of the North-Mesopotamian type of Aramaic script known as “Armazian”. However, the writing of each inscription is characterized by certain specific paleographic features. The paper presents a systematic paleographic analysis of these inscriptions offering some new interpretations