Metallurgical technology of coins from Samshvilde fortress (South Georgia, Caucasus)

Abstract

Samshvilde represents one of the most representative Georgian archaeological sites thanks to its complex history that began in the Neolithic times and ended in the 18th cent. The area has been always considered an important crossroads for its geographical position, and, for this, rich in different kinds of artefacts from pottery, obsidian objects, bronze coins to other furnishings. This variety testifies to the progress of the different civilizations over time in terms of culture, lifestyle, and technological skills. In the paper, two bronze coins were investigated to determine the main technological process used in the area during the Medieval Age and to increase the knowledge of metallurgical manufacture in the South Caucasus region that is still partly to be discovered.