MATERIALS ON THE SAMTAVISI CATHEDRAL AND ITS ANTIQUITIES FROM THE PERSONAL ARCHIVE OF ARCHPRIEST POLIEVKTOS KARBELASHVILI

Abstract

One of the earliest and the most extensive materials which are kept in the personal archive of Archpriest Polievktos Karbelashvili (1855-1936) refer to the monuments of Shida (Inner) Kartli. It is not surprising that, among the research
topics of learned clergyman, who was interested in Georgian antiquities from an early age and who was raised in Kvemochala at the local noble family of Amilakhvari, was also interested in the churches and monasteries which were related of the
donorship activities of the above-mentioned noble house. One of them is Samtavisi Cathedral which was also the sepulchral place Amilakhvari house.
Archival materials reveal that Polievktos Karbelashvili visited and described Samtavisi Cathedral several times. This is evidenced also by his articles published in the local periodicals, related to the family of Amilakhvari. In addition, study of the field-records of Archpriest (Central Historical Archive of the National archive of Georgia, fund N1461) reveals that it contains unpublished and unstudied materials about Samtavisi Cathedral and its antiquities. It is noteworthy, that field records of Polievktos Karbelashvili fulfill the notes collected by other travelers, pilgrims, lovers of antiquities, and scholars who have visited Samtavisi Cathedral
before him or afterwards.

Upon visiting Samtavisi Cathedral Archpriest Polievktos Karbelashvili describes the lapidary inscriptions and the antiquities kept there - manuscripts, crosses, icons and other religious objects. It is worth mentioning, that he pays special at tention to the tombstones preserved in the interior of the Cathedral - he is the first one who transcribed the epitaphs from them. In this regard, the significance of the materials collected by Polievktos Karbelashvili is quite clear.Despite the frequent travels to Inner Kartli, Polievktos Karbelashvili notes dates a few times in his diaries. He published articles about the antiquities during his fieldworks, so it becomes possible to determine the period of his stay in a particular churches or monasteries.
The materials concerning the Samtavisi Cathedral and its antiquities preserved in the field-records of Archpriest Polievktos Karbelashvili are published in this paper.