The stele of Davati () is a kvajvari, cross-shaped limestoneMachabeli, p. 6 stele, carrying a bas-relief, depicting Virgin Mary alongside the archangels Michael and Gabriel, with one of the earliest inscriptions in Georgian Asomtavruli script.Machabeli, p. 120 Two other men depicted in the bas-relief could not yet be identified; maybe they are the sponsors of the stele.Lordkipanidze, David (2018). Georgiens Geschichte in 33 Objekten [History of Georgia in 33 Objects]. Halle: Mitteldeutscher Verlag, , p. 57 (in German). The upper part of the stele that is assumed to have been depiction of the Feast of the Ascension is broken and lost.Machabeli, p. 11 It has been dated to the 6th century. The stele was discovered in 1985 in a small Church of the Virgin in highland village of Davati, Dusheti Municipality.Abramishvili, G & Aleksidze, Z. (1990), "A national motif in the iconographic programme depicted on the Davati Stela". Le Muséon, Vol. 103. # 3-4: 283-292
Hypothesis The Georgian scholar Ramin Ramishvili conjectures that the combination of letters ႩႲႽ corresponds to the number 5320 (5000 + 300 + 20, correspondingly Ⴉ [k] + Ⴒ [t] + Ⴝ [č]), which may denote, according to Georgian numerals, the year 284 BC, the alleged date of creation of the first Georgian script.
See also Stele of Serapeitis Stele of Vespasian
References
Bibliography Machabeli, K. (2008) Early Medieval Georgian Stone Crosses, Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia, Chubinashvili National Research Centre for History of Georgian Art and Monument Protection, External links History of Georgia through Artifacts: Stele of Davati on Georgian Public Broadcasting