Unique discovery in Kazreti, Georgia
27.08.09 17:20
Archaeologists have made yet another unique discovery in Kazreti village, Kvemo Kartli Region of Georgia. As the experts say, the archaeologists have discovered the gold mines, which date back to the fourth century BC. The discovery confirms that people who lived on this territory in that period, obtained gold and they had there own rules of its refinement.
Georgian-German expedition worked in Kachreti during the past few years. The excavations began in 2004 after discovering sepulchers there. The scientists found tunnels then, bye which, they thought the residents of the area used to obtain ore. The prognosis of the 2004 year has been finally confirmed today. The scientists have dug out the tools for obtaining and refining ore, special areas for scorching ore and dwellings. Archaeologists assert that these are the eldest mines in the world and that such unique exhibits have not been discovered even in Egypt.
The archaeologists continue to explore the territory.
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Production and Distribution of Gold in the (Trans)-Caucasus
The Caucasus can be considered one of the most important "ore mountains" areas of the ancient world, particularly of the ancient Near East. The country of the "Golden Fleece", the western part of Georgia, the Colchis, in antiquity was a synonym for being rich in gold. As the first "metallurgist", Prometheus, the giant, was chained to the rocks of the Caucasus by the gods, and still today the archaeologist is overwhelmed by the wealth in metals the prehistoric cultures of this region present. One of the particular characteristics of this region, quite apart from its richness in polymetallic deposits, is most of all its wealth in gold during antiquity. Less known is the fact that already at the beginning of the Early Bronze Age this precious metal was of great economic and social significance.
The discovery of the Sakdrissi gold mine (c. 50 km southwest of Tiflis) relates to these questions. In 2004, during a field trip it was possible to collect some charcoal from a clear stratigraphical position. It provided a date for the mining in the early 3rd millennium BC. Thus, Sakdrissi counts among mankind's oldest known gold mines.
The fascinating thing is that at Sakdrissi the prehistoric mine still preserves all the different places of work, both above ground and underground. Above ground, the deposit cone, consisting of volcanic igneous rock, was carved in all directions by intense, near-surface mining, partly with massive breaks and strongly re-shaped. To understand these well-preserved, complex structures it was necessary to extensively clear the plant and forest cover. This allowed carrying out detailed survey, mapping, and excavation work. Excavation in one area, the so called "pit area A", e.g. showed that large portions of the mine had been filled with up to several m³ of stone debris and dump material. After clearing this backfill, a total of eight pits could be distinguished, that had been dug very close to each other. They reach from surface pit-diggings to deep mining galleries. Also a levelled forecourt with remains of a fireplace (?) seems significant, where an obsidian arrow point was found.
Due to explorative work undertaken during the Soviet era, the underground mines are easily accessed and thus open to further research. Through a modern adit, the area immediately below the above mentioned mine is accessed, where the so called "Old Man" (the Bronze Age mine) was mined by a stope mining method. Three pit areas can be differentiated here reaching down from the surface. They lie between 9 and 20 m below ground level. Simply their depth is unusual for the early 3rd millennium, but what are equally unusual are the preservation conditions and the sheer quantity of finds (pottery, bone tools, hammers).
Само собой, Sakartvelo.
