Talk:Mtskheta

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Mtskheta is a root of the Georgian nation its tears and joy; a state of Georgia was founded in Mtskheta; the Georgian language spread from Mtskheta Christian religion originated from the Mtskheta font and over the centuries has been its cradle and banner. Those who come to visit Mtskheta see its monuments, can be well familiarized with the past of our nation, its "seedling and fruit". The walls of these monuments have still preserved the results and traces of the art created by our ancestors. The small town has been built and ruined for many century, it has seen many enemies and friends, much evil and good, there have come many to this town to destroy its fine palaces, its castles and towers. It's a wonder that Mtskheta has survived. Its fate is like that of Kartli: it was being suppressed but managed to revive; it was being cut but its root did not dry; thousand good seedlings used to grow out of a good root to resist any attacks. Thus, Mtskheta stands like an image of an immortal past, undying star of the nation. Its everlasting monuments sing to the immortality of life. The capital of Mtskheta has served the kingdom of Kartli for more than 800 years (from the end of the 4th century BC to the end of the 5th century AD). This period is one of the most brilliant pages in the history of the state life and national consolidation of the Kartvelian tribes and peoples. After Mtskheta has lost its leading role among the Georgian towns, it still remained a permanent center for religious life and monastery activities. The 2500 year long history of Mtskheta has been fully told in foreign and Georgian written sources and is witnessed in archaeological, ethnographic and other sources. Though as archaeological excavations showed, Mtskheta and its surroundings have been densely populated still in Middle Bronze age, i.e. in the II millennium BC. Thus we can follow 40-century-old history of Mtskheta as a place where the Kartvelian tribes - Karts and later Meskhs settled as a fully established geo-ethnical and cultural unit. The authors of "Kartlis Tskhovreba" (Life of Kartli) Leonti Mroveli and Juansher consider the first name of the old capital of Kartli Kingdom as "Kartli". In it there is differentiated the name of the oldest part of the capital - Kartli from the name of the Kingdom - all Kartli. The Georgian historical sources tell us about some other names as well "Mtskhetai", "Old Mtskheta", "Old Town", "Armazi", "Mtskheta" or "Armazi private town". The historians suppose the name "Mtskheta" was formed from the word "Meskheti" by means of vowel shift: "Meskheti - Meskheta - Mskheta - Mtskheta". Public life has long been established in Mtskheta as well as in other old towns of Kartli. This was promoted by the trade road of the world importance passing through Georgia, which connected Europe and Asia. The Mtkvari Canyon was a part of this big caravan road and many towns appeared in its basin. These were: Uplistsikhe, Mtskheta. Khunani, Rustavi, Tbilisi, Kaspi, Gori, Urbnisi and so on. There were developed various branches of handicraft (construction, goldsmith art, metal work, pottery and so on) in these towns. They had established intensive trade-cultural and political relations among themselves and with foreign countries. So, by the second half of the I millennium BC they were strong towns to turn into administrative centers on certain territories. Among these towns, in the 4th century BC Mtskheta occupied a leading role especially after on the territory of Kvemo Kartli and Meskheti there was founded a big political unit of the Kartvelian tribes within which the important part of present-day East Georgia was located. So, Mtskheta gradually acquired greater importance from that time on. The same with its districts. The latter were situated at the cross-roads of the loads leading from West Georgia, Meskheti, Armenia, Azerbaijan (old Albania) and North Caucasus (along the river Aragvi). The trade road of world importance mentioned above also crossed Mtskheta. It led from India to the Black Sea ports. In addition, Mtskheta and its surroundings had must favorable location from the defense viewpoint. It was a most convenient place connected with numerous castles and two rivers Aragvi and Mtkvari difficult to access. Old Mtskheta was a multi-district town. It was spread on the both banks of the river Aragvi and Mtkvari. Namely, the town was bordered: to the east by the places where there is a railway bridge near "Zahesi ", to the west - Dzegvl and Khekordzula ravine and Nastagisi, to the north - Mukhrani sights, to the south - Satskepela-Didgori mountain ridge; the entire territory is most rich in archaeological monuments of great significance. Still in BC Mtskheta was mentioned in old legends and stories. It was preserved in folk stories as well as the first capital of the Kingdom of Iberia. It was much loved first, as it was a capital and also the source nourishing the nation's spiritual life, an abode of idols and chapels. Mtskheta was the first "mother-town " of our country and the Georgian people always prayed to God and Saints and highly respected them. Mtskheta is a cradle of the Georgian language. A historian mentioned about the first Georgian King Parnavaz (his court being in Mtskheta) that he enriched the Georgian language so that no other language was preferred and "he was the creator of the Georgian alphabet". So, Mtskheta taught the Georgian language to the present and future of our country. It was in Mtskheta that epigraphical monuments were being written along with parchments, deeds and charters, there were being translated books from Greek and Roman into Georgian, mainly hagiographic ones within the walls of Svetitskhoveli, Samtavro, Zedazeni and Shiomghvime monasteries. Mtskheta has inspired Georgian poets Simon Gugunava, Grigol Orbeliani, Nikoloz Baratashvili, a famous Georgian writer Constantine Gumsakhurdia dedicated one of his best novels to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta. The most popular and famous poets of Georgia Galaktion Tabidze, Giorgi Leonidze dedicated their beautiful verses to Mtskheta and Svetitskhoveli, a well known Georgian writer Vassil Barnov was often amazed by the beauty of Armazi, outstanding Georgian poets Titsian Tabidze and Paolo lashvili used to wander along streets of Mtskheta, also renown Georgian writers and poets Simon Chikovani, Giorgi Kuchishvili, A!io Mirtskhulava, Shalva Apkhaidze, David Gachechiladze, Ioseb Noneshvili. Mtskheta has become a burial ground for the noblest Knight of the Georgian prose Levan Gothua. Saguramo has appeared in the last stories of our most beloved Georgian writer Nodar Dumbadze. Mtskheta, Svetitskhoveli, Djvari has been a source of inspiration for wonderful verses of Shota Nishnianidze, Tamaz Chelidze, Jansul Charkviani, Anna Kalandadze, Medea Kakhidze, Moris Potskhishvili, Otar Chiladze, Mukhran Machavariani, Silovan Narimanidze, Zaur Bolkvadze, Ilo Beroshvili, Grigol Julukhidze, Irakli Arabuli, Enver Nizharadze and all those who value and respect high sky, wonderful nature of Georgia. The districts, streets, houses of Mtskheta are most dear to them. Famous Russian poets and friends of Georgia sang to the beauty of Mtskheta: M. Lermontov, N. Bazhan, N. Tikhonov, E. Mezhelaitis, V. Beekman, B. Akhmadulina, M. Sinelnikov, N. Hassan-Zade, O. Kazakov and many others... More information at: http://b.sisauri.tripod.com/lit/mtskheta/mtskheta.html

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Pronunciation
Is it possible to get an audio of the pronunciation? Mattximus (talk) 16:22, 4 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Here it is. --KoberTalk 16:32, 4 February 2014 (UTC)