A unique medieval helmet and chain mail shirt have been discovered in the historic fortress of Rustavi, central Georgia. The helmet and mail shirt date to the 9th or 10th centuries, and the helmet is the only one from this period ever discovered in Transcaucasia.
Located about 15 miles southeast of Tbilisi, Rustavi was one of the earliest cities of the Georgian kingdom of Iveria, aka Caucasian Iberia. The fortress was built on a hill overlooking the Kura River starting in the 5th century. It was rebuilt in three phases through the Middle Ages, and traces of fire and battle including charred wood remains have been found.
The helmet and chainmail shirt were discovered close to each other in Room VI of the fortress. Numerous glazed pottery pots, jugs, pitchers and bowls were also found in the intensive excavation of Room VI.
Experts suggest the armour may have belonged to an elite soldier or commander stationed at Rustavi. The iron helmet, featuring a detachable muzzle plate, reflects advanced craftsmanship and design possibly influenced by Byzantine or Persian models. The chain-mail shirt, composed of thousands of interlinked iron rings, is in exceptional condition considering the area’s humid soil.
The discovery also helps fill a major gap in the archaeological record. Very few examples of early medieval armour survive anywhere in the Caucasus, and none have been documented with this level of completeness. The find provides direct material evidence of how warfare technology evolved during the formative centuries of Georgia’s feudal states — an era marked by Arab, Byzantine, and local interactions.
Archaeologists are now conducting metallurgical analysis to determine the alloy composition and manufacturing techniques. Early observations indicate the items may have been locally produced, showing that Georgian armourers of the time possessed high technical skills comparable to those of their regional counterparts.
The excavation of the fortress began in July, part of the largest archaeological project in the history of the city that also opens the fieldwork to any 12th grade students who wish to participate in the exploration of Rustavi’s past. More than 100 young people volunteered to join the archaeological investigation this year, and more than 500 have participated overall. Major discoveries have been made, including Middle Bronze Age tombs unearthed in 2020 that were found to date to the 18th-19th centuries B.C. which proved that Rustavi was settled at least four or five centuries earlier than previously known.
The city plans to make the fortress an open-air museum where visitors can view the excavations in progress and learn about the site’s history and prehistory. The armour and helmet are currently undergoing conservation. When they are clean and stable, they will go on display at the Rustavi Museum.
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