A geomorphological expedition involving professors and students from the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) discovered a new karstic massif in the Vani district of Georgia.
According to Giorgi Dvalashvili, head of the expedition, TSU Assistant Professor, Doctor of Geography, geomorphologist, “until now scientific literature had not highlighted the existence of any separate karstic massif in the Vani district; this area was geomorphologically included in the karstic district of southern Imereti. The place, where the karst cave is located, can be called the Bzvani karstic massif, because this village involves several interesting forms of karstic relief, as well as underground rivers and interesting and extreme caves with vertical entries.”
Giorgi Dvalashvili says that mountain climber, Roman Kachkachishvili was one of the first to get into the cave and describe the existing situation by the end of 20th century. “We have an interesting and previously unknown karst relief on the left side of the Rioni River – this is a scientific value of new geomorphological research. In the near future, the Department of Geomorphology of the Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography at TSU will get involved in the research. The speleologists from this institute have discovered and thoroughly researched most of karst caves in Georgia. Stalactites or stalagmites discovered in the cave will be studied comprehensively; the underground world of the cave will also be surveyed and extremal tourist routes may be marked in this karst cave,” Giorgi Dvalashvili said.
“The fact about discovery of a new karst massif on the territory of Georgia is very interesting in itself. As known, karst caves are basically located in other Georgian regions: Abkhazia, Samegrelo, Racha, Upper Imereti, Middle Imereti, but this is the first case when a karst cave was discovered in the Vani municipality and it is a very important fact that we are conducting a geomorphological research on this territory that creates a favorable environment for the development of extreme tourism in this village,” he added.
