Machakhela Archaeology Project

Location: Machakhela, Adjara, Georgia

Season: July 13, 2026 to August 2, 2026

Session Dates: Excavation July 12-July 24/Survey: July 26-August 2nd

Application Deadline: July 1, 2026

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095279433316

Discount for AIA members: No

Program Type:
Volunteer

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University

Project Director:
Roin Malakmadza, David Grace and Sulkhan Mamuladze.

Project Description:

This year the Machakhela Project will be conducting archaeological surveys and excavations. Volunteers can sign up for just one or both of these.

The archaeological survey will take place right after the excavation and is meant to find other potential excavation sites, gather information about the population in Machakhela during different periods and survey a string of castles built to monitor and protect the trade routes that linked the Black Sea to the Silk Road.

The survey will involve:

• Documenting and taking measurements on sites already known by locals
• Interviewing locals about potential sites in area
• Foot surveys which will include some hiking through forested areas.
• A trip into Turkey just across the border to survey two castles associated with Chukunketi castle Khertvisi and Mindieti that now reside in Machakehla, Turkey.

The excavation will involve;

• Opening up a new excavation site.
• Archaeological Excavation techniques.
• Recognizing Stratigraphy layers.
• Basic Documentation for Archaeological field work.
• Processing ceramic finds and other material.

This year our excavation will be the first season at 2 new sites and takes place in Upper Chkhutuneti that have changed the understanding of the history in Machakhela. Upper Chkhutuneti is located in the Machakhela Gorge in Khelvachauri Municipality. Last years surveys revealed two previously unknown large settlements in Upper Machakhela in wooded areas that were most likely connected to each other. The first settlement shows at least ten large structures two of which are terraced. There is also a wall that runs at least 150 meters down the middle of the settlement. The purpose of the structures is unknown some appear to be living quarters. The stones used for the construction of the structures are large and cut into into squares showing signs this was an important settlement that took large amounts of effort to build.

The 2nd settlement is about a 45 minute walk from the 1st one and appears to be a pagan religous site. What can be seen of the religous site are several very large 2 meter tall standing stones placed to form a circle with smaller standing stones around them. There is also what appears to be house dwellings near the reglious site.

Initial surveys date the site at least to the 1st century AD but they could be older. Excavations this year will help determine this.

The excavations in Upper Chuckuneti this year are part of a bigger project within Machakhela National Park. The Machakhela Archaeology Project is a project created to survey, excavate, and study the numerous archaeology sites within Machakhela which has received very little archaeology attention in the past.

Costs:

• Excavation 2 weeks: 1250$
• Survey 1 week: 800$ (Survey includes 2-3 days in Turkey)
• This includes lodging, meals, transportation to site and excursions
• Anyone staying for the excavation and survey will have lodging and meals provided on the in-between days as well.

Period(s) of Occupation: 500 BC-5th century AD

Notes:
During the excavation season we will also be going on a couple excursions to Roman built Gonio fortress, Gvara castle a Medieval Georgian castle Batumi along with cultural experiences such as a Georgian folk dance show, wine tasting, and trips to museums in the region. Last year we went to Shamtoba mountain festival. There will be a relaxed work environment with a small hike to the excavation site everyday. The climate is mild where we are at but excavating can be hot and physical work sometimes. It is recommended to be prepared to handle this and working outside. The local community is very supportive of our project so there is will also be lots of opportunities to interact with the local culture. The excavation takes place in a big wine area in Georgia with lots of locals making wine. We do ask volunteers to be conscious of their wine intake and be responsible with it.

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 1 week

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No experience required

Room and Board Arrangements:
Lodging and 2 meals a day are provided in the costs. The lodging will be at the Malakmadze guest house in the Machakhela National Park. There are shared rooms although a couple private rooms are available at an additional cost. This area is a beautiful area with a waterfall 2 minutes walk from the Guesthouse, a river to swim in and plenty of places to hike to. The food is Georgian cuisine and is almost entirely from the immediate area and is homemade. The food is typically viewed as a huge perk to the excavation. This is also a big wine area in Georgia with locally made wine everywhere.

Academic Credit:
No