Images from Georgia: photography & art from Uplistikhe – a pre-Christian Georgian city.

Uplistikhe 00

Uplistikhe is a stone-carved cave city in central Georgia. It was an important political, religious and commercial center, especially in pre-Christian times and, later, during the occupation of Tbilisi by the Arabs (around 650 AD).

During its maximum expansion the city was inhabited by 20000 people, its importance declined until 1240 AD, when it was destroyed by Mongols.

During the pre-Christian era the Sun Goddess was worshipped in the temples of the city and the holes in the floors were probably used to store food and/or for the sacrifices to deities.

This city (and other similar cave cities in Georgia or other countries) are spectacular, with rooms, halls, even thrones carved in the stone…. the final example of subtractive manufacturing 😉

The artwork creation itself was interesting, the contrast in the image was extreme, the clear sunlight from the ceiling hole and the windows cast a molten-lava shape on the floor. The warm/cold color contrast is exaggerated, (less than expected) and it was present in the original image.

I’ve made the details from the light shapes and the patterns on the blue floor in the foreground the main “attractions”. The lines, shapes from the sculpted details in the darkness on the back are very interesting too. After some adjustments I brought them back from the shadows… they give a sense of depth and perspective.

The hint of a wide angle, combined with the colors and strong patterns gives, in my opinion, a dream-like aspect to the whole image, suggesting the solemnity of an ancient temple to forgotten gods.