Traps biography

The radical change in the material production of this time was the wide development of iron. Bronze guns and weapons are replaced by iron, stone tools are completely out of use. During this period and the coastal part of Abkhazia, the tribal system, under the influence of cultural and economic changes and deep property stratification among members of the family, is gradually going to its inevitable death.

The decomposition of the tribal system and the formation of classes more intensively occurred on the coast of the Colchis lowland, including on the coast of Abkhazia, and the time in the mountainous regions of the country remained still foundations of the primitive communal system in its entirety and the course of a long time. Ancient burial grounds excavated in various points of the low -powered part of Abkhazia clearly show that in the V - IV centuries.

Excavated burials conclude rich and diverse inventory. In burials, silver and bronze jewelry, as well as weapons, different utensils and coins were found. Among the burials there are rich and poor. Some of them found a lot of weapons, rings-prints, bracelets, silver, coins, Greek blacklack vessels, amber, pastry and glass beads, in others, very few objects were found and, moreover, inexpensive.

There are burials without any inventory. The whole farm, all economic life change significantly. In these changes, the development of cattle breeding played a significant role, especially the further spread of a home horse. Relations with the outside world are amplified. The beginning of relations with Greece dates back to the VII century. On their sailing ships, they sailed to the Black Sea coast and traded with the local population.

Where trade promised significant benefits and where there were convenient parking lots for ships, they founded a colony. Olvia is based at the mouth of the Western Bug. Poti, dioscuria sovr. Sukhumi, Pitius sov. Pitsunda et al. Information about the first acquaintance of the Hellenes with the coast of the Caucasus remained in the famous Greek myth of the Argonauts, which tells about the swimming of the Argo ship to the shores of Colchis.

Near the VI century. The intercourse of the Greeks with the Colchis coast had important consequences: they introduced to world trade and accelerated the economic and public development of the population living in this territory. In the coastal areas and in fertile valleys of agriculture, farming is gradually becoming the leading sector of the economy, and along with in some places the preserved old cell type, agriculture arises and develops with the use of wooden plow and working cattle.

Various crafts also developed. With the development of these sectors of the economy, the population produced more products than it was necessary to maintain life. The exchange contributed to the further expansion of production. He led to the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the leaders and individual more powerful families, which took possession of the best plots of the Earth, part of the cattle and led their own economy, forcing people to work for themselves - slaves captured by them.

According to ancient authors, the inhabitants of the coast of modern Abkhazia skillfully swam in high -speed boats along the coast of the Caucasus. Some of them attacked merchant ships and settlements in order to seize wealth and prisoners addressed to slaves. The relatively rapid development of Colchis was facilitated by a growing foreign trade. In the VI-V centuries.

The variety of types and variants of these coins, found in various areas of historical colchis, allows them to distinguish them in a completely independent group of ancient coins, characteristic only for the southeastern coast of the Black Sea. The capital of the Colchis was the city of aya, located at the mouth of the phasis of Rioni. The population of the Colchis, which the ancient Greeks called the Colchs, was not one in their ethnic composition.

The territory of the Colchis was inhabited by the Egrisians, who were the ancestors of the later Megrel-Chains, as well as the ancestors of the current Abkhazians, Svan and other tribes. The rich nature of the Caucasus was of great importance for the development of trade relations of the local population with ancient Greece. From here came a number of products that were widely known to the world market.

From the Caucasus were taken out: TIS, SAMSHIT, Ship Forest, Smole, Hemp, Flax fabrics, Leather, Wool, etc. A number of ancient writers indicate the extraction of gold and silver here, and the production of suicar is also mentioned. The colchid healing herbs that served for the manufacture of drugs were also famous in the ancient world, plant paints were known.

But there was an especially valuable product that attracted the attention of Greek merchants - a living product - slaves. They were required in a huge number for the slave states of the ancient world. Of great importance was the Caucasian coast in the development of the trade of Greek cities with the northern coast of the Black Sea, from where bread was exported in significant quantities.

In that era, small Greek vessels did not dare to cross the space of the Black Sea in the right direction, but made swimming along the coast, from port to port, which in modern marine is called cabinage swimming. They entered the Caucasian ports, contributing to an increase in their trade turnover.The archaeological material shows that the rich top of the indigenous population of the coast of Abkhazia led intense trade with Greek merchants that appeared here.

This part of the population used the benefits of exchange, as a result of which she became the owner of various, previously not accessible benefits to her. Graceful black -haired vessels, excellent fabrics, olive oil, various art products, valuable drill forest, skin, wool, hemp, resin, honey could be obtained from Greek merchants in exchange for slaves. In the VI - V centuries.

But it must be assumed that a significant part of the territory of the ancient city is now at the bottom of the Sukhumi bay. This is evidenced by a number of archaeological objects and monuments found here at the bottom of the sea, in particular, the magnificent ancient marble tombstone of the end of the V - Filled IV century. At the bottom of the sea, a sculptural bust of marble limestone was also found.

It was also established that at the bottom of the bay there are the remains of ancient structures. For a long time, during severe storms, the wreckage of Greek Chernolaka dishes, antique coins and other monuments of material culture were found on the shore. This is evidenced by the first -class ancient tiles of local and imported Sinop origin found here. The population of the city, judging by numerous finds, maintained constant connection with ancient Greece.

In ancient Sukhumian ceramics, along with local, in significant quantities, imported black -handed, as well as amphor dishes from various centers of ancient Greece, are represented. In the 4th - 2nd centuries. Dioscuria played a significant economic and political role on the coast of the Caucasus. This is evidenced by the fact that in II in BC. This is also indicated by Strabo's messages, which writes: “The extensive soil burial ground open on Mount Guadikha, in the northern part of Sukhumi, belongs to the period of existence in the area of ​​the modern Sukhumi of Dioscuria.

It turned out to be a significant number of burial burials in which many iron and bronze objects consisting of weapons and jewelry were found. The composition of the weapon includes iron axes-sabers, hammer axes, swords, daggers, and hidden copies of copies. Along with this, bronze rings-prints and clay dishes were placed in burials. Of particular interest are the rings-prints, on the shields of which there are the finest work of carved images of human figures and animals.

Along with Dioscuria, the city of Pitinent, located on the territory of the Pitsundian cape, played an important economic and political role on the coast of the whole Colchis. The city got its name from the richest grove of a relict pine, representing the remains of the plant world of a tertiary period. In Greek, the pine is called "Pitius." Author of the II century.

Artemidor Ephesus, and later Strabo, is called Pitsunda “Great Pitin” 3. This city was a large retail point on the southeastern coast of the Black Sea; He conducted lively trade not only with Caucasian tribes, but also with the ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region and with various centers of ancient Greece. On the coast of Abkhazia, along with relatively large cities, small factors were also located, such as Guenos, in the area of ​​the modern city of Okamchir, triglit, in the Gagra region, and other central Guenos, mentioned by the ancient authors of the 4th century.

Among the finds, black -and -haired dishes prevails here and many sea shells are found, eaten by the Greeks. Outside of this small plot there lived a local population, which did not eat shells and used mainly local, perfectly made dishes. A number of local decorations were found here, which were distinguished by thin jewelry. Antique settlements, surrounded by local flesh, grew and developed thanks to their most close economic contact with the aborigines of the region.

Trade with the Greeks was beneficial for the local population. Greek colonies contributed to the growth of both foreign trade and domestic exchange and the country. At the same time, Greek culture has undoubtedly played an important role in the development of local culture. The developed culture of the local population and its close ties with the culture of the Greeks find excellent confirmation in the materials obtained by archaeological excavations on the coast of Abkhazia.

The local population, in turn, influenced their original culture on the household and culture of ancient settlements in Abkhazia. The economic development of Abkhazia in the VI - I centuries. In the VI - I centuries. Breeding of livestock for a long time was here, as before that, an egg. The main species of pets were a cow, a sheep, a goat and others, which are indicated by the bones of these animals found during archaeological excavations at various points of Abkhazia.

To transport severity and riding, the population used horses. This is confirmed by horsepower finds. For cultivation of the Earth, a wooden soh was used, and which was harnessed to work livestock.Iron bunnies from wooden plow were found during archaeological excavations in Yura Guadikh. An iron sickle was also found here. Apparently sowed wheat, barley, special varieties of millet’s millet-Ash and abyst and other bread cereals.

Cattle breeding and viticulture were highly developed on the territory of Abkhazia. Various crafts flourished here. Of great importance in the development of craft was, as mentioned above, metalworking. Excavations on the territory of Abkhazia - in Sukhumi and other points showed that the ancient residents of this region were mainly used for the manufacture of tools and weapons.

The successes of the development of metallurgy are also indicated by the tools of economic purpose.