Publications
Reliable probabilistic landslide susceptibility mapping using a calibrated stacked ensemble with bootstrap-based uncertainty
A groundbreaking landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) framework achieves unprecedented accuracy and reliability for mountainous regions, setting a new benchmark with an AUC of 0.979 and Brier score of 0.054 in the geomorphically complex Upper Svaneti region of northern Georgia. This study introduces a robust machine learning workflow that integrates CatBoost, Random Forest, Extra Trees, and a multilayer perceptron within an XGBoost meta-learner, optimized via spatial cross-validation to handle class imbalance effectively. Unlike conventional approaches, this method combines exploratory geomorphic structure analysis with probabilistic uncertainty quantification using bootstrap ensembles and isotonic calibration, ensuring statistically robust and probabilistically interpretable susceptibility maps. The systematic increase in susceptibility with slope angle further validates the model's geomorphic consistency, offering a reproducible solution for risk-informed planning in tectonically active landscapes.
Analysing debris flow impact in Upper Svaneti, Georgia: investigating triggering factors and runout dynamics
A critical rainfall threshold of over 7 days has been identified as sufficient to trigger debris flow failures in the deposition zones of Upper Svaneti, Georgia. This finding, derived from a combination of numerical modeling and high-resolution UAV data analysis, highlights the region's vulnerability to increasing extreme weather events. The study employed TRIGRS and RAMMS models to simulate slope instability and runout dynamics, respectively, using laboratory-tested soil samples and historical rainfall records for validation. While the models accurately predicted detachment zones in a 2022 event, deposit heights were slightly underestimated, suggesting potential underestimation of hazard risks under moderate rainfall conditions if residual materials are remobilized. These insights provide actionable data for hazard mitigation strategies, early warning systems, and regional planning to address growing concerns in mountainous regions.
Cyclic and Monotonic Behaviour of Coarse Mixed Soils from Debris Flow Slopes: Large-Scale Triaxial Insights
Loose, mixed-grain soils—common in debris flow-prone slopes like those in Upper Svaneti—are far more vulnerable to liquefaction and cyclic degradation than previously understood. Large-scale triaxial tests reveal that such soils can lose up to 90% of their stiffness and exhibit extreme damping (over 100%) when subjected to moderate cyclic stress ratios (CSR ≤ 0.4), particularly if they start with a void ratio ≥ 0.85. Denser soils, however, remain stable until CSR exceeds 1.0. The study also shows that load reversal patterns and initial stress conditions significantly accelerate pore pressure buildup, increasing the risk of slope failure. These findings provide critical data for hazard prediction in dynamic geological environments.
Main Geographical Factors of Settlement Patterns and Natural Resource Use in Mountain Region: The Kvemo (Lower) Svaneti (Lentekhi Municipality) Case
In Kvemo (Lower) Svaneti, geographical conditions and natural resource use significantly shape settlement patterns and agricultural practices. The study identified 15 distinct landscape units using GIS technology, revealing that 43% of the region lies above 1000 meters in elevation. Livestock farming dominates agriculture, with pastures and haylands covering 92.4% of agricultural land, while crop farming is limited to areas below 900 meters. The research also highlights a trend of increasing abandoned villages, with 83% of the population residing in small settlements of up to 200 dwellers. Traditional practices play a crucial role in sustaining livestock farming, contributing to the region's unique cultural and economic landscape.
The Panel of the Virgin and Saint Anne from the Church of the Archangels in Iprari. Iconographic and Ideological Aspects
A rare eleventh-century iconographic panel depicting the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, discovered in the Church of the Archangels in Iprari (Upper Svaneti, Georgia), reveals significant political symbolism. This panel, part of the earliest works attributed to 'King’s Painter Tevdore,' stands out within a limited decorative program of a small church dedicated to archangels. The study argues that its inclusion suggests a deliberate ideological and political message, linking royal patronage with religious imagery during the period between 1096 and 1130. The research combines topological analysis, iconographic context, and historical inscription evidence to uncover this layered meaning.
Toponymic Searches on the Border of Svaneti and Abkhazia
A new understanding of the historical border dynamics between Svaneti and Abkhazia emerges from a detailed analysis of toponymic sources, revealing shifts in territorial boundaries over centuries. The study, which examines church documents, lectionary sheets, and ethnographic data, identifies previously unrecognized patterns in border toponymy and land ownership, particularly in Upper Svaneti's northwest region. By applying critical source analysis and historical-comparative methods, researchers have reconstructed the fluid nature of these borders, highlighting how written monuments, toponyms, and ethnographic evidence collectively illustrate their evolution. The work also underscores the need for further ground-based studies to refine boundary clarifications in contested regions like Dali Valley.
Architecture of Upper Svaneti
Upper Svaneti's architectural landscape, characterized by tall towers, fortified dwellings, and churches that served as repositories for medieval crosses and icons, reflects its complex political history. Research reveals that the region's church architecture evolved in tandem with shifting alliances between western (Lazica/Colchis) and eastern Georgian states (Iberia), maintaining cultural exchange while preserving distinct Svaneti traditions. The study provides a detailed analysis of both secular and religious structures, highlighting their dual defensive and sacred functions. By contextualizing Upper Svaneti's architecture within broader Georgian styles, the research offers insights into construction dates and shared forms, contributing to the understanding of Caucasus architectural heritage.
Ethnolinguistics of the Dali (resp. Kodori) Gorge
The Kodori Gorge, a historically significant region in West Georgia, exhibits a rich linguistic and toponymic diversity shaped by millennia of cultural exchange. The study reveals that the gorge's toponymy reflects multiple layers of historical influence, including Svan, Abkhazian, Megrelian, and Russian elements, with Svan origins dominating microtoponyms, hydronyms, and oikonyms. Notably, the Kodorian Svan dialect demonstrates interferential linguistic features, blending Upper and Lower Bal dialects at phonetic, morphological, and syntactic levels. This interference suggests a distinct dialectal identity for Kodori's speech, supported by decades of systematic onomastic and ethnolinguistic fieldwork. The research underscores the strategic importance of the gorge as a crossroads between Byzantine and Central Asia, with its toponymy serving as a 'language of earth' that encodes historical movements and cultural interactions.
Interaction of Images in Sacred Space: A Case Study: The Church of St Barbara in Khe, Upper Svaneti
A detailed analysis of the Church of St Barbara in Khe, Upper Svaneti, reveals how diverse Christian images interact within sacred space to create a meaningful liturgical environment. The study focuses on the fresco-icons of the Church Fathers in the sanctuary apse, demonstrating their role in adding new semantic content and reinforcing the church's symbolic significance. These images, attributed to a local workshop from the 13th and 14th centuries, reflect a blend of Byzantine cultural formulas with local artistic traditions. The research highlights the stylistic and iconographic features that illustrate this 'translation' process, providing insights into how sacred spaces are constructed through visual narratives.
Iprari Murals: Reading of the Scene of the Apparition of the Angel to Joshua
A rare example of Byzantine artistic tradition, where Christian rulers symbolically connected with Old Testament heroes, is found in the Iprari Murals at the Church of the Archangels in Upper Svaneti. The 11th-century fresco, attributed to King's Painter Tevdore (1096), depicts the Apparition of the Archangel to Joshua and serves as a visual representation of political patronage. By analyzing liturgical texts, exegetical sources, and comparable visual examples, researchers reveal that the mural emphasizes the Archangel Michael’s role as protector of kings and nations, reflecting Georgian royal symbolism. This interpretation aligns with Byzantine imperial concepts of a 'chosen people,' offering new insights into medieval Georgian art and its political significance.
Painted Chancel Screens in Upper Svaneti: The Evidence from Early Monuments
Painted chancel screens in Upper Svaneti's medieval churches reveal a distinct artistic and iconographic tradition, blending Byzantine influences with local Svaneti beliefs. These screens, found in early monuments like St George in Nak'ipari, the Mother of God in Zhibiani, and Lagurk'a St Cyricus, feature geometric patterns engraved in plaster and accentuated with red, white, and black paint. Unlike other regions, Upper Svaneti's decoration is highly selective, focusing only on specific interior sections and façades. The study highlights how these screens incorporate both pure ornamentation and scenes of saints, reflecting a synthesis of broader Byzantine iconography and indigenous traditions, such as hunting deities and domestic spatial arrangements.
Symbolic Treasure, Care, and Materiality in Upper Svaneti
Religious artifacts in Upper Svaneti possess agentive power, challenging the notion that such objects are passive. Svans perceive and interact with these sacred items—collectively termed 'gandzi'—as entities with intrinsic agency, extending beyond their religious significance to influence social and political dynamics. This perspective, derived from ethnographic immersion and materiality-centered theory, reveals a deeper layer of meaning in Svaneti's cultural heritage, contrasting with traditional state-centric interpretations.
Caring for ‘National Treasure’: Political Agency of Heritage Objects in the Caucasian Highlands (WGF - Post-PhD Research Grant)
Medieval churches and religious objects, referred to as 'gandzi' or 'sagandzuri,' serve as symbolic assemblages that engender distinct forms of power relations in Upper Svaneti. These artifacts, beyond their ritual function, act as discursive and affective nuclei for communal life in some of the most inaccessible villages, enabling local communities to renegotiate sovereignty vis-à-vis the state and the Orthodox Church. The study employs phenomenology of caring to explore the agentive capacity of these heritage objects, highlighting their role in shaping livelihood practices and power dynamics in a region characterized by geographic remoteness, scarce resources, and an unstable tourism-dependent economy.
Crises around Concepts of Hospitality in the Mountainous Region of Svaneti in the North of Georgia
Tourists' online expectations and reviews significantly impact local communities in Ushguli, Georgia, creating intense competitive pressure on villagers. This study highlights the challenges faced by the UNESCO-listed region as tourism grows rapidly since 2010, often outpacing its preparedness for modern lifestyles. The research, conducted from 2017 to 2022, critically examines how this shift affects regional values and social organization. By analyzing clashes between villagers' economic goals—centered on increasing visitor numbers—and tourists' diverse needs, the study explores tourism as both a potential solution and a disruptor of local structures. It reveals that while tourism offers economic opportunities, it also introduces complex pressures that reshape material and immaterial aspects of life in Ushguli.
Contacts of Bronze - Early Iron Age Archaeological Cultures with Synchronous Cultures of the Outer World (General overview)
Archaeological evidence from Upper Svaneti, Western Georgia, reveals significant cultural exchanges between Bronze-Early Iron Age societies and contemporary cultures across the Caucasus and beyond. Close contacts with Upper Imereti, pre-Maykop, Dolmen, Proto-Colchian, Maykop, Digoria, Mtkvari-Araks, Beden, and Proto-Hittite cultures are documented through pottery, stone artifacts, and metal objects. These interactions likely occurred via Central Caucasus mountain passes, facilitating the movement of goods such as bronze axes from Central Transcaucasia to Western Georgia. Imported pottery in southwestern Colchis further suggests ties with Asia Minor. The study highlights Upper Svaneti's role as a cultural bridge, integrating local traditions with broader Eurasian networks during this period.
Sustaining Rural Livelihoods in Upper Svaneti, Republic of Georgia
State-led development in Upper Svaneti, Georgia, threatens rural livelihoods and biodiversity conservation by prioritizing commercial tourism and timber concessions over local resource access. Research reveals that low-income households and remote villages are disproportionately dependent on common pool resources (CPRs), which cannot be easily replaced by wage income from new industries. Traditional governance structures and diversified livelihood strategies are critical for risk management, but current development pathways risk environmental degradation and increased wealth inequality. Institutional analysis shows that while forest users exhibit traits conducive to community forest management (CFM), legal frameworks and financial incentives hinder decentralization. An alternative approach—such as ecotourism with protected areas—could better sustain subsistence practices, support small-scale businesses, and ensure equitable opportunities, offering a more socially desirable development model.
Multidisciplinary Analysis of the Vernacular Settlements in Ushguli (Upper Svaneti, Georgia)
A multidisciplinary analysis reveals that the vernacular settlements of Ushguli, located at the highest point of human occupation before the permanent snowed highlands separating Georgia from Russia, exhibit unique urban morphological features distinct from classical urban elements. These settlements, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, display an overlapping of private and public spaces without a standard concept of streets or squares, significantly influencing their vernacular architecture. The study, conducted under the Project 3D Past, employs a combination of architectural analysis, urban morphology, and historical research to elucidate these original features, which are shaped by the Svan's history of conflict and isolation.
Symbolic Use of Domestic Space in the Upper Svanetian (Georgia) Vernacular House
Upper Svaneti, a remote region in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains, has preserved ancient cultural traditions and rituals, including those tied to gender-specific domestic spaces. Research reveals that the traditional Svanetian house (machubi), characterized by its single-volume design, uses its central fireplace as a symbolic axis dividing male and female spaces within the machub (ground floor). This study, part of the 3DPast project, employs architectonic survey and documentary analysis to interpret these spatial dynamics through space anthropology. The findings highlight how isolation and military settlement structures in Upper Svaneti contributed to the preservation of archaic practices, such as animal sacrifices and blood feuds, while also shaping gendered domestic rituals—particularly those performed by women. The machub’s design reflects a layered cultural history, blending practical living needs with deep-rooted symbolic meanings.
“King’s Painter” Tevdore and his inscriptions
A study of the inscriptions by 'King’s Painter' Tevdore in three churches of Upper Svaneti, dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, reveals his elevated status tied to monarchic power. The analysis of textual and visual data shows that Tevdore’s title and spatial placement of inscriptions were strategic, aiming to extend 'royal presence' in this highland region of Georgia. This research provides insights into the social hierarchy and political context of medieval Svaneti, highlighting how artistic embellishment served as a tool for asserting authority. The study combines epigraphic analysis with an examination of spatial constructs to evaluate Tevdore’s role within the broader societal framework.
Mountain environment and population in Georgia: case study of Upper Svaneti
A survey of Upper Svaneti's population in Georgia revealed significant insights into local perceptions and priorities regarding ecological challenges. Residents identified critical environmental issues, often ranking them above socio-economic concerns, demonstrating a strong awareness of ecological problems. The study found varying levels of trust in environmental information sources and limited knowledge about national environmental policies, despite active participation in conservation efforts. These findings underscore the importance of fostering community engagement to enhance decision-making for sustainable development in mountainous regions. The research employed stratified-cluster sampling and statistical analysis using SPSS, providing a robust framework for understanding local ecological perceptions.
Ethno-ecological contexts of the Skhalta Gorge and the Upper Svaneti (Georgia, the Caucasus)
A comparative analysis of the Skhalta Gorge and Upper Svaneti, two high mountain regions in Georgia, reveals that rapid depopulation can lead to ecological degradation if local culture and traditions are not actively preserved. The study demonstrates that sustainable development requires intervention rather than abstention, with tourism emerging as a key mechanism for restoring ethno-ecological balance by supporting traditional agriculture. This research leverages political ecology and the concept of socio-ecological systems (SES) to highlight the interplay between social and ecological dynamics under varying historical, political, and climatic conditions.
Original wall paintings at the church of the Saviour in Chvabiani (Upper Svaneti, Georgia) and Byzantine art at the turn of the tenth to eleventh centuries
A rare ensemble of wall paintings at the Church of the Saviour in Chvabiani, Upper Svaneti, Georgia, has been confirmed to date back to 978-1001, challenging prior assumptions about their origins. Through meticulous analysis of technique and style, researchers demonstrated that both the Theophany in the conch and the Apostles in the lower zone are original works from the turn of the tenth to eleventh century, showing no traces of later repainting. These paintings exhibit exceptional quality and strong affinities with Byzantine art, suggesting they may have been created by a visiting artist, likely Georgian-trained at a major Byzantine center. The findings provide new insights into the artistic exchange between Georgia and Byzantium during this formative period.
Fresco-Icons on Façades of Churches in Upper Svaneti (Georgia)
Fresco-icons on the south facades of 13th-century churches in Upper Svaneti, Georgia—specifically the Church of the Archangels in Iprari and St. George church in Ipkhi—serve as liminal markers, functioning as visual references to the chancel barrier (templon) and addressing the space in front of them. These exterior murals, depicting the Deesis iconography, play a crucial role in the spatial and symbolic organization of Christian churches, bridging the gap between the sanctuary and the laity. The study interprets the facade fresco-icons as templon imagery, highlighting their significance in religious architecture and ritual practice.
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