Ilia University multidisciplinary expedition to Tusheti

From August 8th through August 18th, Ilia State University organized a multidisciplinary expedition to Tusheti National Park. The purpose of the expedition was to conduct research in the areas of geology, ethnography, archeology and Geophysics. Among their various endeavors, researchers monitored wildlife and selected installation locations for seismographic and GPS stations. Participants in the expedition included students and professors from the Institute of Ecology, Institute of Earth Sciences, as well as researchers and students in the areas of Visual Anthropology, Local History, and Engineering. The expedition group was based in Omalo; however they also visited surrounding villages and valleys, some of whichwere located close to the Russian-Georgian border.

Expeditions such as this one contribute to the development and depth of research and knowledge of Georgia’s mountainous regions. They expand the horizons of historical, cultural and geomorphological knowledge. Furthermore, they contribute to the further understanding of biodiversity development processes and to the general understanding of Georgia’s mountainous regions, which, until recently, have not received much academic attention.