Kolkheti is a monumental bas-relief on the wall of the Green Bazaar located in Kutaisi, Georgia. Historically, ‘Kolkheti’ (also called Colchis) refers to the name of the ancient region located on the Black Sea’s eastern coast, centered in present-day western Georgia. The Colchians are generally considered to be the ancestors of the Georgians of today.
The artist of the monument was Bernard Nebieridze, and he completed the sculpture in 1985. He passed away in 1987 and the bas-relief was erected at the western entrance of the bazaar in 1995.
The bas-relief made from terra cotta is from the Soviet era. It was a necessity for Soviet Nations to bring out the most special parts of their national and cultural identity and to merge them into the Soviet culture.
The region known as Kolkheti was an important political capital in ancient times and was also mentioned in Greek mythology as the site of Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece. The reflections of the mythos of the Golden Fleece can be found in all of Georgia. It was also the land where Prometheus was punished by being chained to a mountain while an eagle ate his liver. The bas-relief was referred to as Kolkheti due to its importance for Georgian culture. It depicts scenes from the mythos of Golden Fleece, Medea, and the Argonauts as well as scenes from the Colchis Kingdom among other historical events.
Green Bazaar, also known as Kutaisi Central Market, is a historical bazaar and is one of the largest covered markets in Georgia.
