The Asomtavruli Inscription Mentioning Prince Levan and His Wife Tinatin on the Unknown Icon of 1684 in Chitakhevi Church (“Green Monastery”)

Abstract

The paper focuses on the icon preserved at Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Arts. The icon is known in scholarly literature under the name of Christ’s Icon of Breti. The icon has an inscription made in 1684 in Asomtavruli alphabet. The inscription mentions Prince Levan and his wife Tinatin. The text has been published several times (Mari Brosset, Tedo Zhordania). It is widely known that, due to Ottoman raids at the end of the XVI century, the Avalishvili feudal family residing in Borjomi gorge left their lands and moved to the neighbouring region of central Kartli, namely, Breti and Sagholasheni areas. According to Georgian annals, during the opposition of two kings - Giorgi XI and Erekle I Nazaralikhan, Prince Levan, his wife Tinatin and their children found shelter in Sadgeri, Borjomi gorge. It is quite logical to conclude that, when leaving their manors, the feudal families would take old and valuable objects with them. This is how ancient precious objects of Borjomi gorge were brought to central Kartli. From Breti the icon was taken to Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Arts and has been known up to now under the name of Breti icon. The research of the inscription of the icon has proved that the icon initially belonged to St. George’s church in Chitakhevi. This information is of great value for the history of Chitakhevi church, because until now information regarding the monastery consisted only in stories passed by word of mouth. Besides, based on the comparison of Georgian epigraphic monuments and historical documents, we have identified unknown details regarding the Royal House of Prince Levan.