The Vani nobility were laid to rest in the four major tombs wearing a plethora of gold and silver jewellery and wrapped in shrouds sewn with innumerable small appliqués, roundels and beads of gold. Highly prized in life and too precious to part with in death, the precious objects lead the exhibition and provide a great insight into the culture and context of ancient Georgia.
Walking through the exhibition is like walking through Tiffany’s, only better. The preserved jewellery on display glows under spotlight, exuding a strong sense of wealth and importance. Even the titles and quotes that decorate the walls are in gold lettering.
Intricate details of every curve and carving can be seen in the jewellery, reflecting the exquisite craftsmanship of the people of ancient Colchis and how they were able to collect the art of distant lands and incorporate it into their own iconography.
Animal motifs are central to the objects on display with ducks, tortoises and birds regularly integrated into jewellery. This is most evident in an incredible gold necklace with 31 individual pendant tortoises, and a silver belt showing scenes of banqueting and animal processions.
Delicate drinking vessels and cauldrons, etched and decorated in strong vibrant colours are also on show, reflecting the central importance of winemaking while bronze figurines of animals and people reveal the immense skill and flair of the Vani craftsmen.
The exceptional importance of Vani was heralded as early as 1876 when a newspaper report claimed that ‘every time it rains the water brings into the yards…so many pieces of jewellery, so many gold chains, so many coins and all sorts of other objects…who knows what the entrails of the extraordinary hill still guard?’
The striking collection offers a unique insight into a fascinating but long-forgotten culture of the eastern shores of the Black Sea and should not be missed.
Also featured at the Fitzwilliam Museum is Bordering the Black Sea: Greeks, ‘Barbarians’ and their Coins, a special display to enhance the tomb treasures. It explores the history of the Greek colonies on the shores of the Black Sea, their interaction with indigenous peoples, including the Scythians and Thracians, and their artistic traditions in coinage.
From the Land of the Golden Fleece: Tomb Treasures of Ancient Georgia and Bordering the Black Sea: Greeks, ‘Barbarians’ and their Coins are both running until January 4 2009. Admission is free.
