Intangible cultural heritage of Georgia

Intangible cultural heritage (Georgian: არამატერიალური კულტურული მემკვიდრეობა) are elements of the cultural heritage of Georgia which are abstract and must be learned, encompassing traditional knowledge including festivals, music, performances, celebrations, handicrafts, and oral traditions.

Starting from 2011, 48 items were inscribed on the registry of Georgia's Intangible Cultural Heritage as of March 2019. Four of them have been placed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[1][2]

Registry of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia

#	Item	Date inscribed	Comment	Media
1	Georgian polyphonic singing	17 November 2011	Inscribed in 2008 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2001).[3]
2	Kvevri	17 November 2011	Large egg-shaped earthenware vessels used for the fermentation, storage, and ageing of traditional Georgian wine. Inscribed in 2013 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
3	Traditional kvevri wine-making method	27 March 2012	Inscribed in 2013 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[4]
4	Dedaena, an introduction to Georgian for children	25 March 2013	Dedaena, literally, "a mother tongue", a children's primer compiled and published in 1876 by Iakob Gogebashvili
5	Traditional dance Perkhuli	25 March 2013	A predominantly male folk round dance, with as many as 20 versions.
6	Berikaoba	25 March 2013	An improvised masqueraded folk theatre, stemming from a pre-Christian festivity of fertility and rebirth.
7	Kakhetian Mravalzhamieri	25 March 2013	A polyphonic folk song Mravalzhamieri ("polychronion") from the region of Kakheti.
8	"Urban" Mravalzhamieri	25 March 2013	An urban version of Mravalzhamieri from Tbilisi.
9	Children's literary magazine Dila	25 November 2013	A popular children's literary magazine founded in 1928 as Oktombreli and renamed in 1947 as Dila ("The Morning").[5]
10	Traditional dance Khorumi	25 November 2013	A traditional war dance, originally from the region of Adjara.
11	Meskhetian cheese Tenili	25 November 2013	Originally from the region of Meskheti, Tenili is made of threads of rich cow's or sheep's milk cheese briefly brined before being pressed into a clay pot.[6]
12	"Makeup Anointment", an annual Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University students induction ceremony	5 January 2014	An annual induction ceremony of the Tbilisi-based Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University freshmen held at Marjanishvili Memorial Museum in Kvareli, a tradition established in 1974.[7][8]
13	Literary magazine Tsiskari	5 January 2014	The Georgian-language literary magazine Tsiskari ("The Dawn"), founded in 1852.
14	Technology and culture of the Lagidze Waters	5 January 2014	The Lagidze Waters are a popular brand of soft drinks established by Mitropane Lagidze in 1887.[9]
15	Chidaoba, a Georgian wrestling style	25 September 2014	A Georgian folk wrestling style. Inscribed in 2018 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[10]
16	Dambalkhacho	25 September 2014	A variety of fermented curd from the highland province of Pshavi.[11]
17	"Living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet"	20 March 2015	Inscribed in 2016 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[12]
18	Chuniri	20 March 2015	A bowed folk musical instrument from the region of Svaneti.
19	Svan hat	20 March 2015	Traditional technology of felted wool hat making from Svaneti, one of important elements of the Svan cultural identity.
20	Svan cuisine: P'etvraal	20 March 2015	A Svanetian variety of khachapuri, a traditional Georgian dish of cheese-filled bread, but with added millet flour to its cheese filling.
21	Svan cuisine: Kubdari (Kubed)	20 March 2015	A meat filled pastry, a signature dish of Svaneti.[13]
22	Svan cuisine: Svanuri Marili or Lushnu Jim	20 March 2015	Svanetian salt, a traditional spicy salt blend.
23	Svan cuisine: Tashmjab	20 March 2015	A cream of potatoes and cheese mixed with corn flour from Svaneti.
24	Tradition of learning Vepkhistqaosani by heart	7 October 2015	The tradition of learning and reciting the 12th-century national epic Vepkhistqaosani ("The Knight in the Panther's Skin") by Shota Rustaveli, composed of some 1,500 stanzas, was widespread among the Georgians, especially young women,[14][15] and survived into the 21st century.[16]
25	Tradition of use of medicinal mineral springs in Upper Svaneti	15 October 2015	The mineral springs of Mugviri, Artskheeli, Kakhrld, Legab, Seti, Kvedilash, and Shdegi have been used for medicinal purposes for several centuries.
26	Traditional technique of making the Svanetian folk instrument Changi	15 October 2015	Changi is a Svanetian version of an ancient harp-like instrument with at least six strings.[17]
27	Tradition of wood carving in Svanetian architecture and household items	15 October 2015	Pieces of vernacular architecture and churches in highland Svaneti are richly adorned with ornate wood carving, a tradition going back to the Middle Ages.[18]
28	Literary magazine Gantiadi	15 October 2015	Gantiadi ("The Daybreak"), a Georgian literary magazine established in Kutaisi in 1915.
29	Technology of Kakhetian Churchkhela	7 November 2015	Churchkhela made in Georgia's wine-making region of Kakheti is a particularly popular variety of this traditional Georgian candle-shaped candy, strings of nuts that are repeatedly dipped in concentrated grape juice.
30	Kakhetian hat	7 November 2015	A felted hat from the region of Kakheti.
31	Kakhetian bread "dedas puri"	7 November 2015	Dedas puri ("mother's bread") is a Kakhetian type of tonis puri, baked in a specific bakery.
32	Tradition of pottery in Vardisubani	7 November 2015	The village of Vardisubani is the principal center of traditional pottery in Kakheti.
33	Svan funeral ritual with zari	16 March 2016	Zari (zär) is a funeral chant from Svaneti, bearing traces of pre-Christian tradition.[19][20]
34	Tradition of falconry	27 October 2016	Old Georgian tradition of falconry, bazieroba.
35	Supra, a traditional Georgian feast	29 March 2017	Supra, a traditional Georgian feast and an important part of Georgian social culture.
36	Traditional culture and manufacturing technology of blue tablecloth	9 June 2017	Traditional Georgian cotton tablecloths painted in various shades of blue, known from at least the 17th century.[21][22]
37	Georgian folk medicine	23 August 2017	Georgian folk medicine and traditions associated with its use
38	Twenty-six-century-long tradition of the Georgian–Jewish relations	13 April 2018	The Jewish presence in Georgia is regarded to have begun with their exodus during the Babylonian captivity in 6th century BC.
39	Tskhavati pottery	13 April 2018	Tradition of pottery from the village of Tskhavati.
40	Georgian silk	12 June 2018
41	Ulami in the Ksani valley	10 August 2018	Tradition of voluntary collective work in the rural Shida Kartli area.
42	Isindi, Tskhenburti, Kabakhi, Marula	31 August 2018	Types of Georgian horseback mounted team sports.
43	Georgian corn	7 September 2018
44	Abkhaz and Mingrelian adjika	20 November 2018
45	Tradition of Khachapuri in Georgia	22 January 2019	In 22 January, 2019 With the order of The CEO of National agency for cultural heritage of Georgia, Nikoloz Antidze, The Georgian tradition of Khachapuri pastries was given the status of Intangible cultural heritage of Georgia. The initiators of this were LTD "Gunda", led by Nana Dolidze and Levan Qoqiashvili. Currently the same people are working on to make UNESCO proclaim Tradition of Khachapuri as an Intangible cultural heritage of Humanity. On the behalf of Gastronomic Association of Georgia, the 27th of February was announced as the National Khachapuri Day, to celebrate Georgia’s timeless signature pastry as well as  to promote it's  recognition internationally.
46	Tradition of women councils in Georgia	12 February 2019
47	Lelo burti	6 March 2019	A type of Georgian horseback mounted team sport.
48	Traditional Georgian ferry	6 March 2019

References

1. "არამატერიალური კულტურული მემკვიდრეობა" [Intangible Cultural Heritage] (PDF) (in Georgian). National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
2. "UNESCO Culture for development indicators for Georgia (Analytical and Technical Report)" (PDF). EU-Eastern Partnership Culture & Creativity Programme. October 2017. pp. 82–88. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
3. "Intangible Heritage: Georgian polyphonic singing". The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
4. "Intangible Heritage: Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine-making method". The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
5. "დილა" [Dila]. Iverieli Digital Library (in Georgian). National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
6. Goldstein, Darra (2013). The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia. University of California Press. p. xvi. ISBN 9780520275911.
7. "ყოველწლიურ სტუდენტურ ტრადიციას მიენიჭა არამატერიალური კულტურული მემკვიდრეობის ძეგლის სტატუსი" [An annual student tradition granted the status of an Intangible Cultural Heritage element.] (in Georgian). NNLE Heritage For Future. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
8. "Majanishvili House-Museum Hosted the Freshmen Oath Ceremony". The Financial. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
9. "ლაღიძის წყლების დამზადების ტექნოლოგია და კულტურა"" [Technology and culture of the Lagidze Waters.] (in Georgian). NNLE Heritage For Future. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
10. "Living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet". unesco.org. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
11. "Dambalkhacho - Georgian delicacy with the status of cultural heritage". Georgian Journal. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
12. "Intangible Heritage: Living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
13. "Kubdari – A Signature Dish of Svaneti". Georgian Journal. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
14. Wardrop, Marjory Scott (2001). The Man in the Panther's Skin: A Romantic Epic Translated from the Georgian by Marjory Wardrop. Psychology Press. p. 265. ISBN 9780947593438.
15. Lang, David Marshall (1966), Landmarks in Georgian Literature: An Inaugural Lecture Delivered on 2 November 1965 (PDF), London: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, p. 22, retrieved 22 October 2017
16. Rekhviashvili, Jimsher (9 October 2015). ""ვეფხისტყაოსანი" ზეპირად" [Vepkhistqaosani by heart]. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Georgian). Retrieved 22 October 2017.
17. "Changi". Georgian Folk Music Instruments. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
18. Sumbadze, Longinoz (1967). "ჩუქურთმა ხეზე ხალხურ ხუროთმოძღვრებაში" [Ornate carving in vernacular architecture]. Dzeglis Megobari (in Georgian). 12: 54–65.
19. Kalandadze-Makharadze, Nino (2006). "The Funeral Zari in Traditional Male Polyphony". In Tsurtsumia, Rusudan; Jordania, Joseph (eds.). The Second International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony (PDF). Tbilisi: International Research Center for Traditional Polyphony of Tbilisi State Conservatoire. pp. 166–178.
20. Zemp, Hugo (2007). Funeral chants from the Georgian Caucasus: Study Guide (PDF). Documentary Educational Resources. pp. 2–16.
21. "Blue tablecloths: Restored tradition and regained popularity". Agenda.ge. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
22. Meparishvili, Nana (11 August 2015). "The Blue Tablecloths of Georgia: New Life of an Old Tradition". Folklife. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 24 October 2017.