Writing tools discovered in the courtyard of Svetitskoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta, in stone grave 14, are dated back to 3rd-4th centuries. Silver, gilded silver, gold.
A set of writing tools consists of the gold inkpot, silver pens and a silver pen box / case/ decorated with gilded relief images of all nine Muses, miniature silver figurines of Homer, Demosthenes and Menander. The openwork gold plate is inscribed in Greek: “Of the King Ustamos and also of Eugenios”; gold inkpot contains the powdery remains of ink.
“The writing tools discovered in the capital of Kingdom of Kartli (Iberia), Mtskheta, have no analogy. The writing tools are a unique example of not only ancient toreutics but also a clear demonstration of a notion as important as “the Georgian literacy” – one of the pillars of the Georgian statehood.
This set of writing tools proves that there were all preconditions in the capital of the Kingdom of Kartli in the 3rd-4th centuries AD for the creation of the national alphabet, the real need to which is connected the spread of Christianity.” [Georgian National Museum]
