Rabati settlement

Investigating the Multi-Period Landscape of the Meskheti Highlands, Georgia

GAIA Project

The joint archaeological expedition of the Georgian National Museum and the University of Melbourne investigates the ancient settlement of Rabati and the surrounding kurgans in the Aspindza Municipality of southern Georgia.

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Recent Updates

3D Scanning of Artifacts

The 3D scanning of ceramic vessels discovered at the Rabati settlement enables the creation of accurate digital models without causing any damage to the artifacts. This allows for a detailed examination of the vessels’ morphology, decoration, and manufacturing techniques. The application of this method facilitates the long-term preservation of data, its dissemination within the international […]

4/15/26

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Palynological research

One of the important components of the investigation of the Rabati settlement is its palynological analysis. This research focuses on microscopic pollen grains and other organic particles preserved on artifacts recovered during excavations or embedded in building floors. The examination of these very tiny remains under a microscope helps archaeologists reconstruct past environments, vegetation, and […]

4/2/26

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Historic Secret Military Aerial Photographs Help Identify Archaeological Features

The secret American military aerial photographs taken in 1964 as part of the CORONA program, comparable Soviet military aerial imagery from 1973, and the earliest available Google Earth data from 2003 provide a unique opportunity to determine how the archaeological landscape of the village of Zveli has changed over the past century as a result […]

3/25/26

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Historic Secret Military Aerial Photographs Help Identify Archaeological Features

The Rabati Settlement Excavations on the TV Program – “One Day in Village”

Conservation laboratory upgraded with modern analytical equipment and treatment facilities.

3/26/26

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The Rabati Settlement Excavations on the TV Program – “One Day in Village”

The 2026 Rabati Excavation Season Has Officially Announced !

The 2026 Archaeological Excavations at the Rabati Settlement Will Begin on June 15.

4/25/26

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The 2026 Rabati Excavation Season Has Officially Announced !

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6/27/26

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2026 Excavations Has Recently Began

6/27/26

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Excavations

VISIT RABATI SETTLEMENT

Rabati settlement

The Rabati settlement is one of the most important archaeological sites in Georgia and the wider region. It contains a diverse range of architectural remains and cultural layers dating from the Bronze Age to the Late Middle Ages. The settlement is located in Meskheti, on the southern slopes of the Erusheti Range (at an elevation […]

VISIT AROUND RABATI, THE VILLAGE OF ZVELI

Around Rabati, the village of Zveli

Near the Rabati settlement, in the village of Zveli, numerous archaeological sites are spread across the area. Among them, the Middle Bronze Age kurgans (burial mounds) are particularly noteworthy. They stand out from other kurgans of the same period in Georgia because of their distinctive architecture and the funerary inventory discovered within them.

Our Team

Giorgi Gogoladze

Medieval archaeologist, specialist in digital technologies

Inga Martkoplishvili

Palynologist

Aleko Zavradashvili

Lithic specialist

Tornike Rostiashvili

Specialist in Digital Archaeology

Daily Life on the Dig

Archaeological house

The GAIA project has acquired a house in the village of Zveli, which is currently undergoing refurbishment. The ultimate goal is to establish an archaeological field base, fully equipped with all necessary components for fieldwork. In addition, it will annually host numerous expedition members, including researchers, students, and visitors, thereby supporting both field research activities and academic exchange.

Dig house

Discoveries from Rabati settlement and its vicinity

The artifacts discovered at the Rabati settlement and in the nearby burials are diverse. The various occupational layers of the settlement have yielded primarily pottery, andirons, as well as bone tools manly associated with textile production. Pottery is also the most common find in the burials, although a variety of objects of personal adornment have also been recovered.

Discoveries