Some interesting facts about Georgia

Strategically disposed between Asia and Europe, Georgia has always been a desired place of intervention for the most powerful empires of the two continents, and for centuries struggled with endless bloody invasions. The territory of Georgia was a crossroads of trade between East and West, also the natural boundary between Islam and Christianity.
Nevertheless, despite everything, the Georgian nation, now numbering about 5 million people, as a result of centuries of persistent struggle, were able to restore their unity and preserve their cultural, linguistic and religious identity. Moreover, this small country is able to offer unique sights, cultural and historical features, which attracts the attention of world tourism.
Here are some interesting facts about the peculiarities of this nation.
Homeland of winemaking
Since ancient times, Georgia was famous for the production of an excellent wine. Even Homer in his Odyssey mentioned the famous wines of Colchis. Grapes and wine are invariably present as decorative elements in Georgian icon painting. Famous oenologist Patrick McGovern, who analyzed the finds from archaeological excavations in Nosiri, in Western Georgia, discovere on the basis of biomolecular methods that it is the oldest vine in the world, about 8,000 years old.
The peculiarity of Georgian winemaking also lies in the traditional method practiced here for centuries and consists in a particular method of natural vinification in clay vessels, kvevri, buried in the ground, which allows to preserve valuable grape nectar at a constant temperature.
Real name of Georgia
An interesting fact is that the name of this country sounds differently in different languages. So, in the original, in Georgian, the country is called Sakartvelo, referring to the name of the legendary founder of nation Kartlos or the father of all Georgians. Accordingly, the people are called kartvelebi, and the Georgian language – kartuli.

The Russians call it Gruzia, and the western designation of this country is Georgia. In ancient times, the eastern part of Georgia was called Iberia, and the western part was known as the Colchis.
Unique Georgian alphabet and Georgian script
As you know, in addition to the Latin letter system, which for 2500 years was spread around the world by the Romans, there are 13 other alphabetic writing systems in use today. The Georgian alphabet is listed among these fourteen systems, or rather will say the alphabets! Yes, it is, the alphabets, since such a small country not only has its own alphabet, but even three of them, the oldest ones and reflecting the historical and cultural wealth of the nation. It should be noted that since 2016 the Georgian alphabet has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of mankind.