Part I 

Vine is the unique plant and it is widespread all over the world. World scientists have recognized and today it is undoubted that Georgia is the native land and the ancient place of origin of winemaking. According to the historical source, “De Candolle, the outstanding botanist of the past century, regarded that the place of vine origin are Asia Minor and Georgia. In the opinion of Hens, culture historian of Germany: “the true native land of the vine is Kakheti and Samegrelo.” Italian missioner of 17th century, Arcangelo Lamberti regarded biblical story about Noah as evidence of the ancient agrarian traditions in Georgia. J. Dalmasso, the president of Italian Viticulture and Winemaking Academy wrote that “Georgia is the most significant country of viticulture... and 5000-6000 years ago, before Christ, in Georgia the wines were made as they are made now.”

American researcher, Hugh Jonson wrote: “The Romans called Caucasian mountains “the end of the entire world”... Probably, this was here, at the fertile foothills, where the vine was cultivated and the wine was made for the first time”. He also said: “The oldest seeds of cultivated grapes, in the opinion of the Soviet archeologists, were found in Georgia, by means of radiocarbon techniques and dated by 7th -5th millennium BC.

Indeed, Georgia is the native land of the vine and wine and this is confirmed not only by the theories but evidenced by archeological discoveries. Vine and Georgia are indivisible, eternal unity; vine, together with Georgia, has suffered great historical hardships, withstood, together with Georgian nation, the numerous invasions of the conquerors into Georgian land; the enemies used to cut the vine without mercy but Georgian people, after the war, used to restore the vineyards again and again, looking with hope to them. Georgian people has always had special attitude to the vine, moreover, the history of vine is the history of Georgia, as, from the ancient times up to present, it is at the priority place in socioeconomic and cultural-religious life of Georgian people. Georgia may be proud with over 500 native vine varieties and special outcome of fertile Georgian soil, blue sky and sun – fine, aromatic, high quality wine.

Roots of the vine are interwoven with the genealogy of Georgian nation; the image of Georgian people is fully expressed with the grapes and wine in its traditions: the main attribute of Georgian hospitality are bread and wine, the institute of toastmasters, Georgian verses and songs fitted to wine drinking. By its beliefs, Georgian nation is true follower of Christian religion, it is the Orthodox nation who has adopted Christianity long ago and expressed its endless love to vine through it, decorating with the bunches of grape the churches built with great love and thus emphasized particular worshiping of Lord and great love to vine simultaneously.

According to the historical source “First art piece in Sumerian-Acadian language about Gilgamesh is regarded as the original source containing information about grape vine and wine, viticulture and winemaking, as a very significant agricultural sector; according to this ancient document, the plant survived after Deluge was one of the attributes of the paradise in imagination of the Sumerian.”

Unique written monument of global significance, the Bible contains numerous data about grapes and wine. In one of its parts written in 12th century B.C. wine is mentioned many times as the best gift of the Lord; moreover, the links between the Bible, Lord’s distinguished nation and the Land of Covenant is strengthened by the vine: Noah, the Lord’s chosen man, to whom God gave the promise was the first viticulturist and winemaker.

In the article “Vine, Bible and Georgia” we discussed the biblical stories describing land rich with bread and wine, Lord’s chosen nation, viticulturist and winemaker Noah and Abraham, who has made the first large clay vessel for wine.

The question is: can we find out, based on the biblical texts, which nation was the first viticulturist and winemaker? In our opinion, it is possible as there is historical-philological science – paleography, studying origination and development of alphabets on the basis of written sources. Based on these data, undated written sources could be dated; sometimes even the names of the rewriters could be identified. Paleography studies written sources for the purpose of the time and place of their creation” (Georgian Encyclopedia, v. 7, Tb. 1984); “Paleography identifies the materials and instruments for writing, traces the changes of graphical forms of the writing signs, studies the systems of abbreviations and cryptography, decorating and layouts of the manuscripts and books” (Soviet Encyclopedical Dictionary, Moscow 1989).

In the opinion of scientists and historians, the Bible is related with Sumerian literary traditions; there’s significant information about Near East countries in the Old Testament in many cases confirmed by the results of archeological researches.

It should be also noted that the Sumerian were the oldest population of Mesopotamia. In the fourth millennium before Christ they had urban-type settlements and invented the oldest alphabet in the world. In the end of the third millennium B.C. the state of Sumer was ruined by the Babylonian (Semite nation) and on the ruins of the old civilized country they created the new state. Hence, the Semites could not be regarded as the Lord’s chosen viticulturist and winemaker nation, Noah - the first viticulturist and winemaker lived much earlier than they did.

We, the Georgians, Caucasian native population, whose settlement area was much wider than it is today and who was engaged in viticulture and winemaking from the ancient times, have the “right” to study the biblical stories and decode the truth maintained in the legends about the grapes and the native country of Bible.

According to the Biblical story, the Lord’s name is given to the vessel: The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. (Acts, 9:5); name of the Lord is “Sabaoth” and Saba, in accordance with the Encyclopedical Dictionary of Bible is wine. Vessel or large clay vessel kvevri is the ancient Georgian vessel. The question is: what does this biblical story points to? To clarify this, we should take into account the following biblical stories: according to Judges, Lord came from Seir Mount: “O LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water (Judges 5:4); Seir is the land rich with bread and wine: May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness-- an abundance of grain and new wine. (Genesis 27:28; and the most significant story showing geographical location of Seir, upwards from Colchis Mountains). These are the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir (their lands Joshua gave as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions: (12:7; Old Testament, v. 3; 1991).

Surprisingly, these ancient biblical stories brought us to Caucasus, the ancient viticulture and winemaking center.

In the book “Ethnical Culture and Traditions” there is said that: “For ethnographical and cultural researches the fact that the production skills and experiences may be further form the customs and traditions, is invaluable fact and acquires the significance of the unwritten original historical source” (M. Gegeshidze, 1978, p. 163). In such case, use of the large clay vessels kvevri could be regarded as the production skill and experience. Thus, giving Lord’s name to the vessel is of great significance.

The tribe name of Lord’ chosen Abraham is Heber. The word “ber”, according to Encyclopedical Dictionary of Bible means the well or lrage vessel. “Ber: or “hber”-“heber” was the name of ancient city in Eastern Georgia; “Hber”-“Heber”, in a form of “Khubara” exists up till now, in the territory of Nakalakari, as the name of one of the peaks of Caucasus Mountain Range and this shows that it is ancient Georgian word as it is associated with the large clay vessel. Its existence in a form of toponym is of interest, regarding that it is mentioned in the Bible as well.

With respect of the toponyms and their meanings, Mikheil Gegeshidze wrote: Toponym is a lexical unit. It has great linguistic value; it allows clarification of many issues of ethnical, economic history and history of culture of the nation. Economic toponyms should be distinguished as econonyms: the place is given its name not only with respect of economic use but also based on the economic traditions, distribution of economic subjects, production techniques etc.” (Ethnical Culture and Traditions, 1978, p. 49). In this specific case, the toponym or econonym “hber”-“heber” reflects the economic tradition of Georgia – viticulture & winemaking and use of the large clay vessels (kvevri) for wine.

In the word “hber”-“heber” part “h” (“he”) [“ჱ” (ჱe)] is of interest. It is also in old Georgian words: “Eden” (samoTჱ), “basis” (fuZჱ): “the land is as the garden of Eden before them” (Joel 2:3); “... “she planteth a vineyard” (Proverbs 31:16);

In the text of Bible the words “Eden”, “basis”, are replaced by “vineyard”: “I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits” (O. Ecl 2:5); “She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard” (Proverbs 31:16) (Ilia Abuladze, Dictionary of Georgian Language, Tb. 1973), hence, the place with the vineyards is called Eden .

It should be also noted that with respect of the Eden, Ivane Javakhishvili wrote: “Georgian term Eden (Samotkhe) is independent from the Greek-Latin_ Hebrew_Persian-Armenian terms and means a pleasant place (v. 5, p. 118).

According to the biblical stories, in the Garden of Eden there are two trees; one of them is the tree of life. From the ancient times, vine is believed to be the tree of life. In our opinion, in the word “heber”, “h” (“he”) denotes the vine, i.e. the tree of life and this should be actually true: if there is the large clay vessel, vine should be there as well: its existence in the form of toponyms, together with the biblical stories, point to the initial origin of vine. In addition, it should be taken into consideration that “in the past, the stem and body of vine was called both, the tree and the log; the tree is older; “tree means the woody plant, which is not cut while the log means the cut timber material” – wrote Ivane Javakhishvili (v. 5, p. 544). And supposedly, the result of this is that in Greek, vine is called H’αμπελος – he, ampelos, grapes tree (H’ he (ჱ) from Greek ampelos – grape (soviet Encyclopedically Dictionary, Moscow, 1989); now this is undoubted that the vine, with its name came to Greece from Georgia; for this, we would rely on the mythological dictionary: “Dionysus – Greek mythology – god of fertile powers of the soil, vegetation, viticulture, winemaking. God of oriental (Thracian and Lydian-Phrygean) origin, spread in Greece in relatively later period and established there with great difficulties”; and it is significant that the Greeks of antique period called Georgia Η’Іβηρία, Hiperia-Hibercus. It is absolutely logical that the native land of the vine (Η (ჱ) - vine) had the ethnical and territorial name related to the vine.

Testament is named “sefer Hebberit” (Exodus 24:4; G. Geche, Biblical Stories, Moscow 1989), or “Book of Hebers”, as, according to the explanation provided in Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani’s Dictionary, “Sefer” means the “Book” and word “Heber” is the ancient tribe name of viticulturist and winemaker Georgians. Regarding all above, the true country of origin of the Bible is Georgia!

Bible tells that the sons of Levi had the Book of Covenant: At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 10:8) and “thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) (Numbers 3:41).

Genealogy of the sons of Levi is as follows: Gershon and Kohath and Merari (Exodus 6:16; Numbers 3:17; 6:16, 7:31,32; 23:10);

Sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei;

Sons of Shimei: ... Bariah –m in our opinion – Berika, as “y” (qar) in Aramean language is “k” (kan) in Greek;

Sons of Bariah: ... Kheber (Chuber, Chober, Qeber) – in our opinion – Heber, as in Aramean language “kh” (“x”) is “h” (`ჱ~) (he) in Greek language; in addition, in the text of Bible, the letter “y” (qar) is replaced by “h” (`ჱ~) (he).

LEVI:

Exodus 6:16, 17; Numbers. 3:17; 1 Chron.. 6:18

1.    GERSHOM - Shobai, Seth Libni and Shimei - Shelomith, Hazier, Zina, Jeush and Bariah (Baria (Genesis 26:44; Numbers 26:44)) (1 Chron. 23:7,10) - Heber and Malchiel (Kuber (Kobor) and Melchiel (Genesis 46: da malqieli)) (1 Chron 7:31)

   2.    KOHATH

   3.    MERARI  - Mool, Omus (Mahali, Mushi)

Let us discuss these tribal names: according to the Bible, Shobal is the smith (Genesis 4:2), and “over the vineyards was Shimei” (1 Chronicles 27:27); as for Berika, it is the name of Georgian god: “Berika is the divine being in Georgian mythology, related to fertility; Berika is the main character of spring agrarian festival of fertility and nature revival; Beri-Bera – in the mythology of the mountain population of Eastern Georgia is an anthropomorphic divine being patron of harvesting ...”

Let us make the comparisons and associate the scheme with Georgia; it cannot be a simple coincidence, as the scheme clearly shows, to whom belongs the Book of Covenants: of course to those, who were the smiths and viticulturists from the ancient times, i.e. to Georgians.

According to the Bible, Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi (IE The well of Him who liveth and seeth me.); (Genesis 16:14). Thus, the place of swear and gathering in the future is associated with the well (large clay vessel), more exactly, it is associated to the territory where the first large clay vessel (churi) was made: Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they swore both of them. Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba .... And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. (Genesis. 21:30-33).

It could be clearly seen that the place where the well was made and the one selected by Lord is one and the same: But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come (Deuteronomy 12:5); thus, we face the real fact: if the place of gathering is at the well (churi), we, the Georgians should gather around it, as only we, Georgians have the churi from the ancient times.

Of course, it is hard to imagine all this, but if the Bible – the written source – allows us to clarify the actual history, why not! Understanding of the past would help us to forecast the future? How could be explained that the identity of the author (or even authors) and the God-chosen nation was lost? If this was not so, Mose would have no task to identify the Lord’s nation. Levites and write again the faith and commandments, written, originally, by Lord: .And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord).(Numbers 3:41); .And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. (Exodus 34:1); and this shows that the faith and commandments were written before Moses. According to the chronology of biblical history, the period of Mose’s activities was from 1250 to 1230 B.C.