Adjara has been part of Georgia ethnically, linguistically and historically since ancient times. Adjarian traditions, habits, dialect, folklore, crafts and many other details typical for this region represent an important part of the overall Georgian culture. At the same time, Adjara has its specifics and local peculiarities that make it different from other historical provinces of Georgia. To some extent, the specific features result from forced conversion to Islam during the centuries spent under the Ottoman Empire. It should be noted however that today most of the Adjarians have returned to the Orthodox confession that has been traditional for Georgia.
The coastal and submountain zones of Adjara that are mainly located within the Mtirala National Park used to be a historical area with advanced Colchic culture. Starting from ancient times, iron founders, tinsmiths, builders, tillers, fishers, priests, royal servants and aristocracy shaped a social and political image of the Colchic society.
Unique diversity and particular historical events influenced the lifestyle and identity of the local population. Two types of log-houses dated to the end of the 4th – beginning of the 3rd millennium BC have been found conserved under turf in ruins of Kobuleti-Pichvnari, a settlement in Adjara that is a monument of early agriculture. The houses were initially built directly on the ground and put on piles later. One can see ancient technology of connecting the wood logs together that has been retained in Western Georgia in general and in Adjara in particular to date. The settlement is located in an area adjacent to the Mtirala National Park, at the place where the rivers Cholokhi, Ochkhamura and Achkva enter the Kolkheti valley to the northeast from Kobuleti.
Another ancient finding is a vault dated to the 5th century BC that was found in a burial place at Pichvnari and represents the oldest example of architecture. Stone architecture with some patterns of the antic and Hellenic styles developed together with the traditional wood architecture, which indicated to the ancient cultural links between the Colchians and the Greeks.
Houses in various regions of Western Georgia differ in their architectural elements: façade, interior, ornaments and decorations. Though built for the same purpose, houses in Imereti, Guria, Samegrelo and Adjara have different decorations and elements, a fact that still more increases their artistic and esthetic value. Architects from the Laz people should be mentioned in particular, who did not limit themselves to Georgia only, yet went to the territory of today’s Russia and North Caucasus to build religious and residential houses there. In villages located around the National Park, namely, those in the Chorokhi, Acharistskali, and Machakhela valleys today one can see some of the houses they built that have high architectural value.
The Laz people built two-floor houses. The first floor had a rectangular shape and consisted of two parts: one for storing goods and products and for a wine cellar (‘marani’) and another one for keeping agricultural tools. The second floor was residential and consisted of 4-6 rooms. The biggest room with an ornamented fireplace was intended for the hosts who gathered there to have meals and make decisions on important family issues. Another important place was guestroom that was smaller in size, with a separate entrance and decorated with special beautiful ornaments.
The walls of the houses were arranged with awe-cut planks fixed together using traditional means of fixation. The planks were made of chestnut or oak wood that is found in local forests. The trees were felled according to a schedule based on the moon calendar: to produce strong wood, trees had to be cut on Tuesdays, Saturdays or Sundays at full moon. There were three types of roof designs: single-pitch, double-pitch and triple-pitch roofs. Building works usually started on Sunday, and steel coins, grains or cattle hair were buried under the foundation to ensure prosperity and wealth. Pile-houses were the best design for the region with humid climate and moist soils.
Georgian folk music is enriched by multivocal Adjarian songs, of which unique song ‘Khasanbegura’ is particularly noteworthy that was first sung in a picturesque village of Kakuti located in the vicinity of the Mtirala National Park.
Old traditions, grace, plastique, and beauty are reflected in the Adjarian folk dances that have long found their place in the Georgian choreography. The oldest ritual dances ‘Khorumi’ and ‘Gandagana’ are internationally known today.
The songs and dances have been part of traditional holiday celebrations in Adjara to date. One can see and participate in the holiday celebrations in villages adjacent to the National Park.
A particular holiday ‘Colkhoba’ (‘the holiday of the Colchians) is celebrated in August in village Sarpi located on the territory of the Khelvachauri municipality. The holiday show is based on the legend about Apsyrtus, the son of King Aeëtes and Medea’s brother, who was killed by the Argonauts and is believed to be buried in Gonio-Apsarosi.
Another big holiday ‘Tbeloba’ is celebrated late in September in the beautiful village of Khikhadziri in high mountains of Adjara, and is dedicated to Tbel Abuseridze, a great Georgian writer, scientist and astronomer of the Middle Ages.
‘Shuamtoba’ (‘the holiday of the mountains’) is a particular holiday starting in the Alpine zone of the Adjarian Mountains on the first weekend of August and celebrated for two weeks on different mountains. Apart from its scale, ‘Shuamtoba’ is interesting for having retained some details pertaining to ancient animal breeding traditions and rich ethnography. It is also interesting that during holiday women are regarded as priestesses who perform all related rituals. Symbolical enough, the holiday celebrations start when a young girl lights a fire that is then put off by an old woman at the end of the holiday.
In addition to traditional Georgian dishes, Adjarian cuisine has some traditions that are unique for this corner of Georgia and are related to rich local nature, farming and lifestyle. These include sinori, Adjarian cheese twists, kuruti, chirbuli, borano, achma and famous Adjarian khachapuri (cheese-pies), and others.
Historically the Adjarian population primarily used locally grown and produced grain, fruit and vegetables, honey, and livestock products, and later on maize. As confirmed by archeological findings, local communities have farmed their land since ancient times. Stone agricultural tools found in Kviriketi, Khutsubani, Kakuti, Chakhati villages located in the vicinity of the Mtirala National Park date back to the 12th-4.5th millennium BC. Wine jars found in the area of the Mtirala National Park and in Shida Adjara as well as numerous indigenous varieties of vine indicate to the development of agriculture and viticulture at the beginning of the new era and later on. Ancient stone wine presses have survived centuries there. From ancient times wine was exported from Adjara together with honey, wax, silk and rare varieties of wood.
Georgia was one of the oldest centers of wheat and crop production and development. Adjara was a home to endemic wheat varieties. It is interesting that ancient sickle for crop plants was found in the Machakhela valley in vicinity of the Mtirala National Park, whereas similar tools have been also found in different other parts of Georgia.
Vegetables and maize were historically grown in the valleys of rivers within the National Park: the Kintrishi, the Chakvistskali and the Korolistskali valleys.
Animal breeding is another ancient traditional activity in Adjara. Every village in the Alpine zone has an area where the villagers graze their cattle for 100-120 days. Fresh air, breathtaking landscape of Alpine meadows and blossoming plants, cold water springs and diverse diary products are the attractions that have a potential to promote ecotourism and agrotourism in the area. Cattle, sheep, goat and rabbit breeding have been traditional types of animal breeding in Adjara.
According to historical records, Greek soldiers found a lot of beehives in Colchis, namely, in the part of the Adjarian coastline where the National Park is located. Bee-keeping was related to the diversity of nectariferous plants and warm winters. Georgian brown mountain bees are spread in Adjara that according to scientists have the longest proboscis among all bee species found in other countries.
Silk production is the oldest traditional activity in the region. Areas in the Park and adjacent valleys are rich in mullberry trees feeding their leaves to silkworms. Local residents used to produce silk and weave beautiful belts, handkerchiefs, shirts, etc.
Local crafts included woodcarving and making different wooden household items and wickerwork: big and small baskets and sieves of different shape and mesh patterns. Georgian historian Vakhushti Bagrationi particularly mentioned gifted Adjarian woodworkers. Examples of their work include unique wooden cradles decorated with wonderful ornamental patterns. Historical evidence shows that trees in general and the Life Tree in particular were worshipped in Adjara, which was also reflected in woodwork and ornaments. Pictures of the Life Tree also show deer, horses, cocks, peacocks and other birds. Astral images are also frequent, including the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, water, ways, different mythological creatures and signs, the cross being the most important one. The Tree of Life is also found in Georgian ornaments on historical monuments that have something in common with monuments of the Hurrians (Khurrites) and Sumerians who believed that the tree was a stair to and or a symbol of the sky.
For centuries, people have been using different varieties of wood, primarily oak, fir, and zelkova, for heating and medicinal purposes. Oak was regarded as a sacred tree in Georgia. In Adjara, trees that were held sacred included pine-tree, box-tree, and cypress. Images showing the trees have been found by archeologists on ancient religious and household items