Georgia: In Jordan, a group of archaeologists planned archaeological works on the ruins of the Georgian Desert Monastery. In July, the Minister of Culture of Georgia, Thea Tsulukiani agreed with the Jordanian side during a working visit to the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan.
The Georgian scientists-archaeologists team is departing for Jordan and conducting archaeological work on the ruins of the Georgian Desert Monastery of Shihan in Karak. The minister visited the Shihan’s Georgian Desert Monastery site in Karak in July of this year.
To implement the agreement reached, the National Agency for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Georgia invited Professor Vakhtang Lichel of Tbilisi State University to lead the expedition.
A few days ago, archaeologists of the National Agency for the Protection of Cultural Heritage went on a working visit to Mount Shihan. Under the leadership of Professor Vakhtang Lichel, they will carry out archaeological works on the territory of the Georgian monastery and develop a project for large-scale archaeological works. Along with a group of Georgian archaeologists, a representative of the Antiquities Protection Department of the Hashimite Kingdom of Jordan and the Ministry of Antiquities is also present.
It is essential that the relevant services of the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Values and local archaeologists fully support the planning of archaeological works.
The Georgian expedition in Jordan has been unable to operate in recent years. Before that, the expedition, led by Georgian scientist Tamila Mgaloblishvili, was actively exploring Georgian monasteries in Jordan and its neighboring countries and documenting them. Later, due to some reasons, including the pandemic, the Georgian side could not continue archaeological work and research.
Georgian Desert Monastery was located on the highest mountain in Karak, Shihan. Georgian clergyman Gabriel Tbileli founded it in the 11th century and spent the last years of his life in this monastery. Desert Monastery existed until the 13th century. Several monastery manuscripts remain, which are kept in the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem library.
The monastery was the rival of the Jerusalem Cross Monastery (a kind of branch).
