Abstract:
Georgian lapidary inscriptions give us a lot of valuable data. They attract our attention not only from the historical meaning, but also – their artistic-esthetical point of view. Lapidary inscriptions, fresco inscriptions, scratched inscriptions, inscriptions on chasing and inscriptions made on embroidery have got values for literature studies and imagery thinking. Namely, they often use biblical books and accordingly, reflect biblical motives, allusions, images and express theological opinion. They also show the ideology and the level of thinking of architects and of those who ordered inscriptions and of those who did them. They give us name of patron saint of a church. Inscriptions contain topics and motives they relied on. Biblical and theological inscriptions are of several types: inscriptions show the names to whom the people ask a help to save their souls, the God or any saint; the inscriptions are about the perception of the universe in a Christian way; they reflect biblical-evangelistical episodes and allusion; mention biblical characters; spiritual life of the residents of the world, motives of forgiveness; eschatological topic and the expectation of the Doomsday, the topic of curse and damnation; some inscriptions indicate whom a church is dedicated to. The article discusses four one-word long inscriptions of Kumurdo church: “Adam”, “Eva”, “tsai” (the sky), “kuekanai” (a country). These words represent the process of creation of the universe and perception of the universe by a man. “Adam”, “ Eva”, “tsai”, “kuekanai” – these words are the symbols of unity of two lives. A church itself is a symbol of unity of these two lives which leads a man’s soul to the heaven. At the same time, the architect of Kumurdo church is an extraordinary person not only by his work but in theology too. He seems to be a well educated and great thinker. It is very important to mention that in many cases if not epigraphy we should never knew the patron saint of a church (ex. the inscriptions of Samsari church of St. Virgin and St. Marina’s church in Tmogvi).
