Dolmen in Achandara village

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Place of discovery: Georgia, the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, the villages of Eshera, Azanta, Otkhara, Achandara, Gorana, Kulanurkhva, Shroma, Dou Pass, river Psou gorge and elsewhere and  etc.

Description: It seems likely that dolmens were family burials, discovered in Abkhazian territory. The construction of the earliest dolmens of Abkhazia began in the second half of the 3rd Mill. Better built and vaster in size are dolmens built in the Mid Bronze Age (first half of the 1st Mill. B.C.)

Eshera dolmens are best studied archaeologically.  Dolmens of Abkhazia were constructed of four (on each side) massive flat stones set vertically and roofed by the similar stone (weight of individual stones exceeds 50 t.). Some dolmens are provided with a stone slab on the floor. The dolmens are of a trapezoid plan. A round hole (diameter – 0,4 m.) is cut in the wide front wall, which is predominantly oriented towards South or South-East. The hole was locked with a stone plug. Halved joints, arranged for the sake of solidity, are often found on the lateral walls and floor slabs, from the outside, large stones are edged around the walls.

In the Dolmens apart from disorderly scattered bones have been found axes, spear tips, a variety of  headpieces,  pottery and  etc.

Current condition:  Today,  a large part of dolmens is neglected and there is a threat of their destruction. The Separate exhibits are kept at the Georgian National Museum.

    Dolmens have been given the status of national importance monument.

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