A presentation of the book “Karst Caves of Chiatura Municipality” was held in the Kotias Klde karst cave near the village of Sveri in Chiatura district on October 4. The authors of the book are: Zaza Lezhava and Kukuri Tsikarishvili, senior research fellows at Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography; Giorgi Dvalashvili, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography of the TSU Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences; and Nika Tushabramishvili, archaeologist and professor at Ilia State University. The book has accumulated cadastral data on karst caves investigated by Georgian researchers in the Chiatura Municipality over the years (1958-2016). It also provides brief information about their geographical location, as well as morphological, climatic, hydrographic and archaeological characteristics. It discusses short history of investigation of each speleological object, perspectives of their utilization for economic and tourism purposes. The book discusses the conditions of origination and development of karsts on the Zemo Imereti Plateau. Besides professional researchers, the book will also be helpful for those readers, who are interested in unique natural monuments (karst caves) of their native country.
Unique nature of the Chiatura Municipality and existence of a lot of caves in this area prompted the authors to publish the book. As for the materials used in the book, the process of their collection lasted for decades. The book is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Zurab Tatashidze, researcher of karst relief and corresponding member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences.
Giorgi Dvalashvili, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography of the TSU Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, said that “karst caves of the Chiatura Municipality have a huge scientific-aesthetic and educational importance. Familiarization with these caves will help young people to investigate the nature and history of their homeland. Therefore, it is desirable to include them in the routes of school excursions and tours. In addition, this speleological object is interesting due to the fact that in 2004 the first skeleton was discovered during archaeological diggings on the site, which along with a specific DNA also contained important ethnographic information. It was named Kote by the expedition members and was buried according to special rules.”
