On February 19, at the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, a public lecture was delivered by Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, Doctor of History and General Director of the National Library of Georgia. The topic of the lecture was “The Tradition of Book Printing and the Book Museum of the National Library of Georgia.”
In the opening part of the lecture, the speaker discussed the concept of “book” as a physical, cultural, and intellectual object, one that transcends its role as a carrier of text and becomes an important instrument for shaping human experience, transmitting knowledge, and preserving historical memory.
While reviewing the subject, Dr. Konstantine Gamsakhurdia introduced the audience to the events that took place in 15th century Mainz, Germany, focusing specifically on the work of Johannes Gutenberg, which revolutionized book printing.
“The use of movable metal type, special ink, and the printing press made it possible to reproduce books quickly and relatively inexpensively, which significantly accelerated the spread of knowledge in Europe and had an important impact on the processes of civilizational development,” the speaker stated.
The guest introduced the audience to the history of Georgian book printing. He noted that the publication of the first printed Georgian book in 1629 in Rome is regarded as one of the early examples of the integration of Georgian culture into the European intellectual sphere. This book was a Georgian-Italian dictionary compiled by Stefano Paolini, created with the support of the ambassador of King Teimuraz I, Niceforo Irbachi (Nikoloz Cholokashvili). A special place in the establishment of the institutional foundations of Georgian printing is attributed to King Archi II and his descendants. The first Georgian printing press founded by King Vakhtang VI in Tbilisi (1708-1709) became the culmination of the Georgian printing activity.
In the concluding part of the lecture, Dr. Konstantine Gamsakhurdia spoke about the history of the establishment of the Book Museum of the National Library and its significance. He also, particularly, underscored the importance of Ilia Chavchavadze’s personal library in the development of Georgian book culture.
Dr. Konstantine Gamsakhurdia extended his heartfelt gratitude to the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary for the invitation.
“I extend my special thanks to the Rector of the Academy, Doctor of Philology, Theology, and Political Sciences, a truly distinguished representative of the Georgian clergy, the initiator and steadfast leader of many significant undertakings, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze,” the guest said.
Father Giorgi emphasized the contributions of Dr. Konstantine Gamsakhurdia and his esteemed ancestors to our country and warmly thanked him for accepting the invitation and delivering an engaging lecture.
The professors, instructors, and students of the TTAS attended the lecture.
