Ergeta archaeological site

The Ergeta archaeological site (Georgian: ერგეტის არქეოლოგიური ძეგლები) is a multi-period complex situated in the village of Ergeta, within Zugdidi Municipality in western Georgia. It preserves a rich, stratified record of human occupation in ancient Colchis, spanning more than two millennia. Since systematic excavations began in 1978, archaeologists have identified over twenty settlement mounds — locally known as dikhagudzuba — providing evidence of continuous cultural activity from the early 2nd millennium BCE through the Hellenistic period.

Discoveries include timber-framed dwellings from the Bronze Age, lavishly equipped cemeteries from the Early Iron Age, and a Hellenistic settlement featuring both locally produced and imported artifacts. The site's diverse material culture — from agricultural tools and domestic pottery to scarabs and luxury imports — underscores Ergeta's significance as both a regional hub and a link in far-reaching Eurasian and Mediterranean exchange networks.